Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 56 - Siblings
April 10, is Siblings Day in North America. Europe marks Brothers and Sisters day on May 31, but Tonic Jukebox is celebrating this week. This is an opportunity to tell your sibling(s) how much they mean to you. And an opportunity for us to feature a selection of music about siblings as well as brothers and sisters who make music together. Brief description.
Monday April 5 (Bryan's birthday)
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem. Yente, the village matchmaker, arrives to tell Golde that Lazar Wolf, the wealthy butcher, a widower older than Tevye, wants to wed Tzeitel, the eldest daughter. The next two daughters, Hodel and Chava, are excited about Yente's visit, but Tzeitel illustrates how it could have bad results. A girl from a poor family must take whatever husband Yente brings.
Performance
Tuesday April 6
Ah, Guarda, Sorella (Ah, look, sister)
Così fan tutte is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed on 26 January 1790. The short title (there is a longer one) is usually translated into English as '(all) women are like that'. In this charming duet, Dorabella and Fiordiligi are praising their fiancées, Ferrando and Guglielmo.
The first time I saw this opera was a nerve-racking experience. Daughter Rachel was working as assistant director on a small production (5 singers and pianist) staged in a small pub theatre in Islington. We were due to go on the 3rd or 4th night, but on the afternoon of the first night Rachel called to ask if I could turn pages that evening as the page turner was sick. I had rarely turned pages (it's tricky) and did not know the opera at all. I jumped in the car and on arrival the Musical Director/pianist showed me two very heavy books of music, different versions of the score. He said that he would tell me when to switch from one book to the other and then back again. He also gave me a pad of post-its and said that at times he would indicate that I should give him one. In this way he could note where he wanted to tell the cast something afterwards. Notwithstanding the small audience size (about 40), this was a daunting, but ultimately successful introduction to the opera for me. It has become a favourite of mine.
Performance
Lyrics
Wednesday April 7
The King Brothers
The King Brothers (Michael, Denis and Tony) were a British pop vocal trio popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They are best remembered for their cover versions of Standing on the Corner and A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation). I was a big fan, preferring the clean (gentle) look to the rock performers. I was an unusual child. Some say, nothing has changed.
Here are 3 songs for you. On two of them I was excited to see the record cover that I bought back in the 60s.
A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)
Mais Oui
On the Morecambe and Wise show in the early 1960s.
Thursday April 8
Tell Me It's Not true
Blood Brothers is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Willy Russell. The story is a contemporary nature versus nurture plot, revolving around fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie, who were separated at birth, one subsequently being raised in a wealthy family, the other in a poor family. They both fall in love with the same girl, causing a rift in their friendship and leading to the tragic death of both brothers.
Performance
(detail of this recording)
Friday April 9
Brother Mine (originally: Brüderlein und Schwesterlein - little brother and little sister)
Die Fledermaus (The Bat, sometimes called The Revenge of the Bat) is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II which premiered in 1874.
This operetta is full of wonderful melodies, starting with the overture which is terrific and can be found in Jukebox week 1. Bryan and I both have happy memories of performing in Die Fledermaus, same role, at different times. Bryan played Prison Governor Frank in a production with Somerset Opera in Taunton. I was in a production in 1977 in the Greenwood Theatre, in the grounds of Guys Hospital. A highlight of the one rehearsal we had in the theatre was being allowed to press the button that sent the orchestra pit up and down. I cannot remember if there were any musicians on it at the time.
Act 2 takes place at a ball. By the end of the Act the guests are quite tipsy and, having just sung about Champagne, reflect on friendship, likening it to being brothers and sisters.
Performance
Weekend April 10/11
The Kanneh-Masons
Almost everyone has heard of Sheku Kanneh-Mason. He won the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016 and played at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018. Less known, but equally impressive is that fact that his six siblings are all musically gifted. The Kanneh-Masons are indeed an extraordinary family. Here are a two clips of them performing. The first is 6 years ago, early days for them. The second is Bob Marley's Redemption Song. I have not included it for the song itself, but for the joy of seeing brothers and sisters making music together.
