A plea for assistance
Teresa AF, a good friend of AustenBlog, has written asking for the assistance of our readers. We are attempting to identify two of the musical pieces from the film adaptation of PERSUASION, specifically Henrietta’s harp concerto and the song that the group dances to at the Musgroves’ dinner party. If someone who reads the weblog knows the name of these pieces, please post them in comments, or if you are more comfortable with e-mail, send it to the Editrix at editor AT austenblog DOT com (that’s an e-mail address; read it out loud if you don’t understand). Thank you in advance!
April 29th, 2005 at 4:18 am
I heard that this 3 tracks in Persuasion (Henrietta�s harp concerto, the dance at the Musgroves� dinner party and the Italian song) were made espcially for this adaption. If this ist true you will not find them anywhere. There is no remark on the DVD. There is only the chance to ask the BBC.
May 1st, 2005 at 12:06 pm
You know, I bet I could find out what song Anne plays at the dinner party; I’ve got a book of English country dances with about a bazillion tunes in it. But it’s at home so I won’t be able to get to it for a few weeks at least.
May 2nd, 2005 at 1:18 am
I have found it! It is called The Happy Captive, and was also used in P&P2, when Darcy slights Lizzy at the assembly, as described on that page. As for the Italian aria, the film credits Jeremy Sams with it, and it appears in the sheet music book Jane Austen’s World. Henrietta’s harp solo is also played in the assembly room in Bath, and that music is also credited to Jeremy Sams, however, it does not appear to be in print.
May 2nd, 2005 at 1:00 pm
Thanks everyone!!! Yes, I found out about the Jeremy Sams music and am v. disappointed. Also, The Happy Captive is not in MP3 format yet.
However, if you want to download my “Persuasionesque” i-mix at i-tunes, you can do so HERE
I think I have found the perfect versions of each tune. Please rate it, if you don’t mind! Thanks!
May 2nd, 2005 at 1:52 pm
I kept digging and found the Pemberley Players, who have recorded 2 albums of dance music from P&P2 and that period.
May 3rd, 2005 at 1:32 pm
I have those 2 albums, but there is no piece of Persusuasion on it. And are you sure about “The Happy Captive”? I had never thought, that it is in Persuasion. I know it very well from P&P.