Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 66 - Fathers
It's Father's Day at the end of this week (Sunday June 20). Having focussed on Mothers in week 52, we felt obligated to grant equal status to the male of the species. So here is a collection, eclectic as ever, of music linked to Fathers.
Monday June 14 - Avenging father
Commendatore Scene from Don Giovanni
(special request from Alka)
Early in the opera: Don Giovanni is in the Commendatore's house attempting to seduce the Commendatore's daughter, Donna Anna. Don Giovanni enters the garden from inside the house, pursued by Donna Anna. Don Giovanni is masked and Donna Anna tries to hold him and to unmask him, shouting for help. He breaks free and she runs off as (her father) the Commendatore enters the garden. The Commendatore blocks Don Giovanni's path and forces him to fight a duel. Don Giovanni kills the Commendatore with his sword and escapes.
Some time later: Don Giovanni wanders into a graveyard where he comes across the Commendatore's statue. Don Giovanni sardonically invites the statue to dinner. Much to his surprise, the statue nods its head and responds affirmatively.
Later still: Don Giovanni is enjoying a sumptuous meal. There is an ominous knocking at the door and upon opening it Don Giovanni sees the statue of the Commendatore who is accepting the dinner invitation. The statue then invites Don Giovanni to take dinner with him. Don Giovanni accepts, and shakes the statue's hand, only to collapse as he is overcome by sudden chills. The statue offers him a final chance to repent as death draws near, but Don Giovanni adamantly refuses. The statue disappears and Don Giovanni cries out in pain and terror as he is surrounded by a chorus of demons, who carry him down to Hell. Just desserts (sorry about the pun).
Recording
Tuesday June 15 - Loving father
O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi
O mio babbino caro (Oh my dear father) is a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918) by Giacomo Puccini. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between her father Schicchi and the family of Rinuccio, the boy she loves, have reached a breaking point that threatens to separate the lovers. The English translation can be found at the above link.
Bryan and I grew up at Middlesex New Synagogue in Harrow. The soloist was a lady called Leonie Zifado (1898-1988) who had an impressive voice and who we knew well. In her younger years she had sung principal roles at a number of the world's great opera houses including 'The Met' in New York and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In 1937 she sang Lauretta at the Royal Opera and I always think of her when I hear this beautiful song.
Recording
Wednesday June 16 - Unorthodox father
Papa can you hear me?
Papa, Can You Hear Me? is a 1983 song composed by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, for Barbra Streisand in the title role of the movie, Yentl. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 56th Academy Awards. In the film, Yentl's father is unorthodox in that he encourages his daughter to study the Jewish texts, a pastime strictly forbidden to girls/women in the place and time of the story. This song occurs just after he dies. I find it rather touching.
Jack Rosenthal wrote the screenplay of Yentl together with Barbra Streisand. When Bryan sent him Bryan's part finished musical, Dreyfus, when looking for a collaborator, Rosenthal wrote back saying that working with Streisand on Yentl was such a horrible experience he promised himself he would never work on another musical. So Bryan completed Dreyfus on his own.
Recording
Thursday June 17 - Protective father
Figlia! Mio Padre! from Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi and is one of my favourites. Judy knows it as "the one where one of the characters dies in a sack". The opera had a triumphant premiere at La Fenice in Venice on 11 March 1851.
Setting the scene: In Act 1 Scene 2 Rigoletto returns home to his daughter Gilda. They greet each other warmly: "Figlia!" "Mio padre!" ("Daughter!" "My father!"). Rigoletto has been protecting his precious daughter and concealing her from the Duke and the rest of the city. He has forbidden her to appear in public apart from going to church. Although rather over-protective, Rigoletto's love for his daughter is clear. As is hers for him. One of Verdi's great duets.
Recording
Friday June 18 - Absent father
The Living Years
The Living Years is a ballad written by B. A. Robertson and Mike Rutherford, and recorded by Rutherford's British rock band Mike + The Mechanics. The song talks about a son's regret over things he should have said to his father, who has now died. In 1989, the song won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically & Lyrically.
In 2016 a choir was formed in support of London Hospices. A number of Tonic members took part and you can spot them in this video if you look carefully. They are wearing purple St Luke's T-shirts. The audio track was recorded at the world famous Abbey Road studios. A great experience for all those who took part.
Recording
Short 'behind the scenes' video
Weekend June 19/20 - Anxious father
Soliloquy from Carousel
Soliloquy is a 1945 song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, written for their 1945 musical Carousel.
The now jobless carousel barker Billy Bigelow, the antihero of the musical, sings this song just after he has learned he is about to become a father. In it, he happily daydreams over what it would be like to be a father to a boy, but midway through the song he realises that it could turn out to be a girl.
The song is unusual for a musical as it runs for about 8 minutes with no chorus, leaving the soloist to carry the entire piece on his own. Some of the lyrics seem a little inappropriate in the light of today's world, but it is a tour de force and, for me, one of the great moments of musical theatre.
