Leroy Anderson was one of America’s finest composers of what is now often called “light music”.
He as a master of the memorable melody and the catchy rhythm. Over the years, he composed or arranged many pieces for the holiday season, including Sleigh Ride and A Christmas Festival.
This podcast looks at a new recording of his holiday music, featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and Leonard Slatkin.
On June 24-just in time for Leroy Anderson’s 100th birthday-Naxos releases the latest addition to its critically-acclaimed series on the composer: Leroy Anderson Orchestral Music, Volume 3, featuring Leonard Slatkin and the BBC Concert Orchestra (Naxos 8559357).
Anderson, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday on June 29, occupied a unique niche in American music: he was a classically-trained composer whose records topped the pop charts, as well as a meticulous, inventive, and precise arranger. Although he labored over every measure he composed, Anderson’s works sounded remarkably effortless. For this first complete cycle of his orchestral music, his family has made several previously unreleased pieces available, with some first recordings scattered among familiar and not-so-familiar titles.
In addition to four world-premiere recordings, Volume 3 includes the notorious musical gem The Typewriter, in which the machine is transformed into a relentlessly busy percussion instrument; the tasteful and heartwarming Suite of Carols for Brass Choir; and Anderson’s biggest hit, Sleigh Ride.
Other works featured on Volume 3 include Harvard Sketches (Lowell House Bells - Freshman in Harvard Square - Widener Reading Room - Class Day Confetti Battle) (1939)*; Melody on Two Notes (1966)*; Mother’s Whistler (1940)* ; The Penny Whistle Song (1951); The Phantom Regiment (1951); Promenade (1951); Sandpaper Ballet (1954); Saraband (1948); Serenata (1947); Old MacDonald Had a Farm (1947); Seventy-Six Trombones (Willson/arr. Anderson) (1958); Wintergreen for President (Gershwin/arr. Anderson) (1932)*; and A Trumpeter’s Lullaby (1949). (Works marked with asterisks are world-premiere recordings.)
Leroy Anderson was one of the finest American composers of light music - a title that belies the skill in writing this kind of music really well. This podcast gives a brief introduction to the composer and his music.
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Leroy Anderson was one of America’s finest composers of what is now often called “light music”.
Anderson, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday on June 29, occupied a unique niche in American music: he was a classically-trained composer whose records topped the pop charts, as well as a meticulous, inventive, and precise arranger. Although he labored over every measure he composed, Anderson’s works sounded remarkably effortless. For this first complete cycle of his orchestral music, his family has made several previously unreleased pieces available, with some first recordings scattered among familiar and not-so-familiar titles.
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