Program No. 93 - 2nd March 2014

Hour 1 (Jazz and Contemporary Brass)
Nils Landgren

Last week we introduced the versatility if Swedish trombonist, Nils Landgren, through recordings of the Nils Landgren Funk Unit. But Nils enjoys performing in a variety of genres, not just funk. Tonight, we look at some of his other recordings, as a a soloist as well as collaborating with others.

1.    Love The One You're With (with Joe Sample)
2.    Get Out Of My Life Woman (with Joe Sample)
     - Creole Love Call (2005)

3.    Sentimental Journey
4.    I Will Survive
     - Sentimental Journey (2002)

5.    Backpolska (with Jonas Knutsson)
     - New Eyes on Baroque (2013)

6.   Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer (The Flowerseason Is Coming)
     - Gotland (1996)

7.   Eleanor Rigby (with Johan Norberg)
8.   Stomp (with Johan Norberg)
     - Chapter 2 (1989)

9.    Norwegian Fox Trot (with Esbjörn Svensson)
10.   The Farewell (Esbjörn Svensson)
     - Layers of Light (2001)

11.   Red Horn
     - The First Unit (2001)

February almost seemed like the month of trombone music, with both Nils and Wycliffe Gordon previously. We'll move back to the trumpet next week, with a versatile American who plays in a variety of genres, and a member of a very talented musical family, Wynton Marsalis.


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Hour 2 (Movie Scores)
Video Games Music by Score Composers

Having two boys interested in all the latest offerings from X Box (and getting involved in some of the games myself), you can't help but notice the significant production values of some of these games. An no wonder, as video games is big business, with some games achieving greater sales than most movies released. Grand Theft Auto V, released last year, grossed over $1 billion in sales in its first 3 days.

Given that the purpose of music in these video games is the same as for movies (to enhance the emotional journey of the participant), the producers of these block buster games bring on some of the best composers to write music for them.

Tonight we will feature 5 composers that have successfully composed for both movies and for video games.

Hans Zimmer (with Lorne Balfe)
1.    Opening Titles
2.    Deadline
     - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

Brian Tyler
3.    Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Main Theme
4.    The High Seas
5.    Men of War
6.    Batten Down The Hatches
     - Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)

7.    Need For Speed: The Run
8.    That Is Impossible
     - Need For Speed: The Run (2011)

9.    Far Cry 3
    - Far Cry 3 (2012)


Michael Giacchino
10.   Operation Market Garden
     - Medal of Honor: Frontline (2002)

11.   MoH: Allied Assault (Main Theme)
     -   Medal of Honor: Vanguard (2007)

Ramon Djawadi
12.   Heroes Aboard
     - Medal of Honor (2010)

I think there is still a lot of area to explore with this particular genre, but we'll let it go for the moment.

Coming up next week, we're going back in time to feature some of the works of one of the legendary score composers of the 1930s - 1980's, Miklós Rózsa.

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Hour 3 (Brass Bands and Ensembles)
Classical and Operatic Overtures (Part II)

As mentioned last week, when researching music for last week's show about Classical and Operatic Overtures arranged for brass bands, I found music to cover at least two shows.  So here is Part II.

1.    Festival Overture (CWS Glasgow Band)
     - European Championships (1998)

2.    Nabucco Overture (Fodens Courtois Band)
     - Centenary Brass (1999)

3.    Academic Festival Overture (Black Dyke Band)
     - Symphonic Brass (2007)

4.    Overture - Le Corsair (Leyland Band)
     - Master Brass Vol 14 – 2003 All England Masters Champions

5.    The Bartered Bride - Overture (The Black Dyke Mills Band)
     - Slavonic Brass (1992)

6.    Henry V Overture (Fairey FP (Music) Band)
     - Enigma (2004)

Next week we look at works by composer Kenneth Downie.

Program No. 92 - 23rd February 2014

Hour 1 (Jazz and Contemporary Brass)
Nils Landgren Funk Unit

Nils Landgren is a Swedish R&B funk and jazz trombone player. He began playing drums at the age of six, before at last discovering the trombone at 13.

