GENEVIEVE PFISTER, Staff Writer—
Call me old-fashioned, but as a vintage, retro and antique-loving nerd, I am properly and utterly in love with the aesthetics of “days gone by.” The literature of Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, soirees and balls, endless cups of tea served in delicate china cups, square necklines and top hats, crowds of people bustling about on busy London streets in swirls of skirts and coats, cobblestones and carriage wheels: I am all about it.*
Over spring break, my mom introduced me to a YouTube workout routine set to dance music from the 1980s, and as I sat down afterwards, my mind unsurprisingly wandered to the Victorian social novel and romance I was reading at the time (North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, if you would like a recommendation). It got me thinking… why has no one created a workout playlist like the 80s one, but for the 19th century? Now, before you start yawning and rolling your eyes, hear me out.
Dance was an important part of the Regency and Victorian lifestyle, and although 21st century popular culture sometimes forgets, it wasn’t just all slow waltzes and romantic violin dances–though those styles are wonderful in their own right. If you consider the literature from these eras, there is plenty of excitement, tension, and drama to go around that many talented composers have successfully soundtracked in countless Austen adaptations and other period dramas.
So I ask again: why not a playlist inspired by the tunes, aesthetics
and stories from these timeless eras? I didn’t have a good answer, so I went ahead and made one: a curated list of some of the most fast-paced and energetic instrumentals from and inspired by British period dramas (including Pride & Prejudice and Emma), classical composers, and other miscellaneous historical periods that I felt fit the overall vibe of the playlist. Try it out on your next trip down to Mitchell, set it as your soundtrack as you hurry across campus to your next class, or queue it up anytime you need a bit of an energy boost. Give it a chance! What have you got to lose?
Spotify Link to Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3rnM0RW7IBPvxEDUJGw9t7?si=e28c4e133d804fb7&pt=b01d6d53db204205ff5a1e10197a614c
*Please understand that I DO NOT support the sexist, racist, homophobic, and classist values and politics of these eras. The politics of these days were extremely flawed and problematic, and this article is not an attempt to romanticize or gloss over that. I admire the aesthetics of these eras, not their dominant social opinions or politics.