AMERICAN HIGHWAYS PRESENTS MARC BLITZSTEIN, Act 4: “Anarchists at the Opera”
Composer Marc Blitzstein wrote engaging, and politically engaged music all his life. In the early 1960’s he was commissioned to write an opera for the Met in New York, about Sacco and Vanzetti. Immensely controversial, this opera about anarchists was cut short by his murder – in Martinique. Guests on this episode include Leonard Bernstein’s daughter Jamie, and Marc’s nephew, Stephen Davis, as well as conductor John Mauceri and opera buff Fred Plotkin.
This final episode of our four-part radio series tells the story of the end of Marc’s life, and his unfinished ‘masterpiece.’ (was it? we will never know) We also tell the story of the recent revival of his music, and offer some thoughts on what such passionate intensity can mean to us now.
More at GuyLivingston.com/radio
CREDITS: “The Cradle That Rocked: Rediscovering Marc Blitzstein” was hosted and directed by pianist Guy Livingston. This four-part series was produced for Concertzender Radio, Utrecht, The Netherlands; and is distributed by the WFMT Radio Network, Chicago. Funding for this project provided by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc. New York, New York. Administrative support provided by the Transatlantic Foundation for Music and Art. Sound design by Erik Hense.
Marc Blitzstein, arr. Stephen Sondheim
1. Never Get Lost 1:04
2. I Wish It So 3:20
Dawn Upshaw
Electra Nonesuch 79345-2
Marc Blitzstein
3. Piano Sonata (1927)
4. Piano Percussion Music (1929) 1. Toccata
Sarah Cahill
OM 1017-2 (2009)
Marc Blitzstein
5. Piano Concerto_ I. Moderato 1:33
6. Piano Concerto_ III Adagio ma non troppo 1:09
Lukas Foss, Brooklyn Philharmonic & Michael Barrett
CRI CD 554
Gino Paoli
7. Il cielo in una stanza
Mina
Carosello – 300 553-2
Marc Blitzstein
8. Quartet For Strings, movt 3
Del Sol Quartet
OM 1017-2 (2009)
Marc Blitzstein
9. Freedom of the Press
Steven Tyler; Henry Stram; Tim Jerome
RCA Victor 09026-63577-2
Ennio Moricone
10. Speranze Di Liberta’
Ennio Morricone And His Orchestra; Gastone Chiarini, oboe.
RCA Victor 443 013
Marc Blitzstein
11. Nickel Under the Foot
Steven Tyler; Henry Stram; Tim Jerome
RCA Victor 09026-63577-2
Marc Blitzstein
12. The Airborne Symphony – Movement II – Threat And Approach
Bernstein: New York Symphony Orchestra And RCA Victor Chorale With Charles Holland, tenor; Walter Schef, baritone and Robert Shaw, narrator
BMG 09026 61581 2
Marc Blitzstein
13. Stay In My Arms
William Sharp, baritone; Steven Blier, piano
Koch CD 6644
Marc Blitzstein
14. Regina ACT 1_ No. 7c – What will it be
Scottish Opera Orch & Chorus; John Mauceri, Director; Tommy Krasker, producer.
Decca 433 812-2
Ludwig van Beethoven
15. Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major Op. 55 “Eroica”: III. Scherzo
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra & Leonard Bernstein
Deutsche Grammophon DG 474 924-2
Marc Blitzstein
16. Serenade String Quartet mvt 2 “Largo”
Del Sol Quartet
OM 1017-2 (2009)
Marc Blitzstein
17. Piano Concerto_ II Largo assai
Lukas Foss, Brooklyn Philharmonic & Michael Barrett
CRI CD 554
Marc Blitzstein
18. Displaced
William Sharp, baritone; Steven Blier, piano
Koch CD 6644
Marc Blitzstein, arr. Leonard Lehrman
19. With A Woman To Be
Leonard Lehrman And Company
OC 6127 Original Cast Records
Marc Blitzstein
20. Piano Concerto: Largo Assai
Lukas Foss, Brooklyn Philharmonic & Michael Barrett
CRI CD 554
Marc Blitzstein
21. Three Four Dance
22. Pas de Deux
Bennett Lerner
Etcetera 1986 CD KTC 1019
Marc Blitzstein, arr. Stephen Sondheim
23. Never Get Lost
Dawn Upshaw
Electra Nonesuch 79345-2
Marc Blitzstein, arr David Robbins
24. Regina, ACT 3 – No. 9 – Finale
Scottish Opera Orch & Chorus; John Mauceri, Director; Tommy Krasker, producer.
Decca 433 812-2
Steve Reich. The Desert Music.
25. First Movement (Fast).
Chorus of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Michael Tilson Thomas & William Carlos Williams.
Nonesuch