By his own reckoning he has been on more than 500 albums, as a soloist, as part of Nils Landgren Funk Unit, or as a sessional player. He has performed with people and groups as diverse as ABBA, Ray Parker Jnr., Herbie Hancock, saxophonist Eddie Harris and Maceo Parker.

Landgren tours regularly. In the next few months you can see him perform in Sweden, Germany, France and Switzerland.

Tonight's show will feature his group Nils Landgren Funk Unit.

1.    Walk Tall
2.    You Dig
3.    Cannonball
     - Paint It Blue (1996)

4.    Slowfoot
5.    Brazos River Breakdown
6.    Freak U
     - Licence to Funk (2007)

6.    Money, Money, Money
7.    Super Trouper
8.    Dancing Queen
     - Funky ABBA ( 2004)

Next week will feature some of Nils Landgren's solo works.

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Hour 2 (Movie Scores)
Alexandre Desplat

Possibly one of the most underrated movie score composers around at the moment, Desplat is a prolific composer, in both Hollywood as well as in his native country, France.  He has been nominated for 6 Academy Awards, 6 Golden Globe Awards (won one), 6 BAFTA Awards (won one), 7 Cesar Awards (won three) and 5 Grammy Awards (won one).

Tonight's program simply serves as an introduction to his vast body of work. Expect a few more programs featuring this composer in the future.

1.    Mr Fox In the Fields Medley
2.    Finale
     - Fantastic Mr Fox (2009)

3.    Sky Battle
4.    Fireplaces Escape
5.    Destroying the Locket
     - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I (2010)

6.    Opening Titles
7.    Heilbronn Mine
     - The Monuments Men (2014)

8.    Main Title
9.    Finale
     - Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

10.   Philomena
11.   Confession
     - Philomena (2013)

12.   Calling the Guardians
13.   Oath of the Guardians
     - Rise of the Guardians (2012)

14.   Battle With the Tartars
15.   Ice Bear Combat
     - The Golden Compass (2007)

Next week we look at video game music and uncover those written by well known movie score composers.  You may be surprised as to who will feature on the show.

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Hour 3 (Brass Bands and Ensembles)
Classical and Operatic Overtures

A lot of well known music in the classical genre has been transposed for brass bands over the years.  Tonight's program looks at the Overture, both in symphonic and operatic form as the length of these works can sometimes fit well as either major works or entertainment items for brass bands.

1.    Russlan And Ludmilla - Overture (Fodens Band)
     - Brass in Concert (2001)

2.    The Hebrides Overture - Fingal's Cave (Black Dyke Band)
     - Essential Dyke Volume 7 (2007)

3.    La Forza del Destino Overture (Soli Brass)
     - WMC 2001 Brass Band CD 2 (2001)

4.    William Tell - Overture (Grimethorpe Colliery Band)
     - Classic Brass (1989)

5.    Overture - The Marriage of Figaro (Black Dyke Mills Band)
     - European Championships (1991)

6.   1812 Overture (BAYV Cory Band)
     - European Championships (2003)

I found more than enough music here for a couple of programs. Next week, we'll continue with this theme.

Program No. 89 - 2nd February 2014

Hour 1 (Jazz and Contemporary Brass)
Vince Jones

Photo courtesy of Fairfax

I first became a fan of Vince Jones in the late 1980's thanks to a couple of friends of mine. This Australian singer, trumpet/flugel player, composer was probably at the height of his career at that stage. With a number of great CDs having been released, he and James Morrison would have been the two highest profile Australian brass players (of any genre) at that time.

Jones still performs regularly, as his website indicates, and also teaches part time at the Australian National University, according to Wikipedia.

1.   Watch What Happens
2.   When I Fall In Love
     - Watch What Happens (1982)

3.   On The Brink Of It
4.   Boys On The Corner
     - On The Brink Of It (1985)

5.   If You're Goin To The City
6.   Jettison
     - It All Ends Up In Tears (1987)

7.   You Go To My Head
8.   Mood Indigo
     - Come In Spinner (1990)

9.   Big City
10. Trustworthy Little Sweethearts
11.  My Only Friend  
     - Trustworthy Little Sweethearts (1988)

Next week we stay local, but change genres, as we feature the 5 man combo Oxo Cubans.

