INKPOT#63 CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEWS: Gershwin's Greatest Hits (Columbia Masterworks)

In no way are these pieces easy (except maybe No.2) as I soon found out from some pianistically-inclined friends, especially in the fast tempo that Levant takes the first movement. This results in it sounding a little messy but it preserves the syncopation and feels better than those versions that take a safer, slower speed. Levant’s Nos.2 and 3 are not as outstanding as the First, but shows too a kind of laid-back ease in delivery in contrast to other rather more academic presentations in other releases. Once again, we find a performer who is very comfortable in Gershwin’s medium and who seems to be able to understand the composer’s intentions while others just gloss over them by sticking to the notes. I’ve heard better tone, better technique, better voicing of lines in other renditions but in this one, Levant has got the feel right.

---

The Concerto in F is arguably Gershwin’s greatest achievement for the concert stage, perhaps surpassed musically only by Porgy and Bess which definitely reflected a deeper side to his art. Compared to the Second Rhapsody, this Concerto shows much more maturity and is certainly more appealing. In this collection, Andre Previn joins Andre Kostelanetz and his Orchestra in the finale, marked “Allegro agitato”. The tension created by a melodic theme consisting mainly of the rapid repetition of one note can be said to brilliant in its own right. This demanding task for the pianist is well-taken by Previn, who is undaunted by the quick tempo. More admirably, Previn’s dramatic reading proves most effective.

The orchestra however, is quite a let down with its “Hollywood”-type sweeping string passages that over-ride everything with a mushy emotiveness that is quite superficial. The recapitulation of Gershwin’s very “romantic” theme from the second movement did not help this at all, giving the orchestra a chance to just waft over it. I think the music deserves more rationality than it is given by the orchestra. Overall, still listenable but certainly needing a lot more thought.

---

Under the directorship of Eugene Ormandy, the Philadelphia is indeed one of the United States’ premier orchestras. With its matured sound, no doubt bright like most American orchestras, it is toned to sound brilliant in Bach transcriptions, Strauss’ waltzes and even in this more jazzy idiom. I’ve always admired Ormandy’s work and feel that he is under-rated. Though, I will not hold that this is some of his best, he certainly lends his superb sense of musicality here to make An American in Paris memorable.

Picking up the tempo to just a tad faster than most right from the beginning, Ormandy launches the listener into a scherzo-like feel, playful and wistful. His American in Paris is certainly more bold than pensive. Car horns do not quite follow the rhythm and tempo. The trumpet solo picks up from this more humorous and witty tone rather than the usual “lazy” sound that some try to do. Ormandy opts for a swing feel in the more upbeat trumpet solo that follows, but reverts to straight quavers in the tutti recap of the melody. This sounds strange and I think is the one rather odd choice in the entire piece. I guess it is a solution as to whether to swing it or not, a melody that begs to be swung but I think one way or the other would be better, not alternating between the two.

What really steals the show towards the end of the work is the strings who play with great sensitivity and with beautiful tone. There is a single cello (or is it a viola?) solo that makes its entrance so beautifully that I have often mistaken it for a human voice though I know full well that there are no voices in the work. The triumphant finale that recapitulates the blues trumpet melody is grand without being too obtrusive. As always, Gershwin ends his work with a “subito piano” section, here with the horn section reiterating a part of the slow theme again. This could perhaps be raised as a signature in Gershwin’s concert music.

---

In this fantastic arragement by Robert Russell Bennett, many songs from Porgy and Bess are given a new sound for the concert stage. Judging by the number of times this arrangement has been chosen over Gershwin’s Catfish Row, I dare say that it is certainly a more entertaining work to listen to by far. As I found out from the SSO’s performance of it (reviewed here), it can tend towards being draggy and thus, I appreciate Ormandy’s selection of a few songs from the entire arrangement, which fairly represent Porgy and Bess as a whole.

The bell-like opening of the piece with a cello introducing “Summertime” is one of the achievments in this arrangement and here, it is beautifully taken. The tutti string entry with the main melody could have been more hushed though. “I got plenty of nuthin” was described by Gershwin himself as a “banjo song” and surely enough, this arrangement features a solo banjo. The lilting “Bess, you is my woman now” is given more propulsion with good reason, yet losing none of its attractiveness. What I particularly enjoy is the rousing “Oh Lawd, I’m on my way” which creates a semi-optimistic atmosphere at the end of the opera – it achieves its effect to its fullest here. The Philadelphia brass add their majesty without disrupting the soaring string lines in a way that fully projects this optimistic view of life Porgy embraces, as he leaves to search for his Bess in America.

---

With a selection of music this attractive, good recording and nice price, I think this album should be in every collector’s shelf. Do not be deceived by its boring, plain grey cover… the music contained therein is far from grey. This I can safely say about the CBS “Greatest Hits” series that I have so far. The only bad thing is that some of these snippets come only as a part of the whole thing, forcing you to hunt down the rest of it in a separate record. Take the series as a sampler if you will but this one CD is surely outstanding.

I’ve upgraded to a discman now so if anyone wants my old cassette … then again, I think that one has sentimental value. Not many people remember or still have their first classical music recording. I’m glad I do.

Blues for George Gershwin 1898 -1937- 1998 by Lewis Turco When I was three you stepped out of the light. When I was three years old you spurned the light And wandered off into the dark of night. You left behind a melody or two, A tune, a song, a melody or two, And that was quite enough for you to do To justify your stay among us here, To pay your way while you were with us here Upon this mortal coil, this spinning sphere. When I grew up I heard the songs you made, I listened, and I learned the songs you made And wished–oh! how I wished that you had stayed. I do not understand why you were taken So young, Some force of Nature was mistaken when it decided to leave the world forsaken Of all that possibility of song, That minstrel’s bag of melody and song That now we’ll never hear forever long. Therefore we pick your bones and make up tunes Out of the scraps you left, those scraps of tunes Your brother Ira kept through nights and noons Until he got too old and joined you there Wherever you are, rose up and joined you there To help you strike those strings in the ringing air. ~~~~~~~~ Poem provided courtesy of Richard Glazier, pianist of Gershwin: Remembrance & Discovery

In Singapore, this disc is available at or can be ordered from Borders (Wheelock Place) and Tower (Pacific Plaza & Suntec City).

Finishing this review at 2:52am, Adrian Tan is craving for Teochew Porridge.

 11,536 total views,  4 views today

• Tweet
• Buffer
• Pin It