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A true story. Unfortunately.After a reckless lie sets off a catastrophic chain of events, Ali, the son of a Muslim cleric, finds himself caught between his sense of duty to his family and following his heart. An irreverent and warm-hearted comedy, Ali’s Wedding is an affectionate and entertaining story of love and duty.A film with such emotional scope requires a soundtrack to match, and so Nigel Westlake – composer of beloved scores including Babe and Paper Planes – was approached by the film’s director Jeffrey Walker. This album brings together highlights from the score, and boasts a line-up of musical artists that together have won over a dozen ARIA Awards.As well as bringing the film to life, Westlake’s music explores some of the more complex and subtle aspects of Ali’s adventures. As the composer says, “Although the score is firmly planted in the symphonic language of the ‘romantic comedy’ genre, it also seeks to provide musical context to the deeper and contemplative aspects of the story, particularly Ali’s insecurities concerning his past, culture and religion.”The oud – a short-necked lute-type instrument (and a pre-cursor to the guitar) – lends a distinctively middle-eastern flavour to the score, and is played here by acclaimed oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros. Guitarist Slava Grigoryan also appears on this album, on the track ‘In Loving Memory’, an expansion of a musical moment from the film. And singer Lior completes the trio of stellar guest soloists, with a new recording of a movement from Compassion, the hugely acclaimed song cycle he co-composed with Westlake.The Ali’s Wedding Original Soundtrack was recorded by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the composer. The film is on general release from 31 August 2017.www.aliswedding.com.auTRACKLISTINGThe Date Seed ParableMinaret In MoonlightLet The Journey BeginA Lie Begins In The SoulIn Loving MemoryAs Fire Burns Through WoodThe Tea CeremonyTrain Station WeddingYou Deserve To Be LovedThis I KnowI Want To Be The Son You DeserveThe Rocket Will LaunchThe Streets Of BasraMa Wadani Ahadun – Until The End Of TimeSydney Symphony OrchestraNigel Westlake conductorwithJoseph Tawadros oudSlava Grigoryan guitarsLior vocals
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ABC Classics is delighted to partner with Arcadia Winds for the release of their debut self-titled EP. Acknowledged as one of the finest Australian chamber groups of the new generation, Arcadia Winds are Musica Viva’s inaugural Futuremakers – the new artist development programme from the world’s largest presenter of chamber and ensemble music.The album traces Arcadia’s journey as an ensemble thus far, bringing light to the music they love and the values they uphold. “The title Arcadia Winds is as much a manifesto as it is our name. It’s an album that celebrates the fun and energy that inspires our collective music making, our passionate advocacy for new Australian music and our role as ambassadors for wind music.”Ligeti's Six Bagatelles for wind quintet headlines the EP. A seminal work in the development of the wind quintet repertoire, it explores a series of deceptively simple musical ideas that take the listener on a rollercoaster ride through a breathtaking landscape of wind sounds. Lachlan Skipworth's new work, Echoes and Lines, is next. In this work Skipworth challenges the conventional wisdom that winds are more difficult to blend than strings, combining the five instruments of the wind quintet in a truly groundbreaking way. Flute and oboe become "floboe", horn and basson become "bassorn" in a way that simultaneously befuddles and enthralls the ears. Percy Grainger's Walking Tune, a stunningly beautiful stroll through the English countryside, and Julio Medaglia's Choro em Berlin, a racous and thrilling South American tango, round out the EP. TRACKLISTING1–6. LIGETI Six Bagatelles for Wind Quintet7–15. SKIPWORTH Echoes and Lines16. GRAINGER Walking Tune17. MEDAGLIA Choro em Berlin from Suite popular brasiliera
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The Australian Haydn Ensemble follow their acclaimed debut album with a new studio of recording of Haydn’s early string quartet, Op.20 No.4.This quartet is one of a set composed in 1772, nicknamed the ‘Sun’ quartets because of the picture of a rising sun on the cover of an early edition. It was these works which earned Haydn his reputation as ‘the father of the quartet’, re-defining the quartet for centuries to come and placing it firmly amongst the most popular musical forms. In Haydn’s hands, the quartet becomes an equal and dynamic dialogue between four musical voices, reaching a new depth of expression.The Australian Haydn Ensemble have rapidly developed a name as a leading interpreter of classical repertoire in styles and on instruments the composers would have known. They have been praised for their “ravishing sound” by the Sydney Morning Herald and named as “one of Australia’s finest period ensembles” by Limelight, who also selected their debut album The Haydn Album as Editor’s Choice. The Haydn Album also reached number one in the ARIA Classical Charts when it was released by ABC Classics in July 2016.HAYDN String Quartet in D major, Op.20 No.41. I. Allegro di molto2. II. Un poco Adagio affettuoso3. III. Minuetto: Allegretto alla zingarese4. IV. Presto scherzandoAustralian Haydn EnsembleSkye McIntosh violinMatthew Greco violinJames Eccles violaAnthony Albrecht cello