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Hour 2 (Movie Scores)
Ramin Djawadi

Djawadi is an Iranian born, German composer who was brought to the attention of acclaimed score composer Hans Zimmer shortly after Djawadi graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1998.  Since that time Djawadi has composed music for movies, TV series and video games. We'll be sampling music from each of these sub genres tonight.


1.    Driving With The Top Down
2.    Iron Man
3.    Arc Reaktor
     - Iron Man (2008)

4.    Main Title
5.    The King's Arrival
6.    Finale
     - Game of Thrones - First Season (2011)

7.    Heroes Abroad
     - Medal of Honor - EA Games (2010)

8.    You Can't Hide From Hades
9.    Release The Kraken
10.  Scorpiox
     - Clash Of The Titans (2010)

11.  2500 Tons Of Awesome
12.  Cancelling the Apocalypse
13.  Pacific Rim (featuring Tom Morello)
     - Pacific Rim (2013)

Next week we be looking at all the film scores that have been nominated for an Academy Award at this year's event.

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Hour 3 (Brass Bands and Ensembles)
Brett Baker

Brett Baker is a world renowned trombone player known mainly, but not exclusively for his work in and around the brass band world. Whilst based in England, Brett has been to Australia often, and has been known to play with local bands during national contests.

Baker has released, or been featured as a soloist, in dozens of CDs since the mid 1990's. Tonight's program list barely scratches the surface .

1.   Brasilia
2.   Cavatine, Op. 144
3.   Wind Beneath My Wings
     - Bone Idyll (1996)

4.   Atlantic Zephyrs
     - Soloist Showcase (2012)

5.   Sarah
     - Boscombe & Foden's LIVE (2008)

6.   Tango
     - Rathamataz (2009)

7.   Something
     - Black Dyke Plays Beatles (2012)

8.   Radio City       
      I. City Noir
      II. Cafe Rouge
      III. Two Minute Mile
     - Electra (2013)
  
Next week we will revisit a topic I featured back in 2011. The 5th Anniversary of the Black Saturday Bushfires is the Friday 7th February, and we will feature 3 works written about bushfires. This will include Barry McKimm's Ash Wednesday as well as parts of Lamentations, written about Black Saturday.

Program No. 86 - 5th January 2014

Welcome to the first show in the new format.

Hour 1 (Jazz and Contemporary Brass)
The Cat Empire

They spent a lot of 2013 touring the world, after the release of their latest CD, Steal The Light.  This Australian group has a unique sound, full of brass, and is one of my favourite groups at the moment. The show tonight borrows from a show I programmed back in May last year, in celebration of the release of Steal The Light.

1.   Jungle
2.   Anymore
3.   Side to Side
4.   Know Your Name
    - Cities (2006)

5.   Sunny Moon
6.   No Mountain
7.   Radio Song
8.   No Longer There
    - So Many Nights (2007)

9.   Brighter Than Gold
10.  Wild Animals
11.  Prophets In The Sky
12.  Don't Throw Your Hands Up
13.  All Night Loud
    - Steal The Light (2013)

Next week - music from some of the live albums of Australian Jazz Legend, James Morrison

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Hour 2 (Movie Scores)
Michael Giacchino

Michael Giacchino has a vast body of work for a variety of screen media, including television (best known for Alias and Lost), movies (including the latest 2 Star Trek movies) as well as for computer games (such as Medal of Honour and Call of Duty.  Tonight's show will feature his movies scores, and specifically the four movie scores that he has composed for Pixar Animation.

1.   End Creditouilles 
    - Ratatouille (2008)

2.   Seizing the Spirit of Adventure
3.   Up With End Credits
    - Up (2009)

4.   It's Finn McMissile!
5.   Porto Corsa
6.   Mater's The Bomb
    - Cars 2 (2011)

7.   Kronos Unveiled
8.  The Incredits
    - The Incredibles (2004)

Next week - a review of the best movie scores of 2013.


