Post by erik on Apr 11, 2015 18:08:49 GMT -5
An excursion to the City of Lights in 1927 results in one of America's pre-eminent composers creating one of those works that helped define the American sound of classical music. That work is in this week's Classical Works Spotlight.
Gershwin: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
One of the great reasons for America being a powerhouse of classical music in the 20th century was and remains George Gershwin. Despite living a tragically short life (1898-1937), he nevertheless helped create a template for American music based in jazz that extended not only into the many songs that he and his brother Ira wrote, but also to ambitious works for orchestra such as his 1928 “symphonic poem” “An American In Paris.” Based on his impressions of the French capitol, which he visited in March of that year, and his meetings with the great music teacher Nadia Boulanger and fellow composer Maurice Ravel (whose music was frequently influenced by jazz), this eighteen minute-long tone poem gives the listener a brilliant musical tapestry of the bright lights, the automobile traffic along the Champs Elysees, and much more. Indeed, his orchestration for the work even called for authentic automobile car horns, along with celesta and saxophones. First performed on December 13, 1928 by the New York Philharmonic under their then-conductor Walter Damrosch, “An American In Paris” was received with only lukewarm praise at best (it was on a program that included works by Cesar Franck and Richard Wagner); and the composer was of the opinion that Damrosch’s tempos were sluggish. Nevertheless, the work endured, and gained radically in popularity in the remaining nine years of the composer’s life; and following the 1951 film of the same name with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron that utilizes parts of the work, it gained even greater currency among “serious” music critics—a place it joins alongside other great American composers like Aaron Copland.
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra/JOHN MAUCERI (Philips)
Included:
Duke Ellington: HARLEM
Leonard Bernstein: SYMPHONIC DANCES FROM “WEST SIDE STORY”
John Adams: THE CHAIRMAN DANCES/FROM “NIXON IN CHINA”
Gershwin: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
One of the great reasons for America being a powerhouse of classical music in the 20th century was and remains George Gershwin. Despite living a tragically short life (1898-1937), he nevertheless helped create a template for American music based in jazz that extended not only into the many songs that he and his brother Ira wrote, but also to ambitious works for orchestra such as his 1928 “symphonic poem” “An American In Paris.” Based on his impressions of the French capitol, which he visited in March of that year, and his meetings with the great music teacher Nadia Boulanger and fellow composer Maurice Ravel (whose music was frequently influenced by jazz), this eighteen minute-long tone poem gives the listener a brilliant musical tapestry of the bright lights, the automobile traffic along the Champs Elysees, and much more. Indeed, his orchestration for the work even called for authentic automobile car horns, along with celesta and saxophones. First performed on December 13, 1928 by the New York Philharmonic under their then-conductor Walter Damrosch, “An American In Paris” was received with only lukewarm praise at best (it was on a program that included works by Cesar Franck and Richard Wagner); and the composer was of the opinion that Damrosch’s tempos were sluggish. Nevertheless, the work endured, and gained radically in popularity in the remaining nine years of the composer’s life; and following the 1951 film of the same name with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron that utilizes parts of the work, it gained even greater currency among “serious” music critics—a place it joins alongside other great American composers like Aaron Copland.
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra/JOHN MAUCERI (Philips)
Included:
Duke Ellington: HARLEM
Leonard Bernstein: SYMPHONIC DANCES FROM “WEST SIDE STORY”
John Adams: THE CHAIRMAN DANCES/FROM “NIXON IN CHINA”
. A true American classic. I think especially today that Gershwin's orchestral work is quite accessible, and very worthwhile. If you include all the work he did in his short life, he remains one of the most important American composers: a true 'crossover' talent. This sounds a very interesting recording in general. Interesting choices. I like Mauceri a lot: especially for Broadway/show music oriented stuff. And he's very good with Gershwin: I like the 'complete' studio recordings of Strike Up the Band and Girl Crazy he did a lot, and some others I'm forgetting by other composers.