Friday 27 July 2007

Music of the second ball: I found it!

I’m 100% sure. I was watching Kate Beckinsale’s Emma (A&E, 1996) tonight (just borrowed it from my friend), and was struck by the music for the ball where Mr. Knightley watched Emma dancing (with Frank Churchill), which is about 1 hour 3 minutes into the show (scene 8: The Ball). Now, as most of you, I’ve listened to Becoming Jane’s second ball scene (or famously called ‘Husbands and Lovers’ scene in YouTube) many times, and also a few times of the Behind the Scene by Special Treats Production. The music was very similar to Emma’s ballroom music.

I’ve listened to both music several times by now, both BJ and Emma, and am sure that it’s the very same. The music in Becoming Jane is a bit slower than the one in Emma, but I like the slower beat in BJ better for it is indeed appropriate for the scene where Jane danced with Tom. Now, I just have to find out the name of the score, for the 1997 Emma did not show the music credit.

In any case, I’m SO happy that I’ve learned that the particular music I’ve been looking for is somewhere there… a classical music somewhere I can buy!

Next: Jane & Tom bread crumbs from Emma

20 comments:

Rachel said...

Thats a great finding! I am still in love with this piece of music, or maybe it is the scene...?! Oh I think it is both! I just went onto amazon and listened to the music sampler (around 30seconds) of each piece from the Emma soundtrack and I found that none resembled this husbands and lovers clip. I am going to have to watch Emma again now for sure! It remains a mystery. If anyone has any clues we would be very grateful!

Icha said...

The Kate Beckinsale Emma, dear... not the Gwyneth one. So far I know... the Kate Emma does not have any OST... but I might be wrong indeed...

But yes, I truly want to have the music as well!

Rachel said...

Oh thats probably why i couldnt find it then!! I am dippy at times!

Anonymous said...

Yes! I love this dance music! Not only is this music used in ITV's Emma, it is used in BBC's Wives and Daughters in a flashback scene between Mr Preston and Cynthia. In this scene it is also slow and romantic. I had seen both of these movies before Becoming Jane, so I was almost squealing in the theatre at the romance and memories it brought back. :) I used to know the name of the song, but it has slipped me... Will get back to you when I remember. Once again, amazing site! - Michelle

Anonymous said...

Sorry - A&E's Emma (not ITV's ;))Here's some information from IMDB: Re Dance Music: http://imdb.com/title/tt0118308/board/nest/74188083?p=1

Emma Soundtrack info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0118308/soundtrack

There is an excellent Emma reference website here: http://www.strangegirl.org/emmapages/main.html; I have emailed them about the broken link/A&E Emma music.

The name of the music is "Hole in the Wall" by Henry Purcell. (Purcell - exciting!!)

There is a very simplified piano arrangement here: http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/~praetzel/phaedria/HOLE_IN2.pdf, and a midi file: http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/~praetzel/phaedria/HOLE_IN2.MID

Here is another simplified midi file: http://ieee.uwaterloo.ca/praetzel/mp3-cd/toons_tr/hole.mp3

It should be fairly simple to find good sheet music now that we know the title/composer. I will certainly have a good hunt online after work, and if I turn up anything interesting, I'll pass it on. Sorry, this is rather incoherent but I'm racing agaist the clock here. ;)


From http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/traditional-music/ency/p4.htmPurcell:

Henry (1658-1695) an English court musician who has been called England’s greatest composer. He was familiar with the Playford family (and was first published by them) and so had access to a huge number of traditional tunes. Whether he did any borrowing of any of these is a good question, but if so, he wouldn’t have been the first to cop a good tune from the folk tradition. His fame in general today comes from the arrangement of the Rondo from "Abdelazer, or the Moor’s Revenge" into "The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra" by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976). Aside from writing beautiful melodies in his various airs for the theater, his claim to fame in folk music is that the Hornpipe from "Abdelazer" was so popular that it was published as "Hole in the Wall", and then issued as a single in the 18th century! This lovely dance tune was renamed in the sheet music with the appealing title of "St Martin’s Lane". It later passed into the country dancing tradition via the Playford Dancing Master, still with the dreadful title of "Hole in the Wall", under which name it’s played today.

Eek, I really have to run, but I can't stop myself because I LOVE this piece of music. I read a little of this music, and it looks like a gorgeous and true arrangement: http://crab.rutgers.edu/~pbutler/music/holewall.pdf

Icha said...

Michelle dear, I CANNOT thank you enough for directing me to the CORRECT title and composer!

