Look to the Stars (week 3)
Monday December 13
Stella Artois
The Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven was opened in 1366 when it was a tavern brewing its own beer for sale to hunters under the sign of a hunting horn. In 1708, Sébastien Artois became head brewer; then, in 1717, he purchased the brewery, renaming it Brouwerij Artois. In 1926, Brouwerij Artois launched Stella Artois as a Christmas beer, named after the Christmas star. In recent times adverts for the beer have used a section of the overture to Verdi's opera, La Forza del Destino. This first appeared in Tonic Jukebox in week 16 (Adverts).
Performance of overture to La Forza del Destino (8 mins)
Tuesday December 14
Starman (Bowie)
Starman is a song by English musician David Bowie. It was released in April 1972 by RCA Records as the lead single of his fifth studio album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Not my type of music but it fits the theme rather well.
Recording
Wednesday December 15
Rewrite the Stars
The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American musical drama film. It was inspired by the story of P. T. Barnum's creation of Barnum's American Museum and the lives of its star attractions. The songs, including Rewrite the Stars, were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. We have sung A Million Dreams at Tonic.
Recording
Thursday December 16
Telstar
Telstar is a 1962 instrumental written and produced by Joe Meek for the English band the Tornados. The record was named after the Telstar communications satellite, which was launched into orbit on 10 July 1962.
The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group. They were Cliff Richard's backing band from 1958 to 1968 and on numerous reunion tours. They also recorded on their own, as in this instance. I am not sure the video synchronises with the audio, but it's worth seeing as the 'routine' is so different to anything we have seen in more recent years.
Recording
Friday December 17
Stars
Les Misérables (Les Mis) is a sung-through musical and an adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name, by Claude-Michel Schönberg (music), Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel (original French lyrics), and Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics). The original French musical premiered in Paris in 1980. Its English-language adaptation by producer Cameron Mackintosh ran in the West End between October 1985 and July 2019, making it the longest-running musical in the West End and the second longest-running musical in the world after the original Off-Broadway run of The Fantasticks. In a poll of Tonic members, Les Mis was voted 'favourite musical'.
Performance
Saturday December 18
The Impossible Dream
From the award winning 1972 film Man of La Mancha. Here we see Peter O'Toole as Don Quixote but his singing was dubbed by Simon Gilbert, who some Tonic members met during a Tonic weekend away in August 2012. The Impossible Dream has been recorded by many artists and was first featured during Tonic Jukebox week 63. Relevant words are: This is my quest, To follow that star, No matter how hopeless, No matter how far.
Performance from the movie
I don't usually enjoy Russell Watson's voice, but I think this recording has merit.
Performance by Russell Watson and Aled Jones
Pick your favourite.
Sunday December 19
Bellissime Stelle (Beautiful stars)
I struggled to find any information about this song. It is preceded by one of the most embarrassing introductions to an artist I have ever seen.
Lyrics (English and Italian)
Performance
Stella Artois
The Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven was opened in 1366 when it was a tavern brewing its own beer for sale to hunters under the sign of a hunting horn. In 1708, Sébastien Artois became head brewer; then, in 1717, he purchased the brewery, renaming it Brouwerij Artois. In 1926, Brouwerij Artois launched Stella Artois as a Christmas beer, named after the Christmas star. In recent times adverts for the beer have used a section of the overture to Verdi's opera, La Forza del Destino. This first appeared in Tonic Jukebox in week 16 (Adverts).
Performance of overture to La Forza del Destino (8 mins)
Tuesday December 14
Starman (Bowie)
Starman is a song by English musician David Bowie. It was released in April 1972 by RCA Records as the lead single of his fifth studio album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Not my type of music but it fits the theme rather well.
Recording
Wednesday December 15
Rewrite the Stars
The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American musical drama film. It was inspired by the story of P. T. Barnum's creation of Barnum's American Museum and the lives of its star attractions. The songs, including Rewrite the Stars, were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. We have sung A Million Dreams at Tonic.
Recording
Thursday December 16
Telstar
Telstar is a 1962 instrumental written and produced by Joe Meek for the English band the Tornados. The record was named after the Telstar communications satellite, which was launched into orbit on 10 July 1962.
The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group. They were Cliff Richard's backing band from 1958 to 1968 and on numerous reunion tours. They also recorded on their own, as in this instance. I am not sure the video synchronises with the audio, but it's worth seeing as the 'routine' is so different to anything we have seen in more recent years.
Recording
Friday December 17
Stars
Les Misérables (Les Mis) is a sung-through musical and an adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name, by Claude-Michel Schönberg (music), Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel (original French lyrics), and Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics). The original French musical premiered in Paris in 1980. Its English-language adaptation by producer Cameron Mackintosh ran in the West End between October 1985 and July 2019, making it the longest-running musical in the West End and the second longest-running musical in the world after the original Off-Broadway run of The Fantasticks. In a poll of Tonic members, Les Mis was voted 'favourite musical'.
Performance
Saturday December 18
The Impossible Dream
From the award winning 1972 film Man of La Mancha. Here we see Peter O'Toole as Don Quixote but his singing was dubbed by Simon Gilbert, who some Tonic members met during a Tonic weekend away in August 2012. The Impossible Dream has been recorded by many artists and was first featured during Tonic Jukebox week 63. Relevant words are: This is my quest, To follow that star, No matter how hopeless, No matter how far.
Performance from the movie
I don't usually enjoy Russell Watson's voice, but I think this recording has merit.
Performance by Russell Watson and Aled Jones
Pick your favourite.
Sunday December 19
Bellissime Stelle (Beautiful stars)
I struggled to find any information about this song. It is preceded by one of the most embarrassing introductions to an artist I have ever seen.
Lyrics (English and Italian)
Performance