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Hour 3 (Brass Bands and Ensembles)
Paul Lovatt-Cooper

We featured works from acclaimed composer Paul Lovatt-Cooper in 2013. Tonight's show is a reworking of last year's program with a couple of extra added.

1.   When Thunder Calls
    - Black Dyke Band (European Brass Band Championships 2013)

2.   Where Eagles Sing
    - Black Dyke Band (Essential Dyke, Volume 7 - 2007)

3.   Within Blue Empires
    - Brass Band Oberosterreich (European Brass Band Championships 2012)

4.   Donegal Bay (with baritone soloist Gareth Brindle)
    - Fairey FP (Music) Band (Virtuosi! - 2003)

5.   Song for the Skies (with tuba soloist Joseph Cook)
6.   Rondo alla Turca (with xylophone soloist Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
7.   Enchanted Kingdom
    - Black Dyke Band (Only For You - The Music of Paul Lovatt-Cooper Volume II - 2011)

Next week - music from the top brass band of 2013, The Cory Band.

Program No. 82 - Month of Christmas Music (Brass Bands and Ensembles)

My family is very big on Christmas music. So much so that December is declared the month of Christmas music. I have carried this through to Brass Monkeys, and just like last year, the next four shows will be dedicated to Christmas music.

In this, the first week, we will focus on Christmas music performed by Brass bands and Brass ensembles.

The list of pieces are not in playing order:

1. Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah 
     - Black Dyke Mills Band (Best of Brass - 1997)

2. Carol of the Bells
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. We Three Kings of Brubeck Are
5. Little Drummer Boy
     - Boston Brass (Christmas Bells are Swinging - 2005)

6. Happy Christmas (War is Over)
     - Brass Band De Wâldsang & Rieks van der Velde (A Touch of Christmas Classics - 2011)

7. Here We Come A-Wassailing
8. I Saw Three Ships
     - Canadian Brass (A Canadian Brass Christmas - 1985)

9. Christmas Medley: White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
10. Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio BWV: 248
     - Fine Arts Brass Ensemble (Brass Christmas - 1997)

11. Do They Know It's Christmas?
     - Grimethorpe Colliery RJB Band & Major Peter Parkes (White Christmas With Grimethorpe - 1997)

12. O Come All Ye Faithful
13. Ding Dong Merrily on High
14. Away in a Manger
     - London Brass (Christmas With London Brass - 1990)

15. Suite of Mediaeval Carols
16. Wassail Song
     - Solid Brass (Christmas With Solid Brass - 1988)

17. Stop The Cavalry
     - Thoresby RJB Band (Schneewalzer - 2000)

18. Joy to the World
19. O Magnum Mysterium
20. What Child is This?
21 The First Noel
22. Angels We Have Heard on High
23. O Holy Night
24. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
25. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
     - Tower Brass of Chicago (A Christmas Celebration - 2000)

26. Silver Bells 
      - True North Brass (A True North Christmas - 1998)

27. Gaudete
28. Silent Night
29. Frosty the Snowman
30. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
     - Yorkshire Building Society Band (Simple Gifts - 2003)

Next week's show will be starting an hour later than normal, at 8:00pm, due to the broadcast from the station of the Kinglake Ranges Carols by Candlelight.

Next week we will be focusing on Brass Soloists, such as Chris Botti, Oystein Baadsvik and James Morrison, amongst others, as they bring their own flavour to Christmas Classics.

Program No. 78 - 2013 European Brass Band Championships

Last week we played music from the 2012 European Brass Band Championships. Tonight we look at this year's Championships, held in Oslo, Norway on 3rd May 2013.

Of the 11 bands that played at the 2012 Championships, 6 bands - Cory Band (Wales), Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag (Norway), Brass Band Schoonhoven (Netherlands), Black Dyke Band (England), Brass Band Oberosterreich (Austria) and Lyngby-Taarbaek Brass Band (Denmark) have returned in 2013.

