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Post by tmesis on Oct 15, 2017 12:10:06 GMT
At Prism in Hampstead yesterday I sat next to a nice Canadian guy who had come to to London on a theatre-fest. He had almost completed seeing 19 productions whilst here and apparently he comes 4 to 5 times a year and averages around 100 productions!
I looked back in my diary for 2016 and it transpires I saw 73 plays / musicals / operas / ballets - what a lightweight.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 15, 2017 10:56:59 GMT
Nat King Cole
Cole recorded some great songs. I love both periods of his career; the early stuff, where he is both pianist and singer, with the lovely trio of piano, guitar and bass that so influenced Oscar Peterson and then his later, more produced career as just a singer. It's testimony to his unique voice that the many excellent songs that he made famous have not really gained much acceptance when sung by others.
Straighten up and fly right Sweet Lorraine Nature Boy Mona Lisa Too Young Unforgettable It's all in the game Portrait of Jenny Let there be love - with the superb Shearing on piano Frim Fram Sauce - a literally delicious song When I take my sugar to tea When I fall in love - with that sumptuous string intro by Gordon Jenkins; positively Mahlerian!
I also loved the album 'Unforgettable' that daughter Natalie did; this could have been awful but was beautifully done.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 14, 2017 21:51:40 GMT
Re Aida at ENO - I didn't enjoy it at all. It's got to be bad if in such a magnificent opera you are bored most of the time but that was my overall impression. Vocally it was the worst I've ever heard. Michelle DeYoung was way past her best as Amneris and inaudible at times. If she'd been in pink she would have been the spitting image of Barbara Cartland. Gwynn Hughes Jones had a very monotonous tenor with no light and shade and definitely no Italianate ardour. Latonia Moore as Aida was the best but had little beauty of tone and was tiring to listen to.
The production was just wierd; the set looked more appropriate for The Magic Flute than Aida and I'm now fed of the mix of modern and period costumes in opera- it's become a cliche. Far too much action was done in front of the curtains at the start, the processional was laughablely cheap and inert and the final act looked just like the set of The Crystal Maze.
As one of my favourite opera critics of yore (Rodney Milnes) said of another production:
'A perfectly horrible evening...'
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Post by tmesis on Oct 14, 2017 21:16:47 GMT
I enjoyed this a great deal. Excellent performances and an elegant production.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 12, 2017 20:32:42 GMT
A few more...
Close your eyes Don't be that way - Ella and Joe Pass are superb For all we know - a simple tune but very touching A Ghost of a chance - Diana Krall does a good version I'm getting sentimental over you Moonglow - hardly a tune at all, but so effective. It's all in the harmony! Stairway to the Stars Stars fell on Alabama The night we called it a day - love the tense harmonies at the start that then resolve Street of Dreams Taking a chance on Love - Sinatra That old feeling 'Round Midnight - Monk's masterpiece, I love Torme's version A Garden in the rain
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Post by tmesis on Oct 11, 2017 14:58:54 GMT
Re Dietz and Schwartz Mr Snow there is of course the sublime Dancing in the Dark, one of the classiest songs ever and also By Myself and the one where he homages Berlin's No Business Like Show Business, namely That's Entertainment.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 11, 2017 11:27:23 GMT
I've already booked with my Friend's Priority Membership. I'm a Turnage fan and looking forward to it.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 11, 2017 10:43:45 GMT
Yes tonyloco I had a very heavy teaching evening yesterday (finishing after 9.00pm) and so was not able to contribute much, but I did finish with a pupil playing a real book version of Kern's lovely I'm Old Fashioned, so frankly exploring that minor masterpiece together with one of my most likeable pupils, was money for old rope. Once in a while Deep Purple - great rangey melody What a difference a day makes Try a little tenderness ....are all favourites from your list Now for more of mine: More than you know - an all time favourite. There's a fantastic version by Maria Ewing, she a bit too trained in her approach but what makes it, is the superb accompaniment from R.R.B. I love the delicious way the minor key verse 'relaxes' into the major key tune. After you've Gone - I note from the copyright date the song is nearly 100 years old (1918) Black Coffee - got to be Peggy Lee for this Devil may care - Claire Martin does an excellent version Harlem Nocturne I'm glad there is you In the wee small hours - fabulous song but too short! Sinatra's version is best It's the talk of the town Lullaby of the leaves - fantastic quirky tune Till there was you I can't get started - again I love Sinatra's version with a superb French horn introduction. Ira's lyric is sheer class, with the great rhyme of 'Queens I've a la carted, but I can't get started with you.' and while we're talking about Mr. Dukelsky also April in Paris Autumn in New York ps. Are you a fan of Jobim? I don't think they should be included here, but I love to both play and listen to his stuff.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 10, 2017 19:09:04 GMT
I think tmesis meant Common and typed Consent by mistake. Silly me, I did indeed mean Common. I enjoyed Consent!
