Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 32 - Into the Woods
This week we're off to the woods.
Monday October 19
Tales of Vienna Woods (Johann Strauss II)
Johann Strauss II was an Austrian composer of light music particularly dance music and operettas. In his lifetime, he was known as 'The Waltz King', and was largely responsible for the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century. His most famous works include The Blue Danube, Tales from the Vienna Woods and the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka. Among his operettas, Die Fledermaus (The Bat) and Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron) are the best known.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INPYhoMXjsE
(Daniel Barenboim and the Vienna Philharmonic)
Tuesday October 20
Trees (music: Oscar Rasbach words: Joyce Kilmer)
'Trees' is a lyric poem by American poet Joyce Kilmer, written in February 1913. It has been set to music several times, most notably by Oscar Rasbach. Many singers have recorded it including the two I have included below. On the Tauber recording there is a photo of the same piece of sheet music that I had at home when I was young. It was a song I enjoyed playing and singing. Yes, it is dated, but the sentiment is so true. Especially for those of us who love trees.
Richard Tauber's (1938 recording)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1BWNy2u37c
Robert Merrill's (1955 recording)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUrI-zA3HE
Wednesday October 21
Chorus of Huntsmen/Foresters (from Der Freischütz)
Der Freischütz is an opera by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), a German composer, conductor, and pianist. The opera's title translates as The Marksman or The Freeshooter. It premiered on 18 June 1821 in Berlin.
I first came across this chorus on a cassette tape of opera choruses that I often played when driving between London and Leeds in my student days. It remains a firm favourite, the chorus not the drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRXL3gJdAHY
Thursday October 22
I talk to the trees (from Paint Your Wagon)
Lerner (lyrics) and Loewe (music) wrote many hit musicals including My Fair Lady, Gigi and Camelot. Less well known is Paint Your Wagon which opened on Broadway in 1951 with a film version in 1969. Songs include Wand'rin Star, They call the wind Maria (pronounced to rhyme with fire) and today's track, I talk to the trees. On this recording the singer is someone more usually associated with very different acting roles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn8YubD01sk
Friday October 23
Papagena! Papagena! (from Mozart's Magic Flute)
The Magic Flute was premiered on 30 September 1791 in Vienna, just a few weeks before Mozart died.
At this point in the opera Papageno believes he has lost Papagena and tries to hang himself on a tree (hence relevance to this week's Jukebox theme). He is saved by the three spirits, who remind him that if he uses his magic bells he will find true happiness. When he plays the bells, Papagena appears and the two start making family plans.
The Magic Flute has always been one of my favourite pieces and this duet is a real highlight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZo0klTdVGg
Weekend October 24/25
Into the Woods - Prologue
Stephen Sondheim's 1987 musical intertwines the plots of several fairy tales including Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Cinderella. It was made into a film in 2014 (well worth seeing) with an excellent cast including Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, and Anna Kendrick. It was impossible to find a good video track so here is an audio recording of the prologue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrDU8DcT9lU
(14 minutes)
Tales of Vienna Woods (Johann Strauss II)
Johann Strauss II was an Austrian composer of light music particularly dance music and operettas. In his lifetime, he was known as 'The Waltz King', and was largely responsible for the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century. His most famous works include The Blue Danube, Tales from the Vienna Woods and the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka. Among his operettas, Die Fledermaus (The Bat) and Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron) are the best known.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INPYhoMXjsE
(Daniel Barenboim and the Vienna Philharmonic)
Tuesday October 20
Trees (music: Oscar Rasbach words: Joyce Kilmer)
'Trees' is a lyric poem by American poet Joyce Kilmer, written in February 1913. It has been set to music several times, most notably by Oscar Rasbach. Many singers have recorded it including the two I have included below. On the Tauber recording there is a photo of the same piece of sheet music that I had at home when I was young. It was a song I enjoyed playing and singing. Yes, it is dated, but the sentiment is so true. Especially for those of us who love trees.
Richard Tauber's (1938 recording)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1BWNy2u37c
Robert Merrill's (1955 recording)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYUrI-zA3HE
Wednesday October 21
Chorus of Huntsmen/Foresters (from Der Freischütz)
Der Freischütz is an opera by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), a German composer, conductor, and pianist. The opera's title translates as The Marksman or The Freeshooter. It premiered on 18 June 1821 in Berlin.
I first came across this chorus on a cassette tape of opera choruses that I often played when driving between London and Leeds in my student days. It remains a firm favourite, the chorus not the drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRXL3gJdAHY
Thursday October 22
I talk to the trees (from Paint Your Wagon)
Lerner (lyrics) and Loewe (music) wrote many hit musicals including My Fair Lady, Gigi and Camelot. Less well known is Paint Your Wagon which opened on Broadway in 1951 with a film version in 1969. Songs include Wand'rin Star, They call the wind Maria (pronounced to rhyme with fire) and today's track, I talk to the trees. On this recording the singer is someone more usually associated with very different acting roles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn8YubD01sk
Friday October 23
Papagena! Papagena! (from Mozart's Magic Flute)
The Magic Flute was premiered on 30 September 1791 in Vienna, just a few weeks before Mozart died.
At this point in the opera Papageno believes he has lost Papagena and tries to hang himself on a tree (hence relevance to this week's Jukebox theme). He is saved by the three spirits, who remind him that if he uses his magic bells he will find true happiness. When he plays the bells, Papagena appears and the two start making family plans.
The Magic Flute has always been one of my favourite pieces and this duet is a real highlight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZo0klTdVGg
Weekend October 24/25
Into the Woods - Prologue
Stephen Sondheim's 1987 musical intertwines the plots of several fairy tales including Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Cinderella. It was made into a film in 2014 (well worth seeing) with an excellent cast including Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, and Anna Kendrick. It was impossible to find a good video track so here is an audio recording of the prologue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrDU8DcT9lU
(14 minutes)