The History Book Club discussion

BBC - PROMS:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ll...

CHANTICLEER CHRISTMAS CONCERT:

http://americanpublicmedia.publicradi...

A CHORAL CHRISTMAS CARD:

http://americanpublicmedia.publicradi...

CANTUS: ALL IS CALM:


December 2009

Cantus and Theater Latte' Da Present: All Is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914; by Peter Rothstein, musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach

Julie Amacher hosts an uplifting musical drama about the surprising 1914 World War I Christmas Truce. Theater Latte' Da and Cantus, one of America's most accomplished male choirs, have created a profoundly moving new work of musical radio theater. Using the diary entries of soldiers and beautiful new arrangements of Christmas favorites, All is Calm tells both sides of the story, as men who had been trying to kill each other in the fields of France, spontaneously put down their guns, walked across no-man's land, and sang together.

http://americanpublicmedia.publicradi...

From Provence to the Pyrenees

PipeDreams:

From Provence to the Pyrenees

http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/gal...

http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/lis...

Archives:

http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/lis...

DALE WARLAND SINGERS:

http://americanpublicmedia.publicradi...

ST OLAF CHRISTMAS SPECIAL:

http://americanpublicmedia.publicradi...

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER:

http://saintpaulsunday.publicradio.or...

OTHER PROGRAMS:

http://saintpaulsunday.publicradio.or...

ROD STEWART BECOMES PENSIONER:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainm...

Hi folks, I was just telling Harvey about some music that I find very haunting and hard to forget. Has anyone else listened to "The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" by Henryk Gorecki?

Henryk Gorecki

"This Symphony’s inspiration came from a book Górecki found during the Nazi occupation of Poland that showed examples of the different messages scratched on the walls of a Gestapo prison. One message was written by a young girl that said, “Mama, don't cry.” This was a very simple, but heartfelt cry that scorched his soul."

Here is a youtube video: (this is not the complete symphony)

Gorecki Symphony No. 3 "Sorrowful Songs" - Lento e Largo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miLV0o...

For those of you Elvis Presley fans:

Picture Elvis at 75!!!

Elvis Presley At 75: Songs We Love

Celebrate The King's 75th Birthday With A Stream Of Hits And NPR Staff Favorites

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st...

Hi Bentley, Can I add another one of my favourite pieces of music, its Henry Purcell's "Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary":

Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary

Of course Aussie Rick.

Another of my favourites is 'The Flower Duet (Lakmé)', anyone else?

'The Flower Duet

And for Bentley:

Pavarotti

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another of my favourites is 'The Flower Duet (Lakmé)', anyone else?

'The Flower Duet


"

Very nice.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "And for Bentley:

Pavarotti

"

I love this.

For something a bit different try "Le luth de Bagdad" by Naseer Shamma. This is one track that may interest you:

Naseer Shamma

Interesting but different.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another of my favourites is 'The Flower Duet (Lakmé)', anyone else?

Yes, very much.
I had the privilege of hearing Dame Joan Sutherland sing this with a frequent partner next to Marilyn Horne: a very rich-voiced Canadian mezzo-soprano named Huguette Tourangeau back in the '70's. There is a performance DVD out that they did in Australia in 1976.

That would have been a great performance, Dame Sutherland has such a great voice. I might have to dig around for that 1976 performance on DVD, thanks for mentioning it.

hi 'Aussie Rick',

As a new member I'am looking around and I found this thread (as you call it, I'm dutch so English is not my mother tongue) Because I love classical music, this one interests me. Gorecki's symphony is very moving. Try the premiere recording (I think it was)
with the American(!)soprano Dawn Upshaw - she has a very lovely voice. The funeral music for Queen Mary is also a favorite of mine: I used to sing in a choir which programmed it. Especially, 'thou knowest Lord' is very beautiful and touching togeher with 'in the midst of life we are in death'.
I like the links to you tube!



Bentley wrote: "Here is a youtube video: (this is not the complete symphony)

Gorecki Symphony No. 3 "Sorrowful Songs" - Lento e Largo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miLV0o...

"

Jan wrote: "hi 'Aussie Rick',

As a new member I'am looking around and I found this thread (as you call it, I'm dutch so English is not my mother tongue) Because I love classical music, this one interests me..."

