AMERICAN MUSIC SERIES                                                                                                            6 a,b,c,d

David Amram

With:  Vivian Perlis

June 18 and 28, 1978

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cassette Side a                                                                                                                                    pp. 1‑18

Childhood‑‑father's career‑‑uncle's interest in American Indian music‑-visit to India, making music with people‑‑Trail of Beauty ‑awareness of one's culture‑‑music for Elia Kazan movie, clarinetist‑‑ music as something old‑‑"the human cry"‑‑also in Beethoven‑‑not chance operations‑‑need composers' and conductors' liberation movement‑‑Ives‑‑beauty of folk music‑‑need to teach different musics in grade school‑‑rock 'n roll turned into corporate monster‑‑folk festivals‑‑recordings‑‑good composers all over country, no outlet‑‑need for regional pride‑‑idealism/realism‑-performing in inner‑city schools‑‑not cheapening, but life‑giving music.

Cassette Side b                                                                                                                                    pp. 18-37

Criminal to promote bad music‑‑air‑wave pollution‑‑PBS Soundstage program‑activities feed into composing‑‑Cuban rhythmic awareness‑‑conducting other composers' works‑‑Mitropoulos‑‑ programming new music‑‑audience participation‑-Lou Harrison, Harry Partch, Michael Colgrass‑‑ Philadelphia Orchestra, Amram's piece‑‑American Indian polyrhythms‑‑"Let not the oppressed become the oppressor"‑‑composers lucky to have works played‑‑should study conducting‑James Chambers‑‑university music‑‑Henry Cowell‑‑Persian Set‑‑Bartok, Kodaly.

Cassette Side c                                                                                                                                    pp. 38-56

Born November 17, 1930, Philadelphia‑‑listening to jazz, classical, folk on radio‑‑respect for different cultures‑‑Triple Concerto‑‑cellists belly dancing‑‑need to really listen‑‑Jewish background, Middle East‑‑tear in the voice‑‑anti‑Semitism‑‑Texas Folk Festival‑‑composing like woodcarving or sculpting‑‑Eastern concept of music‑‑music must have value‑‑book of folk rhythms of the world‑‑playing in high schools.

Cassette Side d                                                                                                                                    pp.56-75

Painting a picture of a tradition‑‑composers as servants‑‑composers should sit in the orchestra‑‑ continuing to learn‑‑ethical component‑‑performing as catalyst‑‑conducting own works‑‑financial security‑‑Hollywood‑‑C. F. Peters‑Passover opera for television‑‑Shakespeare in the Park‑‑new piece based on Central American music‑‑piece for Joffrey Ballet.

David Amram

with Jenny Raymond

Peekskill, N.Y.

February 13, 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cassette Side g:                                                                                                pp. 1-21

Amram's farm--his interests: lyrical and world music--the international quality of the arts--Austro-Hungarian tradition vs. nationalistic music--Oberlin and Manhattan School--Austro-Hungarian intellectual approach towards music--playing with his jazz group--refusing an offer to make a recording with the Jefferson Airplane and the Chicago Symphony--trying to bring the different elements of music together from different cultures--Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony--other examples of composers using folkloric music--giving credit to musical sources--flute concerto for James Galway--fascination with natural sounds--his compositional voice--Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern--Villa-Lobos--music in academia--standards in music--Dirge and Variations--Three Songs from Marlboro--"Shakespeare in the Park" music--purity of intent--an exquisite choice of notes--world music--John Zorn--Jewish music--Milton Nam--merchant seaman uncle--Trail of Beauty--Honor Song for Sitting Bull.

Cassette Side h                                                                                                pp. 21-41

An honoring song--Richard Archuletta [sp]--tum kwa hay  [sp]--playing with a Cuban guagua anco group--Tito Puente and other Latin musicians--visiting Pakistan and India--making contact with other world musicians--his philosophy--incorporating pre-existing musical material in his music--Violin Concerto--playing at an Irish bar--ornamentation and peculiarities of different musical traditions--American Dance Suite--Cheyenne Song--Sacred Service--audience response--being chosen as composer-in-residence of NY Philharmonic--music in the sixties--Missa Manhattan--Trail of Beauty--multiculturalism--experiencing music from other places--playing at the Lafayette Bar and Grill--jazz--Piano Sonata.

Cassette Side i                                                                                                pp. 41-60

Attitude of some people in government towards world cultures--experience with the recording industry--book, Offbeat: Collaborating with Kerouac--American Dance Suite--Theme and Variations on Red River Valley--Violin Sonata--Ode to Lord Buckley--opera The Final Ingredient--Sibelius computer program--C.F. Peters--recordings--compositions in progress--compositional process--notation--Mahler's Fourth slow movement--singing while composing, then moving to a more critical phase of work--video: The Origins of Symphonic Instruments--programs with orchestras; introducing the instruments--piece for James Galway--trio--"Back on the Bowery 40 years later"--improvisation--Southern Stories--Kokopelli--Dualogue--freestyling.

Cassette Side j                                                                                                pp. 60-73

Relationship  with other musicians and musics--Sasha Schneider--Rudolf Serkin--Willie Nelson--Dizzy Gillespie--Taj Mahal--becoming a conductor--film scores; Manchurian Candidate  and Splendor in the Grass--doing Young People's Concerts--International Jewish Arts Festival--more  on conducting experiences--Leopold Stokowski--university positions--being mentioned in a Raffi song.