Gregory Short – Northwest Composer

Gregory Short DMA composition, August 14, 1938 – April 1, 1999, was an American pianist and composer, the first Northwest pianist to extensively feature music by American and Northwest composers and possibly was the most frequently performed Northwest composer in the Pacific Northwest.

His compositional structures are harmonic in conception rather than contrapuntal or mathematical. His vernacular themes derive from a multicultural environment across the United States and the globe. A tonal painter, Short composed with color and emotional intentions, including tone clusters, through a very wide range of classical music forms. 

Recordings and Reviews 

Mt. Takhoma for orchestra is played without pause. The University of Washington Wind Ensemble, Richard Byrnes, conductor, premiered Mt. Takhoma, which is an earlier name for Mt. Rainier. In a later performance, a reviewer considered Mt.Takhoma  ”…a very attractive composition indeed, within the context of twentieth century tonalities … a solemn structure … intriguing suspensions get resolved in  ingenious ways.” Michael Moravski, Eugene Register-Guard.

“I grew up in Renton, Washington (south of Seattle) and was lucky enough to have always lived in a home with a view of ‘The Great White One’ … at 14,411 feet, it [Mt. Rainier] is the highest of the six major peaks in Washington State and it is the most photographed  natural wonder in the Pacific Northwest.” Gregory Short, KOCH Internal Classics   

The Raven Speaks for orchestra, which began as a six-part sonatina for piano written for the American Bicentennial, is based on songs and dances from Pacific Northwest Coastal Indians living in Washington, Canada, and Alaska.

Beginning with the Totem Pole (Haida) the six parts spiral profoundly inward and around back to close with the Totem Pole (Kwakiutl) when ”Raven’s earlier Totem Pole song is heard in several guises. Low strings represent the dark, wild tundra; a distance pack of wolves can be heard sining in the clear night air. The suite concludes with the first rays of sunlight as Raven chuckles to himself.” Gregory Short, Albany Records.    
 

Special instrumentation includes piano and separate Celesta parts, 3 hand cymbals, 3 large timpani, and an additional glockenspiel as well as 12 crystal goblets, box of rocks. bell tree, bell chain, vibraphone, marimba, 6 cymbals, tam tam, bass drum, large rattle or bandolier of idiophones, whip and sleigh bells. 

For additional information:

• Gregory Short Bio with Picture
• Gregory Short List of Compositions

Review of a Stan Kenton Orchestra Recording

Cuban Fire contains ten compositions by Johnny Richards for the Kenton orchestra. In the spring of 1956, Kenton recorded seven of these compositions and they are worth revisiting.

The title Cuban Fires showcases various sections of the orchestra between solid walls of sound and really outstanding solos. For Valiant Congo there are terrific sax and trumpet solos that suggest what is to come in track six Festival of Fools.

Others of Mr. Richards’ wonderfully expressive compositions are Reminiscences, Who Knows, The Fair One Dances, and Three Hearts, which quickly move ahead by way of rich sonority and hard driving energy.

From th 1960 session, Valiant Congo and Festival of Fools are not to be missed!

Review of a Modern Jazz Quartet Recording

Did you grow up with the MJQ’s recording Pyramid? Because only a few of us are around, we should pass on a few of these hidden gems of American culture.

The vibrancy of colors on track 1, Vendome, unfold so beautifully. Next, a hot sun shines through the title track - Pyramid, a blues composed by Ray Brown. Beauty and truth; truth and beauty!

Later, on my 1950’s spinet I impovised on Pyramid for Marj. We were consolidating our record collections and lives those many decades ago. 

From both of these near concertos for the ballsy genius of Milt Jackson, who seems to be fronting the quartet, the next track is Duke Ellington’s standard – It Don’t Mean … which the MJQ polishes up, still keeping the presence of Bags in front of his personal rhythm section.

My favorite MJQ rendition of John Lewis’ composition Django comes next.     
Pop and jazz standard How High the Moonstarts with very formal arrangment, followed by a needed release of tension from Mr. Jackson, who is again back in front of the others. At the end, we return to formal writing.   

