20世紀前半を代表する作曲家の一人にアレック・ワイルダー (Alec Wilder) がいます。 彼は "I'll be around" というスタンダード曲を書いた作曲家としてよく知られているのですが、ジャズファンにとってはあの名曲 "Moon and Sand" の作曲家と言った方がよく判るかもしれません。
もう一つの彼の顔として批評家として非常に有名な人であるということがあります。 彼が書いた本 American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950 (1972年の出版) は、すべての音楽批評本の元になっていると言えるでしょう。 (この本は日本での翻訳出版は無いようです)
この本では 20世紀前半の作曲家の作品について譜面を引用した上で分析する。 という内容で、
CONTENTS 1. The Transition Era: 1885 to World War I 2. Jerome Kern (1885-1945) 3. Irving Berlin (1888-1989) 4. George Gershwin (1898-1937) 5. Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) 6. Cole Porter (1891-1964) 7. Harold Arlen (1905-1986) 8. Vincent Youmans (1898-1946) and Arthur Schwartz (1900-1984) 9. Burton Lane (1912- ), Hugh Martin(1914- ), and Vernon Duke (1903-1969) 10. The Great Craftsmen Horgy Carmichael(1899-1981) Walter Donaldson(1893-1947) Harry Warren(1893-1981) Isham Jones(1894-1956) Jimmy McHugh(1894-1969) Richard Whiting(1891-1938) Fred Ahlert(1892-1953) John Green(1908-1989) Rube Bloom(1902-1976) Jimmy Van Heusen(1913-1990) 11. Outstanding Individual Songs: 1920 to 1950
#41 - Ben Sidran / Bob Rockwell Quartet – Walk Pretty - The Songs Of Alec Wilder / Go Jazz / 2002 #19 - Marlene VerPlanck / Sings Alec Wilder / Audiophile Records / 1986, 1991 #1 - Jackie Cain & Roy Kral – An Alec Wilder Collection / Audiophile Records / 1990
********************************************************* reserved (alphabetical) ********************************************************* 【Alec Wilder Songbook】 Bob Brookmeyer / The Blues Hot and Cold + 7 X Wilder Bob Levy / Blackberry Winter - Songs by Alec Wilder Bob Rockwell / Bob's Wilder: Bob Rockwell 5 Plays The Music Of Alec Wilder David Liebman / Lieb Plays Wilder Diana Robinson / Diana Robinson Plays the Music of Alec Wilder Eileen Farrell / Eileen Farrell Sings Alec Wilder Frank Sinatra / Frank Sinatra Conducts the Music of Alec Wilder Marian McPartland / Plays the Music of Alec Wilder Mark Masters Ensemble / Night Talk - The Alec Wilder Songbook Mundell Lowe / New Music of Alec Wilder Roland Hanna / Plays The Music Of Alec Wilder Valerie Errante / Songs of Alec Wilder Vic Juris / Music of Alec Wilder Wesla Whitfield / September Songs: The Music of Wilder, Weill and Warren
The first time Alec heard us perform this song was at a concert at Lincoln Center. He said, "I like the way it starts in the country, goes to the city and comes back to the country" Our engineer, Danny referring to the same doubletime section, said, It's like being in the country and suddenly the sun comes out.
Roy Kral
The skyline of New York is a splendid sight,
I know Chicago's Loop is magical at night.
The natives of Cleveland, of 'Frisco and Boston,
And natives of cities a stranger gets lost in,
All of them tell you their city is the best,
From deep in the south and from out in the west!
Perhaps its all true,
But from my point of view -
It's so peaceful in the country,
It's so simple and quiet,
You really ought to try it!
You walk about
And talk about
The pleasant things in life.
It's so restful in the country,
It's the right kind of diet,
You really ought to try it!
You read a book
Or try to cook
Like any good man's wife.
City living is a pretty living,
It's so full of unexpected thrills.
But there's too much stone,
Too much telephone,
There's too much of everything
But trees and hills!
It's so peaceful in the country,
It's so simple and quiet,
Someday you're bound to try it!
The only place to be,
The place for you and me,
Where it's peaceful in the country!
Recorded March 10, 13, 19, 1986, Era Recording Corp, New York City
August 13, 1991, Reflection Sound Charlotte , N.C.
1. Where Is The One?
2. Crazy In The Heart
3. Love Among The Young
4. I'm Alone Again
5. Please Stay With Me
6. The Lady Sings The Blues
7. I Like It Here
8. Lovers And Losers
9. Remember My Child (Vespa Waltz)
10. Give Me Time
11. That's My Guy
12. (So You've Had A) Change Of Heart
13. I Wish I Had The Blues Again
14. No One Ever Told Me
15. I'll Be Around
16. Blackberry Winter
17. The Wrong Blues
18. I Like It Here (And This Is Where I'll Stay)
19. Be A Child
20. Where Is The One?
マリーン・ヴァープランクのアルバムはこのコミュニティですでに取り上げたことがあります。
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlene_VerPlanck
彼女のアルバムの特色は、1トラックの録音時間が短い中で非常によくまとめられているところにあります。
アレック・ワイルダーとマリーン・ヴァープランクとは長い交流があり、アレック・ワイルダーがビリー・ホリデイのために書いた曲でビリー・ホリデイが歌わなかった曲 "The Lady Sings The Blues" をビリー・ホリデイの代わりにマリーン・ヴァープランクが歌っています。
彼女は15歳の時にアレック・ワイルダーの伝説的なオクテットの録音を耳にしてから、ず〜っと彼女のお気に入りの作曲家になったそうです。
ライナーノーツにはマリーン・ヴァープランクが
This album is dedicated to the memory of Dick Phipps.
