"This is a wonderful disc in every respect. Paul Whiteman clarinet/sax player Al Gallodoro passed away a few weeks after this recording was made, at the ripe old age of 95. You'd never guess his age from his playing: whether in the raucous opening glissando of Rhapsody in Blue or in the numerous solo licks elsewhere, he rocks, plain and simple. Lincoln Mayorga also proves to be a fine Gershwin pianist. He gives the music an easy elegance and sophistication that never turns mannered or self-conscious, as so often happens when classical artists attempt what they consider to be a jazz style. More importantly, Steven Richman has assembled (and conducts) a splendid program. Ferde Grofé arranged a bunch of Gershwin songs for the Whiteman band, and they sound marvelous as played here. The sonics are outstanding, capturing the vivid playing with unfailing naturalness. Go for it." (David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday; waardering: een 10 voor zowel uitvoering als registratie. Voor complete recensietekst: klik op link)
"This exemplary two-disc set by the Metropole includes the Grand Canyon Suite (1931), the lesser-known (but thoroughly engaging) four-movement Tabloid Suite: Four Pictures of a Modern Newspaper (1932), and Gershwin's visionary (for its time) Concerto in F (1925) with Jan Willem Nelleke at the piano. This is the first recording in more than seventy years of the Grand Canyon Suite as written for the Whiteman Orchestra (Grofé later re-scored the work for symphony orchestra). For this (and the other masterworks presented here) we must thank Gert-Jan Blom, a longtime admirer of Whiteman and Grofé who is dedicated to documenting the musical treasures of the past, especially those (like the Tabloid Suite ) that have inadvertently eluded history's dragnet. In doing so, he takes every conceivable step to preserve their integrity, relying not on transcriptions but going directly to the original handwritten scores whenever possible to reconstruct the pieces as accurately as one can." (Allaboutjazz)
Ferde Grofé of Ferdinand Rudolph von Grofé (New York, 27 maart 1892 Santa Monica (Californië), 3 april 1972) was een Amerikaans componist die eigenlijk nauwelijks bekend geworden is door zijn eigen muziek. Hij verwierf daarentegen grote bekendheid door zijn arrangement voor George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue. Het enige stuk van hemzelf dat enige bekendheid gekregen heeft is de Grand Canyon Suite.
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