Contemporary Classics September 19, 2017 Jazz Influenced Classical Music

Contemporary Classics
Dave L.
7:00pm, 9-19-2017
    The jazz elements in Kirsten Volness’s Nocturne it is not only the perfect opening for Contemporary Classics, it is the perfect opening for this show which features Contemporary Classical music influenced by jazz. In honor of the Savannah Jazz Festival which is underway here in Savannah this week.   French composers of the first half of the 20th century were really taken by jazz when they heard it from American black service men stationed in France during the first world war.  Our first hour will feature the music of 3 French composers – Darius Milhaud, Jacques Ibert and Maurice Ravel. 

    We are opening with Darius Milhaud’s La Création Du Monde Op. 81a.  In the early 1920s Mihaud spent time in New York City, haunting the dance halls and theaters of Harlem and became infatuated with jazz.  He adapted jazz combo instrumentation for his work La création du monde, which was written as ballet music for and first performed by the Ballet Suédois in 1923.   The performance is by Leonard Bernstein & Orchestre national de France  from the album Milhaud: la Création Du Monde, Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit & Saudades Do Brasil  

    Next we have Jacques Ibert’s Divertissement which is a lighthearted, even frivolous piece for for small orchestra written in 1930, in 6 movements I. Introduction         II. Cortege III. Nocturne IV. Valse         V. Parade and VI. Finale   This is a performance by Eduardo Mata & Dallas Symphony Orchestra from the album Chausson: Symphony, Op. 20 - Ibert: Escales, Divertissement    

    The first hour closed with Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. The concerto written between 1929 & 1931 was deeply infused with jazz idioms and harmonies.  Ravel remarked that "The most captivating part of jazz is its rich and diverting rhythm. ... Jazz is a very rich and vital source of inspiration for modern composers and I am astonished that so few Americans are influenced by it.”  It is in 3 movements : I. Allegramente  II. Adagio Assai   III. Presto.  The show included a performance by Leonard Bernstein  at the piano and conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra from the album  from the album  Schubert: Symphony No. 9 & Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major   

    In the first hour we celebrated music by French composers and this hour will feature 3 other European composers.  First the German composer Paul Hindemith.  We have his Suite "1922".  It opens with the satiric "Marsch," the pianist is instructed to play it "rather clumsily."  The second movement, "Shimmy," is based on a dance-hall variant of the foxtrot. The central movement "Nachtstück" anticipates Hindemith's serious and contemplative mature style. The fourth movement "Boston" -- an old American dance with similarities to the waltz. And the "Ragtime" finale, Hindemith instructs the pianist to play wildly but in strict rhythm, and to "[r]egard the piano here as an interesting percussion instrument."   Tonight we had a performance by pianist John McCabe from the album Hindemith: Ludus Tonalis & Suite 1922. 

    Next we have Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff’s  Suite dansante en jazz, WV 98 which is in 6 movements of dance number Stomp, Strait, Waltz, Tango, Slow and Fox-trot and tonight performed by pianist Kathryn Stott from the album  Schulhoff: Suite dansante en jazz, Piano Sonata No. 1, Hot Music                 

    The last work tonight is often called the Jazz Suite No. 2 by Russian composer Dmitry Shostakovich.  There is some debate concerning its authenticity.  The score to the original jazz suite composed in 1938 was lost during the second world war and there is considerable debate as to what was in it.  Many call the work you are about to hear “The Suite for Variety Orchestra”  either way it is a delicious piece of jazz influenced composition.  This work is in eight movements  I. March, II. Lyric Waltz         III. Dance 1 IV. Waltz 1 V. Little Polka VI. Waltz 2 VII. Dance 2  & VIII. Finale.  So tonight's recording of Dmitry Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No. 2 or Suite for Variety Orchestra is performed by Dmitry Yablonsky & Russian State Symphony Orchestra from the album          Shostakovich: Jazz Suites Nos. 1 - 2 - The Bolt - Tahiti Trot   


    • 7:00pm Contemporary Classics-7-19-17-part1 by Contemporary Classics on Contemporary Classics 7-19-17-part1
    • 7:01pm Default User by Live
    • 7:01pm Contemporary Classics-7-19-17-part1 by Contemporary Classics on Contemporary Classics 7-19-17-part1
    • 7:03pm Milhaud: La Création Du Monde Op. 81a by Leonard Bernstein & Orchestre national de France on Milhaud: la Création Du Monde, Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit & Saudades Do Brasil (EMI classics), 2006
    • 7:22pm Ibert: Divertissement by Eduardo Mata & Dallas Symphony Orchestra on Chausson: Symphony, Op. 20 - Ibert: Escales, Divertissement (Alliance), 1994
    • 7:38pm Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major by Philharmonia Orchestra & Leonard Bernstein on Schubert, F.: Symphony No. 9 - Ravel, M.: Piano Concerto in G Major (Bernstein, Boston Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bernstein) (1946, 1957) (IDIS), 2008
    • 8:01pm Contemporary Classics 9-20-17-part2 by Contemporary Classics on Contemporary Classics 9-20-17-part2
    • 8:03pm Hindemith: Suite "1922", Op. 26 by John McCabe on Hindemith: Ludus Tonalis & Suite 1922 (Hyperion UK), 1996
    • 8:23pm Schulhoff: Suite dansante en jazz, WV 98 by Kathryn Stott on Schulhoff: Suite dansante en jazz, Piano Sonata No. 1, Hot Music (BIS), 2003
    • 8:39pm Shostakovich: Jazz Suite No. 2 by Dmitry Yablonsky & Russian State Symphony Orchestra on Shostakovich: Jazz Suites Nos. 1 - 2 - The Bolt - Tahiti Trot (Naxos), 2002
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