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The American Songbook Program Notes
Cuban Overture (1932)
George Gershwin (1898-1937)
Premiere: August 16, 1932 | New York City
By the time George Gershwin composed Cuban Overture in the summer of 1932, he was a respected and seasoned American composer, with such groundbreaking works under his belt as Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris. The genesis of the Cuban Overture can be traced to a two-week sojourn Gershwin took to Havana, Cuba, in February of 1932. This immersive experience profoundly influenced the composer, who meticulously absorbed the vibrant musical atmosphere of the island. The work initially premiered under the title "Rumba" at an all-Gershwin concert held at New York's Lewisohn Stadium, drawing an impressive crowd of 18,000. The subsequent renaming to Cuban Overture was a deliberate choice, reflecting Gershwin's intent to elevate the work beyond a mere "novelty item" and underscore its more substantial artistic aspirations.
True to its inspiration, the Cuban Overture is a kaleidoscopic celebration of Cuban and Caribbean rhythms. Gershwin weaves together an intricate tapestry of syncopation and melodic motifs, evoking the energy and sensuality of Latin dance and music. The orchestration is particularly notable for its integration of a full complement of Latin percussion instruments, including claves, maracas, guiro, and bongos. These instruments are not merely coloristic additions but are integral to the rhythmic drive and character of the piece, lending an authenticity to Gershwin's musical portrayal of Havana's lively spirit. The overture remains a vibrant example of Gershwin's ability to synthesize diverse musical traditions into a cohesive and captivating work.
Cuban Overture is scored for three flutes, piccolo, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings.
Porgy and Bess (1934-1935)
George Gershwin (1898-1937)/Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981)
Opera Premiere: September 30, 1935; Boston, MA
George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, famously dubbed a "folk opera" by its composer, represents the pinnacle of his ambitious artistic vision and, tragically, his last major completed work before his untimely death at the age of 38. Premiering in Boston before swiftly moving to Broadway, the opera marked a groundbreaking fusion of American jazz, blues, spirituals, and classical operatic traditions, creating a singularly American musical drama. Its complex portrayal of the lives of characters in the fictitious black tenement of Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, resonated deeply despite initial mixed critical reception. Over time, Porgy and Bess has cemented its status as an iconic work in the American theatrical and operatic canon, celebrated for its indelible melodies and rich orchestration.
Given the sprawling nature and dramatic arc of the full opera, concert suites have long served as a crucial means of presenting its musical highlights to wider audiences. One of the most authoritative and widely performed of these arrangements is Robert Russell Bennett's Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture. Bennett, a close friend and trusted colleague of Gershwin, was uniquely positioned to undertake this significant task. The commission for this suite came from Fritz Reiner, the conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, who recognized the need for a comprehensive orchestral distillation of the opera's essence.
“Summertime” from Porgy and Bess is scored for two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, banjo, piano, and strings.
Three Black Kings (1974)
Duke Ellington (1899-1974)/Maurice Peress (1930-2017)
Premiere: 1976; Artpark, Buffalo, New York
Duke Ellington's final composition Three Black Kings was completed just prior to his death in 1974 and represents the culmination of a distinguished career marked by a singular ability to blend jazz idioms with symphonic structures and narrative scope. The piece is the last in a series of Ellington's narrative works, a category of compositions where he explored specific subjects or stories through extended musical forms. The composition is comprised of three movements, each a musical homage to a historical or legendary Black king. Ellington's deliberate choice of subjects reflects his lifelong engagement with themes of Black history, identity, and achievement.
The first movement celebrates Balthazar, traditionally identified as one of the Three Magi or "Wise Men" who journeyed to Bethlehem. While biblical accounts do not specify their race, later Christian traditions often depicted Balthazar as an African king.
The second movement is dedicated to King Solomon, the wise and wealthy biblical monarch of Israel, whose reign is often depicted as a golden age of prosperity and intellectualism. While not explicitly identified as Black in biblical texts, his narrative and global significance, particularly within various African diasporic spiritual traditions, offered Ellington fertile ground for musical exploration.
The final movement, the most overtly contemporary and deeply personal, honors Martin Luther King, Jr., the visionary civil rights leader who had been tragically assassinated just six years prior to the work's conception. This movement serves as a powerful elegy and tribute to King's monumental legacy and his ongoing fight for justice and equality.
