America The Beautiful: An Account of its Disappearance

America The Beautiful: An Account of its Disappearance

America The Beautiful: An Account of its Disappearance

ASIN: B0000001BL

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
After being critically lambasted by the jazz cognoscenti of the mid-1960s for his pop-jazz recordings, composer and arranger Gary McFarland silenced the naysayers with his impressive orchestral masterpiece, America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance. A concept album that used the pro-environmental essays of Marya Mannes as its launching point, America the Beautiful successfully brought Gary McFarland's output from the early '60s full circle. A mixture of jazz and rock, America mixes McFarland's earlier orchestral style with his growing fascination with the pop-song form to create a devastating tone poem on the state of America in 1968. Breathtaking in its scope and beauty, this sadly would be McFarland's last major orchestral work. He continued to steer more and more toward popular music, and then died tragically in 1971. One of the recurring themes throughout this piece is the haunting melody that would later be renamed "Gary's Theme" and recorded as a memorial by such jazz greats as Cal Tjader and Bill Evans. --Kristian St. Clair

America The Beautiful: An Account of its Disappearance,Gary McFarland,Dcc Compact Classics,Hard Bop,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,Post-Bop
America the Beautiful, An Account of Its Disappearance
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • a musical snapshot of late 60's USA
 America the Beautiful, An Account of Its Disappearance
Gary McFarland
Manufacturer: Passport
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
4-for-3 Jazz4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 Pop4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 All Music4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000CQO1CA
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Tracks:

  1. America the Beautiful: On This Site Shall Be Erected... (First ...)
  2. America the Beautiful: 80 Miles an Hour Through Beer-Can Country ...
  3. America the Beautiful: Suburbia, Two Poodles and a Plastic Jesus ...
  4. America the Beautiful: "If I'm Elected..." (Fourth Movement)
  5. America the Beautiful: Last Rites for the Promised Land (Fifth ...)
  6. Sixth Movement: Due to Lack of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled - Gary McFarland

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars a musical snapshot of late 60's USA.......2007-06-25

This music is as relevant today as it was in 1968 when it was first released. It is a narrative of America, an "Auditory Scrapbook" of the USA during one of its most tumultuous years, and Gary McFarland is at the height of his musical powers. It it you can hear and feel his response to historic events with strains of melody that reflect our cultural infatuation with film, popular culture, rock, and the romantic West.

He opens each of the six movements with his characteristic use of strings, in particular a melodious, questioning cello voice that sets up the mood and which sometimes plays off the firmer, more urgent sound of horns and woodwinds; or the punchy sounds of a blues guitar is the "in your face" messenger. He colors each movement with snippets of popular music form, sounding at times like Quincy Jones, Leonard Bernstein, or Henry Mancini, yet staying true to his own vision. A real gem that deserves another listen.
America The Beautiful: An Account of its Disappearance
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		America The Beautiful: An Account of its Disappearance
    Gary McFarland
    Manufacturer: Dcc Compact Classics
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Bebop & Post-BopBebop & Post-Bop | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Does the Sun Really Shine on the Moon?

    ASIN: B0000001BL
    Release Date: 1991-07-01

    Tracks:

    1. First Movement: On This Site Shall Be Erected...
    2. Second Movement: 80 Miles An Hour Through...
    3. Third Movement: Suburbia: Two Poodles And A...
    4. Fourth Movement: 'If I'm Elected...'
    5. Fifth Movement: Last Rites For The Promised Land
    6. Sixth Movement: Due To Lack Of Interest,...

    Amazon.com

    After being critically lambasted by the jazz cognoscenti of the mid-1960s for his pop-jazz recordings, composer and arranger Gary McFarland silenced the naysayers with his impressive orchestral masterpiece, America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance. A concept album that used the pro-environmental essays of Marya Mannes as its launching point, America the Beautiful successfully brought Gary McFarland's output from the early '60s full circle. A mixture of jazz and rock, America mixes McFarland's earlier orchestral style with his growing fascination with the pop-song form to create a devastating tone poem on the state of America in 1968. Breathtaking in its scope and beauty, this sadly would be McFarland's last major orchestral work. He continued to steer more and more toward popular music, and then died tragically in 1971. One of the recurring themes throughout this piece is the haunting melody that would later be renamed "Gary's Theme" and recorded as a memorial by such jazz greats as Cal Tjader and Bill Evans. --Kristian St. Clair

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