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Erin Helyard – acclaimed internationally as a leading light in the new generation of baroque music specialists – presents his debut solo album, surveying the keyboard works of George Frideric Handel.Acclaimed as “Australia’s most engaging soloist” by Limelight Magazine, Helyard is a virtuosic and expressive performer as well as a dedicated scholar of historically informed performance practice. This album was recorded shortly before Helyard was awarded the 2017 Helpmann Award for Best Music Direction, for Handel’s opera Saul, the latest in a long line of accolades for his work.Whilst Handel is celebrated mostly for his oratorios and operas (such as Saul), in his lifetime he was also known as a brilliant harpsichordist. His music for the instrument – surprisingly little of which survives – is full of virtuosity, dynamism, and supreme lyrical colour.The Great Suites, as they have become known, were first published in 1720 when Handel was 35. Written over the preceding few years, they are remarkable for their eclectic and wide-ranging idioms: French-style overtures, Italian sonatas and arias, and the dance elements of the Franco-German keyboard suite. As Helyard puts it, “the suites give us the impression of a performer and composer who was highly sophisticated, well-travelled, open-minded, and cosmopolitan.“The Chaconne which opens the disc is an example of a genre beloved of both music-masters and amateurs. The repetitive form allowed both technical and expressive skills to be showed off: Helyard plays from a 1730s score with handwritten ornamentation that demonstrates how musicians at the time would have risen to the challenge. The album closes with a set of variations on Handel’s opera arias by William Babell, a violinist and harpsichordist in George I’s private band. “Inventive, difficult, showy, and glittering, they are entirely reflective of the grandeur of opera under Handel at its most splendid.“Helyard also performs the outstanding virtuosic arrangement by Babell of Handel’s aria “Vo far guerra" from Rinaldo, available as a digital exclusive – one of the most flashy harpsichord solo works from the period, on a par with Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.Helyard plays a harpsichord made by Jacob and Abraham Kirckman in London in 1773, one of very few instruments from the time that have survived unaltered from their original state. This harpsichord is particularly remarkable for its ‘machine stop’, allowing the player to produce diminuendo and crescendo effects without lifting his hands from the keys.GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL 1685–17591-4 Harpsichord Suite No. 2 in F major, HWV4275-9 Harpsichord Suite No. 4 in E minor, HWV42910-13 Harpsichord Suite No. 5 in E major, HWV43014-17 Harpsichord Suite No. 6 in F-sharp minor, HWV43118 Chaconne in G major, HWV435WILLIAM BABELL c.1690–172319-25 The Most Celebrated Lessons: Suit[e] No. 1 [Rinaldo]Erin Helyard harpsichord
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The Classic 100 is a highly anticipated annual musical phenomenon on ABC Classic FM. Each year Australians are asked to vote for their favourite pieces within a given theme, and in 2017 they were eager to champion their top classical music of ‘love’.The Classic 100: Love was broadcast on ABC Classic FM over one weekend extravaganza in June 2017, revealing a brilliant selection of favourites alongside some great surprises. Listeners were treated to the drama of opera and the grace of the ballet, the tenderness of a love song and the soundtracks from our favorite romantic movies, and the countdown culminated with the announcement of Australia’s favourite music of love: ‘Au fond du temple saint’ from The Pearl Fishers, which received the most votes by a mile.This 2CD set compiles the top ten works, and unmissable highlights from the remaining 100 of the world’s favourite music of passion and heartbreak. From the Pearl Fishers Duet – the unanimous crowd favourite – to Barber’s evocative Adagio for Strings, and from the stillness of Dvořák’s Song to the Moon to the rousing Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen, there’s something for everyone to love and enjoy!
