Here Hugh Wolff leads the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra in the
third volume of a series surveying the orchestral music of George
Antheil. It's hard to imagine how Wolff and his crew are going to be
able to top this one, as it brings together some of the cream of this
repertoire in flawless, sharply etched performances that are big-boned
and relentlessly exciting. Antheil's Symphony No. 3 "American" is a
great American symphony, easily qualified to take its place of honor
alongside the "Third" symphonies of his contemporaries Roy Harris and
Aaron Copland. By the end of the 1940s Antheil was the third most
frequently performed American composer in concert halls after Copland
and Samuel Barber, but this exalted reputation did not survive his early
death in 1959. In listening to the "American" Symphony one wonders why
not, as it has all of the necessary hallmarks; big city complexity, open
prairie landscapes, memorable tunes, and nervous, incessant rhythms
derived from jazz. Everyone who loves the "American vernacular" style of
the 1940s should hear this work. Antheil's Third was premiered under
conductor Hans Kindler in 1945, but this CPO disc represents its first
appearance on any kind of issued recording.
Likewise making their
bow are two equally solid and enjoyable "vernacular" works, Antheil's
delightful Tom Sawyer Overture and the rousing Hot-Time Dance. Both
McKonkey's Ferry Overture and Capital of the World have been recorded
several times, but they have never sounded better as they do here.
The
only complaint here is about the notes by Eckhardt van den Hoogen. They
are highly informative, but gossipy, and deal in great detail with
aspects of Antheil's life that are not relevant to the music at hand.
Perhaps van den Hoogen is afraid CPO will not be taking the series
beyond this volume, and is trying to get in all the material he can, but
most of it is more appropriate for a full-length biography of the
composer and not a set of liner notes. Nonetheless, everything else
about this CD is just simply great, and it should be your first choice
for the orchestral music of George Antheil. Uncle Dave Lewis
GEORGE ANTHEIL (1900-1959)
Symphony No 3 »American« (1936-39/rev. 1946) (25:02)
Tom Sawyer »California Overture« (1949) 5:25
Hot-Time Dance (1948) 4:24
McKonkey's Ferry Overture (1948) 9:03
Capital Of The World - Suite In Three Movements (1953) (17:08)
Credits :
Conductor – Hugh Wolff
Orchestra – Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt
