Not apropos for this piece, but I can't resist quoting Van Johnson from a Richard Rodgers tribute: "Richard Rodgers could write a waltz as good as any two guys named Strauss."
It's the Hollywood sound. All that swooping. Reminds me of the old Charles Gerhardt recordings you find on Reader's Digest compilations. Wouldn't work with every style, but here it's utterly wonderful.
John Wilson specialises in this field, sometimes re-creating “lost” scores simply by listening repeatedly to the soundtracks. Obviously he aims to accurately re-create that original Hollywood sound. Hopefully he will one day get a prestigious award for his single-minded efforts! :-)
For those who don't know: It's a classic symphonic ballet written by Richard Rodgers. Some of the greats of the 1940s have danced to it, including renown Hollywood Musical dancer Gene Kelly!
The John Wilson Orchestra is the finest one we have here in Britain, with such a lush sound, and his concerts are influenced by the music from Charles Gerhardt. I have the privilege to own all his movie albums on vinyl and cd.
Not apropos for this piece, but I can't resist quoting Van Johnson from a Richard Rodgers tribute: "Richard Rodgers could write a waltz as good as any two guys named Strauss."
The annual John Wilson Proms in London's Royal Albert Hall over the last few years have always been sold out and with good reason. This is a fantastic orchestra giving incredible performances under an absolutely first-rate versatile conductor and they deserve all the plaudits they get! Thanks for the upload!
This has been one of my favourite pieces of music for nearly 60 years, and this is by far the best arrangement of it I have ever heard, so glad I found it!
@@richiejohnson There are different arrangements. This seems to be the only version available that reflects the movie version with its repeated climax.
Not apropos for this piece, but I can't resist quoting Van Johnson from a Richard Rodgers tribute: "Richard Rodgers could write a waltz as good as any two guys named Strauss."
5:17" I would spend MONTHS practicing that passage (piano - whaaaat?) just to BE in this orchestra, or have a chance of playing just ONE rehearsal/concert with them!! LOVE this orchestra AND this music - one of Richard Rodgers finest. It's been a long time in the coming, but finally we have our own WORLD CLASS orchestra capable of playing anything - the inimitable John Wilson. He must work so hard to produce these magnificent arrangements. Reward indeed to have your OWN orchestra!! Wow.
My parents had an MFP (Music for Pleasure) album of movie theme tunes back in the 1960s, this was on it and I never forgot this piece of beautiful music with it's light and shade, have since found the movie 'On your toes' which features this as the finale with Eddie Albert tap dancing, brilliant🙂
To see this jazz-ballet staged by George Balanchine, with it frenetic, tragic yet beautiful choreography is an experience I can never forget each and every time I hear this beautiful Rogers and Hart score.
Not apropos for this piece, but I can't resist quoting Van Johnson from a Richard Rodgers tribute: "Richard Rodgers could write a waltz as good as any two guys named Strauss."
This takes me back to the 1950's when I was 15 ish and I still love it. That was when I tried to play this on the piano, not very well. Still have the original music. I was also in love with the John Barry Seven!
I have the MGM 45rpm disc issue of the fabled MGM Studio Orchestra conducted by Lenny Hayton - and this version stands alongside that notable recording. What a wonderfully diverse musical talent Richard Rodgers was - so much melodic genius at work over so many years. Given renewed respect in this top notch performance by a famous multi-talented orchestra and its founder/conductor.
Fantastic music, but then--it's by the incomparable, Richard Roger's. complimented wonderfully, by the greatest symphony / concert orchestra, of all time.
I am so happy I have inhabited this planet long enough to take advantage of YT and the amazing performers who I can see here but I would probably never be able to admire live :-)
John Wilson não tem paralelo e a sua orquestra é super-excelente. Há anos que me delicio com as suas melodias executadas com maestria. Excelente, magnífico, ímpar! Parabéns por tantos momentos únicos que me oferecem! Obrigado!
Electric! I love this piece for many reasons, and John Wilson and his orchestra blow it out of the water and earn that deserved rapturous applause! No one swings like they do and their delivery makes you, or me at least, want to get up and dance! Its slick, brassy, finely nuanced technically and artistically. Each disciplined member of The John Wilson Orchestra LOVES what they do and what they're performing. The joy is there. One can clearly see, hear and feel it. It all comes from the dots on the pages and their youthful, ebullient, charismatic, and bookishly attractive ;) conductor. So dynamic and a bit of a orchestral crusader with an easy smile, JW is refreshingly engaging towards and is tremendously endeared by fans and colleagues alike. His patience in arranging, impatience to achieve authenticity & perfection, reserves of seemingly boundless energy & remaining grounded with down to Earth sensibilities and maintaining his gentle 'Geordie' lilt has amassed him legions of followers... and swooning 'WILSONIACS'. I too am guilty as charged. LOL. That said, this merry band of melody makers play with aplomb and are the bomb! Thanks for posting this video, Richard!
CDB8939 Yep, I've seen it. JW lead it after MAME scored by the late, great Jerry Herman. And Tap Your Troubles Away from Jerry Herman's MACK AND MABEL; Anna Jane Casey doing the honors. A fantastic show stopper. 🎶🎼🙆
Never heard this piece of music before, and never heard of The John Wilson Orchestra. I tried a YT upload of the first record of it, but found it not only acoustically poor, but the arrangement uninspiring. This is sensational. I haven't seen a conductor work with such verve since Leonard Bernstein in Central Park during his Bicentennial Concert with (I believe) the New York Philharmonic.
The convergence of two American geniuses: Richard Rodgers and George Balanchine. This ballet was first danced by Ray Bolger and Tamara Geva in 1936 within the Broadway show On Your Toes
Fabulous .... fabulous ... FAB. U. LOUS. Thanks for posting. I had it recorded on my TV box thingy ... which eventually conked out! Thought it was gone forever.
Blimey ! What a smashing version of some of the most beautiful & haunting music ever composed by the late great Richard Rodgers ! THANK YOU ever so much for uploading ! CHEERS, mate !! :-)
One of my very favorite pieces of music. Ironically, I lived on 10th Avenue for 30 years in Manhattan. Long after this piece was written and a little further north from where this "waterfront action" takes place. Nonetheless, I loved the romance of the proximity.
Wondeful. I saw Gene Kelly dance to this I do not know how many years ago. Tonight I had a sudden urge to hear it again and I don't know why the impulse came. Here it is again with that same saucy thrill and the same longing melody.
Just been watching that on RU-vid, my parents had a great film themes album back in the 1960s that's when I first fell in love with this piece of music ☺
Who else rewatched the whole thing at this year's Proms? Still up on BBC iPlayer for anyone who's interested. Fabulous concert, though this was the highlight for me.
Thank you for posting this!! 5 years later it still sends tingles down my spine! Was lucky to be front and centre "promming" that night & get the full force of it live! :-)
Whaaaaatttt??!!!! OMG!!!! You were actually THERE!!!! Ohhhh, to be YOU!!!!! I can feel it through this recording, but I couldnt imagine being in the audience! I would've been high for weeks afterwards!!!
In response to your now 4 year old question, I’m here as grateful to have had the chance to become an educated musician. And my appreciation of Gershwin knows no bounds. And the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps built and performed a powerful summer program around this in 1982. Inspired me to want to participate in drum corps beginning at age 16.
That was great.....the first time I ever heard this was a drum corps (you would call it a brass band). I think you will agree they did a great job marching a playing a G 2 valve bugle.
Not apropos for this piece, but I can't resist quoting Van Johnson from a Richard Rodgers tribute: "Richard Rodgers could write a waltz as good as any two guys named Strauss."