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Post by tmesis on Oct 10, 2017 16:16:58 GMT
You raised some fascinating points tonyloco . I love Laura - it begins with one my favourite chords, a minor 9th. Other superb uses of that chord, though not at the beginning, are in Tenderly and Chelsea Bridge. I love all the Spike Jones send ups. I agree All or nothing at all is very like Porter; maybe it's the minor key. I saw Cleo Laine at her 70th birthday concert (with the Dankworth orchestra) at RAH. She was on fantastic form but it was rather eclipsed by the fact that evening Diana died in the Paris crash! I've never seen Elizabeth Welch live; her CD of the Jerome Kern songbook is very good.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 9, 2017 20:42:21 GMT
Of the songs you mention tonyloco I particularly like: Love me or leave me June in January If I didn't care Baby won't you please come home Ain't Misbehaving Honeysuckle Rose Thanks for the memory (great list song) A kiss to build a dream on (Armstrong is sublime) A few more.... Basin Street Blues Blame it on my Youth - excellent Feinstein version Early Autumn - got to be Ella for this! The tune is such a simple idea; a succession of descending major 7th but no else thought of it Everything Happens to me - I love R. Clooney's version Gee baby ain't I good to you - Ella again, with Joe Pass I'll take Romance Moonlight in Vermont - Ella or Sinatra Willow weep for me - Cleo Laine does this well Witchcraft - Sinatra (obviously) All or nothing at all Good morning heartache Misty - I think we've mentioned this before but I never tire of playing this (in E flat!) I like Sarah Vaughan's version best. To be continued.... btw, I'm currently reading James Kaplan's definitive biography of Sinatra called 'The Chairman'. This is actually book 2 and is 1000 pages long (book one was a similar length!) I can't recommend it highly enough. As well as his fascinating personal life it goes into considerable detail regarding the classic Capitol recording sessions, particularly with Riddle, but also with Billy May and Gordon Jenkins.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 8, 2017 18:44:53 GMT
Well there are loads more songs I want to enthuse over and in addition to the singers you mention other notable practioners are:
Nat King Cole Billie Holiday Sarah Vaughan Dakota Staton Doris Day Peggy Lee Carmen McRae Anita O Day Rosemary Clooney Nina Simone Julie London Bobby Darin Chet Baker Tony Bennett Lena Horne
It's a rather daunting list (and I'm amazed we've got this far with no mention of Fred Astaire!)
I'm just going to kick off with a miscellany of songs I love in no particular order
Angel Eyes Lovely bluesy chords and melody. Favourite version Sinatra. I always think Mancini must have had this in his subconscious (harmonically only) when writing The Pink Panther!
Lover man (oh where can you be) Another masterful, bluesy tune and chords. B. Holiday did the definitive version
Mean to me I adore playing this, it has great drive. Ella and Oscar do my favourite version
Midnight Sun About the most chromatic tune ever written. You can hear how it must have been conceived by L. Hampton as an instrumental first. It must be pretty easy to play on vibes with all those adjacent chromatic notes but to sing? Well Ella does it proud with Riddle and even manages to improvise round the tune in an incredibly classy way. This is from her Johnny Mercer Songbook and it's one of my favourites in the series. Mercer has the famous triple rhyme in this: chalice/palace/aurora borealis. I think the song has some of the bittersweetness of a Strayhorn composition.
Fly me to the Moon I like the song but it's more for the excellent Julie London version with the pizzicato string arrangement, really cheesy but I love it
That'll do for now - there's loads more....
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Post by tmesis on Oct 8, 2017 18:02:15 GMT
The only programme with any sort of rigour that's left is on Radio 4 : 'Saturday Review.'
