My beloved wife Tammy has ordered me to go to the computer and update my Status. ----I shall be a dutiful member of the modern media universe.---- Heres whats up. The new year began with the magnificent Opera Star Renée Fleming asking me to arrange the Anthem for her to sing at the Super Bowl. I had arranged it twice before, once for Mary J Blige and the Boston Symphony and, most notably for me, for Leonard Slatkin, the multi-Grammy winning conductor who wanted a new version to celebrate the National Symphonys 75th anniversary in Washington. Leonard has been a hero of mine for years because he has championed so much great American contemporary music like David Del Tredicis Falling Alice, William Bolcoms Songs of Innocence and Experience and a lot of Coriglianos work, (not to mention Leonards brilliant wife, Cindy McTee, a world class composer.) To arrange the Banner for him was a big deal and I dare say that arrangement really went beautifully and I was asked to allow its performance in other venues which was great. The Star Spangled Banner is beleaguered and beat up so much. It is over sung and over arranged and put down as a awkward and unappealing piece. I feel the opposite. From a melodic standpoint, even though it is a bit%! to sing (especially if you dont choose keys wisely), the melodic arc and words are exquisite. I am arranging it for Renée with full orchestra and chorus and am treating it as a sacred piece. There will be rich harmonizations and some nice turns of phrase but we will be faithful to its core. I believe they want Renée because she is such an American treasure and an emblem of the best of the Arts in New York City. The arrangement must honor the song, be simple and pure and just create a bit of beauty around that wondrous voice. I am in the midst of it now. On another note, I urge you to watch the Public Television Special called Sting-The Last Ship. We performed the cycle of songs Sting wrote for his upcoming theatre piece The Last Ship at the Public Theater in October. Radical Media filmed the event beautifully and the great director Joe Mantello came in and helped Sting and Kathy Schenker, Stings longtime manager, put the night together. PBS is broadcasting it in February. Its a beautiful piece of work. I musically directed it and make a fool of myself behind the Keyboard and Guitar. Watching oneself on video is painful. The faces, the freaking faces??!! Lord help us! It is a great concert though and some of Stings longtime musicians surpass themselves. Dominic Miller on Electric Guitar, the great Kathryn Tickell on Violin and Pipes, Peter Tickell on Fiddle and Mandolin, Ira Coleman on Bass, Joe Bonadio on Percussion, Julian Sutton on Melodeon, Jo Lawry on Vocals and the Jimmy Nail, Stings compadre from Newcastle as our special guest. Stings lyrics and rich music capture the shipbuilding industry and the people whose lives revolved around it perfectly. Its uncanny. Last year at this time I was heading out to MD the Bruce Springsteen tribute Grammy week. I arranged a number of things on Bruces new High Hopes record which is number one on the Billboard charts this week. Time Magazine gave it a super catty review about it being leftovers. Bruce doesnt make leftovers. He will work tirelessly and passionately on a set of songs and then wake up and write one that suggests a different journey. That may take him into a whole new writing jag and that will suggest a different record. Wrecking Ball was that way. He had written some extraordinary material and then Wrecking Ball just happened, an entire set of material that almost willed itself into being. Ron Aniello, who has produced Bruces last two records, clued me in on all this. There is some great %$#! on High Hopes and I recommend it. I am staying home Grammy week this year. I have a bit of time where I may try to finally finish Wheelbarrow after I get the Super Bowl thing done. One last thing: I got a chance to talk and consult with Sting and Paul Simon about the repertoire for their tour which was an honor. Talk about two bodies of work!! The songs, the songs.............................. Love and peace and good music to all of you in 2014. Loving the relatively new National record, the Jonathan Biss Beethoven sonata series and the complete Bach Cantatas by John Eliot Gardiner. Looking forward to the new Beck and St. Vincent. Rock forth all!!
Posted on: Fri, 24 Jan 2014 01:33:36 +0000
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