Hi Jan, I will try and find a copy of Gorecki's symphony, the premiere recording you mentioned with the soprano Dawn Upshaw. Thanks for the information, its a great piece of music isn't it!

I was just talking about a piece of music from the Australian movie 'Gallipoli' in another thread that first introduced me to classical music, it was Adagio in G minor by Tomaso Albinoni.


Adagio in G minor

Chopins Birthday today:

Chopins Birthday

My favourite piece of music:

Chopin´s prelude "Raindrop"
(with a nice glass of red wine!)

For those who are going to undertake the group read of "Master & Commander" here is a CD that you may want to put on and listen to while reading away just to provide a little atmosphere:

"Musical Evenings with the Captain: Music from the Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian"

Track 1 - 4: Pietro Antonio Locatelli. Sonata in G Major Op. 5 No.1 for 2 Violins & Basso Continuo
Track 5 - 7: Franz Joseph Haydn. Duet for Violin & Cello in D Major
Track 8 - 15: George Frederic Handel. Eight Pieces for Violin & Cello
Track 16 - 18: Pietro Antonio Locatelli. Sonata in C Minor, Op. 6 No. 5 for Violin & Basso Continuo
Track 19 - 22: Luigi Boccherini. Sonata for Violin & Cello in D Major
Track 23 - 26: Jean Marie Léclair. Sonata in D Minor for 2 Violins & Basso Continuo




by Patrick O'Brian

That sounds like fun! Thanks, Aussie Rick.

Of course there is also the soundtrack from the movie "Master & Commander" to keep us going as well! That CD has some great tracks as well.

And here is a link for some music that many of my age group will remember as kids and has a World War One theme:

Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron

Aussie Rick - hysterical..I do not know if I found the haircuts more humorous or the antics/acting of the guy on the viewer's left.

It's a classic in many respects! :)

Here is another classic for those reading "Killer Angels":

"Johnny Reb"

That was a pretty good one.

Bentley wrote: "Aussie Rick - hysterical..I do not know if I found the haircuts more humorous or the antics/acting of the guy on the viewer's left."

Amen! That guy on the left was... well, he needed an instrument of some sort. Very fun.

I know Elizabeth...I thought he was using his body as one (lol). The legs imitating the German march, and the arms flailing. I had no idea that one member of the band was going to act the lyrics in the song. He was not playing any instrument nor was he singing that much from what I could see. Maybe he was the lead singer's little brother and his mother said he had to have his brother in the band (smile).

Bentley,

Following your interest in Marillion, I sort of moved the subject here as it is about Music.

Marillion is a British rock band, formed in 1979. In fact they started out by focusing on Progressive rock (neo-progressive rock to be more exact), but then moved on/evolved to a style of their own, incorporating elements of various musical genres. The wikipedia page: Marillion.

There are two phases to Marillion: the first 4 albums, conceptual ones, clearly progressive; all other albums from then on (11), some conceptual/partially conceptual, with progressive elements.

I like both phases. You notice the change in lyrics which came with the parting of the original singer (Fish), in 1988, and the growth of subtleness and sensitivity that the current singer, Steve Hogarth, brought along.

Summing it up a bit, wonderful/finely crafted lyrics+ quality tunes + very gifted musicians + a killer guitar sound + very nice, simple and approachable people + evolutive sound = Marillion
But then again, I like them, don't I? :)

I can show you a couple of YouTube videos so you can get acquitted with some songs and judge by yourself, if you like.

Manuela, Marillion is a great band, that's for sure.
Though I have to admit I was always more into things like Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Earth, WInd & Fire, Maze, The Ohio Players, Teddy Pendergrass, Wilson Pickett, Freddy King, Bill Evans, Hank Mobley.

If some of you like to listen to French music you should try Rose or Berry - both young women have a completely different take on the French chanson, more from a singer/songwriter perspective mixed with a jazzy feel. Terrific!

Manuela...thanks for the information. I just listened to the youtube Kayleigh of the Fish days.

Here is the youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwNVfN...

Then I guess the Hogarth phase: (Space)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3RV2o...

Interesting - very different sounds between the two

My pleasure, Bentley.

Curious enough, ever since the Lousada gig, a couple of weeks ago, The Space has been on my mind quite a lot.

Kayleigh was their most successful single, and although I like it I must say is far from the best they've put out.

