"Rhapsody in Blue"
The style of another concerto included in the album is completely different from that of Mozart. This is the Piano Concerto No. 1 completed by Russian composer Shostakovich in 1933. In the final movement of Shostakovich's concerto, trumpet and piano play almost equally important roles, just like Shostakovich's challenge to the traditional Russian concerto creation model. Accompanied by Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Previn played this concerto with great brilliance. The other two concertos are Gershwin's Concerto in F major and "Rhapsody in Blue", with Previn as soloist and conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Concerto in F major was premiered by conductor Damrosch after the success of "Rhapsody in Blue". For many years, pianists who have mainly played traditional serious music have been unable to grasp the essence of these two concertos, despite their superb skills, because they do not understand jazz. This was certainly not a problem for Previn, because he could completely master the jazz elements of the F major Concerto and "Rhapsody in Blue."
Recent works
Most of the recordings are Previn's works in recent years, and he is in excellent condition in terms of physical fitness and creativity. These pieces of music are all taken from Gershwin's musicals. Previn selected some familiar melodies and interpreted them in an indirect way that did not deviate from the original works. "Somebody's Watching Me" from 1926's Oh Kay! "; "Hold You" is a selection from 1930's "Crazy Girl"; "S'wonderful" is Previn's improvisation of a theme from 1927's "Funny Face". "The Man I Love" was originally written for another work in 1927; the rhythm and groove in "I Got a Rhythm" were all composed by Previn, and the melody also came from "Crazy Girl". Performing Poulenc's works Previn also often performed Poulenc's works. Poulenc and Gershwin were both very good pianists, but Poulenc not only wrote instrumental music, he also composed orchestral music. Although piano teacher Wiener always encouraged him to develop into composition, Poulenc's composition skills can be said to be almost self-taught. The three pieces "Pastoral", "Touch" and "Hymn" may seem simple, but in fact they are very difficult to perform. Among them, "Like Fire" "Touch Technique" is the most frequently performed song. Even though the notes are pouring out like an earthquake, "Presto" is still poetic in the oars. It is Horowitz's favorite encore piece, and it was also the work that Poulenc dedicated to Horowitz in 1934. Composing for Bourdet's Comedy Poulenc was commissioned to compose the music for Bourdet's Comedy, using an orchestra consisting of nine woodwinds, harpsichord and drums. Poulenc adapted it into a piano solo in 1936, which is the "French Suite" included here. The last piece, "Sentimental", was written by Poulenc for Datouch. Datush was originally a taxi and ambulance driver, but it didn't take long for him to become Gangplank's exclusive driver and closest friend. The relationship between the two was that of father and friend, so the steel concerto Poulenc wrote in 1949 was dedicated to Datouche and the French soprano Duval at the same time. Department representative records Some of Previn’s representative records: Dvo?ák’s “Complete Slavic Dances” and “Cello Concerto”
Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" "
Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition"
Offenbach's "Joie de Paris" Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Prokofiev's Symphonies No. 1 and 5" "Violin Concerto No. 2"
Saint-Sa?ns "Carnival of the Animals" Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra