The composers of these songs were almost all born in the second half of the 19th century. Their attempt was to create an "American music" from native American sources of rhythm and tonality. I get the same sense of hearing original music with these songs as I got the first time I heard Erik Satie. The songs tend to be melodic and peaceful and fresh. Don't expect much in the way of tom-toms and movie indian harmonies. I love to find songs that go to unexpected places. I found that here.
For a much more sophisticated review, search "American Indianists" and Fred Flaxman. AMERICAN INDIANISTS, Vol. 1
A really enticing title on this one, but does the music live up to the expectations the title itself elicits? The answer is in general `no', unfortunately. Much of the music remains strictly in the salon category, the thematic material is often dangerously thin, and the sense of adventure often missing. That is not to say that there is no interesting or worthwhile music here, just that one shouldn't raise ones expectations too high; no higher, in fact, than if one had encountered any other disc of rare piano music giving one the opportunity to acquaint oneself with composers one has often heard of but never actually heard. The `indianist' movement of the first two decades of the twentieth century was influenced by the recording of original tribal chants, but partly also motivated by a reaction to the German musical tradition and therefore drawing on inspiration from various popular or native sources in the US (the jazz-influence seemed more lasting - the indianists were a curious alternative that never really went anywhere). If it can really be termed a `movement', it was probably lead by Arthur Farwell, a composer whom it seems to be worthwhile to investigate further. But none of the composers here are Bartok or Kodaly, exactly, and most efforts to incorporate native music seems to have resulted either in standard salon pieces with certain exotic elements, or more authentic-sounding but stodgily constructed works.
Charles Cadman's Land of the Sky-Blue Water belongs to the former category. It is based on an Omaha love-song and is a charming work without a trace of originality, although rather lovely and worth hearing. Charles Skilton's Sioux Flute Serenade sounds a little more original, and the Cheyenne War-Dance even more so (as with the Kikapoo Social Dance) but while the material is original, Skilton's compositional limits are unfortunately all to audible - the figurations and developments there are seem strangely out of place and latched onto material for which they don't quite fit. Preston Ware Orem's American Indian Rhapsody is Lisztian in conception and worth a listen, but light, unoriginal and not particularly memorable.
Edward MacDowell's Dirge (transcribed by Otto Taubmann) is not a bad piece, but more effective in its original orchestral clothing, and one has to be pretty charitable to hear the Native Amerrican influence. Henry Gilbert's Indian Scenes are rather fine pieces with a hint of originality - somewhat austere and solemn, but definitely among the more successful attempts on the disc. Harvey Loomis's Lyrics of the Red Man are, however, simple harmonizations of Native American melodies - the curiosity value is indubitable, and they are probably of musicological value as well. Their merit as concert pieces is, however, rather dubitable. With George Templeton Strong's Une Jeune Indienne we are back to the salon; again a colorful and appealingly wistful work of no lasting value.
Interest picks up with the two short items by Arthur Farwell. A Song of Peace, inspired by the Omaha Sacred Pipe ceremony is interestingly impressionistic and possibly the single most worthwhile item on the disc, although Debussy seems to be a more prominent influence than native American music. The Navajo War Dance is banal and stereotypical (think depiction of savage Indians in 50s Hollywood movies) more than genuine - something Farwell was, according to the booklet, well aware of (it was written to appease prejudiced critics). Blair Fairchild's Some Indian Songs and Dances are evocative but hardly profound. They are supposedly written `in the manner of Indian themes' - I cannot judge whether that is correct, but the result is anyway a collection of modestly appealing trifles without anything sounding very original or memorable.
Dario Muller seems committed enough, but lacks the last ounce of sensitivity in these performances. He is not helped by a somewhat clangy, perhaps even slightly distorted, recorded sound. All in all, then, this disc is mostly for the specialist - some nice works here, true, which are worth a listen; but I would frankly not go out of my way to acquire it. - American Music - Macdowell'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
