Intrada: "PARIS UNDER THE STARS: BALLET MUSIC FOR ALBERTINA RASCH" music by Dimitri Tiomkin

As a companion piece to Intrada's new recording of Dial M for Murder, conductor William Stromberg joined forces with the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra last summer to record this new album – Paris Under the Stars: Ballet Music for Albertina Rasch. All of the selections on this 2-CD set were composed by Dimitri Tiomkin between 1927 and 1932 and performed as ballets choreographed by Albertina Rasch for her dance troupe, the Albertina Rasch Dancers.
 
Before becoming the Oscar-winning composer of more than 100 film scores, Tiomkin started as a pianist. He arrived in the United States in 1924 as one half of a duo piano act to accompany the Albertina Rasch Dancers in vaudeville shows. At Tiomkin’s suggestion, in 1926 Rasch conceived and executed the first staging of a ballet to the music of George Gershwin—and Tiomkin was at one of the two pianos on stage. Rasch’s abstract choreography for Rhapsody in Blue brought form and movement in place of storytelling. She viewed it as art, like a Chopin nocturne. After that she developed a new concept for ballet, what she referred to as New World Ballet or American Ballet. She combined traits found in ballets set to classical music with rhythms integral to modern American dance music, primarily jazz and syncopated popular music. This became her signature sound.

This dynamic new recording presents a selection of the best and most dramatic music Tiomkin composed for Albertina Rasch for vaudeville, concerts and filmed ballets. Interestingly in his autobiography, he only refers to the Mars Ballet in a lengthy story, but the remaining "truckload of ballet music," as liner-note writer Warren M. Sherk calls it, is essentially ignored. No longer ignored, this set brings to light the brilliance of Tiomkin's music, including his Snow Ballet, Mars Ballet, Suite Choreographic, In the Land of the Narcissus, Fiesta Suite, The Heart of the Dancing Doll, Toe Dance, Paris Under the Stars – Moulin Rouge, and much more. This release offers listeners a generous glimpse into the non-film side of Tiomkin and a chest filled with treasures waiting to be discovered.

For track listing and sound samples, please visit the Paris Under the Stars [CLICK HERE]

Another great release, just in the end of 2019!
Jeremy [Six Strings]