La Vida Breve (Life is Short or The Brief Life) is a two-act, four-scene opera that Manuel de Falla composed between August 1904 and March 1905 in Spain. The libretto, written by Carlos Fernández-Shaw, is set in Granada and uses the local language, Andalusian Spanish. Unable to secure its premiere in Spain, Falla continued revising […]
Mahler – Symphony No. 5
The Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler was composed in 1901 and 1902, mostly during the summer months at Mahler’s holiday cottage at Maiernigg. Among its most distinctive features are the trumpet solo that opens the work with a rhythmic motif similar to the opening of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, the horn solos […]
Hit The Road Jack
“Hit the Road Jack” is a song written by the rhythm and blues singer Percy Mayfield and recorded by Ray Charles. Mayfield, who first recorded it in 1960 as an a cappella demo sent to music executive Art Rupe. It became famous after it was recorded by the singer-songwriter-pianist Ray Charles, with The Raelettes vocalist […]
Lament of the Mother of God, by John Tavener (1988)
The composer himself wrote: “In the Orthodox Church, the Lament of the Mother of God is normally sung on Holy and Great Friday. In its full length it lasts about half and hour, and it is intoned by the Priest or Bishop while the people venerate the Epitaphios (or Shroud of the Dead Christ), which is […]
Bobo
Christiane “Bobo(lina)” Hebold is a German singer who co-founded the band Bobo in White Wooden Houses. She also contributed backing vocals to selected Rammstein songs. In 1990, Bobo formed the band Bobo in White Wooden Houses with Frank Heise, who became the band’s guitarist. The band’s original line-up included Axel “Lexa” Schäfer on bass (until […]
Moulettes
Moulettes, later known as Hannah Moule & The Moulettes, are an English art rock band that combines elements of rock, progressive, folk and pop music. Moulettes are multi-instrumentalists who experiment with the interplay between electric and acoustic instruments through effects and distortion. Led by either a 4, 5 or 6 string cello; the band uses […]
Ballet Egyptien
Ballet Egyptien, Op. 12 (1875), is Alexandre Luigini’s best-known composition and the only one of his works in the standard repertoire. The ballet consists of eight movements, from which two different concert suites have been extracted. The first suite is the better known. Luigini, who was a French violinist, conductor, and composer of Italian descent, […]
The Old Bazaar in Cairo
“The Old Bazaar in Cairo” by Clinton Ford, featuring George Chisholm, is generally reviewed positively, particularly for its entertaining lyrics and catchy tune. Some listeners remember it as a childhood favourite and appreciate its nostalgic value. One reviewer even mentioned that their grandchildren enjoy the song. Clinton Ford (1931 – 2009) was an English popular […]
One For My Baby
“One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)” is a song written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the movie musical The Sky’s the Limit (1943) and first performed in the film by Fred Astaire. Harold Arlen described the song as “another typical Arlen tapeworm” – a “tapeworm” being the trade slang […]
Makin’ Whoopee
“Makin’ Whoopee” is a song first popularised by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical Whoopee!. Gus Kahn wrote the lyrics and Walter Donaldson composed the music for the song as well as for the entire musical. The musical was based on Owen Davis’s play, “The Nervous Wreck”. Donaldson was a prolific and popular American songwriter, […]