Ellington had nearly completed Three Black Kings at the time of his passing. The work was brought to completion by his son, Mercer Ellington, a respected bandleader and composer in his own right. The eventual scoring for the symphony orchestra, making the work accessible to a broader classical performance context, was undertaken by Ellington's longtime friend and collaborator, Maurice Peress.
Three Black Kings is scored for two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, four trumpets, four trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, piano, and strings.
The Sound of Music (1959)
Richard Rodgers/Bennett
Musical Premiere: November 16, 1959; Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's The Sound of Music, which premiered on Broadway in 1959, quickly became a beloved cornerstone of the American musical theater canon. Set against the ominous backdrop of the Anschluss – the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany – in 1938, the musical tells the inspiring, and largely true, story of the von Trapp Family Singers. Its enduring appeal, further solidified by the hugely successful 1965 film adaptation, lies in its timeless themes of faith, resilience, and the power of music to unite and transcend adversity.
Among the score's many iconic numbers, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" stands out as perhaps its most profound and spiritually resonant anthem. Positioned as a pivotal moment in the narrative, the song is delivered by the Mother Abbess, who imparts words of wisdom and encouragement to Maria as she contemplates her future and her burgeoning feelings for Captain von Trapp. It serves as a powerful call to embrace life's challenges, to pursue one's true calling, and to confront obstacles with courage and unwavering conviction.
“Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from The Sound of Music is scored for two flutes, oboe, two clarinets, bassoon, three horns, three trumpets, two trombones, tuba, percussion, harp, piano, and strings.
Candide Overture (1956)
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Operetta premiere: December 1, 1956; New York City
Leonard Bernstein's Candide, first premiered in 1956, is a unique and intellectually stimulating work that defies easy categorization. Often described as a "neo-classical operetta," it is a brilliant and biting satire rooted in Voltaire's cynical 1759 novella, Candide, ou l'Optimisme. Bernstein, ever the musical omnivore, infused the score with a profound admiration for the light comic styles and acerbic wit of 19th-century masters such as Jacques Offenbach and Gilbert and Sullivan. This influence is evident in Candide's sparkling overture, its witty patter songs, and its charmingly satirical ensembles, all while maintaining a distinctly American rhythmic vitality and harmonic sophistication.
Despite its current venerated status, Candide was initially a critical and commercial disappointment. Its original Broadway run was short-lived, largely due to a sprawling book and an ambitious, multi-faceted score that proved challenging for audiences and critics accustomed to more conventional musical theater. However, the work found a new lease on life in the 1970s and 1980s, largely through the efforts of director Harold Prince. Prince’s significantly restructured and shortened one-act version, first presented in 1974, streamlined the narrative, sharpened the comedic timing, and allowed Bernstein's dazzling score to truly shine. This "Chelsea" version, and subsequent revisions, breathed new life into Candide, showcasing its remarkable blend of sophisticated musical satire, heartfelt lyricism, and profound philosophical inquiry.
Candide Overture is scored for two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
West Side Story (1957)
Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Stage Premiere: September 26, 1957
Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story was a seminal work in American musical theater. With original music by Bernstein and incisive lyrics by the then-emerging Stephen Sondheim, the musical premiered in 1957, irrevocably changing the landscape of Broadway. Its immense success on stage led to its celebrated adaptation into a film in 1961, which garnered numerous accolades and further cemented its place as a cultural touchstone.
The narrative of West Side Story is a bold and ingenious re-imagining of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Transplanted from Renaissance Verona to the gritty, ethnically charged landscape of the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the 1950s, the Capulets and Montagues are recast as two rival street gangs: the Puerto Rican "Sharks" and the white "Jets." Within this charged environment, the tragic love story unfolds between Tony, a former Jet, and Maria, the sister of the Sharks' leader. Their doomed romance serves as the emotional core of a narrative exploring themes of prejudice, territorialism, immigration, and the desperate search for belonging.
Bernstein, a titanic figure in 20th-century music — celebrated as a conductor, composer, pianist, and music educator — poured his vast musical lexicon into West Side Story. The score is a masterful synthesis of vernacular American elements, seamlessly blending the pulsating energy of jazz, the vibrant rhythms of Latin dance, and the intricate counterpoint of classical tradition. This fusion results in a lush and sweeping orchestral tapestry that is both dramatically potent and undeniably thrilling.
“I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story is scored for two flutes, piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, two horns, three trumpets, two trombones, percussion, piano, and strings.
