DT's daughter came to town to attend an evening of Gershwin with the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center with Stacey, a longstanding Gershwin lover, and me. The guest conductor was Loras John Schissel, who, in addition to being a well-regarded bandmaster, is also a musical historian of note. He opened the evening with The Star-Spangled Banner, arranged by Arturo Toscanini.
Toscanini hated Hitler and Mussolini with a fervor unknown in other musicians and wanted the two leaders to realize, when they heard his arrangement, they were in for some real trouble with the USA.
Schissel, who works at the Library of Congress, and is the foremost expert on John Philip Sousa, researched the Gershwin archives and found the original score for An American in Paris, which he enthusiastically conducted and the Blossom Festival Orchestra performed with equal enthusiasm and precision. If ever given the opportunity to attend a concert at the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra, seize it for a musical experience you will long remember, no matter what the Orchestra plays. Summer Friday evenings on the lawn with a picnic dinnerwith the two boys was a weekly occurrence for quite a while for our family. I opted for tickets in the pavilion for DT's daughter's first experience.
In 1924, Rhapsody in Blue put American classical musical composition on the world map. Schissel had obtained from Gershwin family members a copy of the original score penned by George Gershwin for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. The piano parts were left blank by Gershwin ... he actually did not have time to complete the transcription ... and Whiteman wrote "wait for George's nod" in the margins as a signal for the small orchestra of 34 to join in.
Adopting the original version and disregarding all of the changes over the years made in the original composition by those other than the 26-year-old Gershwin, Conductor Schissel used the same number of musicians and instruments that Whiteman employed back in February, 1924, for the debut, leaving the Blossom stage quite empty.
The opening clarinet climbing magically, seamlessly, up the scale announced the treat we were to hear and see. Canadian pianist, Ian Parker, played with gusto, animation, and love that transported us all the way back to Aeolian Hall in 1924.
The other musical treats we had tasted and were about to taste were all desserts to this main course. And the cherry on top that ended it all for the evening was Stars and Stripes Forever, introduced by Bandmaster Schissel, "Sousa did not know Gershwin, but admired him greatly."
I thanked DT's daughter for mentioning a few months ago that she wanted to see the Cleveland Orchestra; this was a great musical experience, and we'll go to stuffy Severance Hall for the Orchestra another time.
Mmmmm. Gershwin.
Did I tell you that I married the daughter of his illegitimate daughter by Katherine Hepburn?
NOT! :D
Posted by: Joel at August 8, 2005 12:59 AMsounds like it was a magical evening. That clarinet opening gives me goosebumps!
Posted by: Anji at August 8, 2005 05:20 AMSounds fabulous... I can actually hear the clarinet opening just from your description, Billy!
Posted by: Keri at August 8, 2005 04:19 PMLovely!
Posted by: lucy at August 8, 2005 07:45 PM