" America Again" -Lara Downes explores America's rich musical heritage.
My blog, Classical American Popular Song, has attempted to explore the period between 1900 and 1950 when the flowering of American popular song reached an audience around the world. Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter and Harold Arlen produced a body of work that has survived to this very day.
But, with America Again, Steinway Artist Lara Downes has created a captivating portrait of the many strains that make up America's musical heritage. Lara has adroitly combined the popular compositions of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Scott Joplin with more classical pieces by Aaron Copland, Amy Beach, Roy Harris and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. Collectively these performances draw upon every possible strand of musical influences, from the blues, jazz and folk themes, to more formal compositions that still manage to reflect the restless spirit and dynamism so characteristic of the American experience. Shenandoah, the traditional folk song,is given a particularly evocative and spiritual performance by Lara Downes . She has made it her personal mission to bring the many and diverse strands of American music to the widest possible audience. Her earlier tribute to Billie Holiday is a case in point.
Anyone who wants to experience the extraordinary breadth of the American musical heritage should acquire Lara Downes tribute to her beloved country.
Already available on Spotify.
Friday 28 October 2016
Thursday 27 October 2016
SINATRA DOES SIMILAR BEATLES & JEROME KERN SONGS ABOUT MEMORIES
Sinatra does similar Beatles and Jerome Kern songs about memories..
In 1933, Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach wrote "Yesterdays" with such lines as "Days we knew as sweet sequestered days" . More than 60 years later, Paul McCartney wrote "Yesterday" with lines like " Yesterday -All my troubles seemed so far away,There's a shadow hanging over me- I still believe in Yesterday."
Both songs are personal reflections and memories from the past, something which we can all can recall from our own experiences.
Frank Sinatra does justice to both songs, first with the Kern/Harbach "Yesterdays" and followed by McCartney's " Yesterday" Dfferent styles and language but a common theme of memories with Frank with his most tender and sensitive interpretations.
Despite the many years between the creation of both songs, these performances show that mature songwriting will sustain The Great American Songbook tradition.
https://youtu.be/yu39_FjvusQ Yesterdays
https://youtu.be/rytmTeaUtAY Yesterday
In 1933, Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach wrote "Yesterdays" with such lines as "Days we knew as sweet sequestered days" . More than 60 years later, Paul McCartney wrote "Yesterday" with lines like " Yesterday -All my troubles seemed so far away,There's a shadow hanging over me- I still believe in Yesterday."
Both songs are personal reflections and memories from the past, something which we can all can recall from our own experiences.
Frank Sinatra does justice to both songs, first with the Kern/Harbach "Yesterdays" and followed by McCartney's " Yesterday" Dfferent styles and language but a common theme of memories with Frank with his most tender and sensitive interpretations.
Despite the many years between the creation of both songs, these performances show that mature songwriting will sustain The Great American Songbook tradition.
https://youtu.be/yu39_FjvusQ Yesterdays
https://youtu.be/rytmTeaUtAY Yesterday
Tuesday 18 October 2016
Sinatra and Jobim " This Happy Madness"
This is a 4 party collaboration. Antonio Carlos Jobim wrote the infectious bossa nova melody ; Gene Lees penned the intriguingly sly lyrics; Claus Ogerman crafted the pulsating yet restrained arrangement and Sinatra puts it all together. Music is certainly universal since this piece involved a Brazilian, a Canadian, a German and an Italian American.
Would that international relations could be governed by the same spirit of collegiality.
https://youtu.be/EITOu26uChg
This is a 4 party collaboration. Antonio Carlos Jobim wrote the infectious bossa nova melody ; Gene Lees penned the intriguingly sly lyrics; Claus Ogerman crafted the pulsating yet restrained arrangement and Sinatra puts it all together. Music is certainly universal since this piece involved a Brazilian, a Canadian, a German and an Italian American.
Would that international relations could be governed by the same spirit of collegiality.
https://youtu.be/EITOu26uChg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)