Rorem: Three Symphonies

Universally recognized as a great master of modern song-writing, Rorem has always continued composing orchestral music but has received few performances, writing, as he has, in a tonal idiom alien to the atonal and experimental practices of the day. When Leonard Bernstein gave the first performance of Rorem’s Third Symphony with the New York Philharmonic in 1959, it signaled a significant triumph for his orchestral music, but the path ahead would remain thorny. When the now famous diaries were published, it brought Rorem a great deal of notoriety and controversy, but it did not translate into performances of his orchestral music. Respected and admired by colleagues, Rorem has continued writing the kind of music that he believes in, and over the past decade, with the universal change in composing styles, performances of his music have mounted constantly. – José Serebrier Album Description

A Belated Look at Ned Rorem's Symphonies

In 2003, in celebration of the composer's 80th birthday, Naxos released as part of its "American Classics" series a collection of three early symphonies by Ned Rorem beautifully performed by Jose Serebrier conducting the Bouremouth Symphony Orchestra. Serebrier also wrote the informative liner notes for this release, with comments on each symphony provided by Rorem.

The CD was received with deserved interest and accolades, as Rorem's orchestral music, particularly the symphonies, had been little-known and little recorded. Prior to this CD, Naxos had released a selection of Rorem's songs with Carol Farley singing and Rorem himself at the piano together with a CD of chamber music. Following this CD of Rorem's symphonies, Naxos has released two additional CDs consisting of Rorem concertos for various instruments.

I only had the opportunity to listen to this CD recently and may have missed something of the initial enthusiasm resulting from the discovery of this neglected music. In the interim, I had the opportunity to hear other works by Rorem and by other American composers on Naxos. This exposure to other contemporary American works may have helped shape my perspective on this music.

The three symphonies on this CD were written relatively early in Rorem's career in 1950, 1956, and 1958. Of the group, the third symphony was premiered by Leonard Bernstein in 1959 and received an early recording by Maurice Abravanel but otherwise, up until this release, was infrequently performed. The first and second symphonies are even more obscure.

I enjoyed these symphonies. Music lovers are in Naxos's debt for this and other recordings of deserving American music. The symphonies are tonal in character and readily accessible. They are melodic, on the whole, and their orchestration is particularly imaginative. The symphonies are kaleidescopic, as within each movement the tempo and tone of the work often shifts rapidly. The word most frequently used for these symphonies is "cinematic." Because of their breadth and accessibility, I felt I was listening to music that properly could accompany a large, dramatic movie.

My favorite of these works was the five-movement symphony no. 3 with the variety of its musical language. The work opens with a flourish in the baroque musical form of the passaglia, followed by two short movements" a brusque scherzo and a song-like largo. The pastoral fourth movement features an English horn solo and the finale is boisterous with a collage of elements.

The rarely-performed first symphony is in four short movements with, again, a brassy opening movement, a pastoral,second movement showing French influence, a melodic third movement, and another bumptious finale.
The even rarer second symphony opens with a lengthy (15 minute) movement of changing patterns. The much shorter second and third movements are, respectively, lyrical and distinctively American, and quick, lively and bumptious.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to explore these fine symphonies as they include much delightful music and helped me further explore the work of American composers. I am not sure whether these works, with the possible exception of the third symphony, will ever enter the active repertoire of American music. They seem to me somewhat patchy and also derivative of the work of other American composers of tonal music, including Bernstein, Copland, and Schuman. Be that as it may, the symphonies are worth hearing.

As Ned Rorem aptly said in the comments he supplied for the liner notes, the symphonies have been made accessible and "now we must let the music sing for itself."

