MusicatlasMusic
Principal compositions: Ballet Mécanique (1925), A Jazz Symphony (1925), 2 Violin sonatas (1923), 4 Symphonies of which Symphony 4 has been recorded, Printemps, Fighting the Waves, Lithuanian Night, Jazz Sonata, concerto for chamber orchestra, Printemps II. An excellent overview of his work exists on CD made in 1996 on RCA called "Fighting the Waves".
The following works can be heard on the CD cpo 777 040-2 with Hugo Wolff and the Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt:
- Third Symphony ("Americana"); 1936-1939 rev. 1946
- Tom Sawyer Overture; Hot-Time Dance 1948
- McKonkey’s Ferry Overture 1948
- Capital of the World 1953
(contributed by Ralph Barrocas <RBarrocas
aol.com>)
George Antheil actually wrote seven symphonies of which he claimed only six. He wrote one version of his Fifth Symphony and subtitled it "Tragic" in memory of his brother and the dead from World War II. He did not have this first version published (I wish someone would find it) and subsequently wrote a new Fifth Symphony which he allowed to be published with the subtitle "Joyous." The prominent music critic and composer Virgil Thomson wrote a glowing review of this work. Both the Fourth Symphony and this Fifth Symphony ("Joyous") have been recorded. The recording of the Fifth Symphony is recorded on the Centaur Records label and I recommend it highly!
(contributed by Joy Doug <dJoyBradydist.com>)
He also composed the music for the following films:
- Cecil B. DeMille’s "The Plainsman" (1937)
- George Wagoner’s "The Fighting Kentuckian" (1949)
- "Tokyo Joe" (1949)
- Nicholas Ray’s "In a Lonely Place" (1950)
- Curtis Bernhardt’s "Sirocco" (1951)
- Stanley Kramer’s "Not as a Stranger" (1955)
Contribution by idioideo <idioideoverizon.net>
Life
American composer and journalist part of the American ex-patriate cultural crowd in Paris in the twenties.
Sources — links
- http://www.antheil.org/: a page discussing the history and revivial of the 1923-4 version (for 16 player pianos and percussion) of Ballet Mecanique.
- A page about George and Hedy Lamarr’s patent.
- http://www.otherminds.org/html/Antheilphotos.html
- On demand listening of Antheil’s: Ballet mechanique, The Jazz Symphony and Sonata #2 at MPR’s MusicMavericks