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 23:22:50 GMT
Yes foxa the boy was excellent. Loads of empty seats for a Saturday night and the guy next to me bailed out at the interval. Apart from Follies the 'Curse of the Olivier' continues; three duff productions now, this, Salome and Consent.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 22:20:40 GMT
I'm also a huge Schwarzkopf fan. Some find her a bit mannered but I would say she is my favourite soprano of all. Superb in R. Strauss and Mozart, about the most meticulous lieder singer there is and peerless in operetta - I love her Merry Widow (both versions) and J. Strauss. She always seems to have time, no matter how fast she is singing, to point a word or phrase deliciously that other singers just skate over. I love her operetta compilation CD which has a fabulously camp Nuns' Chorus. Ken Dodd agrees with me; he picked her wonderful Chambre Separaee as one of his Desert Island Discs and he asked for it to be sung by Betty Blackhead!
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 21:57:32 GMT
Well it starts well with a Blackadder/Spamalot style romp and it's all rather endearing. By the interval they've brought the action forward to the Industrial Revolution. You're thinking it can't all be this light and frothy and after the interval it's not when we're brought up to date. It all then gets darker and more aimless, trying to make points about England today with overtones of Brexit. Mullarkey doesn't seem to have a clue where he is going with this and there is no proper ending at all; it just fizzles out! Maybe they'll improve the ending by press night but I can't see how without extensive re-writes.
The cast is very good and Heffernan is superb but he's wasted on this.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 16:37:13 GMT
This is a very odd 'play.' I think Julian now seems very relaxed in the role and I think he played it well. He is, more or less, playing himself and the first half hour is totally solo, where he almost does a scripted, and toned-down, version of his stand up but in verse and whilst cooking pasta alla puttanesca at the same time! The verse then gets dropped and in comes his cocky Liverpudlian date.
There are some very funny lines but it wanders off in all sorts of directions, touching on incest and a complete obsession with necrophilia.
Basically the play is a mess and goes nowhere but I enjoyed the performances. Julian has a huge amount of lines to learn and James Nelson-Joyce is a charismatic actor (and very easy on the eye.)
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 16:15:31 GMT
I didn't find Send In The Clowns did anything for me hearing it as a stand alone song but when I actually heard it in context in A Little Night Music (Menier prod was my 1st) I found it very moving. I suppose the next time there is a revival of 'A Little Night Music' I ought to go and see it – assuming I am still able to go and see anything! Yes I can recommend it highly. If you like Der Rosenkavalier, which I do, it has something of the feel of that opera, although musically I think it's closer to Ravel, another one of my idols, than R. Strauss.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 12:54:44 GMT
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn
Some of the songs were written individually by the two musicians or jointly or with other writers. If we are speaking of songs, rather than individual jazz compositions. it's a small but very, very classy output. A number of them started out as instrumentals but words were added later. In this case they still work marvellously as songs but are sometimes quite challenging to sing.
Some highlights:
Solitude Mood Indigo In a sentimental mood Sophisticated Lady It don't mean a thing Don't get around much anymore Do nothing 'til you hear from me I'm beginning to see the light Satin Doll Take the 'A' train Lush Life Chelsea Bridge
I love listening to and playing all these. Ella provides some definitive versions of nearly all of them in here collaboration with Ellington himself. However, Strayhorn's remarkable Lush Life (most of it written at age 16!) is best heard with Ella in collaboration with Joe Pass, an amazingly intimate performance. I love how the verse is almost like the jazz equivalent of operatic recitative. Rosemary Clooney also collaborated with the Ellington band and provided excellent versions. Do nothing 'til you hear is one of my favourite things to play on piano (and accompany saxophonists in) - the tune has great space to fill with interesting jazz licks.
I've included Strayhorn's Chelsea Bridge which is instrumental only (however Cassandra Wilson does an excellent vocalise on it) because I love it so much. No other piece that I know has such anguished, bittersweet harmonies; it's an absolute delight to play and really does evoke, with Debussian chords, an impressionist painting.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 12:18:01 GMT
I always regret that I never got to work on A Funny thing... About 30 years ago I was hired as MD for an amateur production of it to be given by an top-notch drama group in Reading. I'd previously done 'Cabaret' with them (we had an excellent run) and put a lot of work into the songs. We held auditions, but there was a distinct lack of interest and many of the women branded it sexist and in the end it was cancelled!
