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When ABC Classic asked listeners to recommend the music that gives them an instant mood boost, the response was almost overwhelming, with hundreds of different suggestions. For this CD album, we’ve gathered together some of the pieces that featured on many people’s lists – Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascendingand Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, the triumphant finale from Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, the calming simplicity of Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel, the transcendent beauty of Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe, Nigel Westlake’s delightful Penguin Ballet,the joyous energy of Bach and Handel and the irrepressible good humour of Mozart and Mendelssohn.
There are old favourites and new discoveries; gentle, soothing music and cheerful, upbeat dance numbers. Music that stops us in our tracks with its beauty and music that gets our toes tapping. Music that shines through tears and music that bubbles up with joy.
Performed by Australia’s top orchestras, choirs and ensembles, from the full symphonic glory of our state symphony orchestras to the intimacy of Ensemble Offspring and the Australia Ensemble, and including soloists Sally Whitwell, Diana Doherty and Lin Jiang, this is music to lift your spirits – in these strange and difficult times, or just at any time!
TRACKLISTING
CD1 79’09
1 MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3 ‘Scottish’: 4’16
II. Vivace non troppo
2 WESTLAKE Penguin Ballet from Antarctica 3’15
3 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’: I. Pleasant, 11’19
cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside
4 MASSENET Méditation from Thaïs 5’38
5 JEFFES Music for a Found Harmonium 3’12
6 MOZART Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena from The Magic Flute 2’34
7 VERDI Va’, pensiero from Nabucco 4’40
8 VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Fantasia on a Theme by 15’24
Thomas Tallis
9 HANDEL Zadok the Priest 4’56
10 BACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: I. Allegro 5’31
11 EDWARDS Madagascan Song from Animisms 2’41
12 GIFFORD Bardju (Footprints) 1’57
13 LITOLFF Scherzo from Concerto symphonique No. 4 7’03
14 MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto No. 2: 6’43
III. Allegretto non troppo – Allegro molto vivace
CD2 78’11
1 GREENBAUM The Rotation of the Earth 4’43
2 VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending 17’08
3 ELGAR Nimrod from Enigma Variations 4’29
4 KOEHNE Forty Reasons to be Cheerful 6’40
5 RESPIGHI Bergamasca from Ancient Airs and Dances 4’55
6 MOZART Horn Concerto No. 4: III. Rondo 3’48
7 GLANVILLE-HICKS Etruscan Concerto: I. Promenade 4’08
8 HANDEL Alla hornpipe from Water Music Suite No. 2 3’08
9 VIVALDI Gloria: Opening chorus 2’23
10 PÄRT Spiegel im Spiegel 9’22
11 MORRICONE Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission 2’29
12 WHITWELL Road Trip 3’24
13 GOW The Fairy Dance Set 3’22
14 SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3 ‘Organ’: 8’11
IIb. Maestoso – Allegro