This week Bill invites us to celebrate the music of American Pulitzer Prize winning composer Ned Rorem. For years, the great singers of the world have treasured his art songs, but there is so much more. Rorem composed three symphonies, four piano concertos and other orchestral works, chamber music, ten operas, choral works, ballets and music for the theatre, plus he published sixteen books! His diaries are well known for their candor about his life and loves. And many of his solo piano works were written for his longtime partner James Holmes. At his death, the New York Times wrote, “Over his long career, his reason for actually writing the music itself, he said, was simple: ‘Because I want to hear it.'”
Rorem, Ned (1923-2022)
Playlist
Episode 1
Rorem, Ned: Piano Concerto in Six Movements: VI. Sparks
The Louisville Orchestra/Jorge Mester & Jerome Lowenthal
Ned Rorem
First Edition Music FECD 0021
4:41
Rorem, Ned: Piano Concerto in Six Movements: VI. Sparks (excerpt)
The Louisville Orchestra/Jorge Mester & Jerome Lowenthal
Ned Rorem
First Edition Music FECD 0021
1:06
Rorem, Ned: Mountain Song
Fenwick Smith
ROREM, N. Chamber Music with Flute – Mountain Song /
Romeo and Juliet / Trio / Book of Hours / Prayers
Naxos 8.559674
3:06
Rorem, Ned: Concertino Da Camera:
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Molto Moderato
III. Presto
Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra/Scott Speck
Jory Vinikour, harpsichord
20th Century Harpsichord Concertos
Cedille CDR90000188
17:13
Rorem, Ned/Paul Goodman: The Lordly Hudson
Nathan Gunn, Kevin Murphy
American Anthem
EMI Classics 5 73160 2
2:15
Rorem, Ned: Symphony No.1
I. Maestoso
II. Andantino
III. Largo
IV. Allegro
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/José Serebrier
Three Symphonies
Naxos 8.559149
22:08
Episode 2
Rorem, Ned: Eagles
The Louisville Orchestra/Gerhardt Zimmermann
Air Music, Eagles
First Edition Records 787
8:19
Rorem, Ned: “Spring” “Youth, Day, Old age, and Night
Carole Farley, soprano, Ned Rorem, piano
Ned Rorem: Selected Songs
Naxos 8.559084
3:57
Rorem, Ned: Symphony No. 2
I. Broad, Moderate
II. Tranquillo
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/José Serebrier
Three Symphonies
Naxos 8.559149
19:06
Rorem, Ned: Piano Concerto No. 2
II. Quiet & Sad
III. Real Fast!
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/ Simon Mulligan; Jose Serebrier
Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto
Naxos 8.559315
18:08
Episode 3
Rorem, Ned: Winter Pages:
I. MIRRORS
II. The sun that brief December day
III. Around the house the flakes fly faster
IV. Paris then
V. Dorchester Avenue
VIII. Moments fly by like a snowstorm
IX. Rue des Saints-Pères
X. Valse Oubliée
XII. Still Life
Ida Kavafian, Charles Wadsworth, Todd Palmer, Fred Sherry & Frank Morelli
Winter Pages/ Bright Music
New World Records 80416
17:40
Rorem, Ned: String Symphony:
I. Waltz
II. Berceuse
III. Scherzo
VI. Rondo
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/Robert Shaw
String Symphony / Sunday Morning / Eagles
New World Records NW 353 2
14:41
Rorem, Ned: “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening”
Carole Farley, soprano, Ned Rorem, Piano
Ned Rorem: Selected Songs
Naxos 8.559084
1:45
Rorem, Ned: Spring Music
I. Aubade
II. Toccata
IV. Bagatelle
V. Presto
Beaux Arts Trio
Spring Music
Philips 438 866-2
15:07
Episode 4
Rorem, Ned: Bright Music:
I. Fandango
II. Pierrot
III. Dance-Song-Dance
Marya Martin, Andre-Michel Schub, Fred Sherry, Ani and Ida Kavafian
Winter Pages/ Bright Music
New World Records 80416
12:16
Rorem, Ned: Cello Concerto V. A Single Tone in A Dozen Implications (excerpt)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Jose Serebrier; Wen-Sinn Yang, cello
Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto
Naxos 8.559315
:45
Rorem, Ned: Cello Concerto
I. Curtain-Rise
II. There & Back
V. A Single Tone in A Dozen Implications
VII. Valse Rappelee
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Jose Serebrier; Wen-Sinn Yang, cello
Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto
Naxos 8.559315
8:20
Rorem, Ned: Concerto for English Horn:
I. Preamble & Amble
II. Love Letter
III. Recurring Dream
IV. Perpetual Motion
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra/Michael Palmer, conductor; Thomas Stacy, english horn
Three Concerti
New World Records 80489
16:06
Rorem, Ned: Conversation With Raymond Bisha, Ned Rorem and Jose Serebrier: Part 4,5
Raymond Bisha, Jose Serebier
Serebrier, J. / Rorem, N.: A Conversation with Raymond Bisha
Naxos 8.578195
3:39
Rorem, Ned: Flute Concerto III. “Sirens”
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/ Jose Serebrier, conductor; Jeffrey Khaner, flute
Flute Concerto • Violin Concerto
Naxos 8.559278
4:44
Rorem, Ned: “Poulenc”
Susan Graham, soprano Malcolm Martineau, piano
Songs of Ned Rorem
Erato 80222 2
1:54
Rorem, Ned: Cello Concerto: VIII. Adrift (excerpt)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Jose Serebrier; Wen-Sinn Yang, cello
Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto
Naxos 8.559315
2:50
Episode 5
Rorem, Ned: Flute Concerto IV. Hymn
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/ Jose Serebrier; Jeffrey Khaner, flute
Flute Concerto Violin Concerto
Naxos 8.559278
3:15
Rorem, Ned: Air Music:
I. All players
III. Woodwind, strings and piano
IV. Solo tuba and violin with flutes, oboes, english horn, contrabassoon, and violins
V. Three clarinets, three trumpets, snare drum, solo violin and strings
VI. Trombone and cello, with piano, violin, and violas pizzicat
VIII. Solo viola with bassoon, four horns, and harp
The Louisville Orchestra/Peter Leonard
Air Music, Eagles
First Edition Records 787
21:13
Rorem, Ned: Violin Concerto
1. Twilight
2. Toccata-Chaconne
3. Romance without Words
4. Midnight
5. Toccata-Rondo
6. Dawn
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein, Gidon Kremer
Violin Concertos/ Serenade
DG 445 185
28:43
Rorem, Ned: Opus 101 “Santa Fe Songs,” “Ferry me across the water”
Susan Graham, soprano; Malcolm Martineau, piano
Songs of Ned Rorem
Erato 80222
4:30