Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 67 - Summer
Despite the evidence outside, Summer starts on Monday June 21. A perfect excuse for this week's theme. We have already used one of the obvious songs, Summertime; you will have to go to Jukebox week 26 for this one. Fingers crossed that the sun makes an appearance before too long.
Monday June 21
Two songs today - after all, it is Summer.
Summer Is Icumen In
Sumer Is Icumen In is a traditional English medieval round, and possibly the oldest such example of counterpoint in existence. It is estimated to date from around 1260. The manuscript is now at the British Library. The language is Middle English. It is well-known to many Tonic Choir members as we included it in our repertoire for a few years, despite the tricky words.
Recording
Roll forward almost 700 years to ..
June is bustin' out all over
Carousel is the second musical by the team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics). The 1945 work was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline. A great song and dance number from the 1956 movie.
Recording
Tuesday June 22
The Green Leaves of Summer
The Green Leaves of Summer is a song by Paul Francis Webster, with music by Dimitri Tiomkin, written for the 1960 film The Alamo. A few years ago it featured in the Tonic Choir repertoire and was much enjoyed. We featured Tiomkin in Jukebox week 46.
Recording
Wednesday June 23
Summer Nights
Summer Nights is a popular song from the musical Grease. Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, its best-known version was recorded by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John for the big-screen adaptation of the musical, and released as a single that same year. The song became a massive hit in both the United States and UK during the summer of 1978.
Recording
Thursday June 24
Last Rose of Summer
Martha is a romantic comic opera in four acts by Friedrich von Flotow (1812-1883). The first performance took place in Vienna on 25 November 1847. The traditional Irish melody The Last Rose of Summer was included in Act 2. Popular airs were then often introduced informally to operas as show-pieces by sopranos, for example Home Sweet Home in the lesson scene of The Barber of Seville. Singers such as Jenny Lind or Adelina Patti made much of them. This recording by American soprano Renée Fleming is simply sublime. Thanks to Bryan for suggesting it.
Lyrics
Recording
Friday June 25
Summer Holiday
Summer Holiday is a 1963 British musical film starring singer Cliff Richard. The cast also includes Lauri Peters, David Kossoff, Ron Moody and The Shadows. A local point of interest is that the early scene where Cliff and his team refurbish a London bus was filmed at the Aldenham bus garage, now a business park (Centennial Park).
Recording
And from the same film
Bachelor Boy
Weekend June 26/27
Summer (from the Four Seasons)
The Four Seasons is the best known of Vivaldi's works. It is a group of four violin concerti, each of which illustrates a season of the year. They were written around 1716–1717 and published in 1725. Once again I have chosen a recording by Voices of Music. As with the other movements that we featured (Winter: Jukebox week 45, Spring: Jukebox week 53) I decided to give you the full 11 minutes. Here again it is played on period instruments rather than their modern equivalents.
Recording
Two songs today - after all, it is Summer.
Summer Is Icumen In
Sumer Is Icumen In is a traditional English medieval round, and possibly the oldest such example of counterpoint in existence. It is estimated to date from around 1260. The manuscript is now at the British Library. The language is Middle English. It is well-known to many Tonic Choir members as we included it in our repertoire for a few years, despite the tricky words.
Recording
Roll forward almost 700 years to ..
June is bustin' out all over
Carousel is the second musical by the team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics). The 1945 work was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline. A great song and dance number from the 1956 movie.
Recording
Tuesday June 22
The Green Leaves of Summer
The Green Leaves of Summer is a song by Paul Francis Webster, with music by Dimitri Tiomkin, written for the 1960 film The Alamo. A few years ago it featured in the Tonic Choir repertoire and was much enjoyed. We featured Tiomkin in Jukebox week 46.
Recording
Wednesday June 23
Summer Nights
Summer Nights is a popular song from the musical Grease. Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, its best-known version was recorded by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John for the big-screen adaptation of the musical, and released as a single that same year. The song became a massive hit in both the United States and UK during the summer of 1978.
Recording
Thursday June 24
Last Rose of Summer
Martha is a romantic comic opera in four acts by Friedrich von Flotow (1812-1883). The first performance took place in Vienna on 25 November 1847. The traditional Irish melody The Last Rose of Summer was included in Act 2. Popular airs were then often introduced informally to operas as show-pieces by sopranos, for example Home Sweet Home in the lesson scene of The Barber of Seville. Singers such as Jenny Lind or Adelina Patti made much of them. This recording by American soprano Renée Fleming is simply sublime. Thanks to Bryan for suggesting it.
Lyrics
Recording
Friday June 25
Summer Holiday
Summer Holiday is a 1963 British musical film starring singer Cliff Richard. The cast also includes Lauri Peters, David Kossoff, Ron Moody and The Shadows. A local point of interest is that the early scene where Cliff and his team refurbish a London bus was filmed at the Aldenham bus garage, now a business park (Centennial Park).
Recording
And from the same film
Bachelor Boy
Weekend June 26/27
Summer (from the Four Seasons)
The Four Seasons is the best known of Vivaldi's works. It is a group of four violin concerti, each of which illustrates a season of the year. They were written around 1716–1717 and published in 1725. Once again I have chosen a recording by Voices of Music. As with the other movements that we featured (Winter: Jukebox week 45, Spring: Jukebox week 53) I decided to give you the full 11 minutes. Here again it is played on period instruments rather than their modern equivalents.
Recording