Royalty (week 3)
Monday May 2
Kaiser-Walzer
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 42)
Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz) is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss II in 1889. The waltz was originally titled Hand in Hand and was intended as a toast made in August of that year by Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph I on the occasion of his visit to the German Emperor Wilhelm II where it was symbolic as a 'toast of friendship' extended by Austria-Hungary to the German Empire.
Recording
Tuesday May 3
King of the Road
King of the Road is a chart-topping song written by country singer Roger Miller, who first recorded it in November 1964. Roger Miller (1936-1992) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor, widely known for his novelty songs (England Swings) and his chart-topping country and pop hits like King of the Road.
Recording
Wednesday May 4
Pur ti miro, pur ti godo (I look at you, I desire you)
L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) is an Italian opera by Claudio Monteverdi. It was Monteverdi's last opera and was first performed in Venice during the 1643 carnival season. As the opera ends, Emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea sing this rapturous love duet. It is as fresh and relevant today as it was when first performed nearly 400 years ago.
Lyrics
Recording
Thursday May 5
Shall We Dance
The King and I is the fifth musical (1951) by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel, Anna and the King of Siam (1944), which is in turn came from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. When I think of the 1956 movie version the first thing that comes to mind is Deborah Kerr teaching Yul Brynner to dance and him saying: "1-2-3-and".
Recording
Friday May 6
Polovtsian Dances
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 34)
This is probably the best known part of Borodin's opera, Prince Igor and often played as a concert piece on its own.
Aleksandr Borodin (1833–1887) was born in St. Petersburg. He was a doctor and chemist by profession and made many contributions to organic chemistry. Music was a spare time occupation. Consequently he spent 17 years working on a single opera, Prince Igor, which was first performed in 1890, three years after his death. In his life he wrote many works in all the main forms - opera, orchestral, songs, chamber music, and works for solo piano.
Performance (9 mins)
Kaiser-Walzer
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 42)
Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz) is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss II in 1889. The waltz was originally titled Hand in Hand and was intended as a toast made in August of that year by Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph I on the occasion of his visit to the German Emperor Wilhelm II where it was symbolic as a 'toast of friendship' extended by Austria-Hungary to the German Empire.
Recording
Tuesday May 3
King of the Road
King of the Road is a chart-topping song written by country singer Roger Miller, who first recorded it in November 1964. Roger Miller (1936-1992) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor, widely known for his novelty songs (England Swings) and his chart-topping country and pop hits like King of the Road.
Recording
Wednesday May 4
Pur ti miro, pur ti godo (I look at you, I desire you)
L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) is an Italian opera by Claudio Monteverdi. It was Monteverdi's last opera and was first performed in Venice during the 1643 carnival season. As the opera ends, Emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea sing this rapturous love duet. It is as fresh and relevant today as it was when first performed nearly 400 years ago.
Lyrics
Recording
Thursday May 5
Shall We Dance
The King and I is the fifth musical (1951) by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel, Anna and the King of Siam (1944), which is in turn came from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. When I think of the 1956 movie version the first thing that comes to mind is Deborah Kerr teaching Yul Brynner to dance and him saying: "1-2-3-and".
Recording
Friday May 6
Polovtsian Dances
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 34)
This is probably the best known part of Borodin's opera, Prince Igor and often played as a concert piece on its own.
Aleksandr Borodin (1833–1887) was born in St. Petersburg. He was a doctor and chemist by profession and made many contributions to organic chemistry. Music was a spare time occupation. Consequently he spent 17 years working on a single opera, Prince Igor, which was first performed in 1890, three years after his death. In his life he wrote many works in all the main forms - opera, orchestral, songs, chamber music, and works for solo piano.
Performance (9 mins)