Music

On the last Saturday Readers meeting to discuss Life After Life we listened to some of the music mentioned in an effort to imagine the characters in situ, and to try to find out what listening to the music added to our reading experience.

The sun was almost shining in the grey Bilbao sky as Sam Browne jauntily hip-hip-hip-hoorayed his way through the soundtrack to Ursula's most horrific, sinister death of all, at the hands of Derek Oliphant.

Here is Sam Browne singing, with Ambrose and his Orchestra. 

The song was also used in the musical Me and My Girl, and in later productions one of the lines was rewritten, as opinions about what was acceptable vocabulary had changed. The recording here contains the original line.  In fact, Life After Life contains a couple of comments, both in relation to music, which would now be considered unacceptable. Howie refers to Bessie Smith as 'darkie music' Even though Izzie uses the term Negress in a factual manner  and expresses her admiration for the singer Ida Cox, today this reference would be deemed incorrect. Here, and on other occasions, Atkinson cleverly reveals to us speech and attitudes that at the time were admissible and rarely questioned or reprimanded. Even Izzie has yet to hear of political correctness.  

Incidentally there is a theory that Hip Hip Hooray was originally an anti-Semitic exclamation, meaning Jerusalem is fallen and was still used in riots against Jews in the 19th century. Read the article here.

Here is some more Sam Browne, just to set the scene. Maybe Izzie was dancing along to this at The Embassy Club (where Ambrose and his Orchestra were regular performers) whilst Ursula and Jimmy were at her house in Melbury Road, fighting Derek.

At the May Fair Hotel

All of Me. 1932

This one is accompanied by some fantastic photographs and images.

Although I think Izzie would find this rather tame, considering the music she listens to at home. 

Here is some of the music that Izzie likes and encourages Ursula to listen to. The great contrast to the music Sylvie and Hugh listen to is shown when Izzie presents Ursula with a recording of Bessie Smith singing the St Louis Blues.

Again, some wonderful images accompany this.

'Bessie Smith was on her third go round and Hugh said, 'It begins to grow on one after a while.'

I get the feeling he's being polite and would much rather listen to Elgar or The Mikado - his favourite apparently...

This version was directed by Jonathan Miller in 1987, featuring Eric Idle from Monty Python. A hugely popular production.

Here is a clip of one of the many popular songs from the opera, Three Little Maids.

Edward Elgar was a contemporary  English composer, some of whose works form part of a certain type of national identity. Here are two of his most well-known pieces. 

Pomp and Circumstance March(Land of Hope and Glory)from the Last Night of the Proms 2012

Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1997, playing Nimrod from Enigma Variations.

'Sylvie had the long, deft fingers of an artist or a pianist' 

Of course she did. One cannot imagine her having short pudgy fingers. Can you imagine her playing this piece?

Valentina Lisitsa playing "Heroic" Polonaise op 53 A flat major.

I think it is a little bit robust for Sylvie, perhaps this is more her style...

Nocturna op 9 No 2

Or maybe this well-known piece. I like the background fuzz on this recording. Close your eyes, listen and imagine yourself in the drawing room at Fox Corner.

 Minute Waltz op 64 No 1 in D flat, played here by Rachmaninoff

Liszt is another composer Sylvie plays...

Love Dream - Liebestraum

Back to Izzie's changing musical tastes.

'They call it Honky-tonk, I believe, Izzie said.'

Ida Cox - Lawdy, Lawdy Blues

'I don't listen to that stuff any more,' Izzie said. 'It's very passé. the future lies with something a little more soigné.'

Ma Rainey - Yonder Come The Blues 1926

'An antidote to all the easy sentiment that was pouring out of the wireless.' 

For Ursula during the Blitz, anyway. Izzie has now left for America. A pity we never find out what she considers soigné.

I wonder whether she would like David Bowie's version of 'Shimmy Like my Sister Kate' Is this soigné?


Here's how it might have looked:

I just had to add this clip from Jeeves and Wooster. The set and the costumes  are wonderful, and so of the time. I keep expecting Izzie to burst open one of the doors to join in...

Next time more music from the Blitz chapters.