Tonic Jukebox History
WEEK 80 - Endings become Beginnings
Well, here we are. 80 weeks on and what a journey it has been - for all of us. I planned this final week some time ago under the heading 'Endings'. The original idea was to mark the end of this phase of Jukebox with music that occurs at the end of operas and musicals. But then I thought, the ending of one thing is really just the beginning of something else. So I changed the theme as you will see above. And next week we start Jukebox Heritage on the Tonic Facebook page. If you are not a Facebook user, send me your email address and I will keep you posted. And of course for many of you this week is the beginning of Tonic rehearsals once again. Enjoy.
Monday September 20
Oklahoma!
(also in Jukebox week 2)
One of the really great choruses from one of the truly great musicals. It has been said that Oklahoma was the first of the modern musicals. In August 2017, about 100 Tonic members sang songs from Oklahoma! at the Royal Albert Hall. Here is the final chorus of the show where everyone looks forward to the future.
Recording
Tuesday September 21
Addio, del passato (Farewell to the past)
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. It was first performed on 6 March 1853 at La Fenice opera house in Venice.
This aria is found at the beginning of Act 3. Violetta is now poor and about to die. She receives a letter from Alfredo's father saying that Alfredo has discovered why she lied about her love for him and is coming to her. She knows that it is too late, though, and sings a farewell to her happiness with Alfredo. Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti – Farewell, lovely, happy dreams of the past.
I chose this recording as it features one of my favourites, Albanian soprano, Ermonela Jaho, in the current Royal Opera production of the opera.
Jaho has featured in Jukebox during weeks 34, 40 and 52.
Recording
Words
Wednesday September 22
Autumn (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. Sadly, I could not find a full recording by Voices of Music which would have completed our set. As with the other movements that we featured (Winter: Jukebox week 45, Spring: Jukebox week 53, Summer: Jukebox week 67) I decided to give you the full 11 minutes rather than just one movement. 'Autumn' is the end of our journey through The Four Seasons. We look forward to Spring, once we have braved Winter.
Recording (11 mins)
Thursday September 23
So Long, Farewell
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 considering the theme for this week, this song was one of the first to make the long list. So sweet. A poignant reminder of being a small child and having to say goodnight to my parents' visitors when going to bed.
Recording
Friday September 24
Dvorak's Cello Concerto (last movement)
The Cello Concerto in B minor by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1902) was written in 1894 and premiered in London on 19 March 1896. Although his last solo concerto, Dvorak still had plenty of music to write including his opera, Rusalka (1901), which includes the glorious Song to the Moon (Jukebox week 55).
Recording (13 mins)
Weekend September 25/26
Make Our Garden Grow
(also in Jukebox week 22, WAVE 2)
I have seen 3 productions of Candide. First was the 1999 National Theatre production with Simon Russell Beale. I fell in love with the piece that evening. A few years later I was at the ENO for their attempt. It fell well short. But the best of the three was in 2014 at the Menier Chocolate Factory. I saw it twice. Each time I wept at the end, of course. There have been very few evenings in the theatre that have moved me as much.
If I was on a desert island and could only take one track, this would be it. I love the sentiment of the words and musically it delivers tears every time.
And let us try before we die/To make some sense of life/We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good/We'll do the best we know/We'll build our house and chop our wood/And make our garden grow
In week 22 I offered 5 versions of which I favour two - Bernstein and the BBC Proms. On balance I think I prefer the latter. So here it is, the last Jukebox entry, at least for now.
Recording
And on we go to new projects. To quote from another Bernstein work:
Could it be? Yes, it could / Somethin's comin', somethin' good, if I can wait / Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is / But it is gonna be great
Monday September 20
Oklahoma!
(also in Jukebox week 2)
One of the really great choruses from one of the truly great musicals. It has been said that Oklahoma was the first of the modern musicals. In August 2017, about 100 Tonic members sang songs from Oklahoma! at the Royal Albert Hall. Here is the final chorus of the show where everyone looks forward to the future.
Recording
Tuesday September 21
Addio, del passato (Farewell to the past)
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. It was first performed on 6 March 1853 at La Fenice opera house in Venice.
This aria is found at the beginning of Act 3. Violetta is now poor and about to die. She receives a letter from Alfredo's father saying that Alfredo has discovered why she lied about her love for him and is coming to her. She knows that it is too late, though, and sings a farewell to her happiness with Alfredo. Addio, del passato bei sogni ridenti – Farewell, lovely, happy dreams of the past.
I chose this recording as it features one of my favourites, Albanian soprano, Ermonela Jaho, in the current Royal Opera production of the opera.
Jaho has featured in Jukebox during weeks 34, 40 and 52.
Recording
Words
Wednesday September 22
Autumn (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. Sadly, I could not find a full recording by Voices of Music which would have completed our set. As with the other movements that we featured (Winter: Jukebox week 45, Spring: Jukebox week 53, Summer: Jukebox week 67) I decided to give you the full 11 minutes rather than just one movement. 'Autumn' is the end of our journey through The Four Seasons. We look forward to Spring, once we have braved Winter.
Recording (11 mins)
Thursday September 23
So Long, Farewell
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 considering the theme for this week, this song was one of the first to make the long list. So sweet. A poignant reminder of being a small child and having to say goodnight to my parents' visitors when going to bed.
Recording
Friday September 24
Dvorak's Cello Concerto (last movement)
The Cello Concerto in B minor by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1902) was written in 1894 and premiered in London on 19 March 1896. Although his last solo concerto, Dvorak still had plenty of music to write including his opera, Rusalka (1901), which includes the glorious Song to the Moon (Jukebox week 55).
Recording (13 mins)
Weekend September 25/26
Make Our Garden Grow
(also in Jukebox week 22, WAVE 2)
I have seen 3 productions of Candide. First was the 1999 National Theatre production with Simon Russell Beale. I fell in love with the piece that evening. A few years later I was at the ENO for their attempt. It fell well short. But the best of the three was in 2014 at the Menier Chocolate Factory. I saw it twice. Each time I wept at the end, of course. There have been very few evenings in the theatre that have moved me as much.
If I was on a desert island and could only take one track, this would be it. I love the sentiment of the words and musically it delivers tears every time.
And let us try before we die/To make some sense of life/We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good/We'll do the best we know/We'll build our house and chop our wood/And make our garden grow
In week 22 I offered 5 versions of which I favour two - Bernstein and the BBC Proms. On balance I think I prefer the latter. So here it is, the last Jukebox entry, at least for now.
Recording
And on we go to new projects. To quote from another Bernstein work:
Could it be? Yes, it could / Somethin's comin', somethin' good, if I can wait / Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is / But it is gonna be great