They have been joined by Brass Band Buizingen (Belgium), Windcorp Brass Band (Sweden), Brass Band Fribourg (Switzerland), Paris Brass Band (France) and Leyland Band (England).

The contest was won by Cory Band on countback (Cory scored more point in the Test Piece) after it and Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag both scored 191 in aggregate. Black Dyke Band came third on 186.

As per last week, all recordings on tonight's show have come from the officially released CDs of the event.

1. When Thunder Calls (Black Dyke Band)
We will be opening and closing the show tonight with music from the Gala Concert, held as a finale to the Championships. This first number is composed by Paul Lovatt-Cooper and performed by Black Dyke Band, with Robert Childs as conductor.

2. Myth Forest (Cory Band)
Myth Forest is composed by Norwegian composer Stig Nordhagen and is about a pond near the composer's home, called Hestefallstjonn. The work is split into various sections:

1. Sunburst: The sun rises and rays of light shatter the morning mist
2. Bugs and Birds: Insects, small and large, come to life; birds are seeking water
3. Black Water Abyss: The black and abysmal water holds many secrets
4. Water Lilies: Water lilies are rising from the murky water, stretching for light
5. Echo from the Other Side: The echo does not always send back the answer you want
6. The Creatures of the Forest are Dancing Into the Night

Cory's performance was the winning one of the Championships. They are conducted by Philip Harper.

3. Extreme Makeover (Brass Band Oberosterreich)
This major work was composed by Johan de Meij in 2004. It has been used a Test Piece in the 2005 European Band Championships, as well as the 2010 Australian National Band Championships in Hobart. The work is based on Tchaikovsky's String Quartet No. 1 - the second movement.

The performance by Brass Band Oberosterreich - with Hans Gansch as conductor, earned the band 89 points, which was ninth in the Own Choice Section.

4. Fragile Oasis (Leyland Band)
This work was commissioned by Leyland Band specifically for this Championships, and was composed by Peter Meechan. The work is based on observations from the International Space Station by American astronaut Ron Garan.

Michael Bach conducted Leyland Band. This performance was scored at 93, or fifth in the Own Choice Section.

5.  When Worlds Collide  (Brass Band Buizingen)
 The work was composed by Nigel Clarke and is a homage to the bizarre 1950s sci-fi B Grade movies. Reading from a 4barsrest review, the work has an alternate title - Little Green Men in Intergalactic Spaceships with Rayguns and Phasers.

Brass Band Buizingen was conducted by Luc Vertommen. This performance received a score of 95, making it third in the Own Choice Section.

6. Spiriti (Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag)
The publisher describes this work as follows:

A Bach chorale stands at the centre of this work (Für deinen Thron tret´ ich hiermit).
Anton Bruckner was one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s great admirers. His work is full of the spirit of that musical genius. For Thomas Doss, it was Bruckner’s spirit that always seemed to be with him while working on Spiriti. Bruckner’s spirit is captured in this composition by a quote from the chorale of his Fifth Symphony at the end of the piece.

The introduction, written in the style of a funeral march, already displays the first fragments of the chorale. Like splinters they are strewn throughout the first Allegro, combining and recombining in turbulent, powerful tutti passages. As the music becomes more rambunctious, the Bach-like fragments begin to swirl around each other, only to be scattered once more.

The middle-section is of a more pensive nature. The Religioso character gives the audience time to reflect. The music is meditative and the quarter-note (or crotchet) elements mimic a soul that is yearning and crying out.

The third part of the piece finally leads, by way of minimalist elements and the fragments mentioned earlier, to a magnificent presentation of the Bach chorale. As the church bells ring out, one can almost hear the great masters presiding at the organ.

Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag was conducted by Australian David King, and this performance earned the band first place in the Own Choice Section.

7. Finale from Symphony No. 3 - Organ (Massed Bands)
We close tonight's program with a massed bands performance of this famous work by Saint-Saens, and arranged by Willby.  It was performed at the Gala Concert and conducted by Dr Nicholas Childs.

