Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 74 - Tops and tails
I just love an overture. In opera it should set the tone for what is to follow, building anticipation. Whereas in musical theatre it often gives you a taste of the tunes you are about to hear. So this week I offer you 6 'beginnings' or 'tops'. And also 6 'endings' - finales or final movements, in short, 'tails'. These might be triumphant if all has worked out well, or reflective if disaster has not been averted. You will find both a 'top' and a 'tail' every day. There is not supposed to be a link between the two. Choose one or both. Perhaps select one for the morning and one for the evening.
Monday August 9
Ruslan and Lyudmilla Overture
Ruslan and Lyudmila is an opera in five acts composed by Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857) between 1837 and 1842. The opera is based on the 1820 poem of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin's death in the famous duel prevented him from writing the libretto himself as planned. Today, the best-known music from the opera is its overture.
Recording (4 mins)
Ashokan Farewell
Ashokan Farewell is a piece of music composed by the American folk musician Jay Ungar (born 1946) in 1982.
Recording (4 mins) Band of the Royal Marines
And here it is played by the composer, his wife, daughter and son-in-law. Let me know on Facebook (Tonic members only) which you prefer.
Recording (5 mins)
Tuesday August 10
West Side Story Overture
West Side Story is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. There is no better.
Recording (5 mins)
When you come to the end of a lollipop
Walter William Bygraves (1922– 2012), best known by the stage name Max Bygraves (adopted in honour of Max Miller), was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs. He made twenty Royal Variety Performance appearances and presented numerous programmes. Here he is with a classic song which so accurately describes the end of a happy, if transient experience.
Recording (3 mins)
Wednesday August 11
The Hebrides Overture (a.k.a. Fingel's Cave Overture)
Felix Mendelssohn's concert overture The Hebrides was composed in 1830, revised in 1832. It was inspired by one of Mendelssohn's trips to the British Isles, specifically an 1829 excursion to the Scottish island of Staffa, with its basalt sea cave known as Fingal's Cave.
Recording (10 mins)
The Party’s Over
The Party's Over is a popular song composed by Jule Styne with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It was introduced in the 1956 musical comedy Bells Are Ringing. There have been many covers of the song including a version by 'my girl', DD.
Recording
Thursday August 12
The King and I Overture
The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein, first seen in 1951. A film version was released in 1956. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel, Anna and the King of Siam (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. Andy Findon, who spoke at a Tonic weekend and was at school with me, can be seen at 2:05 on flute. He is the one with the bald head.
Recording (7 mins)
Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 (last movement)
Max Bruch (1838–1920) was a German Romantic composer, teacher, and conductor who wrote more than 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which is one of the most popular in the violin repertoire. The final movement is played here by Itzhak Perlman (born 1945), an Israeli-American violinist and conductor. Perlman contracted polio at age four and has walked using leg braces and crutches ever since. He plays the violin while seated.
Recording (8 mins)
Friday August 13
Carnival Overture
Antonín Leopold Dvořák (1841–1904) was a Czech composer, one of the first to achieve worldwide recognition. His concert overture Carnival was written in 1891.
Recording (9 mins)
Slow train
Slow Train is a song by British duo Flanders and Swann, written in July 1963. It laments the closure of railway stations and lines brought about by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, and also the passing of a way of life. The local Stanmore branch line was one of the casualties of Beeching. It ran from Harrow and Wealdstone to Stanmore via Belmont. There is an interesting connection here to Bentley Priory which you can read about if you follow the above link to Stanmore branch line.
Recording (5 mins)
Weekend August 14/15
La Cage Aux Folles Overture
La Cage Aux Folles is a musical with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The original production ran for more than four years (1,761 performances), and won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. Judy and I were fortunate to see the West End production at the London Palladium in 1986. It was terrific. The show closed in London after 301 performances. Its short run and financial failure were partly blamed on the AIDS crisis.