Recording
Commendatore Scene from Don Giovanni
(special request from Alka)
Early in the opera: Don Giovanni is in the Commendatore's house attempting to seduce the Commendatore's daughter, Donna Anna. Don Giovanni enters the garden from inside the house, pursued by Donna Anna. Don Giovanni is masked and Donna Anna tries to hold him and to unmask him, shouting for help. He breaks free and she runs off as (her father) the Commendatore enters the garden. The Commendatore blocks Don Giovanni's path and forces him to fight a duel. Don Giovanni kills the Commendatore with his sword and escapes.
Some time later: Don Giovanni wanders into a graveyard where he comes across the Commendatore's statue. Don Giovanni sardonically invites the statue to dinner. Much to his surprise, the statue nods its head and responds affirmatively.
Later still: Don Giovanni is enjoying a sumptuous meal. There is an ominous knocking at the door and upon opening it Don Giovanni sees the statue of the Commendatore who is accepting the dinner invitation. The statue then invites Don Giovanni to take dinner with him. Don Giovanni accepts, and shakes the statue's hand, only to collapse as he is overcome by sudden chills. The statue offers him a final chance to repent as death draws near, but Don Giovanni adamantly refuses. The statue disappears and Don Giovanni cries out in pain and terror as he is surrounded by a chorus of demons, who carry him down to Hell. Just desserts (sorry about the pun).
Recording
Tuesday June 15 - Loving father
O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi
O mio babbino caro (Oh my dear father) is a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918) by Giacomo Puccini. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between her father Schicchi and the family of Rinuccio, the boy she loves, have reached a breaking point that threatens to separate the lovers. The English translation can be found at the above link.
Bryan and I grew up at Middlesex New Synagogue in Harrow. The soloist was a lady called Leonie Zifado (1898-1988) who had an impressive voice and who we knew well. In her younger years she had sung principal roles at a number of the world's great opera houses including 'The Met' in New York and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In 1937 she sang Lauretta at the Royal Opera and I always think of her when I hear this beautiful song.
Recording
Wednesday June 16 - Unorthodox father
Papa can you hear me?
Papa, Can You Hear Me? is a 1983 song composed by Michel Legrand with lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, for Barbra Streisand in the title role of the movie, Yentl. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 56th Academy Awards. In the film, Yentl's father is unorthodox in that he encourages his daughter to study the Jewish texts, a pastime strictly forbidden to girls/women in the place and time of the story. This song occurs just after he dies. I find it rather touching.
Jack Rosenthal wrote the screenplay of Yentl together with Barbra Streisand. When Bryan sent him Bryan's part finished musical, Dreyfus, when looking for a collaborator, Rosenthal wrote back saying that working with Streisand on Yentl was such a horrible experience he promised himself he would never work on another musical. So Bryan completed Dreyfus on his own.
Recording
Thursday June 17 - Protective father
Figlia! Mio Padre! from Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi and is one of my favourites. Judy knows it as "the one where one of the characters dies in a sack". The opera had a triumphant premiere at La Fenice in Venice on 11 March 1851.
Setting the scene: In Act 1 Scene 2 Rigoletto returns home to his daughter Gilda. They greet each other warmly: "Figlia!" "Mio padre!" ("Daughter!" "My father!"). Rigoletto has been protecting his precious daughter and concealing her from the Duke and the rest of the city. He has forbidden her to appear in public apart from going to church. Although rather over-protective, Rigoletto's love for his daughter is clear. As is hers for him. One of Verdi's great duets.
Recording
Friday June 18 - Absent father
The Living Years
The Living Years is a ballad written by B. A. Robertson and Mike Rutherford, and recorded by Rutherford's British rock band Mike + The Mechanics. The song talks about a son's regret over things he should have said to his father, who has now died. In 1989, the song won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically & Lyrically.
In 2016 a choir was formed in support of London Hospices. A number of Tonic members took part and you can spot them in this video if you look carefully. They are wearing purple St Luke's T-shirts. The audio track was recorded at the world famous Abbey Road studios. A great experience for all those who took part.
Recording
Short 'behind the scenes' video
Weekend June 19/20 - Anxious father
Soliloquy from Carousel
Soliloquy is a 1945 song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, written for their 1945 musical Carousel.
The now jobless carousel barker Billy Bigelow, the antihero of the musical, sings this song just after he has learned he is about to become a father. In it, he happily daydreams over what it would be like to be a father to a boy, but midway through the song he realises that it could turn out to be a girl.
The song is unusual for a musical as it runs for about 8 minutes with no chorus, leaving the soloist to carry the entire piece on his own. Some of the lyrics seem a little inappropriate in the light of today's world, but it is a tour de force and, for me, one of the great moments of musical theatre.
Recording
Tonic Choir members who recorded The Living Years in 2016