Bernstein, Leonard: White House Cantata (1976) 90'
Cantata for solo voices, chorus and orchestra
Music Text
Alan Jay Lerner (E)
Scoring
Major roles:S,M,T,B,Bar;chorus (SATB) 3(II,III=picc).1.3(II=dbcl,ssax).1-2.2.2.1-perc(2):vib/SD/TD/low field dr /wdbl/tpl.bl/susp.cym/hi-hat/honk/gourd/ratchet/tam-t/tom-t/chime/ choke cym/cowbell/cow bell/xyl;timp/cyms/BD/TD/tgl/chime/flex/3 pitched dr/motor vib/glsp/tamb/bones/slide whistle-harp-gtr(=elec.gtr)- banjo-pft(=synth)-strings
World Premiere
7/8/1997
Barbican Centre, London
tbc, / London Symphony Orchestra and chorus / Kent Nagano
Programme Note
In 1976 Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner collaborated on their musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which was written for the Bicentennial of the United States. The show closed after just seven performances in New York. In 1990 the Bernstein and Lerner Estates decided to liberate the witty lyrics and charming music from the burdensome book. Scored for six soloists, chorus, and orchestra, A White House Cantata retains 90 minutes of music from the two-hour show; it includes barbershop harmonies, calypso, marches, jazz, blues, drinking songs, Dixieland, minstrel-show tunes, torch songs, waltzes, and hymns.
Recommended Recording
Thomas Hampson/June Anderson/Barbara Hendricks/London Symphony Orchestra/Kent Nagano
Deutsche Grammophon 463 448-2
Cantata for solo voices, chorus and orchestra
Music Text
Alan Jay Lerner (E)
Scoring
Major roles:S,M,T,B,Bar;chorus (SATB) 3(II,III=picc).1.3(II=dbcl,ssax).1-2.2.2.1-perc(2):vib/SD/TD/low field dr /wdbl/tpl.bl/susp.cym/hi-hat/honk/gourd/ratchet/tam-t/tom-t/chime/ choke cym/cowbell/cow bell/xyl;timp/cyms/BD/TD/tgl/chime/flex/3 pitched dr/motor vib/glsp/tamb/bones/slide whistle-harp-gtr(=elec.gtr)- banjo-pft(=synth)-strings
World Premiere
7/8/1997
Barbican Centre, London
tbc, / London Symphony Orchestra and chorus / Kent Nagano
Programme Note
In 1976 Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner collaborated on their musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which was written for the Bicentennial of the United States. The show closed after just seven performances in New York. In 1990 the Bernstein and Lerner Estates decided to liberate the witty lyrics and charming music from the burdensome book. Scored for six soloists, chorus, and orchestra, A White House Cantata retains 90 minutes of music from the two-hour show; it includes barbershop harmonies, calypso, marches, jazz, blues, drinking songs, Dixieland, minstrel-show tunes, torch songs, waltzes, and hymns.
Recommended Recording
Thomas Hampson/June Anderson/Barbara Hendricks/London Symphony Orchestra/Kent Nagano
Deutsche Grammophon 463 448-2
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Leonard Bernstein: Orchestral Masterworks
Two anthologies of Bernstein favourites are in the Masterworks series of full scores: Volume One contains music from West Side Story and On the Town, and Volume Two includes the Candide Overture, On the Waterfront and Prelude, Fugue & Riffs.
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