Feeling Blue?
Dunno if it's the temperature that is approaching zero where I live, and rapidly, I might add, or what, but I'm feeling (probably looking, too) a bit blue. So what better to lift the spirit than a bit of music from the son of Russian Jewish immigrant parents who wrote one of the most quintessential pieces of American music. How about none other than George Gershwin himself playing the George Gershwin composition Rhapsody in Blue. Solo. (In two parts, darn the technology.) But the playing will blow you away if you have never heard it before.
By Maggie, Sunday, 16 December , 2007 @ 9:46 pm
Hey, Gaius -
I’m feeling a little “blue” too.
Just saw the news that one of my all time favorite singer/song writers lost his battle with cancer early this morning at his home in Maine.
Dan Fogelberg.
http://music.aol.com/news/headlines
["Dan Fogelberg, who rose to fame in the '70s as one of the stars of the soft rock movement, succumbs to cancer after a three-year illness. He was 56."]
A lot of great memories in his music for me, especially the early stuff.
Not a very good video clip, but it stands as one of my all time favorite Fogelberg (with flutist Tim Weisberg - “Twin Sons of Different Mothers”) songs.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d6BuOy_b7E8
There are more recognizable Fogelberg songs (later stuff) most especially “The Run For The Roses” which is played for the Kentucky Derby for the last several years.
G-d bless, Dan.
By Gaius, Sunday, 16 December , 2007 @ 10:11 pm
To the morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daZhgvIu3UM
What a horribly young age to pass on at. Rest in peace.
By AYY, Sunday, 16 December , 2007 @ 10:40 pm
Sorry to hear about Fogelberg.
As for Gershwin, can’t agree. I never thought his concert pieces were any good, although some of his vocal music was. In fact I think anyone who would write a piece entitled An American in Paris doesn’t understand what music’s about and what it’s limitations are.
By Gaius, Sunday, 16 December , 2007 @ 10:59 pm
I don’t understand that one, AYY. Gershwin’s American in Paris is his musical interpretation of the time he spent in that city.
By Gaius, Sunday, 16 December , 2007 @ 11:22 pm
Tacoma Youth Symphony (they’re quite good) doing the entire An American in Paris:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VZAnRg8Jcs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLXRWd1qHf0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttSnTzIsBas