Category: All things music

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From there to here..


It was my cousin mentioning something about a concert we went as young teenagers (when my family was visiting them in Belfast March 1958) something that started me thinking about someone I hadn’t thought about for a good many years.
Lonnie Donegan.

Unlike most of my friends, I really enjoyed his early folky music…before he turned to ‘comedy tunes’.
Tunes like ‘Did your chewing gum lose its flavour on the bed post overnight’ 🙁

I was also a fan of trad jazz – yes I knew all the pop singers of the time and the words to their songs but wasn’t that interested in them. They didn’t hold my attention the way folk and jazz (plus big band) did so my friends tended to think that as far as music was concerned I was a bit strange.

When Gordon Lightfoot died early this month I thought (wrongly) didn’t he share the stage with Lonnie Donegan at one time?
No, it was Terry Lightfoot – jazz musician with Chris Barber (who LD had played with in early 1950s) .

Age might do weird things to your memory but when Willie Nelson turned 90 late this April just gone I definitely remembered another concert
One I (and The Golfer) went to

It was the night The Highwaymen came to town.
(Yes you can add country and western to my my list of likes as well😊)

Willie, Waylon, Cash and Kristoffersen – The National Tennis Centre Melbourne.
(Now known as Rod Laver Arena)
32 years ago today – May 22 1991

This video isn’t from that concert- but it might just as well have been
Filmed March 1990


I know most of you aren’t in this age bracket but here are links that might bring back memories for some of you – and let others know what it was all about – and how it was an inspiration for many who have come afterwards

https://hellomusictheory.com/learn/famous-british-singers-of-the-1950s/

https://lonniedoneganscrapbook.webs.com/tourappearanceguide.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/nov/05/guardianobituaries.arts

https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/sep/08/british-traditional-jazz-chris-barber-band-humphrey-lyttleton-acker-bilk

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Today is….

I’ve a feeling I might have posted this before but I couldn’t let today go by without a rerun. Be patient, read my little joke and I’ll tell you what ‘today is’ at the end

A tourist in Vienna is going through a graveyard and all of a sudden he hears music.
No one is around, so he starts searching for the source.

He finally locates the origin and finds it is coming from a grave with a headstone that reads: “Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770- 1827”.

Then he realizes that the music is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and it is being played backwards

Puzzled, he leaves the graveyard and persuades a friend to return with him.

By the time they arrive back at the grave the music has changed.
This time it is the Seventh Symphony, and like the previous piece, it is being played backwards.

Curious, the men agree to consult a music scholar.
When they return with the expert, the Fifth Symphony is playing – backwards.

The expert notices that the symphonies are being played in the reverse order in which they were composed,
The 9th, then the 7th, then the 5th.

By the next day the word has spread, and a crowd has gathered around the grave.
They are all listening to the Second Symphony being played backward.
Just then the graveyard’s caretaker ambles up to the group.

Someone in the group asks him if he has an explanation for the music.
“I would have thought it was obvious,” the caretaker says.

“He’s decomposing.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Source

Interesting article about Ludwig van Beethoven

Born this day 16 December 1770 – Ludwig van Beethoven

Fun Friday – the day you forget the worries of the week.

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They never forget…

Volunteering is on again – as well as doing a Morning Tea ’run’ I also give a hand when there’s entertainment. No, not doing an all singing all dancing routine – just assisting, guiding, seating, reassuring, as well as enjoying whoever is on the bill.

Many of the residents have memory loss so can be a little lost at times, watching and listening, possibly not understanding – until something piques their interest, then their demeanour changes.

Last week we had a young man come in and sing a few songs, folk songs, show songs, some country some soft rock…..something for everyone.

But what really seemed to jog their memory – had many of them sitting taller – mouthing long forgotten words – was what he sang as his final number.
The Holy City – sung all over the world at Christmas as well as Easter

A favourite at Melbourne’s annual Carols By Candlelight – performed by David Hobson

I hope you enjoy my Musical Memory on this Easter Monday

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My wish for you….

