jeffw@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff Winslow) (03/05/84)
There is a story that Gershwin went to learn orchestration from Stravinsky,
since while Gershwin was making a lot from his music, it was through
arrangements done by others. (?) Anyway, supposedly Stravinsky said:
"They say you make a million dollars in a year."
G. said, "Well, really it's only about half that."
S. replied, "Even so, will you teach *me* how to write music!"
Another story involving Stravinsky is that, when he wrote a mass (early 60's?)
there were complaints about the length of the Credo. S. simply replied,
"There is much to believe."
Those who see an influence of Gershwin on Ravel might be cautioned to
look at some of Ravel's earlier piano music. In "Oiseaux triste" (1905)
and "Le Gibet" and "Scarbo" (1908) there are several "blue" chords, although
not in a jazzy setting. "Scarbo" also has strong syncopation. So was the
G major concerto influenced by Gershwin or was it just an outgrowth of Ravel's
earlier music? Who knows?
Incidentally, "Scarbo" gets my vote for the most difficult piano work
written before 1945 (or should it be Brahms's 2nd Concerto?). I highly
recommend the Ashkenazy recording - all of the other pianists I've heard
can hardly play the damn thing, let alone play it well. This includes
at least Alicia deLarrocha (sp?), Philippe Entremont, and Beveridge Webster
(who?).
coming un Ravel'ed,
Jeff Winslowrgh@inmet.UUCP (03/11/84)
#R:tekecs:-356600:inmet:6600096:000:915
inmet!rgh Mar 9 10:39:00 1984
I was trying to track down the Gershwin/Ravel story and came across
this interesting sidelight; it's from an essay "The Emergence of Rock",
by Albert Goldman, in New American Review #3:
On two memorable occasions in recent decades, a self-taught
genius of popular music has sought unsuccessfully to study
with a contemporary master. In the twenties George Gershwin
approached Maurice Ravel in Paris, only to be told that there
was no way he could improve what he was already doing so
perfectly. Again in the forties, in New York, Charlie Parker
implored Edgard Varese to take him on in any capacity (even
as a cook) in exchange for lessons in composition. But again
the artist demurred -- not because he lacked appreciation of
Parker's gifts but simply because he could not imagine what
two such sundered arts might have to contribute to each other.
Randy Hudson
{harpo, decvax!cca!ima}!inmet!rgh