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YOUTUBE NOTES. The central work on this recording of orchestral music by American composers is Roy Harris’s Sixth Symphony, called the “Gettysburg.” Prior to composing the work, Harris read Carl Sandburg’s biography of Lincoln, and this, in addition to enlarging upon his factual knowledge of the sixteenth president, helped the composer solidify his own feelings towards the man and the symbol. Though in the years since the Sixth Symphony appeared, there has been growing skepticism about politicians, increasingly leading to an at times almost cynical re-evaluation of even some of our most hallowed figures, one must acknowledge the sincerity and strength of the idealistic spirit motivating Harris during this period. One must also recognize that the rich and varied symphony that emerged as a result reflects a complex tapestry of influences. The Sixth Symphony, written in 1943-44 on commission from the Blue Network (a predecessor of the American Broadcasting Corporation), is very much a summary of what Roy Harris was as a man and a composer.

Frank Zappa wrote:The bassoon is one of my favorite instruments. It has a medieval aroma, like the days when everything used to sound like that. Some people crave baseball... I find this unfathomable, but I can easily understand why a person could get excited about playing the bassoon. REFER

feat Evynne Hollens A cappella

YOUTUBE NOTES. “John and I up in Calgary Canada 6/27/10, and while on tour with Dream Theater along with Iron Maiden, we decided to try a version of Hourglass for Ipad (featuring my new app MorphWiz) and guitar.”