ep1str0phy Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 People: I'm looking for information on Ornette's Skies of America--not only the recording, but also the history of the symphony in the way of public performance and development. Anything you have--including old reviews of performances and the album (or even personal opinions) would be greatly appreciated. Also, for those scholars here--the history of the composition is storied but somewhat sparsely available. I've already read through the Litweiler and Niklas Wilson books, as well as numerous articles online; I'm still curious as to the specifics of the policy of the British Musicians Union (preventing the OC Quartet from peforming on the album), why Ornette was impelled to work abroad (I would assume this has something to do with the quality of the LSO), and the role of Coleman's Guggenheim grant or any other subsidies in the production of the symphony. Again, anything would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I know it was performed in September of 1983 in Fort Worth, with the Fort Worth Symphony and Prime Time, in conjunction with the opening of the Caravan of Dreams. There are excerpts of the performance in a Shirley Clarke documentary film, Ornette, Made in America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 It was probably flat-out cheaper for Columbia to record it in London. Columbia even recorded the great American composer Aaron Copland in London. This can probably be blamed on the AF of M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest youmustbe Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I think my cousin was in the violin section when it was perfromed in NY. If she was and has any insights I'll pass it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I saw it performed as part of the Newport Jazz Festival in NY when the album came out. It was a double bill: Ornette and band backed by a 40-piece orchestra, then Charlie Mingus (they were both on Columbia, and I think "Let My Children Hear Music" was also recently released). I remember being bored by Skies of America: the orchestra would play a section, then Ornette and band would play a section, then the orchestra, then Ornette, etc - rarely did both play together. Things got much livelier when Mingus hit the stage - he was really funny introducing the pieces, leafing through his sheet music trying to decide what to play, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Link to review of 1983 performance: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...753C1A965948260 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ep1str0phy Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eloe Omoe Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though). Ornette will be performing Skies of America tomorrow evening in Bologna, Italy, with his quartet (Al McDowell, Tony Falanga and Denardo) and the local Symphony Orchestra. In 1990, there have been two Italian performances of Skies of America, one with the Quartet (Ornette, Cherry, Haden, Higgins) and one with Prime Time. The Orchestra conductor was John Giordano. luca Edited October 5, 2006 by Eloe Omoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though). Ornette will be performing Skies of America tomorrow evening in Bologna, Italy, with his quartet (Al McDowell, Tony Falanga and Denardo) and the local Symphony Orchestra. In 1990, there have been two Italian performances of Skies of America, one with the Quartet (Ornette, Cherry, Haden, Higgins) and one with Prime Time. The Orchestra conductor was John Giordano. luca Heck. Talk about a coincidence. I'm going to start an Elvis found on Moon thread and see what happens. On a more serious note, I have a review (at least one) of the London 198x performance - I'll try to find it... Edited October 5, 2006 by David Ayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ep1str0phy Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Thanks for the info, folks. On the level of the London recording: it is reported that Ornette had been rehearsing (prior to recording) with top symphony players (maybe not enough, simultaneously, to record, though). Ornette will be performing Skies of America tomorrow evening in Bologna, Italy, with his quartet (Al McDowell, Tony Falanga and Denardo) and the local Symphony Orchestra. In 1990, there have been two Italian performances of Skies of America, one with the Quartet (Ornette, Cherry, Haden, Higgins) and one with Prime Time. The Orchestra conductor was John Giordano. luca Heck. Talk about a coincidence. I'm going to start an Elvis found on Moon thread and see what happens. On a more serious note, I have a review (at least one) of the London 198x performance - I'll try to find it... I'm familiar with the fact that Giordano reorchestrated the piece, but I'd be interested in knowing just how much (and to what extent) things changed... With regard to the Bologna performance--if that's Ornette's present quartet, what happened to Cohen? Thanks again, guys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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