Henry Purcell!

I'm currently browsing Amazon to find any Purcell CD that contains the "Hole in the Wall". I will post a fresh article about this (credit to you, of course) so that people can buy the CD themselves!

Or can you direct me to a CD? I assume you love playing piano? I've searched Playford's CDs but have yet found Hole in the Wall.

Thanks a lot!

Anonymous said...

No, thank you for this post that reminded me of how much I love this music ... it's a VERY exciting find!!

I'm on my way home shortly, and I will have a look and see what I can find also. Between the pair of us, fingers crossed for a sucessful result!

Off the top of my head, perhaps "Hole on the Wall" (or "St Martin's Lane"?) would be on a dance/period music/etc compilation album? I will search when I get home. Hopefully!

Yes, I play the piano, and love it. :) I have played Purcell before, but never his dance music. The PDF links I've attached look like organ music (with so many staves) but will still be fun to play around with on the piano.

A couple more links: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/lod/vol3/hole_in_the_head.html

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Arianna/HOLE_IN1.pdf

http://ibiblio.org/keefer/h06.htm

Better run, talk to you soon!

Icha said...

Great, Michelle! I've just posted a new article re: Hole in the Wall. Hope you like it.

Let's hunt the CD together! It should be under Abdelazer.

Anonymous said...

Very good site! Congratulations! Here is a link to Emma 1996 (TV) version of “Hole in the Wall” dance song just uploaded on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKLs6Iq710M

Anonymous said...

Sorry! The link to Emma 1996 (TV) version of “Hole in the Wall” dance song on YouTube has been changed because of uploading video with better quality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZawqAbU3-_A

And here is a link to Wives and Daughters 1999 (TV) version of “Hole in the Wall” dance song uploaded on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlsP8IOxgiU

Icha said...

Ohhh! Thanks a lot! The Wives and Daughters version is very lovely... with the flute. Unfortunately, there;s this heroine narrating, hence I cannot record it without the voice over.

Like Emma's version too, though my fave so far is still Becoming Jane's...

Anonymous said...

Here is a link to Wives and Daughters 1999 (TV) - Hole in the Wall MP3. Please listen and download it as my account is not so sure.
http://www.mediamax.com/user2310/Links/CED755D8B2

Anonymous said...

Another link to Wives and Daughters 1999 (TV) - Hole in the Wall MP3
http://www.mediamax.com/user2310/Links/033BF04BE9

Icha said...

busy bee are you, Anon dear? Thanks so much!

And may I know your name? Screen ID, at least? I feel bad addressing you as 'anon'...

Anonymous said...

Hello!
I was anonymous because on the one hand I was impressed with your site and wanted to help somehow but on the other hand I would not be able to participate regularly in your discussions. I will keep my eye on your blog and will help you whenever I can. I participate in the forum on the site “A Truth Universally Acknowledged” under the name of Boris:
http://www.polishedsociety.com/forum
As I am not from English-speaking country my posts are reduced to uploading or links to videos, audios and images with short comments added. I would recommend you the theme about documentary movie “The real Jane Austen” which is discussed on the site mention above. This movie reveals that the real life of Jane Austen’s as a woman of strata of Regency society was much crueller than her novels and their current television adaptations convey. Unfortunately, the movie is not available for sell nowhere. The link is:
http://www.polishedsociety.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=201
Best Regards!

Icha said...

Okay then 'Boris'. I understand that and thanks a lot for your story. I never heard of 'The Real Jane Austen', but I do not claim to know everything about JA. Thus, one of the reasons of this site: to exchange knowledge on JA (and TL).

You will be surprised to learn that I am also not a native speakers. My friends here have been so kind in tolerating my mistakes now and then.

But anyway, welcome to the club! I hope we can present more interesting news this week... It's just that because we're dealing with real persons now (yes, it's THAT interesting), we have to be careful not to breach boundaries and proprieties.

Anonymous said...

Two more links to Henry Purcell classical tunes:
“Abdelazer, Rondeau”:
http://www.mediamax.com/user2310/Links/525144C2FA

“Abdelazer, Hornpipe”:
http://www.mediamax.com/user2310/Links/780FA53179

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Rachel said...

Hi.
Thanks for your comment and do spread the word to other Austen fans.
Also any ideas you have for the blog would be most welcome. Thanks again. Rachel

Vishnu said...

This is a beautiful song :)
Do you know the name of the piano song Jane plays at the beginning of the movie?