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Post by tmesis on Oct 7, 2017 10:00:49 GMT
Ok guys I’ve really enjoyed your observations, coming as they do from people who approach this with love rather than seeking to be be ‘critical’. So your thoughts on Sondheim? For me I love the shows but struggle to love individual songs (pretty orthodox I know). Well, first of all I'm a massive fan and I also don't buy the line that he's not very melodic, I think there are some great tunes in all his shows. Mainly though I'm in agreement that it's the shows I love rather than individual songs. But there are individual songs: There won't be trumpets (Dawn Upshaw) Everybody says don't (Streisand) Comedy Tonight Everybody ought to have a maid Getting married today The ladies who lunch Being Alive (almost anything from Company) I'm still hear Losing my mind Broadway baby (Stritch, obviously) Chrysanthemum Tea Pretty Lady Joanna Not while I'm around Finishing the Hat (Patinkin) Sunday You must meet my wife A weekend in the country Agony Into the Woods Old friends Not a day goes by Good thing going Our time (I just adore ALL the music to Merrily) Everyboby's got the Right Waste The best thing that ever has Happened. For a collection of great songs to enjoy it's a toss up between Company, Follies, Merrily or, surprisingly Pacific Overtures, I have all the CDs and probably play this the most. But I actually think my favourite is Merrily. I've (glaringly) omitted Send in the clowns. I much prefer to play that than hear it. It makes a really superb piano solo, almost like playing a Chopin Nocturne (with more 9th chords!)
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Post by tmesis on Oct 3, 2017 16:15:58 GMT
Fascinating as ever Tony. I've just thought of a reason why Guys and Dolls and My Fair Lady are both such perfect musicals; I think it's because they embody the Sondheim golden rule of 'less is more.' I think, and there are exceptions, musicals are most satisfying when they don't over-emote; leave that to the proper opera composers, who have the technical skill, and genius, to pull off the real emotional high. Even Rodgers and Hammerstein liked their 'purple patches' in their musicals (you could argue that Some Enchanted Evening is a bit OTT.) G&D and MFL always keep the emotions understated and they are much more moving and involving for that.
It's also interesting that virtually all the other great composer/lyricists turned down adapting Pygmalion as a musical because they couldn't find a way to make it work ( including the great R&H) but then L&L do it, and do it so (seemingly) effortlessly, that you wonder what the problem could be.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 3, 2017 7:13:51 GMT
Lerner and Loewe
I want first to give a big shout-out to Loewe. Many books and articles have been written about Lerner, quite rightly; he is an outstanding lyricist (although Sondheim doesn't think so.) Loewe has been largely ignored. He was a superb melodist, able to completely hold his own with Rodgers in quality, if not quantity. His harmonies are very subtle and he used many different structures for his songs, not just the standard 32 bars. He could also encompass many different musical styles, the best example of this being
My Fair Lady
As said elsewhere this perfect musical is difficult to write about because everything about it is so good! but...
- I love how Loewe had the effortless ability to switch from Music Hall parody - I'm getting married, to ballad - On the Street, to classical pastiche - The Ascot Gavotte.
- On the street - one of the best ballads ever with an almost operatic range and big expressive intervals.
- I could have Danced - I find this song utterly delicious and melodically unique with rushing, impetuous upward phrases. The are some ravishing woodwind touches in the RRB arrangement (what a huge debt the classic musical owes to this unassuming man.)
- You did it - I love the structure of this and Lerner uses one of my favourite rhymes: 'ruder pest/Budapest'
- I've grown accustomed to her face - this song ends the musical in the most understated but poignant way, with some sterling help from RRB's glorious string arrangement.
The NT production was good, I went twice and failed to see Martine on both occasions! Even better was John Wilson's Proms version which the BBC never televised!
I don't have time to do all their other musicals full justice but:
Brigadoon
As said elsewhere this has the outstanding Heather on the Hill, vying with Rodger's It might as well be Spring as my favourite song from a musical. I'm surprised the song hasn't been more often recorded out of context. Also the fabulous Almost like being in Love which has one of my favourite 'easing back into the home key after the middle 8 moments' worthy of Kern.
Gigi
I love the title song - great sweep to the melody and clever key changes
I remember it well - the Gingold/Chevalier performance is perfection
The night they invented champagne - Loewe was excellent at frothy (sorry) melodies a bit like Offenbach.
