Michael Daugherty: Philadelphia Stories; UFO

Michael Daugherty (Composer), Marin Alsop (Conductor), Colorado Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Colorado Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Marin Alsop
• Composer: Michael Daugherty
• Audio CD (October 19, 2004)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos American
• ASIN: B0002TXT48
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,693 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Sundown On South Street

2. Tell-Tale Harp

3. Bells For Stokowski

4. Traveling Music

5. Unidentified

6. Flying

7. Objects

Editorial Reviews

Naxos’ American Classics series stages something of a coup: world famous percussionist Evelyn Glennie performs on an exciting disc of music by one of America’s leading living composers. Gramophone Artist of the Year Marin Alsop directs the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in stunning performances and to crown the release, Daugherty himself writes the fascinating sleeve notes. The London Times has described Michael Daugherty as "a master icon-maker" and hailed his "maverick imagination, fearless structural sense and meticulous ear." His music has the uncanny knack of speaking everybody’s language at once while retaining the ability to surprise, move, stimulate, inspire and amuse. Commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2001, Philadelphia Stories is an orchestral travelogue of the sounds and rhythms of Philadelphia past and present. Cast in three movements: the first begins at sundown, the second, a Poe-inspired movement entitled Tell-Tale Harp after midnight, and the third at sunrise. UFO, written in 1999 for Evelyn Glennie, is inspired by unidentified flying objects and sounds, beginning with Traveling Music where the percussion soloist, in the guise of an alien from outer space, mysteriously enters the concert hall playing a waterphone and mechanical siren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close Encounters Of The Colorado Kind, December 19, 2004

By 

Erik North (San Gabriel, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Michael Daugherty: Philadelphia Stories; UFO (Audio CD)

In its continuing exploration of American music and lesser-known U.S. orchestras, the budget label Naxos has given us one of its most provocative and innovative recordings to date. Michael Daugherty, the man behind the "Superman"-inspired "Metropolis Symphony", gives us two innovative works, "Philadelphia Stories" and the futuristic "UFO", a concerto for percussion and orchestra.

"Philadelphia Stories" is the composer's three-movement tone painting of the City of Brotherly Love, focusing in on aspects of street life ("Sundown On South Street"), the terror of Edgar Allan Poe ("The Tell-Tale Heart"), and the legacy of Leopold Stokowski ("Bells For Stokowski"). In this last movement, Daugherty imagines all the bells tolling in Philadelphia as the often-controversial conductor who put the Philadelphia Orchestra on the world map makes a visit to the Liberty Bell.

"UFO" shows off the impressive abilities of Scottish-born percussion maestra Evelyn Glennie in this concerto inspired, of course, by sightings of alien spacecraft in the night skies of Earth that have been reported since the Roswell incident of 1947. The piece is hugely reminiscent in sound and size of John Williams' score for Spielberg's 1977 sci-fi masterpiece CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, a trait that may or may not be intentional, but a trait that works quite well. Glennie's percussion abilities are second-to-none here.

Both works are bought together by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra under the inspired leadership of music director Marin Alsop, one of a handful of female conductors to lead an orchestra in major recordings. The Naxos sound technicians give her, Glennie, and the Colorado Symphony a first-rate sound on a relatively meager budget, resulting in an incredibly fascinating recording that is quite simply one of the best in 2004 insofar as classical music goes. Highly recommended!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blazing Percussive Energy, January 6, 2008

By 

Classicalfan "Classicalfan" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Michael Daugherty: Philadelphia Stories; UFO (Audio CD)

One of the best conductors in the United States teams with one of the most innovative living American composers, and one of the most talented and exciting percussion artists in the world to produce a recording brimming over with energy and passion.

The first selection on the CD, "Philadelphia Stories" is powerful and energetic, but also more gentle and even dreamlike in some sections. The first movement is dramatic and uplifting. The second movement, "Tell-Tale Harp" has wonderful brigh harp sounds. In the third movement, which is a tribute to the famous conductor Leopold Stokowski, the composer has interwoven his own transcription of Bach's C major Prelude from The Well-Tempered Clavier.

The second work, "UFO," is one of the most original and captivating works of classical music I have heard. The final movement of UFO, titled "Objects" is the dramatic high-point of the CD, featuring a spectacular performance by percussionist Evelyn Glennie that will make your heart race and, once heard, will not be soon forgotten.

There is a love of music and of life that resonates in both two works on this CD, a driving rhythm, a sense of fun, and an originality that make this a very worthwhile listening experience. The liner notes are by the composer. The sound quality is first-rate. Playing Time = 68:38.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars new funny orchestral music, November 20, 2007

By 

Sylvain Taillandier "Skyslide" (France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Michael Daugherty: Philadelphia Stories; UFO (Audio CD)

With this two works Daugherty goes on exploring the American icons in its unique way, blending classical and pop for the best and (sometimes) for the worst.

The symphony "Philadelphia Stories" is a brillant journey across the city.

Also interesting is the concerto for percussion even if a few passages seem less inspired. Another recording for this concerto exist, but then the orchestra is replaced by a "symphonic band" (the strings are suppressed); I felt this other version more idiomatic.

Then 5 stars for the symphony and 3 for the present recording of the UFO concerto with full orchestra.

That makes an average 4 stars for an album with music which can either entertain, amaze or unplease (if you do not like the second degree) !