"A Music Lover's Guide to Murdoch Mysteries", a holiday special hosted by William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) , premieres in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand December 24, 2020 on AcornTV exclusively.
"During the early days of COVID-19, it became clear that we, cultural groups and organizations, needed to work together to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on Ontario's artists, creators and attractions," said Christina Jennings, CEO & Chairman, Shaftesbury. "In that spirit, this collaboration was born...":
"As the TSO sought new ways to share our music with audiences outside of Roy Thomson Hall, we were thrilled to partner with the incredibly talented team at Shaftesbury. This quintessentially Canadian collaboration reflects a shared commitment to creatively entertain our audiences, here and around the globe," Matthew Loden, CEO, The Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
This special provides a fun, fresh new alternative way to experience Murdoch Mysteries, its characters and that era until Season 14 premieres in 2021.
Concert Summary
The producers of Murdoch Mysteries, the long-running, award-winning Canadian TV series, have created a behind-the-scenes music special with a seven-piece ensemble from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to perform a concert of Murdoch-era music (circa early 1900s).
The ensemble is conducted by the series’ composer, Robert Carli. Between each song, Detective Murdoch entertains viewers with fascinating, whimsical anecdotes about the composers and the works featured in the special, while the performances themselves are peppered with fanciful visuals from the series.
Musical Selections:
- Opening Theme from Murdoch Mysteries by ROBERT CARLI
- Pavane pour une infante défunte by MAURICE RAVEL
- Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115-Mvt. IV by JOHANNES BRAHMS
- Suite from Murdoch Mysteries by ROBERT CARLI (containing motifs heard regularly in series, including the opening theme and moments when Murdoch is either deciphering puzzles or solving crimes)
- Excerpt from Mazurka No. 2 by LAURA GERTRUDE LEMON
- Adagio Molto by PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
- String Quartet, Op. 76 No. 2, “Fifths” – Movement IV by JOSEPH HAYDN
- On The Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314 by JOHANN STRAUSS II
- Maple Leaf Rag by SCOTT JOPLIN
Character Revelations
- Julia Ogden is a fanatic about Tchaikovsky; She finds his romantic music stirs passions deep within her and her husband William Murdoch is not complaining.
Trivia
- Detective Murdoch and future wife Julia danced to the On The Beautiful Blue Danube while they were dating (ep.202).
- A Music Lover’s Guide to Murdoch Mysteries will stream on the Murdoch Mysteries Facebook page on December 31st at 11am ET, winding down the challenging year that was 2020.
Cast
Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch, Host
Robert Carlias himself, Conductor
Toronto Symphony Orchestra Ensemble: Yolanda Bruno (violin), Eri Kosaka (violin), Theresa Rudolph (viola), Emmanuelle Beaulieu Bergeron (cello), Jeffrey Beecher (double bass), Eric Abramowitz (clarinet) and Sanya Eng (harp).