Jim Hall’s Romaine opens with pianist John Lewis, who I feel has been eclipsed by vibraphonist Milt Jackson on these recording dates in 1959-1960. It should be noted, however, that Mr. Lewis’ playing on the Pyramid recording is some of the best that I’ve heard from the highly esteemed leader of the legendary MJQ.

You must have this recording.

Dmitri Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, Leonard Bernstein, conductor

As the piece opens – marked moderato, I like the broad variety of sonority in this 1979 live performance from Japan: New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.

As a youngster, I had not heard anything like this. In the face of extreme suffering thus music burst out front heroically. Later while going through crises in relationships, I put on the 1959 vinyl of Bernstein and the NYP, following their tour of Russia and meting Shostakovich. Through out my life, I ‘ve felt this music helped me and many others restore trust in self.

Twenty years after the 1959 studio pressing, the entire live recording by Bernstein (1979) seems even more emotionally direct and powerful. Bernstein’s New York Philharmonic strings and reeds are so beautiful, the brass so solid, the percussion so effective. What a profound presentation of this symphony in 1979.

The second movement (allegretto) both expands and deepens psychological space. Here is a breathing back into the self, mind and body that culminates in utter joyous living.

Ahhh … in the third movement (largo) we are drinking red wine, dancing around the tribal fire, singing beautifully to one another; eating roasted meat, baked roots, and many pungent flavors with sweet fruit. Again, the recapture of joy from suffering was too long coming.

The people and I are ready once more to be resurrected in the fourth movement (allegro non troppo). First we recall a march from the first movement. By the finale, we are wholly inter-related with ourselves, our environments, and our universes.

Additional information:

1. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 in D Minor, Leondard Bernstien, cond., New York Philharmonic, 1959.“In 1959 he took the New York Philharmonic on a tour of Europe and the Soviet Union, portions of which were filmed by CBS. A major highlight of the tour was Bernstein’s performance of Shostakovich’s fifth symphony, in the presence of the composer, who came on stage at the end to congratulate Bernstein and the musicians. In October, when Bernstein and the orchestra returned to New York, they recorded the symphony for

2. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 in D Minor, Leondard Bernstien, cond., New York Philharmonic, 1979. SONY Classical Library, SK 94733

3. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 in D Minor, Mstislav Rostropovich, cond., London Symphony Orchestra, 2007. LSO Live, LSO0058

4. Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 in D Minor, Leningrad Symphony Orchestra, Yevgeny Mravinsky, cond., 1954.

Schiller’s ‘Ode to Joy’ in its original, 1785 version

There is the story of the individual who has struggled to an insight, light shines upon the dark, and there is joy. The experience of joy is more than enough.

After watching the conductors Herbert von Karajan in part one and part two, and, Leonard Bernstein Finale perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Final Chorus on Schiller’s Ode of Joy, I read the original words by Fredrick Schiller.

Many thanks to my excellent German teacher, Axel Behn, who found his way from East Germany to graduate student housing at the University of Oregon, where I passed Scientific German as my other language exam.