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ABC Classics presents A Night at the Movies: a 4CD set of favourite movie themes and soundtracks, evoking the passion, romance and thrill of the silver screen.CD1 – Great Movie ThemesThe very best film composers in their most inspired music: John Williams (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Superman, Catch Me If You Can), Ennio Morricone (The Mission), James Horner (Braveheart), Michael Nyman (The Piano), Nigel Westlake (Babe), John Barry (Octopussy), Bernard Herrmann (Psycho), Mark Knopfler (Local Hero) and more.CDs 2 and 3 – Classical Music in the MoviesTimeless classical music has become inseparable from our memories of the great movies, from 21st-century blockbusters such as Ocean’s Eleven (Clair de lune), 50 Shades of Grey (Spem in alium) and About Time (Spiegel im Spiegel), to the golden age of cinema: Picnic at Hanging Rock (Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto), A Room with a View (O mio babbino caro) and Brief Encounter (Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto).CD4 – Movies on the PianoFamous movie themes in lyrical arrangements for solo piano, including Cinema Paradiso, The Godfather, The Man from Snowy River, Schindler’s List and Doctor Zhivago.
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Kate Miller-Heidke is an award-winning singer-songwriter who effortlessly traverses the worlds of contemporary pop, folk and opera. She has released 4 albums in Australia, achieving multi-platinum status and appearing in the top 10 album and singles charts numerous times. Her album O Vertigo! debuted at number 4 on the Australian album charts, broke Australian crowdfunding records and was nominated for an ARIA award.Her previous albums include Nightflight, which reached number 2 on the ARIA chart, and Curiouser, which reached double platinum sales in Australia and spawned the multi-platinum hits ‘The Last Day On Earth’ and ‘Caught In The Crowd’. In 2009 she became the first Australian to win the grand prize in the International Songwriting Competition for ‘Caught in the Crowd’
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The memorable songs from Gilbert & Sullivan’s iconic operettas are not just funny: they are deliciously, wickedly funny, poking at the underside of just about every respectable institution of society, from parliament to the judiciary to the police to the Royal Navy, and above all, exposing the absurdities of the British class system and the pretensions of those who flock to embrace the latest fashions. Sullivan’s music is as sublime as any opera, but more than that, it is utterly enchanting: joyful, witty, sparkling and irrepressibly tuneful. The songs are more than memorable, they instantly make themselves part of our lives.The Ultimate Gilbert & Sullivan Anthology compiles the best-loved of these songs, with favourites from The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, The Gondoliers, The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, Trial by Jury and many more!Also available: The Gilbert & Sullivan Collection [5 DVD Box Set]Six sparkling productions of the best-loved Gilbert & Sullivan operettas
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Opera Australia and ABC Classics present a new collection of six classic productions of the best-loved Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.Deliciously funny plots, poking at the underside of just about every respectable institution of society, from parliament to the judiciary to the police to the Royal Navy – and, above all, exposing the absurdities of the British class system, and the pretensions of those who flock to embrace the latest fashions. Sullivan’s glorious music is the perfect match to Gilbert’s wickedly irreverent librettos: enchanting, joyful, witty and unforgettably tuneful.Filmed live at the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre, Melbourne, these performances feature stellar casts including Anthony Warlow, Heather Begg, David Hobson, Dennis Olsen, Peter Cousens and Taryn Fiebig. Deluxe 5 DVD box set, featuring complete performances of: The Gondoliers | HMS Pinafore | Trial By Jury | The Mikado | The Pirates of Penzance | PatienceAlso available: The Ultimate Gilbert & Sullivan Anthology (CD)A madcap romp through Gilbert & Sullivan’s best-loved songs and choruses
