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GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL 1685-1759 1 Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon 3 02 Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Paul Dyer The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba is taken from Handel s oratorio Solomon. This dramatic vocal work describes the king s piety, wisdom, and splendour qualities which Handel used to draw parallels with the monarch of the day, King George II. From the opening of this piece, we can hear the depiction of the splendid arrival of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon s court with her retinue bearing gifts. ERIK SATIE 1866-1925 2 Gymnopédie No. 1 3 06 Lyle Chan piano This gorgeous work is one of the best-loved pieces by French composer Erik Satie. The complete work, Trois Gymnopédies, while short and simply written, are deeply reflective and sentimental. The Gymnopédies were influenced by Greek antiquity, and according to Satie, were inspired by reading Gustave Flaubert s Salammbô. LÉO DELIBES 1836-1891 3 Sous le dôme epais (Flower Duet) from Lakmé 5 12 Glenys Fowles soprano, Heather Begg mezzo-soprano, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Richard Bonynge The most celebrated moment from Delibes opera Lakmé, this duet is sung by the lead character Lakmé and her servant Mallika. Set in British India, the Flower Duet describes the beauty and tranquillity of a riverbank studded with white jasmine and roses, with birds singing in the morning. GARETH KOCH b. 1962 4 Rumba Flamenca 3 31 Saffire The Australian Guitar Quartet Danceable, mischievous, light-hearted words that best represent the rumba, one of the most accessible flamenco styles. Rumba Flamenca is the well-known traditional anonymous melody, Spanish Romance, that is integrated in the opening measures. This fresh and exciting work is by Australian guitarist and composer Gareth Koch who is also a member of the Australian guitar quartet Saffire. JULES MASSENET 1842-1912 5 Méditation from Thaïs 5 33 Barbara Jane Gilby violin, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, David Stanhope Although the opera from which this piece comes from is not performed often today, the Méditation from Massenet s Thaïs has become a staple of the violin and orchestra repertoire. Best known for its use in the 1997 film Titanic, the Méditation with its soaring violin line and delicate accompaniment is the epitome of sublimity. SERGEI RACHMANINOV 1873-1943 6 Virgin, Mother of God from Vespers 2 46 Sydney Philharmonia Symphonic Choir & Orchestra, Antony Walker LIVE RECORDING One of the greatest contributions to Orthodox liturgy, the All Night Vigil (Vespers) of 1915 draws from the unaccompanied chant and choral music used for Orthodox worship. Described as his supreme unaccompanied choral work, Rachmaninov s Vespers infuses these elements with the composer s own lyricism and moving harmonies. 2 3
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK 1841-1904 7 Allegretto grazioso from Symphony No. 8 5 04 Sydney Symphony Orchestra, José Serebrier One of the most elegant movements in any of the symphonies by Dvořák, this lilting waltz with its swell and sigh of strings and interjections from winds shows elements of eastern European folk music from which Dvořák took much of his inspiration. A charming coda featuring the oboe brings this movement to a brilliant close. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH 1685-1750 8 Allegro from Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 4 55 Orchestra of the Antipodes, Antony Walker Bach compiled the six concertos now known collectively as the Brandenburg Concertos in 1721 in an effort to impress a potential employer and patron, the Margrave of Brandenburg. These concertos are a diverse selection of orchestral music that was written at various times during the previous decade. The opening movement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 features a solo group made up of recorder, oboe, violin and trumpet accompanied by a string ensemble. PIETRO MASCAGNI 1863-1945 9 Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana 3 00 West Australian Symphony Orchestra, David Measham The lush melody of the Intermezzo from Mascagni s one-act opera Cavalleria rusticana is typical of late 19th-century orchestral writing. An intermezzo is a musical interlude used to separate acts of an opera or musical drama. In this case the Intermezzo precedes a scene in which the character Alfio challenges Turiddu to a duel, after discovering that he is having an affair with his wife, and Turiddu is killed. The gentle Intermezzo is a strong contrast to the violence and drama of the opera. GREGORIO ALLEGRI 1582-1652 0 Miserere (excerpt) 7 42 Jane Sheldon soprano, Cantillation, Antony Walker Originally a Vatican secret and performed only in the Sistine Chapel until it was allegedly smuggled out by a teenaged Mozart (who memorised the work at one listening), the Miserere by Gregorio Allegri is famous for its simplicity the unaccompanied voices intoning the plainsong psalm alternating with two chorus passages, with the soprano line soaring above. JOHANN PACHELBEL 1653-1706! Canon in D 4 29 Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, David Stanhope Coming in at No. 23 of the ABC Classic 100 listener poll of 2002, Pachelbel s Canon in D is one of the best known and beloved of classical pieces. Brought to popular fame by its use in the movie Ordinary People, the Canon features three violin parts with continuo accompaniment, each entering in turn with the simple theme and elaborating on the melody as the work progresses. ANTONIO VIVALDI 1678-1741 @ Gloria in excelsis Deo from Gloria in D, RV589 2 17 Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir & Orchestra, Antony Walker LIVE RECORDING The Baroque Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most prolific composers of his generation, with a unique and influential style. This was the most up-to-date music of its time (Vivaldi s famous The Four Seasons created a European craze). The Gloria in D is typical of Vivaldi s sacred music style, which drew influence from operatic music. 4 5
BÉLA BARTÓK 1881-1945 (arr. Keller) No. 126 Change of time from Mikrokosmos 5 23 Andrea Keller piano, Tim O Dwyer alto saxophone, Anita Hustas double bass, Danny Fischer drums Based on Bartók s work Mikrokosmos, this piece, arranged by the jazz musician Andrea Keller, is characterised by folk-like elements, a soulful saxophone melody, and simple piano and rhythm accompaniment. ROSS EDWARDS b. 1943 $ Dawn Mantras 7 14 Sydney Children s Choir, Cantillation, Jane Sheldon soprano, Matthew Doyle didjeridu, Jim Franklin shakuhachi, Rixon Thomas cor anglais, Ian Cleworth & Brian Nixon percussion, Lyn Williams Written to be performed on the sails of the Sydney Opera House in the first light of the first day of the year 2000, Dawn Mantras by internationally acclaimed Australian composer Ross Edwards incorporates diverse musical elements such as didjeridu, shakuhachi, children s voices, percussion and Western instruments. The piece draws on the multi-faceted aspects of Australian society as well as the diversity and multiplicity that are fundamental chracteristics of Australian music. SERGEI PROKOFIEV 1891-1953 ^ Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet 3 54 Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Nicholls Based on the Shakespeare play of the same name, Prokofiev s Romeo and Juliet was made famous by the Russian Ballet in the early 1940s. This section of the ballet features the two opposing families, the Montagues and Capulets, in a show of bravado towards each other. GIULIO CACCINI 1551-1618 (arr. Walker) & Ave Maria 3 22 Gondwana Voices, Sinfonia Australis, Lyn Williams The gorgeous Ave Maria is attributed to the Baroque composer Giulio Caccini, a singer and composer in the Medici court in the 16th-century. This new recording, arranged by Daniel Walker, showcases the rapturous lyricism and undeniable beauty of the work and features the children s choir Gondwana Voices. Total Playing Time 79 53 LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN 1770-1827 % An die Freude (Ode to Joy) from Symphony No. 9 8 41 Sydney Philharmonia Choirs & Orchestra, Antony Walker LIVE RECORDING Beethoven based the final movement of his Symphony No. 9 on Schiller s poem Ode to Joy, introducing voices into the symphony for the first time. Beethoven refined his tune through many sketches to its simple, clear and memorable form however, he was unable to hear it, and at the premiere, one of the soloists had to turn him around to acknowledge the applause. 6 7
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Executive Producers Robert Patterson, Lyle Chan Compilation Producer Virginia Read Editorial and Production Manager Hilary Shrubb Cover Design Host/The Glue Society Booklet Design Imagecorp Pty Ltd Photography Getty Images For ABC Classic FM Head National Music Networks Kate Dundas Program Manager John Crawford Marketing Manager Joseph Hocking This compilation 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Distributed in Australia by Universal Music Group, under exclusive licence. Made in Australia. All rights of the owner of copyright reserved. Any copying, renting, lending, diffusion, public performance or broadcast of this record without the authority of the copyright owner is prohibited. 10 11