Camelot
I think this is ripe for revival. The NT (Olivier) could do it full justice. They ought to consider it after the critical acclaim of Follies but I can't see it happening! It has a super score: Camelot, I wonder what the King, The simple joys of Maidenhood, What do simple folk do, If ever I would leave you, How to Handle a Woman. The latter is given a superb, touching performance by Richard Burton on the Broadway cast recording. What a shame he didn't do more musicals. He has a really attractive light baritone. The recording also has the peerless Julie Andrews.
Paint your Wagon also has some great songs but I have to stop to earn a crust...
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Post by tmesis on Oct 1, 2017 22:39:33 GMT
Apart from Kermode's film reviews the actual review show where a number of critics are paid to read/watch/listen to books/plays/concerts etc. Has almost died out. They preview things and interview people involved in cultural projects (this is a euphemism for 'plug') but rarely discuss something they've just experienced. Front Row on the radio has largely abandoned this and we are just left with Saturday Review which, although sometimes way too up itself, is usually intelligent, interesting and fairly in depth.
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Post by tmesis on Oct 1, 2017 22:25:17 GMT
Sand in my shoes - I seen to remember a lovely instrumental version by George Shearing
Once in love with Amy - I'd forgotten about this excellent song , love Mel Torme's version with the Marty Paich Dektette
Also forgot to mention 'Baby it's cold outside' an almost Berlinesque duet.
(I love Tangerine!)
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Post by tmesis on Oct 1, 2017 21:02:05 GMT
J van Heusen is an inspired choice. One broadcaster on musicals I really enjoyed was the Canadian Robert Cushman and his series Book, Music and Lyrics. Yes this was very good. Also Edward Seckerson's Radio 3 Monday afternoon series on musicals was fantastic (he also did an excellent pre-prom talk on Oklahoma!)
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Post by tmesis on Oct 1, 2017 20:40:57 GMT
The early days of Late Review were good when chaired by Mark Lawson with the three Ps -
Pearson (Alison) Parsons (Tony) Paulin (Tom)
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Post by tmesis on Oct 1, 2017 20:32:16 GMT
There really isn't a single duff song in Guys and Dolls. It's a difficult one to call but for me it's a toss up between this and My Fair Lady for accolade of Most Perfect Musical. I'm a huge Mozart fan and there is an economy of means and a fastidiousness of expression that makes me think of Wolfgang, definitely it's the 'art that conceals art.' Because all the songs are so perfect I'm struggling with favourites so instead a few observations:
Fugue for tin horns - really is a mini-fugue!
If I were a bell - very enjoyable to play starting with a very satisfying 9th chord
I've never been in love - probably Loessers best ballad, the sweep of the tune with those uncharacteristically wide intervals gets to me every time.
Sit down your rocking' the boat - the ultimate show-stopper and I submit to it as readily as anyone else, but I can never fathom quite why it has such a joyous effect on audiences!
The original NT production will take some beating; Bob Hoskins, Julia McKenzie, Ian Charleston and Julie Covington were a sensational cast. It was only marred by some 'updated' orchestrations that now sound almost laughably anachronistic. It was then nearly as good when it returned to NT with an almost unknown Imelda Staunton as Miss Adelaide. I also enjoyed the Chichester production, chiefly because of the excellent Jamie Parker as Sky.
I enjoyed the recent production of 'How to succeed' at Wiltons. It wasn't perfect but there are some great songs (The brotherhood of Man and the difficult to pull off I believe in you.)
Two of my favourites that are lyrics only:
I hear Music (B.Lane)
Two Sleepy People (H. Carmichael)
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Post by tmesis on Oct 1, 2017 19:13:10 GMT
The second episode was better - no Giles Coren, for starters. Nikki Bedi comes across as a sharper, more engaged presenter and the debate was lively. Yes it was better than with Coren but we had to suffer the imperious Churchwell and the over-excitable Eshun. Also they are terrified the audience might get a bit bored so everything is treated superficially with too many short items; a bit like an arty-fatty version of the One Show but with less rigour.
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Post by tmesis on Sept 30, 2017 16:16:41 GMT
Here in Leafy Surrey I've just collected up six dustbin bags chock-full of conkers. I have a massive horse chestnut tree in my garden that is really high-maintenance, particularly if, like me, you loath gardening. Having said that it's a truly magnificent specimen (tree-surgeons go moist just looking at it) and even if I wanted to get rid of it I can't because there is a Tree Preservation Order on it.
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