Might I suggest having a listen to(with Hogarth):
Easter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjbG5N...
Afraid of Sunlight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFi_BM...
Neverland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWFuzj...

And with Fish:
Bitter Suite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tam3O2...
Script for a Jester's Tear: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH8c1p...
White Russian: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGkNjO...

Lyrics may be found here: http://www.marillion.com/music/lyrics...

Thank you I will take a listen later on today. Whose voice did you like the best..Fish or Hogarth..curious.

That is, my dear Bentley, one of the million dollar questions! :)

The way I've come to see it there are two different bands called Marillion, not because they changed lead singer, but because the way they sound really changed.

Both versions have pros and cons; I've started out with Fish and love the first four albums, as I love progressive rock and the crafted lyrics/poems very closely related to every day life and our own personal issues or defects. I kept following Fish's solo work which, I must add, has provided us with excellent tunes and lyrics; on the other hand, it's almost impossible for me not to relate to Hogarth's lyrics and interpretation, since it's so full of emotion, in a much softer way than Fish's... maybe it's got something to do with the more troublesome years of Fish's life at the time, I don't know. Hogarth is much more in touch with his feelings in a self-awareness way, if I can explain myself correctly, while at the time Fish rebelled more (nowadays you can tell he grew up). Apart from that they are both poets, with different styles of writing and dealing with the same issues or questions and I believe they are both worth my respect for that.

As to voices... Fish has got a more bitter-sounding voice, very very good in the days (getting better again now as he had some throat problems), while Hogarth has a softer more introspective voice. I can't separate the voice from the interpretation itself and since the lyrics and contents have changed as well, I suppose I like both their voices, singing the songs they wrote because they can relate to them the most and give the best interpretation possible.

But... if I had to choose one of them, I'd choose Freddie Mercury any time. :))

Interesting - I think I liked at first blush Fish and the band's sound at that time...but I am no judge of this band or their music - only having listened to a few songs. I like the husky quality and the more unique sound quality of Fish's voice..but then again I always liked that same quality in some female vocalists like Stevie Nicks and the late Janis Joplin. There was something distinctive about the timbre of Fish's vocals.

There is, Bentley, that's why it sounds so good applied to the harsher lyrics Fish wrote.

Hogarth's got a softer, more subtle voice, but don't let yourself be fooled, he renders such emotional interpretations his voice shifts through the songs. You should hear him singing Cohen...

I will have to give the group its due for sure. Thank you for defending Hogarth.

André wrote: "Manuela, Marillion is a great band, that's for sure.
Though I have to admit I was always more into things like Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Earth, WInd & Fire, Maze, The Ohio Players, Teddy Pender..."

André, I really like The Temptations, but to be honest I've always been more into Rock (in its various forms and genres), Metal (do not give me that look, young man!:) ), some Pop (as long as it's decent), some Jazz (specially if instrumental), some electronic music and classical as well (Russian and German composers mainly).

This doesn't mean I don't listen to other genres of music. In fact, at home we must have albums by way over 500 different bands/artists.

Manuela, you're so right - there's so much wonderful music out there.

My parents were into classical music - very much so. It's not that I don't like it. I just sent my Mom a Chopin/Rachmaninoff disc by Helene Grimaud which I love very much myself. My Dad was into 30s and 40s Big Band Jazz up to Spike Jones and the classical French chanson.

I was always slightly different. I love Jazz, but more the Be-Bop era and where it went from there (not too much electronics though)
Same goes for R&R, not too electronic. 80s synths are not for me. I also like new bands such as The Kooks and BRMC or Matthew Sweet.
But my first love will always be rhythm; handmade, with a guitar, bass, piano, drums and vocals. Then comes the rest.

I am open to almost anything else, as long as it's not too simplistic (like a lot that is being produced today just to satisfy the record companies' managers' wallets). I hat safe bets, that's all.

Try Rose and Berry for a change. They're both really good.

In Latvia, even the Punks sing in tune! :))

Who are Rose and Berry, Andre. Do you have urls that you can add or youtubes or last fm so that we can listen to them?

Bentley, for Rose try: Rose Les Jeux Sont Faits or Rose Je M'ennuie
For Berry, try: Berry Las Vegas or Berry Mademoiselle or one of my favorites: Berry Le Bonheur

Just a few songs - there are of course many more
Hope you like them