With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s hardly surprising our thoughts, memories, and desires would be full of home. It’s a good time then to listen to John Fitz Rogers’ “Magna Mysteria.”
This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll hear this 2010 work, which weaves together Latin biblical texts and poetic verse of the 6th century philosopher Boethius, to elevate the idea of home – and the seeking of home – to a metaphorical or spiritual realm. If you have a fondness for the choral music of Morten Lauridsen or Stephen Paulus, I think you’ll really enjoy this, though Rogers is very much his own man. The music is tonal, melodic, and quite lovely.
Also on the program will be Aaron Copland’s “Letter from Home,” from 1943-44. The work was commissioned by Paul Whiteman for his Radio Hall of Fame Orchestra, and suggests the emotions of an American soldier, as he experiences a bittersweet reprieve, if only for a few moments, while savoring a letter from his family.
In a year when reunions may be difficult to achieve, home is in our hearts. I hope you’ll join me for “Homebodies,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
This week on “Picture Perfect,” it will be a much-needed reality check, as we pause to give thanks for the blessings of family, community, and country. Join me for selections from “The Cummington Story” (Aaron Copland), “Field of Dreams” (James Horner), “The Best Years of Our Lives” (Hugo Friedhofer), and “Lincoln” (John Williams). We’ll tune out the noise and focus on what’s really important for Thanksgiving, on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, this Saturday evening at 6:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
PHOTO: Homer’s homecoming in “The Best Years of Our Lives”
There’s more to Thanksgiving than just turkey and football. This week on “Picture Perfect,” we count our blessings and aspire to do better, with music from movies reflective of what’s best in human nature and most admirable in the American character.
Aaron Copland’s work on “The Cummington Story” (1945), a semi-documentary produced by the Office of War Information, underscores the gradual acceptance of European war refugees into a cautious but fundamentally decent New England community. The music is pure Americana, with some of the material later finding its way into Copland’s Clarinet Concerto and “Down a Country Lane.”
“Field of Dreams” (1989) is one of those rare films that has the ability to reduce manly men – even those without father issues – to a pool of tears. Phil Alden Robinson’s superior adaptation of W.P. Kinsella’s novel, “Shoeless Joe,” is a male wish-fulfillment fantasy, in which a man finds redemption, and a new understanding of his father, in the enchanted cornfields of America’s heartland. And it’s all brought about courtesy of America’s pastime, baseball. The evocative score, much indebted to Copland, is by James Horner.
“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946) is one of the great American classics. This touching film tells the tale of the three WWII veterans struggling to readjust to civilian life. It isn’t easy, but with the support of family and friends, there’s plenty of hope for the future. Hugo Friedhofer wrote the Academy Award-winning score, earning the film one of its seven Oscars. The orchestrations were by Copland protégé (and composer of “The Big Country”) Jerome Moross.
Finally, Daniel Day-Lewis elevated Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” (2012) to greatness with one of the uncanniest performances ever captured on film. Day-Lewis’ gentle but shrewd Man of Destiny would go to any lengths to hold the country together. John Williams tapped into America’s proud musical heritage, clearly influenced by Copland and Ives to create a score of stirring nobility.
I hope you’ll join me as we give thanks for family, community and country on “Picture Perfect,” music for the movies, this Saturday evening at 6:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.
And thank you, YouTube, for making “The Cummington Story” available online!
Watching it again, it’s interesting to reflect on what an influence, for good or ill, media and government have had in shaping the popular consciousness.
It is my hope that you’re just about off the roads by the time I’m on the air this afternoon. But in the event that you are stuck in traffic, there’s no reason you should endure it in silence. Drown out your invective, or that of your loved ones, with three hours of musical reminders of why we should all give thanks.
If you’re lucky enough already to be home, perhaps you’re trying to get a leg up on tomorrow’s meal – or a drumstick, as the case may be. I’ve got plenty of music for you, too, to set the mood, while you’re in the process of setting the table. If the music makes your preparations that much more pleasurable, you can always send me a piece of pie.
Either way, I am thankful to have you in the audience. There is no radio without somebody there to appreciate it. If you’ve supported The Classical Network recently with a financial contribution, thank you. If something I’ve played has touched you or caught your interest, thank you for that, as well. It’s important to me that these composers and these recordings endure.
At 6:00, it’s another “Music from Marlboro.” I’ll supply a little cranberry sauce, with Antonin Dvořák’s “American” String Quintet (not to be confused with his more famous “American” QUARtet), along with some potatoes-and-gravy Vincent Persichetti and Elliot Carter.
I hope you’ll join me for a late afternoon/early evening full of harvest, hymns and pilgrims, from 4 to 7 p.m. EST. It’s my way of wishing you a happy Thanksgiving, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