An die Freude	To Joy
1 Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,	1 Joy, beautiful spark of Gods,
2 Tochter aus Elysium,	2 Daughter of Elysium,
3 Wir betreten feuertrunken,	3 We enter, fire-imbibed,
4 Himmlische, dein Heiligtum.	4 Heavenly, thy sanctuary.
5 Deine Zauber binden wieder	5 Thy magic powers re-unite
6 Was der Mode Schwert geteilt	6 What custom’s sword has divided
7 Bettler werden Fuerstenbrueder	7 Beggars become Princes’ brothers
8 Wo dein sanfter Fluegel weilt.	8 Where thy gentle wing abides.
Chor	Chorus
9 Seid umschlungen, Millionen!	9 Be embraced, millions!
10 Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt!	10 This kiss to the entire world!
11 Brueder – ueber’m Sternenzelt	11 Brothers – above the starry canopy
12 Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.	12 A loving father must dwell.
13 Wem der grosse Wurf gelungen,	13 Whoever has had the great fortune,
14 Eines Freundes Freund zu sein,	14 To be a friend’s friend,
15 Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,	15 Whoever has won the love of a devoted wife,
16 Mische seinen Jubel ein!	16 Add his to our jubilation!
17 Ja – wer auch nur eine Seele	17 Indeed, whoever can call even one soul
18 Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!	18 His own on this earth!
19 Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle	19 And whoever was never able to must creep
20 Weinend sich aus diesem Bund	20 Tearfully away from this circle.
Chor	Chorus
21 Was den grossen Ring bewohnet,	21 Those who dwell in the great circle,
22 Huldige der Sympathie!	22 Pay homage to sympathy!
23 Zu den Sternen leitet sie,	23 It leads to the stars,
24 Wo der Unbekannte thronet.	24 Where the Unknown reigns.
25 Freude trinken alle Wesen	25 Joy all creatures drink
26 An den Bruesten der Natur,	26 At nature’s bosoms;
27 Alle Guten, alle Boesen,	27 All, Just and Unjust,
28 Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.	28 Follow her rose-petalled path.
29 Kuesse gab sie uns, und Reben,	29 Kisses she gave us, and Wine,
30 Einen Freund, geprueft im Tod,	30 A friend, proven in death,
31 Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,	31 Pleasure was given (even) to the worm,
32 Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.	32 And the Cherub stands before God.
Chor	Chorus
33 Ihr stuerzt nieder, Millionen?	33 You bow down, millions?
34 Ahndest du den Schoepfer, Welt?	34 Can you sense the Creator, world?
35 Such ihn ueberm Sternenzelt.	35 Seek him above the starry canopy.
36 Ueber Sternen muss er wohnen.	36 Above the stars He must dwell.
37 Freude heisst die starke Feder	37 Joy is called the strong motivation
38 In der ewigen Natur.	38 In eternal nature.
39 Freude, Freude, treibt die Raeder	39 Joy, joy moves the wheels
40 In der grossen Weltenuhr.	40 In the universal time machine.
41 Blumen lockt sie aus den Keimen,	41 Flowers it calls forth from their buds,
42 Sonnen aus dem Firmament,	42 Suns from the Firmament,
43 Sphaeren rollt sie in den Raeumen,	43 Spheres it moves far out in Space,
44 Die des Sehers Rohr nicht kennt.	44 Where our telescopes cannot reach.
Chor	Chorus
45 Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen	45 Joyful, as His suns are flying,
46 Durch des Himmels praecht’gen Plan	46 Across the Firmament’s splendid design,
47 Laufet, Brueder, eure Bahn,	47 Run, brothers, run your race,
48 Freudig wie ein Held zum Siegen.	48 Joyful, as a hero going to conquest.
49 Aus der Wahrheit Feuerspiegel	49 As truth’s fiery reflection
50 Laechelt sie den Forscher an.	50 It smiles at the scientist.
51 Zu der Tugend steilem Huegel	51 To virtue’s steep hill
52 Leitet sie des Dulders Bahn.	52 It leads the sufferer on.
53 Auf des Glaubens Sonnenberge	53 Atop faith’s lofty summit
54 Sieht man ihre Fahnen wehn,	54 One sees its flags in the wind,
