Bazelon's Backstretch

Started by snyprrr, August 10, 2016, 07:57:19 AM

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snyprrr

There's a picture on the inlay on a particular CRI disc of Irwin Bazelon, showing his office area- as perfect an example of what I had always dreamed of as the pure American Dream: desk, chair, papers, horse racing pictures on the wall, all in a picture that hints at a certain vintage era that in our minds comes up as "the good old days". Yes, this picture of Bazelon's study just says "this is what you wanted". A career, a position, even if not world-wide acclaim. Bazelon's study office reminds me of the vintage look of 'The Godfather' coupled also with 'A Christmas Story', so perfect is the allusion.

I have this disc of Bazelon, with his Wind Quintet and Brass Quintet, and they just have that perfect '50s gruff yet positive American spirit. American Wind Music of the '40s and '50s teems with bubbling and jolly works for winds, and there are many recitals with Barber, Carter, Persichetti, Berger, Fine, Rochberg, Harbison, and the other handful of perennial favorites. Then comes the second string, and Bazelon should top the list, not for anything extraordinary, but just for being as American as they come: he has a more urban spirit than the earlier generation, and one surely hears the hustle and bustle of city life in his music. You've heard this music countless times on '70sTV. I love it.

There are other Composers of American Wind Music (William Mayer, Francis Thorne); this wasn't really meant to be about just Bazelon. But, I haven't heard any of his other music. Have you?