Strangers in a Strange Land

March 22, 2021, 7:00 pm

Share this Post

We will hear the musical evolution of five mature composers as they started their new lives in America: Russian Igor Stravinsky, Hungarian Bela Bartok, German Kurt Weill, Italian Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and Austrian Ernst Toch. These five composers arrived in America early in the Twentieth Century and quickly became vital members of our American musical community. They composed for, performed with, and taught many of our greatest musicians. Bill enjoys leading us through their developing new sounds and relationships, all the while telling the fantastic stories that links us to their teachers, like Rimsky-Korsakov, and Richard Strauss, with vivid descriptions of the 1920s in Paris, New York, and Vienna.

Playlist

Episode 1

Stravinsky, Igor: Le Baiser de la fée: Scene 2 – A Village Fete
Scene 3 – Pas de Deux Coda
Cleveland Orchestra/Igor Stravinsky
Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky – The Mono Years 1952- 1955
Sony 63325
13:29

Stravinsky, Igor: Concerto in E-Flat
“Dumbarton Oaks”
1. Tempo giusto
2. Allegretto
3. Con moto
Ensemble InterContemporain/Pierre Boulez
Stravinsky: Petrouchka, Firebird Suite
DG 469 205
15:12

Stravinsky, Igor: Symphony in C
3. Allegretto

Chicago Symphony Orchestra/ Georg Solti
Symphonies (Symphony of Psalms · In C · In 3 Movements)
London 458898
5:03

Stravinsky, Igor: Circus Polka (Composed for a Young Elephant)
London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas
Stravinsky In America
RCA 68865
3:25

Stravinsky, Igor: Ebony Concerto
2. Andante
3. Con Moto

Woody Herman And His Orchestra
Stravinsky: L’histoire Du Soldat, Ebony Concerto
Everest 9049
5:40

Stravinsky, Igor: Symphony in Three Movements
3. Con Moto

London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas
Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms, etc.
Sonny 53275
6:15

Episode 2

Bartók, Béla: Hungarian Sketches, SZ 97 – An Evening in The Village 
Chicago Symphony/Fritz Reiner
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
RCA 61504
2:46

Bartók, Béla: String Quartet No. 5,
III. Scherzo

Takács Quartet
Bartók: The String Quartets
Decca 455297
5:00

Bartók, Béla: Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra: Allegro a non troppo
Concertgebouw/David Zinman, Marta Argerich, Nelson Freiere, pianos
Bartok: Concerto For 2 Pianos, Perc & Orchestra
Phil 416378
6:30

Bartók, Béla: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Sz. 106: Allegro Molto
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
RCA 61504
6:43

Bartók, Béla: Divertimento for Strings: III Allegro Assai
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Georg Solti
Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta / The Miraculous Mandarin-Suite / Divertimento
London 430 352
7:14

Bartók, Béla: Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116: Intermezzo Interroto: (excerpt)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
RCA 61504
0:48

Bartók, Béla: Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116:
Intermezzo Interroto: Allegretto
Finale: Pesante; Presto

Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
RCA 61504
13:21

Bartók, Béla: Piano Concerto No. 3 in E, SZ 119 – 2. Adagio Religioso
Budapest Festival Orchestra/Iván Fischer: András Schiff, piano
Bartók: Piano Concertos No. 1-3
Teldec 13158
9:42

Episode 3

Hindemith, Paul: Mathis Der Maler I. EngelkonzertGrablegung
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Paul Hindemith
Symphony: “Mathis Der Maler” / Symphonic Dances
DG 427407
14:01

Hindemith, Paul: Mathis Der Maler III. Versuchung Des Heiligen Antonius
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Paul Hindemith
Symphony: “Mathis Der Maler” / Symphonic Dances
DG 427407
13:21

Hindemith, Paul: Trauermusik
San Francisco Symphony/Herbert Blomstedt
Geraldine Walther, viola

Hindemith: Symphonie ‘Mathis der Maler’ / Trauermusik / Symphonic
London 421 523
8:45

Hindemith, Paul: Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber:
II. Turandot(Scherzo)
IV. Marsch
San Francisco Symphony/Herbert Blomstedt
Hindemith: Symphonie ‘Mathis der Maler’ / Trauermusik / Symphonic
London 421 523
11:51

