The Music Library has more resources available than physical items. We’re highlighting some of our digital resources, and including information about them as told by our student employees.
Here is what student assistant Allison (class of 2022) had to say about Grove Music Online:
“Grove Music Online is an extensive online music encyclopedia that provides detailed information on composers, their music, and other music scholarship. I like how the resource is run by an editorial board at Oxford University Press so that there isn’t much question regarding the credibility of the content. I looked up Paul Hindemith and George Gershwin and found a lot of information about each of their respective lives along with some articles about their work. Grove Music Online seems like a very valuable resource for researching composers and music in the classical/jazz field.”
Although we are all socially distant at the moment, we thought it might be fun and encouraging to share playlists as a way to connect (with a tip of the hat to our friends at the Modlin Center for the Arts who started sharing playlists a couple of weeks ago).
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Allison (class of 2022) and features George Gershwin‘s classic piece for orchestra and piano, Rhapsody in Blue. Thanks, Allison!
George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was premiered in New York on February 12, 1924 by Paul Whiteman and his orchestra, featuring Gershwin on the piano. Whiteman, conductor of the Palais Royal Orchestra, had previously talked with Gershwin about mixing classical music with jazz and decided that Gershwin would premiere a piece at his “Experiment in Modern Music” concert. Although Gershwin had not formally committed to composing a piece, it was already announced in the newspapers so he had to. In just five weeks, the piece was composed and rehearsed, with Gershwin playing the piano part. Interestingly, he left his piano part to be improvised during the world premiere.
Gershwin’s autograph score to Rhapsody in Blue showing the iconic clarinet opening. Image source: https://smtd.umich.edu/ami/gershwin/?p=213
Although somewhat common today, it was groundbreaking in that time period for an orchestra to play a jazz concerto. The premiere of Rhapsody in Blue was wildly successful and opened doors for many future composers to incorporate jazz elements into their music. In addition, by choosing to compose this piece, Gershwin opened many doors for himself as a composer. Prior to Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin composed scores for Broadway musicals. The piece didn’t change the trajectory of his career but expanded it as he became more well known.
George Gershwin composing at the piano. American composer, 1898-1937. (Source: https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2252861)
The first Gershwin piece I heard was An American in Paris while preparing for an audition. I was very intrigued by the piece but never was able to fully appreciate it until playing it with my youth orchestra. Because I loved that piece, I was excited to receive music for another Gershwin piece this semester. Rhapsody in Blue is very different from An American in Paris but both pieces are composed in a manner that is clearly Gershwin.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
One of my favorite albums (and singers) is Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me.This might sound odd, but it’s what I most frequently listen to when cooking or baking — it’s the perfect rainy day music.
Her tone is so soft and sweet and her songs are very melodic. I love that intertwines jazz and blues because it’s hard to find that type of music now. Jones was a lot more popular in the early 2000s — I was first introduced to the album when my mom and dad would play it in our house when I was in elementary school.
She has lots of awards and has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. In the beginning of the 2000s Billboard deemed her the top jazz artist of the decade. She has won nine Grammys and writes her own songs as well as plays the piano.
Norah Jones at Bright Eyes at Town Hall 29 May 2007 (credit: Yaffa)
Come Away With Me is the album that kick started her career and launched many of her songs into popularity. The album is a fusion of jazz with country, blues, folk and pop. It was certified diamond, meaning that it sold over 27 million copies. This album alone was enough to win Jones five Grammys, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. My personal favorite songs from the album are “Don’t Know Why” and “Shoot the Moon,” but all of the songs are so unique and enjoyable in their own way. I tend to listen to a lot of mainstream pop because it’s always on everywhere and I want to stay up-to-date on all the trending music, however, this is a nice change of pace from that. I think it’s important to listen to a wide range of artists and music, and Norah Jones is the kind of singer that I believe almost everyone would like.
Some other singers that mirror her musical vibe are Diana Krall, Corinne Bailey Rey, Alicia Keys, Adele, and Duffy. I’d say her style is a bit more laid back and the songs aren’t as fit for blasting on the radio, but her songs are written about similar themes and use little auto-tuning or electronics.
Editor’s note:Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Colin (class of 2021) and features the classic 1963 bossa nova album Getz/Gilberto. Thanks, Colin!
America in the 1950s was one of the greatest growing periods of this nation’s history. The decade marked huge economic growth following the end of World War II, a spiked population rate from the “baby boomers,” and the rise of new forms of technology and music. Rock n’ roll quickly became a well-received genre among the nation’s youth, and this was expedited by the new product known as television and also the “King” of hip-shaking and dance, Elvis Presley. Jazz, which had established itself as a cornerstone of American music, found it was taking a backseat both commercially and artistically against all the attention rock had been receiving.
However, because of Tony Bennett’s trip to Brazil in 1961, the brazilian-jazz genre of bossa nova was introduced to the United States. One of the musicians that became hooked on this type of music was Stan Getz, an American saxophonist. Bossa nova then found its way into the music scene, and after João Gilberto performed a concert in Carnegie Hall centered around bossa nova, a mutual friend introduced Gilberto and Getz to one another, and the album Getz/Gilberto was released in 1963.
What first attracted me to this album was a random jazz playlist I was listening to on Spotify. Through all the eclectic songs I heard, “The Girl from Ipanema” stood out to me as significant. I had listened to the famous song before, but this version of airy, Portuguese vocals immediately drew my attention. From there, I decided to listen to the album and had such a fun and relaxing time vibing with each song. My personal favorite track is “Corcovado (Quiet Night of Quiet Stars).” The song’s lyrics are quite short, simply referring to a quiet evening in which one can enjoy the sound of music while looking upon the beautiful mountain known as Corcovado. However, the melody and performance of the song are really astounding, and this song serves as one of my favorite jazz tunes of all time.
This album was also received critically well, as it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1965; the only jazz album to do so up to that point in history, and it maintained that status until 2008. Also, contrary to what was mentioned about jazz earlier, the JazzTimes released an article that stated it “served as proof that it is possible for music to be both artistically and commercially successful.” Getz/Gilberto definitely helped re-establish jazz into the population’s mindset, and it pushed the doors open for foreign influence in American music.
