Vol. 4, Around the World

The age of supersonic speeds and jet travel has brought the world closer to our doorstep. Oceans have shrunk and regions once inaccessible are overrun by tourists. We enjoy the sounds and atmosphere of world-wide locales in the coziness of our home. For music has the ability to reveal the very essence of a land, its heritage and folklore, its human feelings and temperaments, its moments of glory and despair. With Nathaniel Shilkret and the Symphonic “Pops” Orchestra as your guide, this album is your passport to the romantic world of travel through music, to destinations near and far, past and present. The musical jaunt ‘Around The World’ starts in Cuba with an intriguing arrangement of the captivating folk song, Ay Come Vengo or Come With Me. Its Caribbean flair, sweeping rhythms and clicking castañets bear traces of ancestral Spanish traditions. The traditions of another era – New York 1910 infuse the next offering, a side trip into the past when sunshades and sweaters, vaudeville and the follies were the vogue, and syncopated melodies were just around the corner. Using Nathaniel Shilkret’s own arrangement, the music of the memorable year is brilliantly recaptured by the Symphonic “Pops” Orchestra. Back in the present again, the locale shifts to Brazil and the music to a betwitching rendition that calls for soft moonlight, swaying palm trees and a flowing, lyrical melody coupled with the insistent beat of a Brazilian Beguine. The third selection finds us an ocean-hop away in the Emerald Isle, as we hear the enchanting Irish Melody, as romantic as the country itself. Across the channel, there’s the legend of castles and clans and kilts, as woodwinds imitate bagpipes and the interplay of Scottish folk melodies adds to the authenticity of a Scottish Legend. Side two begins with another melodic remembrance to times gone by. It’s the vivacious gaiety of Paris 1890... the brightly colored world of Toulouse-Lautrec, the can-can girls, the flavor of dance halls, sidewalk cafes and Montmartre cabarets, all woven into a striking picture of that daring city that stands, even today, as the glamor capital of the world. Another pictorial interpretation can be found in Norway Folk Tunes, a vivid display of earthy, pastoral music that stems from the primitive ceremonies of Norse tribesmen, up through the sylvan beauty of this land today. The next selection, Czech Rhapsody admirably reflects the buoyant melodies and lively rhythms that are the inspiration of Czech folk music. As the locale shifts to the vibrant musical setting of Spain, Nathaniel Shilkret and the Symphonic “Pops” treat us to a fiery reading of Isaac Albeniz’s Seguidilla. From old Spain, the next musical excursion crosses to the relatively new state of Israel. Here in an exotic blend of Oriental coloring and European dance rhythms, the orchestra presents an exciting Israeli Dance. It is a fitting climax to the world of music at your fingertips... so, bon voyage!