Marc Blitzstein: Piano Music, 1918–63
The American composer Marc Blitzstein (1905–64) is best known for his left-leaning stage works; indeed, his pro-union musical The Cradle Will Rock achieved some notoriety in 1937 when the authorities shut it down. But Blitzstein was also a fine pianist and wrote for the instrument all through his career. This first album ever to be devoted entirely to his piano output offers a conspectus of 45 years of Blitzstein’s music, from lyrical juvenilia via spiky protest pieces and jazzy dance numbers to intimate ‘family’ pieces for close friends.
Leonard Lehrman, piano; speaker
Helene Williams, speaker
Listen To This Recording:
- Waterfall: Barcarolle, Op. 4, No. 1 (1918)*
- Prelude in C minor (1922)*
- Valse (1923)*
- Children’s Dances: No. 1 Pavane
- Children’s Dances: No. 2 Round
- No. 4. Belly-Ache (A Blues)
- I Toccata
- II Air
- III Rondino
- Scherzo: Bourgeois at Play (1930)*
- No. 1 The Young Son; Abel offers the lamb
- No. 3 Cain and his wife; Cain’s offering; The response
- No. 10 Dance of Noema
- II Cantabile
- Le Monde Libre: March on a French Resistance Tune (1944)*
- Ballet: No. 1 Prelude and Welcome
- Ballet: No. 2 Three-Four Dance (ed. Bennett Lerner)
- Ballet: No. 3 Parade (ed. Leonard Lehrman)
- Ballet: No. 4 Variation II
- Ballet: No. 5 Variation I
- Ballet: No. 6 Hollywood & Vine
- Ballet: No. 7 Pas de deux (ed. Bennett Lerner)
- Innocent Psalm – for the Bernstein baby (1952)*
- Slow March – for Kit’s Wedding (1953)*
- Wedding Piece for Stephen & Joyce (1955)*
- Lied – for Ben Cooper, and his women (1963)*
- Sonata for Piano (1927)**
Children’s Dances (1924)*
Svarga: Suite (1924–25)*
Percussion Music for the Piano (1928–29)
Cain: Ballet (1930)*
Piano Solo (1933)*
Show (The Guests): Ballet (1946–49)
*FIRST RECORDINGS
ALL EXCEPT ** LIVE RECORDINGS
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