Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Shakespeare

Shakespeare Saint George and England’s April 23

April 23 – The feast day of Saint George, dragon-slayer and patron saint of England (and elsewhere). He’s famously invoked in Shakespeare’s “Henry V,” during the siege of Harfleur. It’s only appropriate that England’s most-celebrated playwright was born on this date in 1564. Or was he? We’re not sure, but we know he was baptized on April 26, and he died on April 23, 52 years later, so we’re inclined to make it fit! Methinks the Bard would appreciate the touch of poetic license.

Happy birthday, Shakespeare, and cry Harry, England and Saint Geooooooooorge!

Olivier, “Once more unto the breach, dear friends!”

Branagh, same

Bonus! Brian Blessed, who played Exeter in the Branagh version, at 84

Edward Elgar, “The Banner of Saint George,” conducted by the late Sir Andrew Davis

Some of the most impressive artistic renderings of St. George aren’t even English. And I kind of feel sorry for the dragon, to be honest.

Branagh as “Henry V” (left) and “Saint George Killing the Dragon” by Bernat Martorell

April 23, 2024
Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration on KWAX Radio

‘Tis true, we knoweth not f’r c’rtain at which hour Mr. Wm. Shakespeare wast b’rn, but baptiz’d wast he on April 26, 1564. Beest t so symmetry ev’ryone loves, his birthday is commonly obs’rv’d on the anniv’rsary of his lamentable death, which did occur on April 23, 1616. The party dost start early this m’rning, on “Sweetness and Light.”

I desire you’ll joineth me f’r some lightheart’d Shakespearean inspirations by Johan Wagenaar, Sir Arthur Sullivan, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Felix Mendelssohn (transcrib’d by S’rgei Rachmaninoff), Sir Thomas M’rley, and Erich Wolfgang K’rngold.

Get thy day off to a valorous starteth, this Saturday m’rning at 11:00 EDT/8:00 PDT. Partying is such sweet s’rrow on “Sweetness and Light, ” now exclusively on KWAX, the radio station of the Univ’rsity of ‘regon.

Stream t, wh’rev’r thou art, at the link.

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

April 20, 2024
Shakespeare Film Music Streaming This Week

Am I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch?

This week on “Picture Perfect,” we’ll celebrate William Shakespeare, just a few days shy of the anniversary of his birth, on April 23 (observed). Tune in for an hour of music from film adaptations of his comedies. We’ll enjoy selections from “As You Like It” (William Walton), “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Korngold), “The Taming of the Shrew” (Nino Rota), and “Much Ado About Nothing” (Patrick Doyle), even as we wryly acknowledge that the course of true love never did run smooth.

What fools these mortals be!

Verily, the wise ones know to stream it, wherever they are, at the link, this Friday evening at 8:00 EDT/5:00 PDT!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

April 19, 2024
Shakespeare Birthday Celebration on KWAX

Brush up on your Shakespeare!

We don’t know exactly when Shakespeare was born. We do know that he was baptized on April 26, 1564. Scholars must have found the potential for symmetry irresistible: since he died on April 23, 1616, the Bard’s birthday has traditionally been observed on the same date as his death.

Of course, he’s one of the most influential artists who ever lived. Regardless of what anyone may argue to the contrary, his relevancy will never wane, for as long as humans continue to exist. Who knows, maybe longer. I’ll have to consult Sycorax.

In the meantime, I’ll be doing my small part, in anticipation of the Bard’s birthday anniversary, with three programs of music inspired by his works.

First, on “Picture Perfect” (tonight at 8:00 EDT/5:00 PDT), we’ll have an hour of selections from cinematic adaptations of the comedies, including “As You Like It” (William Walton), “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Erich Wolfgang Korngold), “The Taming of the Shrew” (Nino Rota), and “Much Ado About Nothing” (Patrick Doyle).

Then, on “Sweetness and Light” (Saturday morning at 11:00 EDT/8:00 PST), we’ll do our best to charm and to cheer with Shakespearean inspirations by Johan Wagenaar, Sir Arthur Sullivan, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Felix Mendelssohn (transcribed by Sergei Rachmaninoff), Sir Thomas Morley, and again, Erich Wolfgang Korngold (same composer, different work).

Finally, on “The Lost Chord,” power corrupts, as we juxtapose musical adaptations of “Macbeth,” by William Walton and Sir Arthur Sullivan, with works inspired by Eugene O’Neill’s “The Emperor Jones,” by Louis Gruenberg and Heitor Villa-Lobos, on a program titled “Power Plays” (Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. PDT).

If music be the food of love, stream on, on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

April 19, 2024
Borrowing and Lending Tips

Neither a borrower nor a lender be…

January 10, 2024

Tag Cloud

RECENT POSTS