Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 65 - Weddings
Last Sunday (May 30) marked 45 years since Judy and I became a married couple.
So weddings were on my mind when considering this week's theme.
Monday June 7
The Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin
We start with possibly the best known wedding tune of all time.
Lohengrin is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. It was first performed in 1850.
Act 3 starts with an exciting (loud and fast) prelude which leads into this most gentle of pieces.
Lohengrin and Elsa have just been married and they are led into their bridal chamber (honeymoon suite) by a chorus of ladies.
It's not going to end happily. Elsa is unable to keep her promise not to ask her new husband his name or where he comes from.
So he has to leave in the same way he arrived in Act 1, by swan, while they play his signature (sic) tune.
Recording
Tuesday June 8
Love is All around
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British romantic comedy directed by Mike Newell. It is the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant, alongside a great cast. Love Is All Around is a song written by Reg Presley and first recorded by English rock band the Troggs. In the film it is sung by the group Wet Wet Wet. The images in this video are a great reminder of this wonderful film.
Recording
Wednesday June 9
La ci darem from Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It is based on the legends of seducer supreme Don Juan. The opera dates from 1787 and is regarded as one of Mozart's finest works.
At this point in the opera a marriage procession has entered with groom and bride, Masetto and Zerlina. Don Giovanni and his servant Leporello arrive soon after. Don Giovanni is immediately attracted to Zerlina, and he attempts to remove the jealous Masetto by offering to host a wedding celebration at his castle. On realising that Don Giovanni means to remain behind with Zerlina, Masetto becomes angry but is forced to leave. Don Giovanni and Zerlina are soon alone and he immediately begins to seduce her. There were many recordings on Youtube but I rather like this one, even though I had not heard of the singers. The main duet starts at 2:49 after some recitative.
Recording (6 mins)
Thursday June 10
Stand by Me
When your theme is weddings it is necessary, I think, to include a Royal Wedding.
Stand by Me is a song originally performed in 1961 by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller. It was famously and beautifully sung by The Kingdom Choir at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.
Recording
Friday June 11
Sunrise Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in the early days of the 20th century.
In this very touching wedding scene, the bride and groom (Tzeitel and Motel) make their way to the chuppah (marriage canopy) with all the villagers.
Recording (6 mins)
Weekend June 12/13
Get Me To The Church On Time
My Fair Lady is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The musical's first production was in 1956 on Broadway and was a great success. It set a record for the longest run of any musical on Broadway up to that time. It was followed by a hit London production (1958) and a popular film version (1964) which won 8 Academy Awards (Oscars). Get Me To The Church On Time occurs quite near the end of the story and is a real show stopper, especially when performed by Stanley Holloway.
Recording
Extra:
The wedding scene from The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical of the same name, composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. When looking for a spectacular wedding scene to end our week, this came to mind. Tissues at the ready.
Recording
So weddings were on my mind when considering this week's theme.
Monday June 7
The Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin
We start with possibly the best known wedding tune of all time.
Lohengrin is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. It was first performed in 1850.
Act 3 starts with an exciting (loud and fast) prelude which leads into this most gentle of pieces.
Lohengrin and Elsa have just been married and they are led into their bridal chamber (honeymoon suite) by a chorus of ladies.
It's not going to end happily. Elsa is unable to keep her promise not to ask her new husband his name or where he comes from.
So he has to leave in the same way he arrived in Act 1, by swan, while they play his signature (sic) tune.
Recording
Tuesday June 8
Love is All around
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British romantic comedy directed by Mike Newell. It is the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant, alongside a great cast. Love Is All Around is a song written by Reg Presley and first recorded by English rock band the Troggs. In the film it is sung by the group Wet Wet Wet. The images in this video are a great reminder of this wonderful film.
Recording
Wednesday June 9
La ci darem from Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It is based on the legends of seducer supreme Don Juan. The opera dates from 1787 and is regarded as one of Mozart's finest works.
At this point in the opera a marriage procession has entered with groom and bride, Masetto and Zerlina. Don Giovanni and his servant Leporello arrive soon after. Don Giovanni is immediately attracted to Zerlina, and he attempts to remove the jealous Masetto by offering to host a wedding celebration at his castle. On realising that Don Giovanni means to remain behind with Zerlina, Masetto becomes angry but is forced to leave. Don Giovanni and Zerlina are soon alone and he immediately begins to seduce her. There were many recordings on Youtube but I rather like this one, even though I had not heard of the singers. The main duet starts at 2:49 after some recitative.
Recording (6 mins)
Thursday June 10
Stand by Me
When your theme is weddings it is necessary, I think, to include a Royal Wedding.
Stand by Me is a song originally performed in 1961 by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller. It was famously and beautifully sung by The Kingdom Choir at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.
Recording
Friday June 11
Sunrise Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in the early days of the 20th century.
In this very touching wedding scene, the bride and groom (Tzeitel and Motel) make their way to the chuppah (marriage canopy) with all the villagers.
Recording (6 mins)
Weekend June 12/13
Get Me To The Church On Time
My Fair Lady is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The musical's first production was in 1956 on Broadway and was a great success. It set a record for the longest run of any musical on Broadway up to that time. It was followed by a hit London production (1958) and a popular film version (1964) which won 8 Academy Awards (Oscars). Get Me To The Church On Time occurs quite near the end of the story and is a real show stopper, especially when performed by Stanley Holloway.
Recording
Extra:
The wedding scene from The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical of the same name, composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. When looking for a spectacular wedding scene to end our week, this came to mind. Tissues at the ready.
Recording