I hope you enjoyed our two part program on the 2012 and 2013 European Brass Band Championships.

We'll be looking at something completely different next week, as in honour of the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 5th November, we feature movie music about horses and horse racing.

See you then.

Program No. 77 - 2012 European Brass Band Championships

The first European Brass Band Championships were held in the Royal Albert Hall, in London, in 1978. In the early years it lacked a sense of legitimacy and gravitas, and it wasn't until 1983, where the Championships left London to be hosted by various cities around continental Europe, did it develop into the premier contest that it now is.

Bands from UK have tended to dominate the Championships title over the years,  with Cory Band winning 5 times, Black Dyke 12 times, and Yorkshire Building Society Band 8 times, over its 37 year history.

The contest consists of two major works, a set test piece and an own choice. The points awarded are out of a maximum of 100 per work and the winner is decided on aggregate.

The 2012 Championships were held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where 11 bands competed. The winning band was Black Dyke, under the baton of Dr Nicholas Childs.A full list of the results can be found here.

All recordings played on the show tonight have come from the official recordings of the championships.

1. Vita Aeterna Variations (Black Dyke Band)
We start the show with the test piece for the championships. Vita Aeterna Variations, composed by Alexander Comitas.  This piece was commissioned by the European Brass Band Association especially for the Championships. The title is in Latin and its English translation is "Eternal Life". It's structured as a Theme and Variations and runs for about 19 minutes.

Black Dyke came first in the Test Piece, with a score of 98.

2.  Within Blue Empires (Brass Band Oberosterreich)
Brass Band Oberosterreich, conducted by Hannes Buchegger,  play this wonderful test piece by Paul-Lovatt-Cooper. The Blue Empires is a reference to oceans, as essentially this is music about whales, including recordings of whales midway through the piece. It is interesting to note that this piece was judged last in the Own Choice section, with a score of 88, indicating the quality of the bands participating at this level.

3. Vienna Nights (Lyngby-Taarbaek Brass Band)
Philip Wilby pieces were popular as Own Choice works, with Revelation, Masquerade and Vienna Nights played. I have chosen Vienna Nights, a take on the works of Mozart. This piece was used as the Test Piece in the 2011 Australian Brass Band Championships in Adelaide.

The Lyngby-Taarbaek Brass Band is conducted by Selmer Simonsen. The points awarded to this performance was 89.

4. 31342 Feet (Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan)
This work was composed by Ludovic Neurohr and was written for this band for the Swiss National Championships in 2011. I cannot definitely work out what the title actually refers to, and the only additional information I can find is that the piece is "Willy Wonker inspired".

The Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan was under the baton of Jean-Francois Bobillier, and received 95 points for their performance.

5. Audivi Media Nocte (Brass Band Schoonhoven)
This piece, by Oliver Waespi, was played by two bands at the Championships. Whilst critics seem divided about which band played this better, the judged awarded Brass Band Schoonhoven 99 points, to win the Own Choice section.

This piece was originally commissioned for the Swiss Brass Band Association for the 2011 European Brass Band Championships.

Google Translate has translated the title to mean I Heard at Midnight, and the piece was originally inspired by a motet by 16th Century composer Thomas Tallis sung primarily on All Saints Day.

Erik Janssen conducted Brass Band Schoonhoven.  The near perfect score it received for this work could only get it to third place, after scoring 91 in the Test Piece.

Next week, we will go straight on to the 2013 European Brass Band Championships, held in Oslo, Norway.

Program No. 75 - Richard Wagner

2013 sees the 200 anniversary of the birth of Wilhelm Richard Wagner, legendary German composer best known for his operas, including the group of 4 operas known collectively as Der Ring des Nibelungen, or The Ring of the Nibelung, or more simply The Ring Cycle. With it being performed in Melbourne later this year, together with a whole swag of Wagner shows being around the world this year, it is only fair that we get in on the act as well.