とあるのですが、Dick Phipps については十分には調べきれませんでした。
どうやらプロデューサー、スタヂオ経営者だったようです。
https://www.discogs.com/artist/2563679-Dick-Phipps
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dick-phipps-mn0000823055
Where is the one
Who'll end the search I'm making
Where is the one
Who'll change my dream to waking
Behind some far off secret door
There's my love
There's my life
In store
The journey's long
Much longer than I reckoned
In any throng
I'll know her in a second
Some lucky day
I'm bound to find her
And when I do
I'll find love
The journey's long
Much longer than I reckoned
In any throng
I'll know her in a second
Some lucky day
I'm bound to find her
And when I do
I'll find love
I see roses in December
Think it's April in November
And it's all because I'm crazy in the heart
I hear trumpets when I'm talkin'
Think I'm flyin' when I'm walkin'
And it's all because I'm crazy in the heart
I used to be the kind that acted sober, acted wise
Until I felt the magic that happens in your eyes
But though I'm daffy as a hatter
Baby, please don't let it matter
Don't you worry if I'm not so very smart
It only means you've got me crazy in the heart
I'll kiss you
But I'll warn you
In the ways of love I'm unwise
If this makes me young in your eyes
Don't laugh, just remember;
Remember
Love, among the young
Is such a dear and precious thing
Such a love I bring to you
Since this is my heart's first affair
Give it time, give it care;
For love, among the young
Is such a deep and lasting love
Wonderful once it takes hold
'Cause love, among the young
Never grows old
For love, among the young
Is such a deep and lasting love
Wonderful once it takes hold
'Cause love, among the young
Never grows old
The lady sings the blues
The lady walks alone
She's got no dream at all
The heart she used to call
Her own has turned to stone
The lady sings the blues
But no one hears her song
She's weepin' in the night
Because her Mister right
Went wrong
She cries, "Let me forget
Let me forget, let me be smart."
She tries, tries to get free
But who can free
A hеart
Love isn't an easy thing to lose
It haunts you night and day
Thе mem 'ry of it clings
And so the lady sings
The blues
Blackberry winter comes without a warning
Just when you think that spring's around to stay
And you wake up on a cold, rainy morning
And wonder what on earth became of May
Blackberry winter only lasts a few days
Just long enough to get you feeling sad
When you think of all the love that you have wasted
On someone who you never really had
I’ll never get over losing you
But I had to learn that life goes on
And the memory grows dim, like a half-forgotten song
Till the blackberry winter reminds me that you're gone
I get so lonely, most of all in springtime
I wish I could enjoy the first of May
But I seem to know that blackberry winter
Is not so far away
It's not so far away
Ben Sidran / Bob Rockwell Quartet – Walk Pretty - The Songs Of Alec Wilder
Label: Go Jazz
Recorded in April 28 and 29, 2002 at Creation Audio, Minneapolis, MN USA
1. That's My Girl
2. Walk Pretty
3. Rain Man
4. Lady Sings The Blues
5. The Winter Of My Discontent
6. South To Warmer Place
7. While We're Young
8. Lovers And Losers
9. If Someday Ever Happens Again
10. I Like It Here
11. A Long Night
12. Moon And Sand
Musicians:
Ben Sidran (p, vo)
Bob Rockwell (ts, fl)
Billy Peterson (b)
Kenny Horst (ds)
「ワイルダーは何百曲ものポピュラーソングを書いたが、例外はほとんどなく、特に "I'll Be Around "が有名である。"It's So Peaceful in the Country"、"Blackberry Winter" や "While We're Young "など、彼の作品がポピュラー歌手やミュージシャンによって録音されることはほとんどなかった。これは、彼の音楽が、ある伝記作家の言葉を借りれば、「横長の (a lopsided) 不規則な形をしている」という事実に起因していることは間違いない。 セロニアス・モンクの音楽と同様、ワイルダーの音楽も、最初は見慣れた土地を散歩するような単純でありふれたものに見えるが、すぐにオリジナル曲の頭の中を旅するようなものに変わることがある。ウィルダーの音楽は「流行り廃りがない」と言われるが、それは事実上、流行り廃りがなかったからである。アレック・ワイルダーの音楽が時代を超越したものであることは、まさにその通りである。」
This is the winter of my discontent
Like a dream you came and like a dream you went
Before I had a chance to know what rapture meant
Came the winter of my discontent
Now every trifle has become a care
Now there is no joy, but only deep despair
For now your vision haunts me everywhere
In this winter of my discontent
The world is full of dissonance
The scheme of things is wrong
The air resounds with the resonance
Of a harsh and spiteful song
Now all the follies of the world seem small
Let the empires rise and let the heroes fall
And let the ruins burn, for there’s no love at all
In this winter of my discontent
>>[37] " I Like It Here (And This Is Where I'll Stay)" とは別の曲のようです
この曲の最初の録音です
Billy Dee Williams Accompanied By The George Cory Ensemble – Let's Misbehave (1961)
https://www.discogs.com/ja/master/906541-Billy-Dee-Williams-Accompanied-By-The-George-Cory-Ensemble-Lets-Misbehave