Looking to chill in the heatwave without locking yourself in a beer fridge? RNZ Concert has put together a 'cool' playlist to refresh the senses.
ice cream at the beach Photo: public domain
The current heatwave hitting New Zealand is due to cool down soon, but we dug into our archives just in case.
Here's music inspired by sweltering nights and tarmac-melting days that will help you enjoy (and survive) the rest of the summer.
Michel Legrand: Too Darn Hot
Cole Porter's ultimate lament to hot weather is here given the "Legrand" treatment by the French composer and arranger who sadly passed away last week just shy of his 87th birthday.
Delius: Summer Night on the River
This dreamy, languid piece is guaranteed to help you into a mid-afternoon siesta (or perhaps inspire any evening aquatic activites).
Berlioz: Les Nuits d’été – Summer Nights
This song cycle by Berlioz is the setting of six poems by his friend and neighbour Théophile Gautier. Berlioz himself came up with the title and it has been suggested that it is a nod to Shakespeare (whom Berlioz revered).
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Speaking of Shakespeare, this was written by a 17 year old Mendelssohn soon after reading a German translation of the play.
Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman: In the cool, cool, cool of the evening
Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer's song all about 'chilling out' was originally intended for a Paramount film that never saw the light of day. Bing Crosby and the first Mrs Ronald Reagan (Jane Wyman) made a hit out of it in 1951.
