Steve Elman
My data might be depressing for anyone who wants a lot of novelty in the concert hall. But I found that some orchestras are taking more risks than the pessimists say.
The writing is on the wall, and it’s not just a warning to the composer who trifles with the idea of writing a JIPC. It’s a warning to everyone who takes music seriously.
The media tools now available have brought us closer than ever to getting the amusements we want as soon as we want them, which puts all forms of art music at a serious disadvantage.
This post is the first of 17 in an ambitious series examining the traditions and realities of classical piano concertos influenced by jazz.
He knew what he wanted to do, he did it, and he took millions along for the ride.
The five compositions and one de facto suite played at the NEC Winds and Winds Ensemble performance spoke with six different voices and carried six different messages.
In nearly 78 minutes of intensely concentrated playing, Jane Ira Bloom’s album offers some of the greatest ballad performances I have ever heard.
Brian Carpenter and the Ghost Train Orchestra are not about re-creating either hot jazz from the ’20s or novelty works from the ’30s and ’40s. They’re interested in capturing the spirit that they perceive to be inside these almost-forgotten pieces and using that spirit to make original new music.
Peter Pullman deplores (without bathos) the wreckage of Bud Powell’s life and mourns (without tears) the consequent loss of so much masterful music. And his story of Powell’s life is even grimmer than the one we have previously been told.
Music Commentary Series: Jazz and the Piano Concerto — The Great God George
There are still some places where the genius of George Gershwin is underappreciated, and regrettably, they include most of the concert halls in his home country.
Read More about Music Commentary Series: Jazz and the Piano Concerto — The Great God George