history, geography and music in North America

[Benny]

So much potential, so little achievement!

Let's see:

A Moldau for the Mississippi;

A "Leningrad" for the American Revolution;

A Sensemaya for the Adena Mountbuilders

A tone poem for the Trail of Tears

A Don Quixote for Geronimo

But we do have Dvorak's New World Symphony

[Renfield]

A "Leningrad" for the American Revolution;

This does sound like something I'd want to hear, by a composer of appropriate skill.

And I think I know at least one who's quite acquainted with Shostakovich's idiom... Karl, how about it? Fancy a large scale orchestral project?

[Florestan]

This does sound like something I'd want to hear, by a composer of appropriate skill.

Isn't the music form "The Patriot" enough?   

[karlhenning]

This does sound like something I'd want to hear, by a composer of appropriate skill.

And I think I know at least one who's quite acquainted with Shostakovich's idiom... Carl, how about it? Fancy a large scale orchestral project?

Well, you know . . . Dmitri Dmitriyevich actually lived in the city under siege.  Washington crossed the Delaware rather before my time 

Of course, any proposed commission I should consider quite thoroughly 

[Florestan]

Well, you know . . . Dmitri Dmitriyevich actually lived in the city under siege.  Washington crossed the Delaware rather before my time 

Just wait and pray you live long enough to witness the Chinese besieging New York. 








(just a joke, of course)

[karlhenning]

I've heard tell that the Hudson River separates New York City from Albany . . . .

[Florestan]

I've heard tell that the Hudson River separates New York City from Albany . . . .

Don't count on that. Rumor has it in The Diner that the Chinese are very good at navigating American waters...

[ChamberNut]

Music for the funeral of George Bush 

[karlhenning]

Will Cheney shed a tear?

[Christo]

Music for the funeral of George Bush 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFkJQlCnTIQ

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Requiem for the American Auto Industry

[Opus106]

Requiem for the American Auto Industry

I'm sure Stockhausen would've come up with something for two turbo-charged engines and a radiator.

[Superhorn]

   America has things like Charles Ives'  Holidays Symphony, with its depiction of Thanksgiving,etc, and the four movements can be performed separately,
William  Schuman's  New  England  Tryptich, The Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofe, John Corigliano's first symphony, dedicated to AIDS victims,
  the operas Nixon in China by John Adams, Appamatox by Philip Glass,
Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All, Howard Hanson's Merry Mount,based on New England Puritan life, Ned Rorem's Our Town,based on the Thornton Wilder play, etc.
  This is not a list of works to be ashamed about,and there's a lot more.

[Benny]

   America has things like Charles Ives'  Holidays Symphony, with its depiction of Thanksgiving,etc, and the four movements can be performed separately,
William  Schuman's  New  England  Tryptich, The Grand Canyon Suite by Ferde Grofe, John Corigliano's first symphony, dedicated to AIDS victims,
  the operas Nixon in China by John Adams, Appamatox by Philip Glass,
Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All, Howard Hanson's Merry Mount,based on New England Puritan life, Ned Rorem's Our Town,based on the Thornton Wilder play, etc.
  This is not a list of works to be ashamed about,and there's a lot more.

Don't take this thread in a negative way. I just think there's a tremendous amount of momentous historical events and remarkable geographic features that have not been captured in composition. But let us pray that Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite will not be the only work written about such a unique land formation.

[greg]

Threnody for the Future

[Renfield]

Firstly, apologies to Karl for misspelling his name, above.

It's Jung, he's the first [C]arl I encountered, and now all [K]arls are also Carls in my head, regardless of recent knowledge or experience. Terrible!


Secondly, and on topic, how about a Variations On A Theme type of work for the 44 (so far) presidents?

For some reason, this idea strikes me like it would be interesting, and perhaps quite entertaining to listen to.

[greg]

44 variations? That'd end up being a bit long. I'd imagine at least an hour and a half.

[Renfield]

44 variations? That'd end up being a bit long. I'd imagine at least an hour and a half.

Well, there's a lot of presidents to account for!

[greg]

Maybe I'll write my own, except within 5 minutes. But I'm warning you, it just might end up sounding a little bit schizophrenic. 

[Florestan]

Secondly, and on topic, how about a Variations On A Theme type of work for the 44 (so far) presidents?

It would take a lot of hard work and imagination to go from Yankee Doodle (var. 1) to Dies Irae (var. 43).