Robin Friedman August 20, 2007

Go overseas to get the best of America

I've only recently truly discovered Ned Rorem. After hearing a performance of the String Quartet No. 4, by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra for a new balllet by Helgi Tomasson, I was hooked. I immediately ordered the quartet and this CD, the 3 Symphonies. I was truly amazed! An American contemporary composer who uses actual melody and harmony! Not as a sellout, but in new and creative ways. A lush, surprising, and uniquely American music. CDs like this rekindle my belief in "new music." It's not ALL "oop-eep-aop" created by some mathematical formula, or endless repeated sonorities..over and over until you want someone to put you out of your misery (Glass anyone?).
The performances of the Symphonies on this CD are professional and passionate, I only wish I could find an American Orchestra performing Ned Rorem's works (are you listening Mr. Thomas?). May 15, 2007

Don't pass this one up!

First of all, I've written a few reviews without hailing Naxos for offering some of the most interesting music (especially 20th century) at the most unbelievable prices. Don't think these are lesser cds because of the price.

As far as Rorem goes, we owe it to ourselves to check out this amazing American music. While Ned is chillin' on Martha's Vinyard writing some of the most beautiful music, we go to concerts and hear the same old Mozart, Beethoven, and Dvorak. Not to preach, but we should be seeing Rorem, Piston, Barber, Bloch, Harris, Creston, and Hovhaness on the program too to let audiences know that we have interesting American composers.

Rorem states on this disk that ..."when my second symphony was resurrected (for this disk), it had not been heard in 43 years, so I had to strain my memory for the program notes..." Shame, shame, shame. August 30, 2006

Rorem's Stunning, Cinematic-Sounding Symphonies Produce Transcendent Moments of Beauty

Despite his prolific output of musical compositions, American composer Ned Rorem has written just four symphonies in his lengthy career, three of which are included in this beautifully recorded disc played impeccably by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of José Serebrier. Yet, his decidedly idiosyncratic style is recognizable with its effusively tonal quality. With the exception of the opening of the second symphony, the movements are relatively brief but stunningly melodic, and in aggregate, they are quite entertaining in an almost cinematic manner akin to Copland and especially Bernstein. This also marks the premiere recordings of Symphonies No 1 and No. 2, reason enough to purchase this bargain-priced CD.

The disc opens with Rorem's most recent and masterful work, 1958's five-movement Symphony No. 3, which contains a dizzying array of musical expressions beginning with the subdued, mysterious-sounding albeit brief "Passacaglia". Its feeling of containment is broken free by the jazz-oriented second movement, "Allegro molto vivace", filled with a cacophony of percussive rhythms that sounds like a tribute to Bernstein's "On the Town". This leads into the dream-like state of the "Largo", the third movement, which segues nicely into the fourth movement, the impressionistic "Andante", with its persistently wistful tone. The percussion returns in the form of castanets and drums for the fifth and final movement, "Allegro molto", a fitting conclusion that encompasses all the sounds of the previous movements.

Symphony No. 1, Rorem's earliest piece from 1950, starts with an intoxicating pastoral quality in "Maestoso" that continues to suspend reality in the second movement, "Andantino". He achieves an even fuller sound on "Largo", the third movement, with the complementary combination of flute, oboe and strings, and then builds the tempo considerably with an animated sense of joy on the fourth movement, "Allegro", which was apparently inspired by an Arab wedding tune Rorem heard in Morocco. His Second Symphony from 1956 concludes the recording, and it opens with "Broad, Moderate", an extended passage of orchestral melancholy, beautiful yet unrelentingly sad until it livens up into a more rhythmic melody midway through the fifteen-minute movement. The brief second movement, "Tranquillo", may be my favorite moment on the disc with successive turns on flute, strings and clarinet that meld beautifully into a cinematic landscape. The equally brief last movement, "Allegro", almost sounds like a passage from "West Side Story" with its bright propulsive rhythms. Overall this is a stunning work by any measure. July 12, 2006

Great Recording, Good Music

I purchased this music because I had never heard of Ned Rorem. When I first listened to these symphonies I was not impressed: wandering, whimsical music punctuated by loud bass drum and brass. All three selections seemed to be quite similar. However, I listened again (actually two more times) on my Bose noise-cancelling head set and was able to grow an appreciation for Rorem's work. These works are beautiful and deserve attention -- definitely not "background" stuff while one dines.
The performance and the quality of the disc are excellent. March 10, 2006

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