Monday, 17 November 2008

Jane Austen Entertains- Music From Her Own Library

I wanted to make you all aware of my find. I have not received the CD itself yet but I think this would be the most wonderful present for anyone who wishes to buy their loved one (who of course shares our adoration for all things Jane!) a different, yet rewarding present.

Jane Austen Entertains presents music taken directly from the rooms in which Jane shared with her mother and her sister Cassandra at Chawton. With a selection of talented musicians playing the piano, flute and singing, we are to be transformed into a world which would have been experienced by Jane and her loved ones.


On Amazon it displays an extract from the memoirs of Jane Austen's niece Caroline, 1867.


"Aunt Jane began her day with music - for which I conclude she had a natural taste; as she thus kept it up - 'tho she had no one to teach; was never induced (as I have heard) to play in company; and none of her family cared much for it. I suppose, that she might not trouble them, she chose her practicing time before breakfast - when she could have the room to herself - She practiced regularly every morning - She played very pretty tunes, I thought - and I liked to stand by her and listen to them; but the music (for I knew the books well in after years) would now be thought disgracefully easy - Much that she played from was manuscript, copied out by herself - and so neatly and correctly, that it was as easy to read as print."


Here is the list of the tracks included

1. Flute: The Yellow Hair'd Laddie - Anon
2. Song: Hooly & Fairly - Anon
3. Song: Waly, Waly - Anon
4. Adagio non troppo - Ignace Pleyel, Sonatina No 5 in G major for pianoforte solo
5. Un poco piu moto Pleyel, Sonatina No 5 in G major for pianoforte solo
6. Rondo Allegro Pleyel, Sonatina No 5 in G major for pianoforte solo
7. Flute: The Egyptian Love Song - Anon
8. Song: Betsy Bell & Mary Gray - Anon
9. Song: Polwart on the Green - Anon
10. Flute: For Tenderness form'd in Life's early day - Anon
11. Allegro con brio - Johann Sterkel, Sonata No. 2 in G major for flute and pianoforte
12. Rondo Andante - Sterkel, Sonata No. 2 in G major for flute and pianoforte
13. Song: The Last Time I came O er - Anon
14. Song: The Banks of Forth - Anon
15. Song: Katharine Ogie - Anon
16. Andante Grazioso Pleyel, Sonatina No. 10 in B flat major for pianoforte solo
17. Menuetto Allegretto - Pleyel, Sonatina No. 10 in B flat major for pianoforte solo
18. Song: My deary, if thou die - Anon
19. Allegro - Pleyel, Sonata No. 4 in A major for flute and pianoforte
20. Andante - Pleyel, Sonata No. 4 in A major for flute and pianoforte
21. Rondo Allegro assai - Pleyel, Sonata No. 4 in A major for flute and pianoforte


To see pic and to find out more, see here: Jane Austen Entertains, Amazon

6 comments:

Icha said...

WOW! Michelle, first thanks a lot for the posts. You've filled the void created by our busy days and inject the blog some more blood. And pray tell what you think of the CD, because if you think it's good (being a pianist), then it IS good, and I might consider buying it!

Anonymous said...

Sigh, something else for my wish list. The list of songs looks like some that my 6 year old grandson could do quite well. "He plays and sings all day long" just like Georgiana Darcy. Thanks for the alert.

Linda the Librarian

Icha said...

Rachel! I need a slap! I just realised that this particular post was posted by you, and not Michelle! Sorry, I must have confused the two CHELs... so sorry :-D

Regardless, have you bought it? I am so tempted honey!

FerdinandPorsche said...

Hi everyone, sorry to bother with such unimportant question, I am a huge fan of becoming jane,im a musician (pianist and organist) and I want to know desperately what the title of the song is which jane plays at the beginning of the movie, as well as the composers name. Any help would be kindly recieved!!!!!!!!

Icha said...

Hi Ferdinand!

No such unimportant question. However, I'm not a musician, unfortunately, so I cannot really help you with it...

Anyone here can help Ferdinand?

Linda Fern said...

Goodness, I surely thought there would be a definite answer, but this is all I could find.

On IMDb there is a page for the soundtrack (but I can't be sure that it is for BJ) - you can see it here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416508/soundtrack

You may find something there.

I put the movie on to check the credits at the end and they did not list the songs. Very disappointing. Sorry, but I could not find a definite answer.

Linda the Librarian