55 Durch den Riss gesprengter Saerge	55 Through the cracks of burst-open coffins,
56 Sie im Chor der Engel stehn.	56 One sees it stand in the angels’ chorus.
Chor	Chorus
57 Duldet mutig, Millionen!	57 Endure courageously, millions!
58 Duldet fuer die bess’re Welt!	58 Endure for the better world!
59 Droben ueber’m Sternenzelt	59 Above the starry canopy
60 Wird ein grosser Gott belohnen.	60 A great God will reward you.
61 Goettern kann man nicht vergelten,	61 Gods one cannot ever repay,
62 Schoen ist’s, ihnen gleich zu sein.	62 It is beautiful, though, to be like them.
63 Gram und Armut soll sich melden,	63 Sorrow and Poverty, come forth
64 Mit den Frohen sich erfreun.	64 And rejoice with the Joyful ones.
65 Groll und Rache sei vergessen,	65 Anger and revenge be forgotten,
66 Unserm Todfeind sei verziehn,	66 Our deadly enemy be forgiven,
67 Keine Traene soll ihn pressen,	67 Not one tear shall he shed anymore,
68 Keine Reue nage ihn.	68 No feeling of remorse shall pain him.
Chor	Chorus
69 Unser Schuldbuch sei vernichtet!	69 The account of our misdeeds be destroyed!
70 Ausgesoehnt die ganze Welt!	70 Reconciled the entire world!
71 Brueder, ueber’m Sternenzelt	71 Brothers, above the starry canopy
72 Richtet Gott, wie wir gerichtet.	72 God judges as we judged.
73 Freude sprudelt in Pokalen,	73 Joy is bubbling in the glasses,
74 In der Traube goldnem Blut	74 Through the grapes’ golden blood
75 Trinken Sanftmut Kannibalen,	75 Cannibals drink gentleness,
76 Die Verzweiflung Heldenmut–	76 And despair drinks courage–
77 Brueder, fliegt von euren Sitzen,	77 Brothers, fly from your seats,
78 Wenn der volle Roemer kreist,	78 When the full rummer is going around,
79 Lasst den Schaum zum Himmel sptruetzen:	79 Let the foam gush up to heaven:
80 Dieses Glas dem guten Geist.	80 This glass to the good spirit.
Chor	Chorus
81 Den der Sterne Wirbel loben	81 He whom star clusters adore,
82 Den des Seraphs Hymne preist,	82 He whom the Seraphs’ hymn praises,
83 Dieses Glas dem guten Geist	83 This glass to him, the good spirit,
84 Ueber’m Sternenzelt dort oben!	84 Above the starry canopy!
85 Festen Mut in schwerem Leiden,	85 Resolve and courage for great suffering,
86 Huelfe, wo die Unschuld weint,	86 Help there, where innocence weeps,
87 Ewigkeit geschwornen Eiden,	87 Eternally may last all sworn Oaths,
88 Wahrheit gegen Freund und Feind,	88 Truth towards friend and enemy,
89 Maennerstolz vor Koenigsthronen–	89 Men’s pride before Kings’ thrones–
90 Brueder, gaelt es Gut und Blut.–	90 Brothers, even it if meant our Life and blood,
91 Dem Verdienste seine Kronen,	91 Give the crowns to those who earn them,
92 Untergang der Luegenbrut!	92 Defeat to the pack of liars!
Chor	Chorus
93 Schliesst den heilgen Zirkel dichter	93 Close the holy circle tighter,
94 Schwoert bei diesem goldnen Wein:	94 Swear by this golden wine:
95 Dem Geluebde treu zu sein,	95 To remain true to the Oath,
96 Schwoert es bei dem Sternenrichter!	96 Swear it by the Judge above the stars!
97 Rettung von Tyrannenketten,	97 Delivery from tyrants’ chains,
98 Grossmut auch dem Boesewicht,	98 Generosity also towards the villain,
99 Hoffnung auf den Sterbebetten,	99 Hope on the deathbeds,
100 Gnade auf dem Hochgericht!	100 Mercy from the final judge!
101 Auch die Toten sollen leben!	101 Also the dead shall live!
102 Brueder, trinkt und stimmet ein,	102 Brothers, drink and chime in,
103 Allen Suendern soll vergeben,	103 All sinners shall be forgiven,
104 Und die Hoelle nicht mehr sein.	104 And hell shall be no more.
Chor	Chorus
105 Eine heitre Abschiedsstunde!	105 A serene hour of farewell!
106 Suessen Schlaf im Leichentuch!	106 Sweet rest in the shroud!
107 Brueder–einen sanften Spruch	107 Brothers–a mild sentence
108 Aus des Totenrichters Mund.	108 From the mouth of the final judge!