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Almost a decade after the phenomenal success of the first Dads Love Classics collection, ABC Classics presents the much-anticipated sequel: over 5 hours of stirring music on 4CDs. Bold favourites by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Elgar, Beethoven, Mahler, Mozart and more rub shoulders with fresh discoveries, creating an indispensable and completely new compendium of the great classical tunes. From grand symphonies to virtuosic concertos, this is a turbo-charged ride through the classical music no Dad can resist. Released for Father’s Day in 2017, this collection is inspired in particular by listeners to ABC Radio Brisbane and their Mornings presenter Steve Austin, whose enthusiasm for the first Dads Love Classics album brought classical music to the cars, sheds and homes of Queensland, and made it a best-selling album ten years after its first release.Tracks include:COPLAND Fanfare for the Common ManFALLA Ritual Fire DanceMUSSORGSKY Night on Bald MountainR. STRAUSS Also sprach ZarathustraDUKAS The Sorcerer’s ApprenticeKHACHATURIAN Sabre DanceELGAR Pomp & Circumstance March No. 3KOEHNE Santa Ana FreewayBERNSTEIN Candide OvertureGERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue and movements from:HANDEL Music for the Royal FireworksBRAHMS Symphony No. 1BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9BOCCHERINI The House of the DevilRACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 2TCHAIKOVSKY Violin ConcertoMAHLER Symphony No. 2MOZART Jupiter SymphonyMENDELSSOHN Italian SymphonyBACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
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The Proms represents the very best of classical music: favourite tunes and roof-raising choruses, brilliant virtuosity and the sheer joy of music-making, enjoyed live in concert by thousands, and by millions more the world over.The Last Night has become a cultural icon, and this 2CD collection presents over two hours of the music that defines it, and much more.English favourites including The Lark Ascending, Crown Imperial, The Enigma Variations (Nimrod), The Dam Busters and On Hearing the First Cuckoo in SpringAll-time classical masterpieces such as Zadok the Priest, Jupiter (The Planets), Boléro, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and the 1812 OvertureSing-along choruses: You’ll Never Walk Alone, Land of Hope and Glory and JerusalemAnd those staples of the Last Night: Rule, Britannia!, God Save the Queen and Auld Lang Syne.
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In October 2016, the award-winning comedian and writer John Clarke – a regular on Australian television and a household name thanks to his satirical interview series Clarke and Dawe and the mockumentary TV series The Games – made his debut appearance as guest presenter on ABC Classic FM’s Saturday Morning program.Clarke relished the opportunity to turn his comic genius and brilliant wit to music he adored: orchestral favourites by Vaughan Williams and Dvořák, piano classics by Liszt, Satie and Beethoven, and iconic opera moments such as ‘O mio babbino caro’, the Habanera from Carmen, the Flower Duet from Lakmé, and the Pearl Fishers Duet. Audiences loved the show and were eagerly asking for the next instalment.Sadly, there were to be no more, as John Clarke passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in April 2017. When the first show was re-aired on Classic FM as a tribute, the audience response was again extraordinary, and the ABC was inundated with requests for a CD release of the program. Thanks to this public outpouring, and to the enthusiasm of John’s own family, the full program is presented here as a tribute to this brilliant, beloved Australian icon: three hours of glorious music and classic Clarke commentary.CD1LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2BIZET Carmen: HabaneraSATIE Gymnopédie No. 1GLUCK What is Life?VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark AscendingBEETHOVEN Moonlight Sonata: First movementBIZET The Pearl Fishers: DuetSCHUBERT Hungarian Melody CD2HILL Trumpet ConcertoPUCCINI O mio babbino caroBACH Goldberg Variations: AriaVERDI Va’, pensieroDVOŘÁK New World Symphony CD3SCHUBERT Ave MariaWAGNER Siegfried IdyllDELIBES Lakmé: Flower DuetBRAHMS Hungarian Dance No. 5WIDOR ToccataPlus John Clarke’s original commentary interspersed throughout each CD.
