KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ The Life and Music of Elie Siegmeister, 1 of 2
Analog Audio
Event Type
Interview and MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
AM.1972.07.31.c2.AProgram Length
135 minPart
1 of 2Dates
1972-07-31 | broadcast| 1972-03-24 | created
Description
In a recording made on March 24, 1972 and first broadcast on July 31st of that year, Charles Amirkhanian interviews composer Elie Siegmeister and his wife Hannah, while also playing a wide assortment of Siegmeister’s music. Known for his interest in American music and the plight of the working class, Siegmeister has written art songs, operas, musicals, and film scores, as well as a wide variety of orchestral and chamber works. In this delightful interview Siegmeister disputes Amirkhanian’s attempt to divide his career into an early Americana phase and a later period dedicated to more experimental and abstract music, saying that while certain works may emphasize one aspect more than the other both themes are generally present in all his music. An active composer since at least the 1930s Siegmeister knew many of the great American composers of his time and provides entertaining stories about many of them in this program. Not necessarily a modest man, Siegmeister states that he would be happy if most people spent 12 hours a day listening to his music, and with this program you can get started on fulfilling his wishes.Genres
20th century classicalArt songs
Musical Selections
The Strange Funeral in Braddock, for baritone and piano [text by Michael Gold, ver. 1] (1933) (6.55) / Elie Siegmeister -- The Strange Funeral in Braddock, for bass and piano [text by Michael Gold, ver. 2] (1933) (7:25) / Elie Siegmeister -- Western Suite, for orchestra (1945) (21:00) / Elie Siegmeister -- As I Was Going Along [from the musical “Sing Out Sweet Land”] (1944) (3:18) / [arr. by Elie Siegmeister] -- String Quartet No. 2 (1960) (20:07) / Elie SiegmeisterPerformers
Mordecai Bauman, baritone (Strange ver. 1)Elie Siegmeister, piano ; conductor (Strange ver. 1 ; As I Was)
Herbert Beattie, bass (Strange ver. 2)
Alan Mandel, piano (Strange ver. 2)
Utah Symphony Orchestra (Western)
Maurice Abravanel , conductor (Western)
Alfred Drake, voice (As I Was)
Galimir String Quartet: (Quartet)
Felix Galimir, violin (Quartet)
Marvin Morgenstern, violin (Quartet)
Samuel Rhodes, viola (Quartet)
Charles McCracken, cello (Quartet)
Subjects
20th century classicalArt songs
Songs (Medium voice) with piano
Ballads, English
Songs (Low voice) with piano
Suites (Orchestra)
Musicals -- Excerpts
Folk music, English
String quartets
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by the GRAMMY Foundation.Related places
Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)
Related Entities
Utah Symphony OrchestraGalimir String Quartet
Amirkhanian, Charles
Siegmeister, Elie, 1909-1991
Siegmeister, Hannah
Gold, Michael, 1894-1967
Bauman, Mordecai
Beattie, Herbert
Mandel, Alan, 1935-
Abravanel, Maurice, 1903-1993
Drake, Alfred, 1914-1992
Galimir, Felix
Morgenstern, Marvin
Rhodes, Samuel
McCracken, Charles