Remembering JFK - 50th Anniversary Concert

This new release from Ondine is actually two historical musical documents in one. The first CD is a recording of the 50th Anniversary Concert held at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra lead by Christoph Eschenbach. This January, 2011 event took place 50 years after the January 19, 1961 Inaugural Concert for the president-elect, John F. Kennedy. The second disc has some excerpts from that historic concert. The centerpiece of the 2011 concert is a newly-commissioned work by Peter Lieberson, "Remembering JFK, an American Elegy." Modeled along the lines of Copland's "Lincoln Portrait," the music blends quotations from JFK's speeches along with orchestral accompaniment that sets the tone for the words. It's an interesting work that sounds distinctively American, without being either crassly patriotic nor excessively maudlin. Richard Dreyfuss narrates with gravity and conviction. I'm used to hearing Kennedy's New England delivery, so I found Dreyfuss sounding a little too nasal for my taste. But that's just me. The concert includes Leonard Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances from 'West Side Story," and his "Fanfare for the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy." The orchestra delivers effective performances of both these works. The concluding work is Gershwin's "Concerto in F" with pianist Tzimon Barto. Barto plays with fire and conviction, but leans more towards a classical rather than a jazz-inflected performance. The Concerto has never enjoyed the popularity of the "Rhapsody in Blue," and the serious-minded interpretation it receives here may be part of the reason why. That's not to say Eschenbach and the NSO don't do the work justice, it's just that this is a very good -- rather than great -- performance. The second disc features some commentary and performances from the 1961 Inaugural Concert held in Constitution Hall. Washington was paralyzed by a blizzard, and many of the guests (and performers) had difficulty making it to the concert. Even the President-Elect and First Lady had to walk to the event! Color commentary from the Mutual Radio Network broadcast is included, and for me, that alone is worth the price of admission! Tony Martin, Bill Evanson, and Dorice Bell were professionals trained in a style of announcing that's now long out of fashion. Despite the chaotic nature of the concert that was somewhat improvised due to the weather, they remain unflappable, brilliantly describing the scene in clear, well-articulated sentences with every syllable rolling effortlessly and beautifully off their tongues. And the music's a treat, too. Included is John La Montaine's work "From Sea to Shining Sea," commissioned for the event. Maestro Howard Mitchell and members of the National Symphony Orchestra (I don't think all the performers ever made it to the event)do a fine job with this pleasant occasional work. Also included is part of Randall Thompson's "Testament of Freedom" a choral setting of Thomas Jefferson's writings, played with the composer in the audience! The work was to have been performed by the combined male choirs of the predominantly white Georgetown University Glee Club and the black Howard University Choir. A heavily symbolic performance that would have presaged an important stance of the new administration. Unfortunately, the Howard choir was stuck in the snow, and so the work was only performed with the Georgetown U. Glee Club. The Glee Club sounds a little anemic -- those Howard voices were sorely missed. With the two choirs, I think the music would have had a greater impact. Still, the work's inclusion makes a nice compliment to disc one's "Remembering JFK." The CD concludes with Earl Wild performing Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." It's an interesting contrast to disc one's "Concerto in F." I don't know if Earl Wild is a necessarily a better technician than Tzimon Barto, but the music just seems to flow from his fingers. Wild captures the improvisatory nature of Gershwin's music, and manages to make this well-know work sound as if he's making it up on the spot. And the enthusiastic response by the audience confirms that this was indeed, a great performance. Overall, "Remembering JFK" is a treasure. The commissioned works are welcome additions to the repertoire, the 2011 concert is immensely enjoyable, and the 1961 concert recording is a wonderful historical document to a truly exciting musical event.

This is a treasurable release, unfortunately marred by an idiosincratic performance of the piano concerto. As Ondine has done over the years the sound is absolutely sspectacular on the first CD. Some odd balances aside, this ia a live recording and the sound is as powerful as being on first row. The Lieberson piece, a proto 'Lincoln-Portrait' of JFK is not very engaging, definitely low key. As good as Dreyfus delivery is, when you only listen and don't see, his voice comes up as nasal and not very pleasant. Eschenbach does a good job, marred only by a very idiosincratic performance of Gershwin's concerto. When you have such a muscular piece and endulge in ralentandos, dimimnuendos and crecscendos, the only thing you accomplish is to call attention to yourself, not the music. There were times when I was saying: "c'mon, get it on with!". A pity, because I loved the sound. The second CD is an historical broadcast relique, worth listening to since it is indeed from a culture long gone by. You may find all that a bit affected and elitist, but it takes you to the moment and another time. I found the symphonic poem by Lamontaine rather memorable, yet probably a bit superficial with repeated hearings; certainly a piece-d'ocassion, as it was. The performance of Rhapsody in Blue captures Earl Wild at his prime; incredible dazzling virtuosity. From this second CD I have to admit that the NSO proved really a good band then and the almost forgotten Howard Mitchell a very good conductor. Caveats aside, this remains a great buy, and those in charge of production should be congratulated.

