Part of the popular ‘Top Ten’ series this collection contains ten carefully selected pieces in the jazz style. There is such variety within the genre we call 'jazz' it seems almost impossible to do itjustice in just ten songs but we've given it our best shot. We've unforgettable standards like Duke Ellington's 'Take The A Train' and 'Fly Me To The Moon' as popularised by Frank Sinatra; elegant tunes fromthe 1930s such as 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'The Very Thought Of You'; classic numbers from the late 50s and early 60s 'So What' and 'Cantaloupe Island' - and we make no apology forstretching the jazz definition to accommodate the gorgeous 'Girl From Ipanema'! Some of the pieces are arranged for Piano and Voice; others are purely instrumental but every one possesses that special somethingthat has earned it a place in our collection and indeed in the heads and hearts of countless jazz lovers around the world. Each piece in The Top Ten Jazz Songs To Play On Piano is accompanied byinteresting background notes to give you that extra bit of insight.

Par RAMEAU JEAN-PHILIPPE. Amongst Rameau?s stage works which have come down to us in two main versions, such as ?Dardanus? (1739, 1744), ?Platée? (1745, 1749) and ?Zoroastre? (1749, 1756), none fell into oblivion for as long a period as ?Castor et Pollux?. After the work had been premiered in 1737, not until 1754 did Rameau decide to revise it. He asked his librettist ?Gentil-Bernard? to add an act to the tragedy and to give more weight to the brotherly friendship between Castor and Pollux. The main plot remains very similar to the one of 1737, aside from the fact that the sisters Télaïre and Phébé no longer are in love - the one with Castor the other with Pollux - but rather both with Castor which is the reason why Phébé is jealous of Télaïre. Already at the beginning of the first act Pollux relinquishes his love of Télaïre to the benefit of Castor. Castor, however, is killed by Linceus and finds himself in Hades. Pollux commits to saving his brother, sacrifices his immortality and declares his willingness to take Castor?s place in Hades so that his brother and Télaïre may be reunited. Jupiter, moved by this sacrifice, frees Pollux and bestows the couple immortality by giving them a place in the zodiac. Following the editorial principles of the ?Opera omnia Rameau? (and in contrast to the 1903 edition by August Chapuis issued within the old Rameau series), both versions of ?Castor et Pollux?, the version of 1737 (OOR IV.3) and the present version of 1754 (OOR IV.23), are published in two separate volumes in their entirety. Owing to the discovery of the original performance material, today preserved at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna, the second version of 1754, which up until today was in the shadow of the 1737 version, can now be presented with its more tightly woven plot in all its vigor and dramatic momentum. This edition is enriched with twelve additions which enable the performance of the 1763-1764 version when the work was restaged. / Date parution : 2023-06-16/ Répertoire / Chant et Piano

Vocal Score-Bizet died on 3rd June 1875 exactly three months after the first performance of his Carmen which had met with a cool reception. This caused the already undermined composer to fall into a depression which most probably led him to take his own life. The following October Carmen was a triumph in Vienna and ever since this opera has been considered an all-time classic. Inspired by the tale of the same name by Prosper Mérimée (1845) the opera tells the story of the gypsy girl Carmen: a free passionate spirit she generously gives herself in love yet fights off all attempts to tie her down. Bizet invented music to suit her character: impetuous and passionate. Andhe turns Spain (a country he never actually visited) into a land of violent passion. Speaking of this opera the philosopher Nietzsche said 'When we listen to Carmen we too become a masterpiece'.

Selected from Musica Britannica Volume 33 edited by Ian SpinkCONTENTSWilt thou forgive the sin? D - G (John Hilton)Wilt Chloris cast her sun-bright eyes? G sharp - F (Simon Ives)Mark how the blushful morn D - G (Nicholas Lanier)Stay silly heart and do not break D - F (Nicholas Lanier)Bid me but live and I will live G - F (Henry Lawes)No no fair heretic it cannot be E - F(G) (Henry Lawes)Out upon it I have lov'd C - D (Henry Lawes)Sweet stay awhile why do you rise? D - G (Henry Lawes)Will you know my mistress' face? E flat - F (Henry Lawes)Faith be no longer coy F - G (William Lawes)Since 'tis my fate to be thy slave E - E(William Webb)In a season all oppressed G sharp - E (John Wilson)Since love hath in thine and mine eye D - F (John Wilson)Take O take those lips away G - G (John Wilson)Wherefore peep'st thou envious day? G - A (John Wilson)Set for the Associated Board Grade 5 examination.