New arrivals include this collection of popular, jazz, classical, opera, musical theatre and film music on CD, to warm up those cold winter days. All are currently showcased on our wonderful listening posts in the Arts Reading Room, during normal opening hours.
Triage is the latest release by Perth based rock band, Methyl Ethel, who recently completed a national tour with some international dates to follow, in support of their third album release that peaked at No. 11 on the Aria charts. The abstract fantasy of Trip the Mains is the latest single from Triage that features the bands surrealist style in themes of suspended time and defying gravity, and pulsating, boppy electronic rhythms. Fantastic themes and sounds to explore.
The front cover art is by Sydney artist Loribelle Spirovski, and features the 2017 Archibald Prize finalist’s stunning work Age of Reason. In a February 2019 interview Spirovski, who moved to Australia from the Philippines when she was 9, said the oil and acrylic painting is a portrait of her husband, concert pianist and “frequent muse” Simon Tedeschi [1].
Spirovski says she was “both surprised and not surprised that Jake (Webb, Methyl Ethel frontman) was drawn to the piece, as music is both literally and subconsciously a strong theme of the painting” [2].
Tanya-Lee Davies presents The Duetting Damsel.
[Tanya-Lee Davies], [2018]
Tanya-Lee Davies presents The Duetting Damsel is the latest release by the Melbourne based singer, who after releasing three self-penned albums, has turned her attention to a long time love affair with the boy/girl duet on an album described as a “sonic shrine to the co-mingling of the male/female voice”.
With fourteen men accompanying her on fourteen songs including Stephen Cummings, Rob Snarski and Matt Walker, some of Melbourne’s most glorious musicians & the worlds best-loved writers, songs about “love going wrong & right, heartache & joy, tears & highways, thrills & spills”, have never sounded so melodious and appealing. Well worth a listen.
A live performance of the album with all singing partners and musicians would be great to see too!
Two icons of popular music are celebrated in greatest hits compilation releases – The essential Doris Day and The Best of Jose Feliciano.
Doris Day, who sadly passed away in May at age 97, will be remembered for movie roles in musicals such as Calamity Jane and The Pajama Game, and many 1960s romantic comedies with co-stars such as Rock Hudson and Cary Grant that were big box office hits in their day.
Songs such as Whatever will be, will be (Que Sera Sera) – first performed by Doris in the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock movie The Man Who Knew Too Much and later as the theme song for her popular 1970s TV comedy series – as well as Sentimental Journey and Secret Love, became her signature tunes. This essential compilation features many of these great songs.
The following best of collection features Light My Fire, La Bamba, Daniel and many more great hits by the legendary Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer, Jose Feliciano, who last toured Australia in 2018.
The Capitol Studios sessions by Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.
In jazz there is a chart-topping release and debut studio album by American actor and musician, Jeff Goldblum, with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. Recorded in front of a live studio audience at the famous Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, The Capitol Studios Sessions features compositions by jazz luminaries such as Herbie Hancock, Marvin Gaye and Nat King Cole.
Silver City is the first Americana inspired album recorded by Australian popular music legend, Brian Cadd, who is celebrating more than 50 years of songwriting and performing. Included are original compositions and a bonus track of one of his greatest hits A little ray of sunshine.
Come from Away is a multi-award winning new musical based on the true story of 38 planes and almost 7,000 passengers from around the world that were diverted to the small community of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, on September 11, 2001, doubling its population in an instant. Come from Away recently had its Australian premiere at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, after glowing reviews for the show on Broadway and in London. A must see!
Sappho : opera in three acts by Peggy Glanville-Hicks ;
Libretto by Lawrence Durrell.
Toccata Classics ©2012
In opera is the first ever recording of Sappho : an opera in three acts by renowned Australian composer, Peggy Glanville-Hicks, with a libretto from the play by Lawrence Durell. The opera concerns one of the few known poets of the ancient world – Sappho – who was one of the great Greek lyrists who chose to spend her life studying the arts on the isle of Lesbos.
The opera was originally written for Maria Callas and the San Francisco Opera in 1963, but was left unperformed. The CD, recorded in Portugal, was completed in time for the centenary of the composer’s birth on 29 December 2012. The video P.G.H : a modern odyssey and painting Portrait of Peggy Glanville-Hicks [art original] by Joyce McGrath, are just some of the many other resources the Library holds on the Melbourne born composer.
A recent release of music by Chopin on Deutsche Grammophon features a recital by renowned Italian pianist, Maurizio Pollini. Highlights include beautiful renditions of the op. 55 Nocturnes, op. 56 Mazurkas and Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, op. 58.
Deutsche Grammophon, [2019]
A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) features the soundtrack, composed and performed by acclaimed jazz pianist, Martial Solal, to the 1960 French crime drama written and directed by Jean Luc Goddard, with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seaberg in starring roles. A romantic and breezy listen.
Also included are further jazz selections from other early 60s French movies including ‘Affaire d’une Nuit, Le Procès (The Trial), and Les Ennemis (A Touch of Treason).
Shaft : music from the soundtrack. Composed and performed by Isaac Hayes.
Shaft features music from the soundtrack to the 1971 crime action movie, know for the soul and funk styled Theme from Shaft, written and recorded by Isaac Hayes, topping the music charts and winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The remaining album includes mostly instrumentals composed by Hayes for the films score.
Follow this link to see a spectacular live performance of Theme from Shaft at the Glastonbury music festival in 2002.
Enjoy!
Notes
[1] & [2] Collins, Simon. Music is the muse for Sydney artist, in The West Australian, 18 February, 2019.
All of these CDs are listed on the online catalogue. There are eight listening posts in the Arts Reading Room, where you can listen to a mixed choice of up to 70 CDs from the audiovisual collection.
- On each Listening Post, just press the View Current Titles box on touch screen panel to access full list of CD titles.
- Select title for list of disc tracks. Select track and use on-screen controls to playback.
BYO headphones or use ours.