The Entertainer (1902)
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Premiere: Unknown
Scott Joplin, known as the "King of Ragtime," was a pivotal figure in American music who elevated a vibrant, vernacular American musical form from the dance halls and saloons to the concert stage. Born into a family of railway workers in Texarkana, Texas, Joplin, an African American, honed his skills traveling throughout the American South as a pianist, immersing himself in the burgeoning musical landscape of the late 19th century.
Ragtime, which first gained widespread popularity in the 1890s, is characterized by its distinctive syncopated melodic lines played over a steady, march-like bass. This rhythmic tension and vitality, a hallmark of the style, represented a unique blending of African-American musical traditions with European classical forms, creating an entirely new and captivating sound. Joplin's genius lay in his ability to formalize and refine this style, imbuing it with a sophisticated structural integrity that demanded serious musical consideration.
Among Joplin's most iconic compositions is "The Entertainer," written during his productive period in St. Louis. Published in 1902, this piece epitomizes the playful charm and intricate rhythmic interplay characteristic of classic ragtime. Its memorable melody and infectious syncopations quickly made it a cornerstone of the genre, showcasing Joplin's innate gift for crafting instantly appealing yet structurally cohesive musical narratives.
Tragically, Joplin's life ended prematurely in 1917, after suffering from the debilitating effects of dementia and neurosyphilis. His death, in many ways, coincided with the waning of the initial ragtime craze, as new musical forms began to emerge. Despite his profound contributions, Joplin's final resting place remained unmarked for 57 years, a poignant oversight that was finally rectified in 1974 when a proper marker was placed on his grave.
The Entertainer is scored for flute and piccolo, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, piano, and strings.
“Ain't it a Pretty Night” from Susannah (1955)
Carlisle Floyd (1926-2021)
Premiere: February 24, 1955; Florida State University
Carlisle Floyd, regarded by some as the "father of American opera," was a distinctive voice whose works frequently delved into themes rooted in the post-Civil War South, the Great Depression, and the complexities of rural life. Hailing from Latta, South Carolina, Floyd possessed an intimate understanding of the cultural and social fabric he so compellingly brought to the stage.
Susannah, Floyd's third opera and arguably his greatest success, premiered in 1955. It quickly garnered critical acclaim, winning the prestigious New York Music Critics Circle Award for Best New Opera in 1956. The opera remains one of the most frequently performed American operas, second only to Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Notably, Floyd not only composed the music for his operas but also penned his own librettos, a rare feat that allowed for a seamless integration of dramatic narrative and musical expression
Susannah draws its narrative inspiration from the biblical Apocryphal tale of "Susannah and the Elders," transplanted by Floyd to a rural Tennessee setting. The aria "Ain't It a Pretty Night" is a pivotal moment in the opera, offering a glimpse into the inner world of the title character, a young woman ostracized and condemned by her community. Scored for a robust orchestra, the orchestration is both rich and evocative. The music of Susannah, including this aria, is deeply infused with classic American musical idioms, notably Appalachian folk melodies and the powerful vocal traditions of Protestant hymns. In "Ain't It a Pretty Night," one can hear the expansive, uncluttered lines characteristic of folk song, combined with the solemnity and directness often found in sacred music.
“Ain't it a Pretty Night” from Susannah is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings.
“Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Harold Arlen (1905-1986)
Film Premiere: 1939
Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow," with lyrics by E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, stands as one of the recognizable and enduring songs from the Great American Songbook, etched into the cultural consciousness through its performance by Judy Garland in the 1939 musical film, The Wizard of Oz. Sung by Garland in her role as Dorothy Gale, the song serves as the emotional heart of the film, capturing the universal yearning for a better place and a brighter future.
"Over the Rainbow" transcended its cinematic origins almost immediately, garnering an Academy Award for Best Original Song and becoming a signature anthem for Garland. Her poignant and heartfelt delivery imbued the song with a depth of longing and innocence that resonated with audiences worldwide, cementing her status as a global superstar.
Beyond its association with Garland and The Wizard of Oz, the song has achieved the rarefied status of an American standard, reinterpreted by countless artists across diverse genres. Its deceptively simple melody and profound, evocative lyrics speak to themes of hope, escape, and the pursuit of dreams, making it universally relatable. Its enduring cultural significance was further recognized in 2017 when it was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, acknowledging its aesthetic and historical importance to the nation's recorded sound heritage.
“Over the Rainbow” is scored for flute, oboe, two clarinets, bassoon, two horns, trumpet, percussion, and strings.
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