It is impossible to describe Don Shirley's music
without analyzing Don himself; and in analyzing, we
tend to categorize because we then have a ready
frame of reference. Although our age may not have
produced the Renaissance Man, Don Shirley probably
comes as close as any other human being in our time
to that ideal. His musical talents could almost be
over· looked from an academic standpoint if one
realizes that, in addition to his Doctorate in
Music, he is the holder of Doctorates in Psychology
and Liturgical Arts, speaks eight languages
fluently, and is considered an expert painter, as
well.
Like most musicians who
are true innovators, Don Shirley the
arranger-composer has always been classified in
various pigeonholes such as "Jazz," "Classical,"
"Jazz-oriented Classical" or "Classically-oriented
Jazz," but always half-heartedly and with many
reservations. His work cannot be catalogued in a
particular school of musical composition. Each song
is more than just a new arrangement; it is a
composition in itself, using the familiar song
melody as part of its framework. Though the melodic
and harmonic structure of a song by Jimmy McHugh may
suggest to Don Nineteenth Century romanticism and
not Twentieth Century Hollywood, the melody is
always there forming the basic fabric of his
arrangement, at the same time inspiring
counter-melodies.
Don's piano style
reflects many different influences, yet these are
all governed by his own inscrutable and unyielding
individuality. He may suddenly quote the familiar
style of Garner or Ellington or Shearing. Still
these polite tributes are never more than just that,
for this is one more device of Don's using his music
to create the atmosphere he chooses. "There are
three ways to enjoy or to interpret music, from a
listening point of view: emotionally,
intellectually, and a combination of the two. I have
tried to utilize all three, contingent upon the
quality of the tune chosen." His choice of using the
piano as a stringed rather than as a percussion
instrument gives him a flexible and marvelously
expressive voice to combine emotion and intellect in
the subtlest way.
The extent of Don's
formal training is clearly revealed in his fabulous
technic. He began playing piano at the age of 2½,
and by the time he was 9 he had been invited to
study at the Leningrad Conservatory, where he was to
spend a great part of his youth. And yet he was to
abandon the piano while still quite young.
It was while in Chicago
as a psychologist that Don "tripped" back into a
musical career. He was given a grant to study the
relationship, if any, between music and a juvenile
crime wave which had suddenly broken out in the
early 1950's. Working in a small club there, he used
his knowledge and skill to perform experiments in
sound, whereby he proved that certain tonal
combinations affected the audience's reactions. No
one in the audience knew of his experiment, or that
students had been planted among them to gauge their
reactions.
But Don Shirley the pianist became a sensation.
Appearances in New York followed, notably at the
Basin Street, where Duke Ellington first heard him.
Here started their warm friendship which was
highlighted by Don's performance in 1955 of the
premiere of the Duke's Piano Concerto at Carnegie
Hall with the NBC Symphony of the Air. An appearance
on the Arthur Godfrey Show launched his career
nationwide.
Don has composed three
symphonies, two piano concerti, a cello concerto,
three string quartets, a one-act opera, works for
organ, piano and violin, a symphonic tone poem based
on "Finnegan's Wake" and a set of "Variations" on
the legend of Orpheus in the Underworld.
All indications seem to
be that Don Shirley's favorite career is that of
musician, and his material that of our country, our
time, and the richness of a many-faceted
personality.
An Improvisation based on the story of Orpheus in
the Underworld
Recorded at WGN Studios
Chicago, Illinois
December 17,1955
GENESIS Once long ago there lived a youth
named Orpheus. The Gods loved Orpheus so much that
they endowed him with two gifts: the gift of poetry
and the gift of music. And the great God Apollo gave
him a golden lyre.
Orpheus sang and played with such perfection that he
cast an enchantment over everything about him.
MISFORTUNE One day as Orpheus wandered
through the woods he fell in love with a nymph
called Eurydice. Their happiness was as beautiful as
the sky and the sea. And Hymen, the God of Marriage,
flew down from Olympus in his saffron-colored robe
to wed them. But the joy of their love was quickly
destroyed, for on that very day, as Eurydice
wandered in a meadow, she was bitten by a poisonous
viper and died leaving Orpheus alone in consuming
sorrow.
LITANY Orpheus now wandered aimlessly through
the land playing sad tunes and singing of his grief.
At length, unable to bear his sorrow any longer,
Orpheus appealed to Jupiter to grant him permission
to go to the Underworld to ask Hades for his
beautiful bride. Such a thing had never before been
granted to a mortal, but Jupiter conceded.
THE JOURNEY Orpheus started out at once on
the long, dangerous journey to the World of the
Dead. In his search he passed all kinds of desolate,
shadowy beings. He saw the Griefs, Avenging Care,
the Pale Diseases, and Melancholy Age. He passed
Fear and Hunger. He saw Toil, Poverty and Death.
The Cruel Furies gazed on him with ugly faces.
PLEADING The strains of the golden lyre
filled the Underworld and from every side the
shadows, as under a spell, gathered around Orpheus.
Then Orpheus, standing before them, sang a song of
sorrow. "O sovereigns of the Underworld, hear the
words of my breaking heart. Love has brought me
here. I have not come to seek out the secrets of
your dark abode. I have come only to find Eurydice,
my beloved, she who died before her youth was
spent." Then Orpheus sang on telling of his love and
his loneliness. In the end he pleaded: "And so I
sing, imploring you, tie once more the thread of her
mortal life. Then when she has filled her time on
earth she will return to you but until then give her
back to me, this I beseech you."
RETROSPECT (He then tells the court the
dangers he willingly underwent in order to get to
his beloved Eurydice): He passed the Monster
Briareus with his hundred whirling arms and the nine
headed Hydra. Further on he saw the terrible
fire-breathing Chimaera. He even encountered Tityus,
the giant whose massive body covered nine acres. Any
or all of this he would gladly do again if only he
could gain the court's favor to take his beloved
back to the sunlit world above.
EXPECTATION (After his pleading he retires to
another nearby section to await the decision of the
Court.)
THE CONDITION The members of the Underworld
conferred and Hades could not deny Orpheus' plea.
Very majestically they gave Orpheus permission to
lead Eurydice out of the Underworld and back to the
land of the living. However, there was one condition
which they imposed; Orpheus would lead the way and
she would follow, and never once was he to look back
at her until they had both reached the sunlit world.
And so Orpheus and Eurydice started on their happy
journey homeward.
WARUM? (WHY?) At last after many hours
Orpheus saw the first faint light of day. In joy, he
hurried on ahead but forgetting the warning of the
Gods, he turned around. He smiled happily and held
out his arms to receive her but suddenly she began
to. vanish like a vision fading. He had looked
around too soon. Slowly she slipped back into the
darkness.
SÜSSER TOD
(SWEET DEATH) After many long days of wandering
Orpheus died. At last his spirit was free from
mortal ties and he descended to the Land of the
Dead.
RECONCILIATION He found his beloved Eurydice
and together they roamed the fields and hills of the
land of the shadows in everlasting happiness.
Donald W. Shirley
and Manuel Komroff
(TRANSLATORS) |
