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Jeremy Rosenberg's avatar

Tone Praise: Oh chalumeau! be joyous, for just as the cricket will moult from larva to adult, so too shall you develop into the clarinet.

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Tone Prose's avatar

That's really beautiful

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Joseph Vaz's avatar

NTT: Sounds like a theremin to me... but who is associated with theremin? Mr. Theremin??

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John Coyne's avatar

Potentially dumb question: why not do a "Taylor's Version"? Couldn't some talented, public-interest minded composer/conductor do a creative commons, open source re-orchestration for modern orchestra in a similar-but-not-identical style as Grofé's orchestration? If altruism or righteous anti-monopolistic fervor are insufficient motivation, would there be sufficient interest to crowd-fund something like this?

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Tone Prose's avatar

It's not a dumb question at all — in fact, it's a brilliant idea! But there are some problems.

I think a lot of arranger/orchestrators would be reluctant to take on this project for a few reasons. The second piano part that Gershwin composed (which is what you'd be arranging) doesn't leave much room for creativity. What I mean is, I think it would be really hard to avoid writing many passages that are identical to the Grofé. Add to that the fact that basically anyone who would take this on has probably been listening to the Grofé version since infancy. It's fraught.

Then you'd be setting yourself up for a law suit. Even if you found a way to come up with an original scoring (and, notably, one that still worked for a regularly-constituted full symphony orchestra) I have no doubt that the Gershwin/Grofé people would come knocking. And I have a feeling that this isn't one that anybody would be eager to test in court. There's too many variables, and a jury of plebes is going to be swayed by whichever "musicological expert" can be bought for the highest price.

I'd say the final nail in the coffin on this idea is status quo bias. Orchestra managements, players, and conductors know how to do the standard version, and it's what audiences like to hear. Look, for example, at the situation with "Pictures at an Exhibition". There are actually a ton of orchestrations out there, many of which are in the public domain, but people keep doing the Ravel because it's best; it's iconic. Same situation here. So, you say, just come up with something that sounds enough like the Grofé... but then we're back where we started.

I'm really glad you asked this question; I hadn't thought of this solution, but the idea sent me down this interesting thought exercise. And I may be totally wrong about my conclusions. I'd love more opinions!

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Jeremy Rosenberg's avatar

But is Ravel’s Pictures the best?

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Tone Prose's avatar

yes

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John Coyne's avatar

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. I think I misread your post and had thought that the original piano solo was already in the public domain. After reading up on it a bit I gather that Gershwin's original solo will remain under copyright until 2039, so a "Taylor's Version" orchestration would definitely be inviting a successful lawsuit. Ah well, big music strikes again.

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Tone Prose's avatar

Oh I don't think you misunderstood. Gershwin's original (which was for two pianos — one solo, one accompanimental) is most definitely in the public domain. So it's ripe for re-arrangement.

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Tamara Ghattas's avatar

It sounds like a glass harmonica to me, but I don't know who that is associated with other than Ben Franklin, so maybe not.

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Eric Breon's avatar

NTT: Gotta go with Messiaen, both for what sounds like Ondes Martenot and the general harmonic language.

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Jeremy Rosenberg's avatar

NTT: are they Ondes Martenot and thus is it Messiaen?

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