Royalty (week 6)
Monday May 23
Zadok the Priest
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 39)
We mentioned George II last Friday as the sponsor of Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks. Handel wrote Zadok the Priest for the coronation of George II in 1727. This magnificent piece has been sung at the coronation of every British monarch since its composition. Handel (1685-1759) was a German, later British, Baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London. In 1717/18 he lived and worked in Little Stanmore, as many of you will know, having sung with us at St. Lawrence's Church.
This recording includes film of Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.
Performance
Tuesday May 24
The Lion in Winter
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 69)
John Barry (1933 – 2011) was an English composer and conductor of film music and films. The Lion in Winter won Barry an Academy Award in 1968. Set in 1183 C.E., the story tells of King Henry II's three sons who all want to inherit the throne, but he won't commit to a choice. They and his wife variously plot to force him. The film starred Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, and is one of my favourite movies, with a great screenplay by James Goldman. If you have not yet seen this film perhaps the music will encourage you to find and watch it.
Recording
Wednesday May 25
Dancing Queen
No introduction needed for this song by these personable popular palindromic performers.
Performance
Thursday May 26
Questa o quella
Today we feature an aria sung by the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's wonderful opera, Rigoletto. The aria title means 'this or that', meaning in this case 'this woman or that woman'; he has no loyalty.
Today's singer is Franco Corelli who we have not featured on Tonic Jukebox to date. Corelli (1921– 2003) was an Italian tenor who had a major international opera career between 1951 and 1976. He was celebrated universally for his voice, passionate singing and remarkable performances. Audiences were enchanted by his handsome features and charismatic stage presence.
I have a personal Rigoletto story from 1984. I was in Italy on the latest leg of training the worldwide sales force of a company I worked for at the time. I had to train them in the processes involved in constructing an oil platform so that they could sell a materials management software system. After the course in Milan I was taken to Mantova to help in selling the software to an Italian construction company. We were walking across the Piazza Sordello when I saw a sign for Casa di Rigoletto (Rigoletto's house). My mind went into overdrive. Rigoletto? Why here? Oh, I see - Mantova=Mantua. The house of course is just a tourist attraction as there was no real Rigoletto. Nevertheless I was excited and decided to impress my Italian host by singing, in Italian, from the opera. He was confused. "What's that?", he said. I explained, and then he told me that he didn't know any opera. An Italian who didn't like opera. Astonishing. So what music did he like? Folk music from the mountain region. Despite that, Valerio and I became good friends and have been for almost 40 years. Our families have spent holidays together. But he still doesn't like opera. Not even Rigoletto.
Recording
Friday May 27
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 4)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was made into a ballet in three acts by Christopher Wheeldon. It was commissioned by The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, and the National Ballet of Canada, and had its world premiere on 28 February 2011. The music by Joby Talbot is the first full-length score (1 hour 40 minutes) for the Royal Ballet in 20 years. It was also the first full-length narrative ballet commissioned by The Royal Ballet since 1995. Here is the wonderful moment when the Red Queen dances with some of her servants. Another sort of Dancing Queen.
Performance
Zadok the Priest
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 39)
We mentioned George II last Friday as the sponsor of Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks. Handel wrote Zadok the Priest for the coronation of George II in 1727. This magnificent piece has been sung at the coronation of every British monarch since its composition. Handel (1685-1759) was a German, later British, Baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London. In 1717/18 he lived and worked in Little Stanmore, as many of you will know, having sung with us at St. Lawrence's Church.
This recording includes film of Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.
Performance
Tuesday May 24
The Lion in Winter
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 69)
John Barry (1933 – 2011) was an English composer and conductor of film music and films. The Lion in Winter won Barry an Academy Award in 1968. Set in 1183 C.E., the story tells of King Henry II's three sons who all want to inherit the throne, but he won't commit to a choice. They and his wife variously plot to force him. The film starred Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, and is one of my favourite movies, with a great screenplay by James Goldman. If you have not yet seen this film perhaps the music will encourage you to find and watch it.
Recording
Wednesday May 25
Dancing Queen
No introduction needed for this song by these personable popular palindromic performers.
Performance
Thursday May 26
Questa o quella
Today we feature an aria sung by the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's wonderful opera, Rigoletto. The aria title means 'this or that', meaning in this case 'this woman or that woman'; he has no loyalty.
Today's singer is Franco Corelli who we have not featured on Tonic Jukebox to date. Corelli (1921– 2003) was an Italian tenor who had a major international opera career between 1951 and 1976. He was celebrated universally for his voice, passionate singing and remarkable performances. Audiences were enchanted by his handsome features and charismatic stage presence.
I have a personal Rigoletto story from 1984. I was in Italy on the latest leg of training the worldwide sales force of a company I worked for at the time. I had to train them in the processes involved in constructing an oil platform so that they could sell a materials management software system. After the course in Milan I was taken to Mantova to help in selling the software to an Italian construction company. We were walking across the Piazza Sordello when I saw a sign for Casa di Rigoletto (Rigoletto's house). My mind went into overdrive. Rigoletto? Why here? Oh, I see - Mantova=Mantua. The house of course is just a tourist attraction as there was no real Rigoletto. Nevertheless I was excited and decided to impress my Italian host by singing, in Italian, from the opera. He was confused. "What's that?", he said. I explained, and then he told me that he didn't know any opera. An Italian who didn't like opera. Astonishing. So what music did he like? Folk music from the mountain region. Despite that, Valerio and I became good friends and have been for almost 40 years. Our families have spent holidays together. But he still doesn't like opera. Not even Rigoletto.
Recording
Friday May 27
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
(previously appeared in Jukebox week 4)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was made into a ballet in three acts by Christopher Wheeldon. It was commissioned by The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, and the National Ballet of Canada, and had its world premiere on 28 February 2011. The music by Joby Talbot is the first full-length score (1 hour 40 minutes) for the Royal Ballet in 20 years. It was also the first full-length narrative ballet commissioned by The Royal Ballet since 1995. Here is the wonderful moment when the Red Queen dances with some of her servants. Another sort of Dancing Queen.
Performance