Rorem: Three Symphonies

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Universally recognized as a great master of modern song-writing, Rorem has always continued composing orchestral music but has received few performances, writing, as he has, in a tonal idiom alien to the atonal and experimental practices of the day. When Leonard Bernstein gave the first performance of Rorem’s Third Symphony with the New York Philharmonic in 1959, it signaled a significant triumph for his orchestral music, but the path ahead would remain thorny. When the now famous diaries were published, it brought Rorem a great deal of notoriety and controversy, but it did not translate into performances of his orchestral music. Respected and admired by colleagues, Rorem has continued writing the kind of music that he believes in, and over the past decade, with the universal change in composing styles, performances of his music have mounted constantly. – José Serebrier

Tracks:

Passacaglia
Allegro Molto Vivace
Largo
Andante
Allegro Molto
Maestoso
Andantino
Largo
Allegro
Broad, Moderate
Tranquillo
Allegro

Album Description

Universally recognized as a great master of modern song-writing, Rorem has always continued composing orchestral music but has received few performances, writing, as he has, in a tonal idiom alien to the atonal and experimental practices of the day. When Leonard Bernstein gave the first performance of Rorem's Third Symphony with the New York Philharmonic in 1959, it signaled a significant triumph for his orchestral music, but the path ahead would remain thorny. When the now famous diaries were published, it brought Rorem a great deal of notoriety and controversy, but it did not translate into performances of his orchestral music. Respected and admired by colleagues, Rorem has continued writing the kind of music that he believes in, and over the past decade, with the universal change in composing styles, performances of his music have mounted constantly. - José Serebrier

Customer Reviews:

Go overseas to get the best of America.......2007-05-15

I've only recently truly discovered Ned Rorem. After hearing a performance of the String Quartet No. 4, by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra for a new balllet by Helgi Tomasson, I was hooked. I immediately ordered the quartet and this CD, the 3 Symphonies. I was truly amazed! An American contemporary composer who uses actual melody and harmony! Not as a sellout, but in new and creative ways. A lush, surprising, and uniquely American music. CDs like this rekindle my belief in "new music." It's not ALL "oop-eep-aop" created by some mathematical formula, or endless repeated sonorities..over and over until you want someone to put you out of your misery (Glass anyone?).
The performances of the Symphonies on this CD are professional and passionate, I only wish I could find an American Orchestra performing Ned Rorem's works (are you listening Mr. Thomas?).

Don't pass this one up!.......2006-08-30

First of all, I've written a few reviews without hailing Naxos for offering some of the most interesting music (especially 20th century) at the most unbelievable prices. Don't think these are lesser cds because of the price.

As far as Rorem goes, we owe it to ourselves to check out this amazing American music. While Ned is chillin' on Martha's Vinyard writing some of the most beautiful music, we go to concerts and hear the same old Mozart, Beethoven, and Dvorak. Not to preach, but we should be seeing Rorem, Piston, Barber, Bloch, Harris, Creston, and Hovhaness on the program too to let audiences know that we have interesting American composers.

Rorem states on this disk that ..."when my second symphony was resurrected (for this disk), it had not been heard in 43 years, so I had to strain my memory for the program notes..." Shame, shame, shame.

Rorem's Stunning, Cinematic-Sounding Symphonies Produce Transcendent Moments of Beauty.......2006-07-12

Despite his prolific output of musical compositions, American composer Ned Rorem has written just four symphonies in his lengthy career, three of which are included in this beautifully recorded disc played impeccably by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of José Serebrier. Yet, his decidedly idiosyncratic style is recognizable with its effusively tonal quality. With the exception of the opening of the second symphony, the movements are relatively brief but stunningly melodic, and in aggregate, they are quite entertaining in an almost cinematic manner akin to Copland and especially Bernstein. This also marks the premiere recordings of Symphonies No 1 and No. 2, reason enough to purchase this bargain-priced CD.

The disc opens with Rorem's most recent and masterful work, 1958's five-movement Symphony No. 3, which contains a dizzying array of musical expressions beginning with the subdued, mysterious-sounding albeit brief "Passacaglia". Its feeling of containment is broken free by the jazz-oriented second movement, "Allegro molto vivace", filled with a cacophony of percussive rhythms that sounds like a tribute to Bernstein's "On the Town". This leads into the dream-like state of the "Largo", the third movement, which segues nicely into the fourth movement, the impressionistic "Andante", with its persistently wistful tone. The percussion returns in the form of castanets and drums for the fifth and final movement, "Allegro molto", a fitting conclusion that encompasses all the sounds of the previous movements.

Symphony No. 1, Rorem's earliest piece from 1950, starts with an intoxicating pastoral quality in "Maestoso" that continues to suspend reality in the second movement, "Andantino". He achieves an even fuller sound on "Largo", the third movement, with the complementary combination of flute, oboe and strings, and then builds the tempo considerably with an animated sense of joy on the fourth movement, "Allegro", which was apparently inspired by an Arab wedding tune Rorem heard in Morocco. His Second Symphony from 1956 concludes the recording, and it opens with "Broad, Moderate", an extended passage of orchestral melancholy, beautiful yet unrelentingly sad until it livens up into a more rhythmic melody midway through the fifteen-minute movement. The brief second movement, "Tranquillo", may be my favorite moment on the disc with successive turns on flute, strings and clarinet that meld beautifully into a cinematic landscape. The equally brief last movement, "Allegro", almost sounds like a passage from "West Side Story" with its bright propulsive rhythms. Overall this is a stunning work by any measure.

Great Recording, Good Music.......2006-03-10

I purchased this music because I had never heard of Ned Rorem. When I first listened to these symphonies I was not impressed: wandering, whimsical music punctuated by loud bass drum and brass. All three selections seemed to be quite similar. However, I listened again (actually two more times) on my Bose noise-cancelling head set and was able to grow an appreciation for Rorem's work. These works are beautiful and deserve attention -- definitely not "background" stuff while one dines.
The performance and the quality of the disc are excellent.

Rorem's art.......2005-12-26

It may be too easy to over praise Rorem's symphonies, but this is an exciting recording of these wonderful pieces. Rorem's musical lanugage is perfected, and I for one hear as much Rorem the writer in these symphonies as Rorem the composer, as indeed one well might say about much of his musical oeuvre, the songs included. His attraction to text thus acquires another level, one important enough to understand and admire in order to plumb these musical scores as meaningfully as possible. The First and the Third symphonies seem especially generous in this subtext of their lean lines, the ideas fertile and beautifully cared for with craftsmanship, and an always original nobility. The French veins found in Rorem's music, a formidable and inviting aspect -decisive and not, impatient and not, lost and found- find vigorous new purpose in symphonic gesture. These are sly, tender, and witty scores played wonderfully, and are a feast of good fortune for the revival of so many neglected American scores; indeed, Naxos' hand in the rejuvenation cannot be overvalued. This recording company's considerable insight is uniquely rewarded here with the rich, distinctive playing of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, and Jose Serebrier. Like his unprecedented Journals, Ned Rorem's musical language is subtle, never wasteful, and always a joy to discover, finally to contemplate. Those unfamiliar with his songs can easily find their way there through these orchestral works. Highest recommendation for a unique recording.

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