1. Overture to The Flying Dutchman (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Vernon Handley) 
We start we the Overture to an opera composed by Wagner and premiered in 1843. I tried to find a summary of the storyline of this opera. I think this is the best of the ones I could find.

The recording is from Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries, Overtures.

2. Prelude to "Tristan and Isolade" (The London Horn Sound)
We turn next to a work composed between 1857 and 1859 yet not premiered until 1865. Wagner didn't actually view this is an opera, instead as a drama. The work is based on a romance by Gottfried von Strassburg titled Tristan, in the early 13th century.

This arrangement is played entirely by French Horns and comes from a 1999 CD titled The London Horn Sound.

3. Tannhauser: Overture (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Vernon Handley)
This next overture is from the opera composed in 1845, and is based on the 13th century poet, Tannhauser. The story centres on the struggle between sacred and profane love, and redemption through love, a theme that is familiar in a lot of Wagner's work.

This is again from, the Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries, Overtures.

4. Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), Entry of the Gods into Valhalla (Berliner Philharmoniker)
We now move on to the first of the operas in The Ring Cycle, Das Rheingold. This opera was completed sometime in 1854, but was not premiered until September 1869. What is it about? Best to look here.

This excerpt comes from the 1996 CD Wagner: Orchestral Works.

5. Wagner: Die Walkure - Ride Of The Valkyries (Daniel Barenboim: Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
The Ride of the Valkyries has to be one of the most generally recognised operatic pieces of all time. From the second of the operas in The Ring Cycle, The Valkyrie, it was composed in 1856, and premiered in 1870.

This piece has been adopted as a standard "classical" piece for use in movies, including (and most famously in) Apocalypse Now, as well as The Blues Brothers and The Return of the Pink Panther.

The recording is from Simply the Best Classical Anthems [Disc 1]

6. Götterdämmerung: Siegfried's Funeral March (Sir Adrian Boult & London Philharmonic Orchestra)
We skip the third opera (titled Siegfried) and move on to the final opera Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods). This opera received its premiere in 1876. Siegfried's Funeral March is from the final act and is often used as a standalone concert work.

This piece is from the 2010 CD Essential Wagner.

7. Rienzi: Overture (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Vernon Handley)
Rienzi was one of Wagner's earlier operas, having been completed in 1840. It was premiered in 1842 and was considered to be Wagner's first success.

The Overture for this opera is again from the CD Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries, Overtures.

8. Lohengrin, Act I: Entrance of the King (Solid Brass)
9. Lohengrin, Act III: Vorspiel (German Brass)
10. Lohengrin, Act III: Reitermärsche (German Brass)
11. Procession to the Minster (Organ Philip Wilby) (Black Dyke Band)
Lohengrin first premiered in 1850.  I have avoided the Bridal Chorus and instead have chosen these four excerpts. The Entrance of the King is from Solid Brass's  1988 album Wagner, Verdi, Mozart, Bizet & Purcell: Opera Highlights Arranged for Brass and Percussion.

The Act III excerpts are performed by German Brass on their 2013 CD Celebrating Wagner.

The Procession to the Minster comes from Black Dyke's 1996 CD Cathedral Brass is arranged by Howard Snell.

12. What's Opera Doc?
I finish tonight's show with a Looney Tunes cartoon based on a mash up of Wagner operas starring Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. This was produced in 1957 and is considered to be the finest cartoon ever produced.

The Wagner excerpts include:

• The overture from The Flying Dutchman — opening storm scene
• Siegfried's horn call from Siegfried — "O mighty warrior of great fighting stock"
• The overture and "Pilgrims’ Chorus" from Tannhäuser — "O Bwünnhilde, you'w so wuvwy," "Return my love," and the closing scene
• The overture from Rienzi— as Elmer is chasing Bugs.
• The Bacchanal from Tannhäuser — ballet scene between Elmer and Bugs

The cartoon cost about 6 times as much to produce as any other contemporary cartoon, and was the first cartoon considered to be deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Congress Library in 1992.

A fine way to finish tonight's program.

Next week we listen to the recordings of one of the top Euphonium players in the world at the moment, Steven Mead.