This 2-CD album was released by the Finish (as in Finland) label Ondine - but distributed in the US by Naxos - a bit surprising since it's really aimed at Americans. The primary CD (the second is listed as a "bonus CD") presents a major part of the concert held in January 2011 at the Kennedy Center in Washington commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy. (Can it really be 50 years, already??). For the occasion, the National Symphony Orchestra played a new work (lead by maestro Christoph Eschenbach) composed by Peter Lieberson that incorporates excepts from three JFK speeches. This commission - Remembering JFK - includes speech excerpts chosen by JFK speechwriter Ted Sorenson, which are read by actor Richard Dreyfuss. The balance of the recording consists of the "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story" by Bernstein and Gershwin's "Concerto in F" with Tzimon Barto at the piano. The Bernstein and Gershwin pieces are so commonly performed - and there is nothing special about this performance. The Lieberson piece (yes, he is the son of Columbia Records President Goddard Lieberson!) is also nothing special. It's a tone poem supporting the readings. Dreyfuss' voice is way too soft in tone ( the "Ask not what your country can do for you......" section is almost wimpy; JFK shouted these words for emphasis) and the recording mix (this is 2011) places Dreyfuss almost behind the orchestra and they drown him out - even in the quiet sections. Personally, I found this a big disappointment. BUT, then there is the matter of the "bonus disc". This 44-minute-plus disc contains significant "excerpts" from the radio broadcast version of the 1961 Inaugural concert held the night before JFK took the oath of office. It comes from the Mutual Radio Network broadcast and has never been issued before. It is FABULOUS - and highly entertaining. There is commentary from the radio host Tony Marvin (best known to old timers as Arthur Godfrey's announcer on TV and radio) and "color commentary" on the dress that Jackie Kennedy was wearing -as well as JFK's suit - by two Mutual reporters. This 1961 night was special because there was a blizzard in Washington and - you will hear from the periodic commentary by Marvin - a few of the scheduled performers (violinist Mischa Elman and the WHOLE Howard University Chorus!) couldn't get to the venue (Constitution Hall). The music consists of a then-newly piece "From Sea To Shining Sea" and the first movement of a lesser-known 1943 composition composed by Randall Thompson. To end the evening, pianist Earl Wild performed Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" - a piece which became a standard in Wild's career. The sound from the 1961 broadcast is almost as good as that of the concert 50 years later - and the music is more interesting (at least to me.) Throw in the fascinating commentary (I'll leave you to discover some of the other "gems" from Marvin for yourself) - which is indexed so you can skip to the performance on repeat listening - and it's a truly entertaining experience. Of course, I wished that Ondine had included the full program, not just excerpts. But, there could be reasons for that. I grew up in the "Kennedy Generation" and - like many - remember where I was when he was inaugurated, and when he was assassinated. The 2011 concert didn't bring back any of those moments. But, the 1961 concert broadcast certainly did. Maybe it will for you. Steve Ramm "Anything Phonographic"

This is a 'live' recording of a 2011 concert conducted by Christoph Eschenbach marking the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's Inaugural Concert of 1961. It includes the world premiere of Peter Lieberson's Remembering JFK, which struck me as worthy but dull, not helped by Richard Dreyfuss' flat narration. This sort of thing was done so much better by Copland (his Lincoln Portrait). There is a performance of Gershwin's Piano Concerto with a very disengaged-sounding Tzimon Barto; the slow movement, usually 10-11 minutes, here takes 15:40! The performance of the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story is very good but on its own can't rescue the concert. What is worthwhile is the 'bonus' CD, containing excerpts (including radio narration) from that 1961 concert. This takes you back vividly to that time and place, with patriotic works by John La Montaine and Randall Thompson, and a sizzling performance of Rhapsody in Blue with the irrepressible Earl Wild. The orchestra is the National Symphony, and Howard Mitchell (pictured on the CD cover with the Kennedys) was their conductor from 1949 to 1969 and a champion of American composers. In some ways what you hear on this bonus CD seems old-fashioned, even quaint – but that is how they did it in those days and this is a valuable record of it. So my rating would be two stars (at the most) for the 2011 recordings, and a solid four stars for the 1961; three stars overall.

This remarkable recording gives an insight into the events surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy and the reactions to those horrifying events.