The Glory of the American Musical
-
Artist:
(You have no idea how long it took to finally get this post together.)
...is that it really does transport you to a better world.Over the past few weeks, I've been finding solace in Gene Kelly's best: Singin' in the Rain, An American in Paris. Dear Lord, few things are finer than An American in Paris. Gershwin was essentially my first introduction to strictly instrumental music (although Bach's organ concertos and, less notably, Deodato were soon to follow) and it was just so gloriously alive...this is the music, now that I think about it, that first sparked my imagination and gave an internal shelter from a sick home. I still imagine playing the piano for "Rhapsody in Blue," and if I ever learn, that will be why.So, naturally, An American in Paris is dreamy, escapist, hopeful perfection. It's Gene Kelly, of course. I don't think I need to explain."At 14, I discovered girls. At that time, dancing was the only way you could put your arm around the girl. Dancing was courtship. Only later did I discover that you dance joy. You dance love. You dance dreams."You can find part of the famous final sequence, the ballet, "here":http://www.doctormacro-m1.com/FilmClips/Kelly,%20Gene%20(An%20American%20in%20Paris)_02.wmv (requires Windows Media), and, please, "take a little trip to Paris with me":http://images.nickiplum.multiply.com/song/1/207/full/U2FsdGVkX1,j53IfmdtsH3bJcw864AV2Rdk,gXUThKlJu0G9KemDYeAek7NHlsN5/02%20An%20American%20In%20Paris.m4a, where we'll spy Kelly dancing along the West Bank.(Hint: file size was too large for the MOG embedded player.)
...is that it really does transport you to a better world.Over the past few weeks, I've been finding solace in Gene Kelly's best: Singin' in the Rain, An American in Paris. Dear Lord, few things are finer than An American in Paris. Gershwin was essentially my first introduction to strictly instrumental music (although Bach's organ concertos and, less notably, Deodato were soon to follow) and it was just so gloriously alive...this is the music, now that I think about it, that first sparked my imagination and gave an internal shelter from a sick home. I still imagine playing the piano for "Rhapsody in Blue," and if I ever learn, that will be why.So, naturally, An American in Paris is dreamy, escapist, hopeful perfection. It's Gene Kelly, of course. I don't think I need to explain."At 14, I discovered girls. At that time, dancing was the only way you could put your arm around the girl. Dancing was courtship. Only later did I discover that you dance joy. You dance love. You dance dreams."You can find part of the famous final sequence, the ballet, "here":http://www.doctormacro-m1.com/FilmClips/Kelly,%20Gene%20(An%20American%20in%20Paris)_02.wmv (requires Windows Media), and, please, "take a little trip to Paris with me":http://images.nickiplum.multiply.com/song/1/207/full/U2FsdGVkX1,j53IfmdtsH3bJcw864AV2Rdk,gXUThKlJu0G9KemDYeAek7NHlsN5/02%20An%20American%20In%20Paris.m4a, where we'll spy Kelly dancing along the West Bank.(Hint: file size was too large for the MOG embedded player.)
Locating MOG account...
Comments (3)