Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Road Trip

Labor Day Road Trip American Music

Labor Day weekend. Road trip!

This week on “The Lost Chord,” I hope you’ll join me for summer’s last hurrah, as we burn rubber with an hour of quintessentially American music about travel by car.

Frederick Shepherd Converse’s “Flivver Ten Million” celebrates the Ford Motor Company’s affordable assembly line automobile, from its creation in a Detroit factory to the manifest destiny of America’s roadways.

John Adams’ “Road Movies” has nothing to do with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, alas; what it is, however, is a violin sonata written firmly within the American tradition, with a special affinity at its core with Copland’s Violin Sonata.

Virgil Thomson’s “Filling Station,” written for Leon Kirstein’s Ballet Caravan, may have the distinction of being the only ballet set at a gas station. The work’s success gave Copland the confidence to follow through on a Caravan commission which resulted in “Billy the Kid.”

Finally, we’ll hear one of Michael Daughtery’s most performed works, the exuberant “Route 66,” inspired by the storied “Main Street of America.”

Put the pedal to the metal. American composers hit the road for Labor Day, on “The Last Roads of Summer,” on “The Lost Chord, now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Clip and save the start times for all three of my recorded shows:

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday at 11:00 AM EDT/8:00 AM PDT

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Stream them, wherever you are, at the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

August 31, 2024
Labor Day Road Trip American Music

Labor Day weekend. Summer’s last hurrah.

It may be the first weekend of September, but there’s still time for one more summer road trip.

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” it’s an hour of quintessentially American music about travel by car.

Frederick Shepherd Converse’s “Flivver Ten Million” traces the Ford Motor Company’s affordable assembly line automobile, from its creation in a Detroit factory to the manifest destiny of America’s roadways.

John Adams’ “Road Movies” has nothing at all to do with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, alas. What it is, however, is a violin sonata written firmly within the American tradition, with a special affinity at its core with Aaron Copland’s Violin Sonata.

Virgil Thomson’s “Filling Station,” written for Leon Kirstein’s Ballet Caravan, may have the distinction of being the only ballet set at a gas station. The work’s success gave Copland the confidence to follow through on another Caravan commission, which resulted in “Billy the Kid.”

Finally, we’ll hear one of Michael Daughtery’s most performed works, the exuberant “Route 66,” inspired by the storied “Main Street of America.”

Put the pedal to the metal. American composers hit the road for Labor Day, on “The Last Roads of Summer,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

September 4, 2022
Road Trip with “The Car” & House on Haunted Hill

You might say Roy and I were “men possessed” last night during our road trip with “The Car” (1977).

Of course, as with any road trip, after a while the fatigue begins to set in, you start to get punchy, not all the witticisms land, and by the end you’re just looking for a restroom.

Still, some of the comments were good. As Phil Merkel observed, “If Satan possessed a Car, what he’d do would be to drive at 25 miles per hour in the fast lane with the left blinker on.”

The conversation is archived for posterity here:

Next week, our topic will be William Castle’s camp classic “House on Haunted Hill” (1959), one of Vincent Price’s most entertaining films. Price plays an eccentric millionaire who invites five people to a spooky mansion for a “haunted house party” in honor of his fourth wife’s birthday. Anyone who can make it through the night will receive $10,000.

It’s evident from the start the millionaire and his wife despise one other. Furthermore, the guests are given party favors in the form of tiny coffins with pistols inside. That’s a pretty good indication that you should probably leave.

Even so, the Price is right, when we discuss “House on Haunted Hill,” on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner. Post your comments in Emergo as we livestream on Facebook, this Friday evening at 7:00 EDT!

https://www.facebook.com/roystiedyescificorner

Watch the haunting trailer now!

October 9, 2021
Summer Road Trip Music Labor Day Special

It may be the First of September, but there’s still time for one last summer road trip.

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” it’s an hour of quintessentially American music about travel by car.

Frederick Shepherd Converse’s “Flivver Ten Million” traces the Ford Motor Company’s affordable assembly line automobile, from its creation in a Detroit factory to the manifest destiny of America’s roadways.

John Adams’ “Road Movies” has nothing at all to do with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, alas. What it is, however, is a violin sonata written firmly within the American tradition, with a special affinity at its core with Aaron Copland’s Violin Sonata.

Virgil Thomson’s “Filling Station,” written for Leon Kirstein’s Ballet Caravan, may have the distinction of being the only ballet set at a gas station. The work’s success gave Copland the confidence to follow through on another Caravan commission, which resulted in “Billy the Kid.”

Finally, we’ll hear one of Michael Daughtery’s most performed works, the exuberant “Route 66,” inspired by the storied “Main Street of America.”

Put the pedal to the metal. American composers hit the road for Labor Day, on “The Last Roads of Summer,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

September 1, 2019
American Composers Road Trip on WPRB

Why is it I feel like Albert Brooks in “Lost in America?” Maybe because I’ve decided to sell my house, liquidate my assets, and drop out of society, “just like in ‘Easy Rider.’” Just kidding. I don’t have any assets. What I do have, however, is a bag full of CDs featuring music by American composers reflective of their experiences traveling across this picturesque country of ours.

We’ll hear works inspired by the nation’s highways and byways, its cities, its vacation spots and its natural wonders. Sure, there’s every chance we may get lost (as in Paul Lansky’s “Travel Music”) or have to top off the tank (as in Virgil Thomson’s “Filling Station”), but that’s all part of the experience, isn’t it?

At any rate, the RV is all gassed up and ready to go. We hit the road from 6 to 11 EDT on WPRB 103.3 FM and at wprb.com. We’ll try not to blow the nest egg, on Classic Ross Amico.

July 28, 2016

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