Metropole Orkest - Tabloid Suite

The Metropole Orchestra

THE TABLOID SUITE: Four Pictures of a Modern Newspaper
 
THE GRAND CANYON SUITE: Five Pictures of the Grand Canyon

CONCERTO IN F (Gershwin)


Holland's Metropole Orchestra continues their series of orchestral tributes to great composers of the 20th Century, having already recorded works by Raymond Scott, Leroy Shield, Roger Roger, and Dennis Farnon.

This double CD contains two complete suites composed by Ferde Grofe, and one composed by Gershwin and arranged by Grofe. Disc 1 features Grofe's rarely heard "Tabloid Suite: Four Pictures of a Modern Newspaper" (1932), and his more popular "Five Pictures of the Grand Canyon" (1931). Disc 2 features Gershwin's "Concerto in F," which was scored by Grofe for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in 1928.

Each suite features Grofe's skillful use of jazz motifs in symphonic settings.  These works were performed from the original sheet music, so the music is played the way it was meant to be heard, in full length, and in
full detail. The complete version of the "Grand  Canyon Suite" had not been performed as written for almost 70 years at the time of this recording. "The
Tabloid Suite," in four movements, evokes the busy razzmatazz of a big-city newspaper, including a typewriter in the opening movement and police sirens
in the final passages.

The Metropole Orchestra was conducted by Jan Stulen. The CD package was produced by Gert-Jan Blom, leader of the Beau Hunks Orchestra.