#MorningMusic with Julian Ovenden
#MorningMusic with Julian Ovenden
Julian Ovenden shared with us a #MorningMusic playlist filled with good vibes and great vocalists. You can listen to his playlist here and read his thoughts on his selections below.
Song: "Come Home" from Allegro (Rodgers and Hammerstein)
Performer: Bryn Terfel, English Northern Philharmonia, and Paul Daniel
Album: Something Wonderful
"I chose this song as it allegedly contains one of Stephen Sondheim's favourite vamps! It is sung by a woman in the musical Allegro, but this version, by the peerless bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, seems like the perfect fit. It's a song about home and community which seem particularly relevant during this time. Wallow in his wonderful line and legato. And for a singer famous for his volume, his pianissimo delivery is exquisite."
Song: "Move On" (Stephen Sondheim)
Performers: Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, and Paul Gemignani
Album: Sunday in the Park with George (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
"In 2013 I was lucky enough to do the first French production of this genius work at the [Théâtre du Châtelet] in Paris. I remember looking out my dressing room window overlooking the Seine and thinking that the musical was coming home. We had a rich re-orchestration for a band of 60 and in that majestic theatre singing that music felt like flying at times. This song that appears towards the conclusion of the show is all about rebirth, positivity, and forward momentum. No matter what has happened in the past we have to go forward. Mandy and Bernadette's passion for the roles is as fresh as ever."
Song: "Your Smiling Face"
Performer: James Taylor
Album: JT
"Lord knows we need some good vibes at the moment. Here is one of my 8-year-old daughter's favourite songs. She has a particularly great smile and it reminds me to smile more often at folk in the street as we pass on by."
Song: "A Case of You"
Performer: Joni Mitchell
Album: Both Sides Now
"Anyone who knows me well knows that this is my favourite song. I love everything about it. It's perfect. In this version recorded 30 years after the original it gathers extra resonance. The voice has aged but the sensibility shines brighter. The magnificent orchestrations by Vince Mendoza are a perfect canvas on which to reinterpret the song. Magical!"
Song: "Make Someone Happy"
Performers: Tony Bennett & Bill Evans
Album: Together Again
"One of my favourite songs performed by two greats. These albums that Evans and Bennett made are two gems. When we boil everything down one of the best things you can do in life is make someone else happy. It's the 'real stuff in life to cling to.'"
Header photo by Richard Termine.