KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Ode To Gravity: Interview with Ned Rorem, Nov. 16, 1987

Analog Audio

Event Type

Interview and Music

Origin

KPFA

Identifier

OTG.1987.11.16

Program Series

Ode To Gravity

Program Length

62 min

Dates

| broadcast
| 1987-11-16 | created

Description

Ned Rorem reflects on his work and on being an American composer in this Ode To Gravity program from November 16, 1987. Interviewers Charles Amirkhanian and LaFleur Paysour refer to Rorem's writings in “The Nantucket Diary” and “The Paris Diary” to illustrate various topics including the musical setting of poems, the decline of the art song, and gender and race politics in music. Rorem then offers his opinions on a number of 20th century poets and composers, and registers his distaste for "specialization" in American composition. Rorem also shares anecdotes about his creative process. Musical excerpts include "Spring and Fall", "Air Music", "The Lordly Hudson", and "We Never Said Farewell".

Genres

20th century classical
Art songs

Musical Selections

Spring and Fall (1946) [excerpt] -- Air Music [1st and 2nd variations] -- The Lordly Hudson (1947) -- We Never Said Farewell (1975-76)

Performers

Ned Rorem, piano (Spring ; Hudson ; Farewell)
Donald Gramm, baritone (Spring)
Peter Leonard, conductor (Air)
Louisville Orchestra (Air)
Regina Sarfaty, soprano (Hudson)
Katherine Ciesinski, soprano (Farewell)

Subjects

Composers
Poets
Poetry
Art songs
Pulitzer Prizes
20th century classical
Homosexuality

Related places

Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)
Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)

Related Entities

Charlotte Observer
Louisville Orchestra
Rorem, Ned, 1923-
Amirkhanian, Charles
Farrow, Tony
Paysour, LaFleur
Gramm, Donald
Leonard, Peter, 1952-
Sarfaty, Regina
Ciesinski, Katherine