Recording (3 mins)
New World Symphony (Final movement)
The Symphony No. 9 in E minor, popularly known as the New World Symphony, was composed by Antonín Dvořák in 1893 while he was the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America. On Tonic Jukebox we have already featured the first movement (week 25) and the second movement (week 16). This symphony was one of my earliest LPs and has remained a firm favourite. The 4th movement is a great way to end this week of Tops and Tails.
Recording
Ruslan and Lyudmilla Overture
Ruslan and Lyudmila is an opera in five acts composed by Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857) between 1837 and 1842. The opera is based on the 1820 poem of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin's death in the famous duel prevented him from writing the libretto himself as planned. Today, the best-known music from the opera is its overture.
Recording (4 mins)
Ashokan Farewell
Ashokan Farewell is a piece of music composed by the American folk musician Jay Ungar (born 1946) in 1982.
Recording (4 mins) Band of the Royal Marines
And here it is played by the composer, his wife, daughter and son-in-law. Let me know on Facebook (Tonic members only) which you prefer.
Recording (5 mins)
Tuesday August 10
West Side Story Overture
West Side Story is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. There is no better.
Recording (5 mins)
When you come to the end of a lollipop
Walter William Bygraves (1922– 2012), best known by the stage name Max Bygraves (adopted in honour of Max Miller), was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs. He made twenty Royal Variety Performance appearances and presented numerous programmes. Here he is with a classic song which so accurately describes the end of a happy, if transient experience.
Recording (3 mins)
Wednesday August 11
The Hebrides Overture (a.k.a. Fingel's Cave Overture)
Felix Mendelssohn's concert overture The Hebrides was composed in 1830, revised in 1832. It was inspired by one of Mendelssohn's trips to the British Isles, specifically an 1829 excursion to the Scottish island of Staffa, with its basalt sea cave known as Fingal's Cave.
Recording (10 mins)
The Party’s Over
The Party's Over is a popular song composed by Jule Styne with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It was introduced in the 1956 musical comedy Bells Are Ringing. There have been many covers of the song including a version by 'my girl', DD.
Recording
Thursday August 12
The King and I Overture
The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein, first seen in 1951. A film version was released in 1956. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel, Anna and the King of Siam (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. Andy Findon, who spoke at a Tonic weekend and was at school with me, can be seen at 2:05 on flute. He is the one with the bald head.
Recording (7 mins)
Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 (last movement)
Max Bruch (1838–1920) was a German Romantic composer, teacher, and conductor who wrote more than 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which is one of the most popular in the violin repertoire. The final movement is played here by Itzhak Perlman (born 1945), an Israeli-American violinist and conductor. Perlman contracted polio at age four and has walked using leg braces and crutches ever since. He plays the violin while seated.
Recording (8 mins)
Friday August 13
Carnival Overture
Antonín Leopold Dvořák (1841–1904) was a Czech composer, one of the first to achieve worldwide recognition. His concert overture Carnival was written in 1891.
Recording (9 mins)
Slow train
Slow Train is a song by British duo Flanders and Swann, written in July 1963. It laments the closure of railway stations and lines brought about by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, and also the passing of a way of life. The local Stanmore branch line was one of the casualties of Beeching. It ran from Harrow and Wealdstone to Stanmore via Belmont. There is an interesting connection here to Bentley Priory which you can read about if you follow the above link to Stanmore branch line.
Recording (5 mins)
Weekend August 14/15
La Cage Aux Folles Overture
La Cage Aux Folles is a musical with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The original production ran for more than four years (1,761 performances), and won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. Judy and I were fortunate to see the West End production at the London Palladium in 1986. It was terrific. The show closed in London after 301 performances. Its short run and financial failure were partly blamed on the AIDS crisis.
Recording (3 mins)
New World Symphony (Final movement)
The Symphony No. 9 in E minor, popularly known as the New World Symphony, was composed by Antonín Dvořák in 1893 while he was the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America. On Tonic Jukebox we have already featured the first movement (week 25) and the second movement (week 16). This symphony was one of my earliest LPs and has remained a firm favourite. The 4th movement is a great way to end this week of Tops and Tails.
Recording