Christmas carols/songs come in all shapes and sizes – sung by huge choirs down to individual performers, they can be found in all forms on the web

One of my particular favourites ’Angels from the realms of glory ’ may not be yours, that’s fine we don’t all like the same, it’d be a funny old world if we did. It’s often confused with ’Angels we have heard on high’, ….both similarly named and both sung to the same/similar french originating tune https://hymnary.org/tune/gloria_french

but I must just tell you that which ever one I’m singing, either in a choir or just listening to it on my own, I get goosebumps if the refrain Gloria in excelsis Deo is used.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_from_the_Realms_of_Glory

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_We_Have_Heard_on_High

~ ~ ~

This is a very traditional version of Angels from the realms of glory

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choir_of_King%27s_College,_Cambridge

~ ~ ~

And this is a very modern version of Angels we have heard on high

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentatonix

I’ve really enjoyed your company (and comments) this past year but like many others I’m feeling a bit tired and weary (and for some reason very emotional – drop of the hat tears) so think now is the right time to push the seasonal pause button

My love to you all – I’ll be back again some time in January

Linking to Life this Week hosted by Denyse at Denyse Whelan Blogs. 
https://www.denysewhelan.com.au/tag/life-this-week/
Do pop over and see what others have been up to this week

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Musical Monday….

It’s surprising how different the words to a song – the tune – the melody – can sound when sung by various arists.

Take this one  ~ Accentuate the Positive ……

Music by Harry Arlen – Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate_the_Positive

This is the original sung by Johnny Mercer

Crooners like Bing Crosby and Perry Como recorded it

Frank Sinatra recorded a version in concert (also a little chat with Johnny Mercer)

And Ella Fitzgerald gave it a go in 1960

While in 1988 Willy Nelson gave it a distinct country flavour


If you have time, listen and tell me what you think – which do you prefer?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

These Mondays come by quite quickly don’t they…..I know I’ve been back home less than two weeks and shouldn’t make mention of it….in fact knowing what she went through during the war my mother would have a fit if she heard me carrying on…..but already, similar to this time last year, the ’controlled environment’ we’re living in here in Victoria is beginning to ’get to me’. I could hear that same frustration in Andrew’s voice when he commented the other day (“get busy in your garden There’s eff all else to do”) We must go oh so carefully now and if everyone plays their part (wouldn’t that be a lovely thing) it’s not going to last too much longer but in the meantime I’m going to have to take notice of the song and

‘accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative’ .

Last Saturday morning was warm enough to sit outside in a T-shirt and bright enough when I was ’pottering’ to need my sunglasses. There was a brand new (2021) library book to read (The Echo Chamber – John Boyne) a little cardigan to knit some love into and time to have a quick cup of coffee with The Golfer. Here’s to many more 😊😎

Love to you all ❤️

Linking to Life the Week hosted by Denyse at Denyse Whelan Blogs. 
Do pop over and see what others have been up to this week

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Taking it easy..or not

Who knew it would be so difficult easing back into a previous way of life. I’ve pottered around doing basically nothing these past few days. I know this aimless feeling will pass soon, after all Summer is a comin’ in (well it’ll be here sometime) and there’s a fair bit of (unwanted/unneeded) green stuff to be removed from underneath some of the plants. That’s a different way of saying….. I’ve got some weeding to do!

One out of focus rose bloom, blowing in the wind…

It’s strange the things that pop into your head at times. I know my mind wanders about a bit now and again but standing there looking at this rose I could feel a connection to a couple of very different songs

A very old Irish tune The Rose of Tralee…one of my grandmas was born there and one of her names was Mary – sadly none of us knew her, she died when my mother was 7

The other was The Rose – which was a favourite piece of one my choirs (now sadly still in recess) – a great song for a large choir, harmony pieces at their best. This is a very different version by country singer Conway Twitty (1933 – 1993)


So if the weatherman has ’got it right’ (mostly sunny, no rain, high of 20c/68f) tomorrow morning I’ll be out in the fresh air, down by the roses on my hands and knees. Wish me luck…..getting down is easy, it’s the getting up that’s a problem 😊

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