Britain's Got Talent 2015
Redemption Song (Arr. Sheku Kanneh-Mason)
Monday April 5 (Bryan's birthday)
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem. Yente, the village matchmaker, arrives to tell Golde that Lazar Wolf, the wealthy butcher, a widower older than Tevye, wants to wed Tzeitel, the eldest daughter. The next two daughters, Hodel and Chava, are excited about Yente's visit, but Tzeitel illustrates how it could have bad results. A girl from a poor family must take whatever husband Yente brings.
Performance
Tuesday April 6
Ah, Guarda, Sorella (Ah, look, sister)
Così fan tutte is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed on 26 January 1790. The short title (there is a longer one) is usually translated into English as '(all) women are like that'. In this charming duet, Dorabella and Fiordiligi are praising their fiancées, Ferrando and Guglielmo.
The first time I saw this opera was a nerve-racking experience. Daughter Rachel was working as assistant director on a small production (5 singers and pianist) staged in a small pub theatre in Islington. We were due to go on the 3rd or 4th night, but on the afternoon of the first night Rachel called to ask if I could turn pages that evening as the page turner was sick. I had rarely turned pages (it's tricky) and did not know the opera at all. I jumped in the car and on arrival the Musical Director/pianist showed me two very heavy books of music, different versions of the score. He said that he would tell me when to switch from one book to the other and then back again. He also gave me a pad of post-its and said that at times he would indicate that I should give him one. In this way he could note where he wanted to tell the cast something afterwards. Notwithstanding the small audience size (about 40), this was a daunting, but ultimately successful introduction to the opera for me. It has become a favourite of mine.
Performance
Lyrics
Wednesday April 7
The King Brothers
The King Brothers (Michael, Denis and Tony) were a British pop vocal trio popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They are best remembered for their cover versions of Standing on the Corner and A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation). I was a big fan, preferring the clean (gentle) look to the rock performers. I was an unusual child. Some say, nothing has changed.
Here are 3 songs for you. On two of them I was excited to see the record cover that I bought back in the 60s.
A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)
Mais Oui
On the Morecambe and Wise show in the early 1960s.
Thursday April 8
Tell Me It's Not true
Blood Brothers is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Willy Russell. The story is a contemporary nature versus nurture plot, revolving around fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie, who were separated at birth, one subsequently being raised in a wealthy family, the other in a poor family. They both fall in love with the same girl, causing a rift in their friendship and leading to the tragic death of both brothers.
Performance
(detail of this recording)
Friday April 9
Brother Mine (originally: Brüderlein und Schwesterlein - little brother and little sister)
Die Fledermaus (The Bat, sometimes called The Revenge of the Bat) is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II which premiered in 1874.
This operetta is full of wonderful melodies, starting with the overture which is terrific and can be found in Jukebox week 1. Bryan and I both have happy memories of performing in Die Fledermaus, same role, at different times. Bryan played Prison Governor Frank in a production with Somerset Opera in Taunton. I was in a production in 1977 in the Greenwood Theatre, in the grounds of Guys Hospital. A highlight of the one rehearsal we had in the theatre was being allowed to press the button that sent the orchestra pit up and down. I cannot remember if there were any musicians on it at the time.
Act 2 takes place at a ball. By the end of the Act the guests are quite tipsy and, having just sung about Champagne, reflect on friendship, likening it to being brothers and sisters.
Performance
Weekend April 10/11
The Kanneh-Masons
Almost everyone has heard of Sheku Kanneh-Mason. He won the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016 and played at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018. Less known, but equally impressive is that fact that his six siblings are all musically gifted. The Kanneh-Masons are indeed an extraordinary family. Here are a two clips of them performing. The first is 6 years ago, early days for them. The second is Bob Marley's Redemption Song. I have not included it for the song itself, but for the joy of seeing brothers and sisters making music together.
Britain's Got Talent 2015
Redemption Song (Arr. Sheku Kanneh-Mason)