Antheil: Symphony No. 1, Capital of the World Suite, McKonkey's Ferry, Nocturne in Skyrockets & The Golden Bird BBC Philharmonic Orchestra & John Storgårds

• George Antheil (1900 - 1959):
• 1 McKonkey's Ferry 09:13
• Capital of the World:
• 2 Capital of the World: I. The Tailor Shop 05:21
• 3 Capital of the World: II. Meditation 08:21
• 4 Capital of the World: IIIa. Knife Dance & Farruca. Allegro con fuoco 01:31
• 5 Capital of the World: IIIb. Knife Dance & Farruca. Allegro molto 02:38
• George Antheil:
• 6 Golden Bird (Version for Orchestra) 04:22
• 7 Nocturne in Skyrockets 05:30
• Symphony No. 1 "Zingareska":
• 8 Symphony No. 1 "Zingareska": I. Innocènte 08:48
• 9 Symphony No. 1 "Zingareska": II. Vivo, alla zingaresco, poi ragtime 09:11
• 10 Symphony No. 1 "Zingareska": III. Doloroso elevato 08:49
• 11 Symphony No. 1 "Zingareska": IV. Ragtime 05:46
• Total Runtime 01:09:30

Info for Antheil: Symphony No. 1, Capital of the World Suite, McKonkey's Ferry, Nocturne in Skyrockets & The Golden Bird

In this their third volume of orchestral works of Antheil, John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic present a collection of scores spanning the whole of Antheil’s compositional life. Written in the early 1920s, the First Symphony is full of Antheil’s enthusiasm for the mechanical, and takes strong leads from the prevailing sound of the jazz era as well as a nostalgic look back to its predecessor, ragtime. His ballet score Capital of the World dates from the mid-1950s, and was based on a short story by Hemmingway. The Golden Bird was originally conceived as a solo piano piece, and in his translation of the piece from piano to orchestra Antheil demonstrates an ability equal to Ravel’s to think simultaneously in two musical media. The concert overture McKonkey’s Ferry is based on a painting of George Washington and his continental army crossing the Delaware River at Christmas 1776 at McKonkey’s Ferry, near Trenton – an event that proved a turning point in the Revolutionary war.

BBC Philharmonic
John Storgårds, conductor

John Storgårds
“The Finnish conducting miracle” is the phrase used of the fantastic host of talented conductors to come out of sparsely-populated Finland over the last few decades. And from that crowd John Storgårds stands out. He has a dual career as conductor and violin virtuoso, and he is a pioneer in contemporary music – an idealistic and eclectic musician.

From the autumn of 2008 John Storgårds became the new chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic, one of Scandinavia’s best and most tradition-rich orchestras. He is also chief conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic and artistic director of the magical Lapland Chamber Orchestra, which gives some of Europe’s most imaginative concerts north of the Arctic Circle.

Abroad John Storgårds has appeared with international orchestras such as l’Orchestre de Paris, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He has appeared in the USA, Asia and Australia and with leading ensembles specializing in contemporary music such as the Parisian Ensemble Intercontemporain. He has recorded a succession of CDs and can be heard for example as a soloist in Dacapo’s recording of Sunleif Rasmussen’s Violin Concerto no. 2, Songs of Seasons.

Booklet for Antheil: Symphony No. 1, Capital of the World Suite, McKonkey's Ferry, Nocturne in Skyrockets & The Golden Bird