__________

Source: http://www.raptusassociation.org/ode1785.html

All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners.
All lyrics provided for educational purposes only.

Great American Songbook Lyrics

This our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. The Way You Look Tonight – song and dance:

“Some day, when I’m awfully low
When the world is cold
I will feel a glow just thinking of you
And the way you look tonight

Yes, you’re lovely, with your smile so warm
And your cheeks so soft
There is nothing for me but to love you
And the way you look tonight

With each word your tenderness grows
Tearing my fear apart
And that laugh..wrinkles your nose
Touches my foolish heart

Lovely … Never, never change
Keep that breathless charm
Won’t you please arrange it ? ’cause I love you
Just the way you look tonight

And that laugh that wrinkles your nose
It touches my foolish heart

Lovely … Don’t you ever change
Keep that breathless charm
Won’t you please arrange it ? ’cause I love you
a-just the way you look tonight

Mm, Mm Mm, Mm,
Just the way you look tonight

__________

All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners.
All lyrics provided for educational purposes only.

Bathing in Béla Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra

As a kid, I dove into the RCA “Living Stereo” (1955) recording of Fritz Reiner conducting the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and decades later I’m still down with the Concerto for Orchestra by Béla Bartók.

You can check out the video of the Concerto for Orchestra by the Berliner Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez conductor, “Discovering Masterpieces of Classical Music: Béla Bartók” (2003), available from NetFlix among other sources.

All the best to you and yours this holiday season!

First, make merry with this White Christmas video from a trusted friend, who got it from a friend in Europe.

We look back at 2007 – a big year of social networking (Web 2.0). Marj and I stayed close to home, and at the ready to slide into a stool at the Steelhead Diner in the Public Market.

We followed some dear friends around Latin America by flying on Google Earth from Santiago (Chile) to Mendoza and Vista Flores (Argentina) and back to their home to San Carlos (Mexico).

Last week, our daughter, and son-in-law touched down in Ho Chi Minh City, from where they video conferenced with us. They visited several of the temples at Angkor Wat, Cambodia, with colleagues. On Christmas Day, they called us from the top of their uptown hotel in Saigon, which we saw on Google Earth. Santa is as much a craze as Levi jeans and Michael Jackson for kids and disco clubs. Joel’s Kids First Vietnam wheelchair factory is located in Quang Tri, north of Hue, near those beautiful beaches.

As FREE radio from the Music Genome Project, you can launch Pandora to get a radio station to play your favorite artist, song or composer. You can share if you’d like. I have created seven radio stations (composers from Dominico Scarlatti to Maurice Ravel; jazzers Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson and so forth), and produced a QuickMix for a broad range of selections from classical, world and jazz stations.

I am maintaining my entry to Wikipedia, the encyclopedia for everyone on the planet. I created an entry on Gregory Short, who taught me even more about music, musicians and piano. The Kirkpatricks¹ wrote about my learning measurement program on how training the right topics for our constituencies at Regence, whose mission is to end the tyranny of health cost and confusion.

If you are interested in more about podcasting and Wikipedia, check out TEDTalks video presentations of annual sessions on breakthrough concepts and practices that are held in Monterey, CA, near my home town of Carmel on the beach. Once you have downloaded iTunes > iTunes Store > Podcasts, search for TEDtalks. If you subscribe, find Jimmy Wales (2005), who is founder of Wikipedia – in the self-organizing, self-correcting, ever-expanding, and thoroughly addictive encyclopedia of the future. In this presentation, he explains how Wikipedia’s collaborative systems work, and why they succeed. While we’re here in iTunes, check out Herbie Hancock Playlist on the Celebrity Playlists covering composer Igor Stravinsky to jazz artist, session leader + composer Miles Davis.

Be sure to check out Marj’s new book, The Manx Cat: A Short Tale. Just go to Blub > Bookstore. In the Search box, enter Manx. To find out more about the contents, double-click the cover. Awesome!

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¹ Donald L. Kirkpatrick and James D. Kirkpatrick, Implementing the Four Levels

“Say, ‘It’s a good time to let it go.’”

A line in the title song Over and Over written by Erin Bode (vocals) and Adam Maness (keyboards) on the recording of the same name. When Garrison Keillor broadcast A Prairie Home Companion from St. Louis he introduced the Erin Bodie Group to a larger audience.

Did you catch Susan Stamberg talking music with Andre Previn on NPR?

In this interview Sir Previn revealed that he was never satisfied with a performance. Perhaps Jerome Kern’s All the Things You Are had simply slipped away from them. But not for me, who appreciates the brilliance of Andre Previn’s talent: here he starts out-of-tempo then really digs into the craziness of all the things you are.

In his recent Alone recording that they discuss, Skylark can really put a smile on your face being so pretty and flirty. A starrier Night and Day reaches deep space through the prepared Bosendorfer Imperial piano. Andre Previn’s re-harmonizing of Cole Porter’s Night Day is harmonically beyond three earlier studio dates of the works of Vernon Duke, Jerome Kern and Harold Arlen all of which were very advanced when first heard.