It Must Be Love (week 3)
Monday February 14
My Funny Valentine
My Funny Valentine is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical Babes in Arms. It has been recorded by hundreds of artists. To be frank, I'm sure you will like my chosen recording.
Recording
On this day in 1952 a baby (ME!!!) was born in the Lindo Wing of St Marys Hospital. The baby was delivered by Professor Jack Suchet, a South African-born English consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. He is known to have carried out research on the use of penicillin with Sir Alexander Fleming at St Marys. His sons are well-known today, newsreader John Suchet and actor David Suchet. On February 15th the funeral procession of George VI passed the hospital window where my mother was recovering, on its way to Paddington Station.
Tuesday February 15
Plaisir d'amour
Plaisir d'amour (Pleasure of love) is a classical French love song written in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini (1741–1816); it took its text from a poem by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian (1755–1794), which appears in his novel Célestine. It is sung here by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in its original form. Dame Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike Schwarzkopf (1915–2006) was a German-born Austro-British soprano. She was among the foremost singers of lieder, and is renowned for her performances of Viennese operetta, as well as the operas of Mozart, Wagner and Richard Strauss. She is considered one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century.
Recording 1
And here is a more modern version sung by Joan Baez (born January 9, 1941), an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist.
Recording 2
Wednesday February 16
I just called to say I Love You
I Just Called to Say I Love You is a ballad written, produced, and performed by American R&B singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder. This song first appeared in Tonic Jukebox in week 57 where you will find more information.
Recording
Thursday February 17
Love is a many-splendored thing
Love Is a many-splendored thing is a 1955 movie set in 1949–50 Hong Kong. It tells the story of a married, but separated, American reporter Mark Elliot (played by William Holden), who falls in love with a Eurasian doctor, originally from China, Han Suyin (played by Jennifer Jones), only to encounter prejudice from her family and from Hong Kong society. The title song was written by Sammy Fain (music) and Paul Francis Webster (lyrics). It won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. Sammy Fain composed music for more than 30 films in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song nine times, winning twice, with Secret Love from Calamity Jane in 1954 and with Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing in 1955. He co-wrote both songs with Paul Francis Webster.
Recording
Friday February 18
Liebestod
Liebestod (German for 'love death') is the title of the final, dramatic music from the 1859 opera Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner. It is the climactic end of the opera, as Isolde sings over Tristan's dead body, and then she dies. Not a happy end, then. I have included two versions. the first is an orchestral version and in the second it is sung by the wonderful Jessye Norman.
Recording of orchestral version
or
Sung by Jessye Norman
Saturday February 19
Love Is the Sweetest Thing
Love Is the Sweetest Thing is a popular song written in 1932 by British band leader and singer Ray Noble. It is sung here by Peter Skellern (1947–2017), an English singer-songwriter and pianist who rose to fame in the 1970s. Interesting: Skellern formed a band called Oasis with Julian Lloyd Webber and Mary Hopkin and established a musical comedy partnership with the wonderful Richard Stilgoe in cabaret.
Recording
Sunday February 20
Anthem (love of country)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of the pop group ABBA, lyrics by Ulvaeus and Tim Rice, and book by Rice. The story involves a politically driven, Cold War-era chess tournament between two grandmasters, one American and the other Soviet, and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Anthem is one of the main songs in the show where Anatoly explains his love for his country. It is sung here by Julian Ovenden an English actor and singer.
Recording
My Funny Valentine
My Funny Valentine is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical Babes in Arms. It has been recorded by hundreds of artists. To be frank, I'm sure you will like my chosen recording.
Recording
On this day in 1952 a baby (ME!!!) was born in the Lindo Wing of St Marys Hospital. The baby was delivered by Professor Jack Suchet, a South African-born English consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. He is known to have carried out research on the use of penicillin with Sir Alexander Fleming at St Marys. His sons are well-known today, newsreader John Suchet and actor David Suchet. On February 15th the funeral procession of George VI passed the hospital window where my mother was recovering, on its way to Paddington Station.
Tuesday February 15
Plaisir d'amour
Plaisir d'amour (Pleasure of love) is a classical French love song written in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini (1741–1816); it took its text from a poem by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian (1755–1794), which appears in his novel Célestine. It is sung here by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in its original form. Dame Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike Schwarzkopf (1915–2006) was a German-born Austro-British soprano. She was among the foremost singers of lieder, and is renowned for her performances of Viennese operetta, as well as the operas of Mozart, Wagner and Richard Strauss. She is considered one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century.
Recording 1
And here is a more modern version sung by Joan Baez (born January 9, 1941), an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist.
Recording 2
Wednesday February 16
I just called to say I Love You
I Just Called to Say I Love You is a ballad written, produced, and performed by American R&B singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder. This song first appeared in Tonic Jukebox in week 57 where you will find more information.
Recording
Thursday February 17
Love is a many-splendored thing
Love Is a many-splendored thing is a 1955 movie set in 1949–50 Hong Kong. It tells the story of a married, but separated, American reporter Mark Elliot (played by William Holden), who falls in love with a Eurasian doctor, originally from China, Han Suyin (played by Jennifer Jones), only to encounter prejudice from her family and from Hong Kong society. The title song was written by Sammy Fain (music) and Paul Francis Webster (lyrics). It won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. Sammy Fain composed music for more than 30 films in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song nine times, winning twice, with Secret Love from Calamity Jane in 1954 and with Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing in 1955. He co-wrote both songs with Paul Francis Webster.
Recording
Friday February 18
Liebestod
Liebestod (German for 'love death') is the title of the final, dramatic music from the 1859 opera Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner. It is the climactic end of the opera, as Isolde sings over Tristan's dead body, and then she dies. Not a happy end, then. I have included two versions. the first is an orchestral version and in the second it is sung by the wonderful Jessye Norman.
Recording of orchestral version
or
Sung by Jessye Norman
Saturday February 19
Love Is the Sweetest Thing
Love Is the Sweetest Thing is a popular song written in 1932 by British band leader and singer Ray Noble. It is sung here by Peter Skellern (1947–2017), an English singer-songwriter and pianist who rose to fame in the 1970s. Interesting: Skellern formed a band called Oasis with Julian Lloyd Webber and Mary Hopkin and established a musical comedy partnership with the wonderful Richard Stilgoe in cabaret.
Recording
Sunday February 20
Anthem (love of country)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of the pop group ABBA, lyrics by Ulvaeus and Tim Rice, and book by Rice. The story involves a politically driven, Cold War-era chess tournament between two grandmasters, one American and the other Soviet, and their fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Anthem is one of the main songs in the show where Anatoly explains his love for his country. It is sung here by Julian Ovenden an English actor and singer.
Recording