by John Katsantonis
Say what you will about his taste in women, there's never been any doubt regarding Woody Allen's taste in music. Whether the traditional jazz one could predictably hear, from his own ensemble on Monday nights at Manhattan's late, lamented Michael's Pub, or the classical music represented on WOODY ALLEN CLASSICS ---- a compilation of motion picture score bits from LOVE AND DEATH, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SEX COMEDY, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS and more ---- one cannot doubt his musical veracity.
So today, on his 72nd birthday, we celebrate the latter: WOODY ALLEN CLASSICS (Sony Masterworks SK 53549), available for about 11 bucks at Amazon.com, contains essentials as diverse as "Rhapsody In Blue" ---- recorded by the New York Philharmonic for the opening of MANHATTAN ---- which surely must have been a strong influence on Allen's penchant for the clarinet.
Selections from Bach, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Puccini, Satie and Weill performed by Yo-Yo Ma, the Julliard String Quartet, the Cleveland Orchestra and members of the London Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of George Szell, Michael Tilson Thomas, Zubin Mehta and others, satisfy.
Perhaps the most resonant of all are the Prokofiev selections, including the "Lieutenant Kije' - Op. 60," "Alexander Nevsky - Op. 78," and the inevitable "For The Love Of Three Oranges," from Allen's Tolstoy sendup LOVE AND DEATH. For those who've seen the film, it is impossible to hear "Kije'" in particular, and not picture its final scene, with Allen dancing through fields of wheat ("Wheat...Wheat...") accompanied by a less-grim-than-usual Grim Reaper, in a manner that would make even Ingmar Bergman laugh.
This is a most enjoyable CD, definitely a gorgeous introduction to the composers in question, and a robust 1:13:25 for all.