Toch, Ernst: Geographical Fugue (excerpt)
Turtle Creek Chorale
Postcards
Reference Recordings 61
1:20

Episode 4

Toch, Ernst: Impromptu for Cello Solo in 3 Movements, Op. 90C – Andante Cantabile
Steven Honigberg, violoncello
Cello Sonata / Cello Concerto / Impromptu
Albany 421
2:37

Toch, Ernst: Divertimento, Op. 37 No. 2: II. Adagio
Jascha Heifetz and Gregor Piatigorsky
The Heifetz Collection Vol 35 – Mendelssohn, Gershwin
RCA 61766
3:27

Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Mario: Guitar Concerto No.1, Pt. 2
Andrés Segovia, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Andrés Segovia
Testament 1043
12:35

Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Mario: Dances for Love’s Labour’s Lost, Op. 167 –
No. 1. Sarabande For The King of Navarre
Malmo Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Mogrelia
Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / 4 Dances for Love’s Labour’s Lost
Naxos 8.572823
5:34

Mario Castelnuove: Sea Murmurs
Jascha Heifetz, Emanuel Bay
The Heifetz Collection Vol 6 – 1946-1947
RCA 61737
1:19

Korngold, Erich Wolfgang: The Sea Hawk – Main Title
London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
The Sea Hawk
DG 471347
2:11

Korngold, Erich Wolfgang: The Sea Hawk – Duel Part 1
Freedom

London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
The Sea Hawk
DG 471347
6:47

Korngold, Erich Wolfgang: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35:
I. Moderato Nobile
III. Finale: Allegro assai Vivace

London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
Anne-Sophie Mutter
Tchaikovsky / Korngold: Violin Concertos
DG B0003526
15:38

Episode 5

Weil, Kurt: Das Berliner Requiem. Andante Moderato (excerpt)
Alexandre Laiter, Ensemble Musique Oblique, La Chapelle Royale,
Peter Kooy & Philippe Herreweghe
Weill: Das Berliner Requiem
Harmonia Mundi 901422
1:44

Weil, Kurt: Concerto for Violin and Wind Orchestra – Finale (excerpt)
English Symphony Orchestra/William Boughton
Daniel Hope, violin

Schnittke, Takemitsu, Weill
Nimbus 5582
1:00

Weil, Kurt: Concerto for Violin and Wind Orchestra – Notturno; Cadenza; Serenata
English Symphony Orchestra/William Boughton
Daniel Hope, violin
Schnittke, Takemitsu, Weill
Nimbus 5582
10:45

Weill, Kurt: Die Dreigroschenoper; Prelude; Overture;
Die Moritat von Mackie Messer (Street Singer);
Ballade vom angenehmen Leben (Macheath);
Liebeslied (Polly, Macheath)
Kanonensong (Macheath, Brown) (excerpts)

Lotte Lehmann, Orchester des Theaters am Kurfurstendamm
Weill/Brecht
Andromeda 9098
8:26

Weil, Kurt: Das Berliner Requiem. Großer Dankchoral. Sostenuto
Ballade Vom Ertrunkenen Mädchen. Lento
Andante Moderato

Alexandre Laiter, Ensemble Musique Oblique, La Chapelle Royale,
Peter Kooy & Philippe Herreweghe
Weill: Das Berliner Requiem
Harmonia Mundi 901422
5:07

Weil, Kurt: Symphony No. 2
III. Allegro vivace

Orchestre Métropolitain/Nézet-Séguin, Yannick
Weill: Songs – Symphony No. 2
Atma Classique 1036
6:44

Weill, Kurt and Ira Gershwin: Song of the Rhineland (excerpt)
Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin
Tryout (A Series of Private Rehearsal Recordings)
3:06

Weill, Kurt and Ira Gershwin: Speak Low
Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin
Tryout (A Series of Private Rehearsal Recordings)
2:03

Weil, Kurt: Lady in the Dark: No. 3 My Ship
NDR Symphony & Radio Philharmonie Hannover/John Eliot Gardiner Anne Sofie von Otter, soprano
Weil: Speak Low
DG 439894
2:47

Anderson, Weill: September Song 
Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, Joe Benjamin, Roy Haynes
Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown
EmArcy 914 641
5:47

Weill, Kurt & Ira Gershwin: Tchaikovsky and Some Others
Danny Kaye
Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin
Tryout (A Series of Private Rehearsal Recordings)
1:39