James Bond as played by Daniel Craig in the new movie Spectre might have been surprised to find himself sharing the sound track with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. But there it is. A superlative CD track recorded by the Orchestra in Sydney in 2000, conducted by Paul Dyer with counter-tenor Andreas Scholl, is featured in the movie. From an all-Vivaldi album, the film uses Cum dederit from Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus. I’m told this beautifully haunting piece is used during a funeral scene (no spoiler alert necessary).

The words sung by Andreas Scholl translate as ‘For so he gives to his beloved slumber. Lo, the heritage of the Lord; fruit of the womb, the children shall reward him’. The text is taken from Psalm 127 which famously begins: ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.’ The director of the movie (as for Skyfall) is Sam Mendes. He may well have been drawn to the words, but Vivaldi’s music which is moving but not sentimental, seems the more likely attraction to Mendes and the soundtrack composer, Thomas Newman.

There are many recorded versions of Cum dederit, so it is a particular compliment to the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra that its version was chosen. Also used on the soundtrack is a fragment of Verdi’s La traviata, the Act 1 drinking song Libiamo ne, sung by Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti, conducted by Richard Bonynge. Spectre opened this week; lots for Aussie pride.