Paul Whiteman - Carnegie Hall Concert: December 25, 1938

Title: Carnegie Hall Concert: December 25, 1938 Artist: Paul Whiteman Release Date: 2005 Label: Nostalgia Arts Duration: 136:09 Album Type(s): live, Special essay (music history, styles, etc.), composition (work) description UPC: 717101302529 Genre: Classical Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 2

1. The Eighth Experiment in Modern American Music, Dec. 25, 1938
   - Introduction by Deems Taylor
2. The Farmer Leaves the Hay (orch. Bargy)
3. Blue Belle of Harlem, for orchestra
4. Cowbell Serenade, for orchestra
5. Quonk
6. The Seventh Day
7. The Bell Fugue, for orchestra
8. St. Louis Blues, song
9. Gay Mood, Peasant Song, and Finale, Opus 1, for orchestra

1. Cuban Overture
2. The Eighth Experiment in Modern American Music, Dec. 25, 1938
   - Talk
3. Nursery Ballet, for piano (orch. by R.Bargy)
4. Bumpy Weather Over Newark
5. Suicide Cliff
6. Mexican Jumping Bean
7. Trylon and Persiphere, for orchestra (revised as "Black Gold")
8. Shadrack
9. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
10. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grofé)

"An Experiment in Modern Music" was what bandleader Paul Whiteman termed the legendary concert held at Aeolian Hall on February 12, 1924, that introduced George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. It was the first installment in a series of eight Whiteman concert programs publicized under that designation appearing over a 14-year span. In these programs, Whiteman would highlight progressive trends in popular orchestral music and went out of his way to embrace works written by the newest composers, in addition to premiering new pieces written by established names. Only one of these concerts exists in recorded form, and that is for the final "Experiment in Modern Music" held at Carnegie Hall on Christmas Day 1938. This is what we hear, in the best sound that live recording could deliver in 1938, on the Nostalgia Arts release Paul Whiteman: Carnegie Hall Concert December 25, 1938.

This 1938 recording is a time capsule of innovative currents in popular American orchestral music of the day. The musical contributions of young Turks such as Morton Gould, Raymond Scott, Artie Shaw, and Bert Shefter appear alongside that of older Whiteman associates such as Roy Bargy, Ferde Grofé, Fred Van Eps, Jack Teagarden, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong, whose guest spot closes the program proper. Whiteman does not neglect the work of his recently departed friend George Gershwin, delivering a scintillating performance of the Cuban Overture in addition to the customary Rhapsody in Blue, which by that time brought every Whiteman orchestra performance to its conclusion. The Trylon and Perisphere of Ferde Grofé is given a blazing performance that brings the Carnegie audience to its feet.

The sound, taken directly from a New York City "pipeline" rather than from a radio broadcast, is excellent, though there are moments when soloists, or sections, do not come through entirely and the comments of Deems Taylor are a bit swallowed by the recesses of Carnegie Hall. Far from being mere nostalgia, this will be like a dream come true for those who have an interest in American music of the 1930s. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Gallodoro Clarinet, Sax (Alto) Aldo Ricci Violin Alex Levine Violin Anton Malay Oboe Art Drelinger Clarinet (Bass), Clarinet, Sax (Tenor) Art Ryerson Guitar Artie Shaw Clarinet Bob Alexy Trumpet Bob Cusmano Trumpet Carl A. Hällström Reissue Producer Charlie Teagarden Trumpet Chauncey Brown Percussion Dave Harris Sax (Tenor) Deems Taylor Announcer Domingo Guido Bass Don Rayno Liner Notes Emanuel Green Violin Ewald Faltine Violin Frank Gallodoro Sax (Tenor), Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass) Frank Signorelli Piano George Ford Oboe, Horn (English), Piccolo George Wettling Drums Goldie Goldfield Trumpet Harold Feldman Piccolo, Oboe, Horn (English) Harry Bransky Viola Harry London Bass Harry Struble Violin Isidor Epstein Viola Isidor Pressman Viola Jack Eaton Violin Jack Teagarden Trombone Jackie Bell Piccolo, Sax (Baritone), Oboe, Sax (Alto), Flute Jacob Altschuler Viola Jascha Rushkin Violin Julius Schacter Violin Kurt Dieterle Violin Louis Armstrong Vocals Maurice Ancher Violin Max Miller Violin Miff Mole Trombone Mike Pingatore Banjo Morris Kirchner Bassoon Murray Cohan Oboe, Piccolo, Sax (Alto), Flute, Sax (Baritone) Nat Reines Bassoon Norman McPherson Tuba Paul Whiteman Leader Paul Whiteman Orchestra Orchestra Pete Pumiglio Clarinet Rafael Galindo Violin Rosa Linda Piano Roy Bargy Piano Russ Case Trumpet Salvator Franzella Clarinet, Sax (Alto) Sam Levine Viola Sam Verber Violin Samuel Zimbalist Viola Solomon Deutsch Viola Tom Richley Percussion Toots Mondello Alto Vincent Capone Flute, Sax (Tenor) Vincent Grande Trombone Vladimir Siroido Violin Walter Gross Piano William Lockwood Violin Willliam Dembinsky Violin