Bbc Philharmonic - George Antheil: Symphony No. 1 'Zingareska', Suite from 'capital of the World', McKonkey's Ferry, Nocturne in Skyrockets

In this their third volume of orchestral works of Antheil, John Storg�rds and the BBC Philharmonic present a collection of scores spanning the whole of Antheil�s compositional life. Written in the early 1920s, the First Symphony is full of Antheil�s enthusiasm for the mechanical, and takes strong leads from the prevailing sound of the jazz era as well as a nostalgic look back to its predecessor, ragtime. His ballet score Capital of the World dates from the mid-1950s, and was based on a short story by Hemmingway. The Golden Bird was originally conceived as a solo piano piece, and in his translation of the piece from piano to orchestra Antheil demonstrates an ability equal to Ravel�s to think simultaneously in two musical media. The concert overture McKonkey�s Ferry is based on a painting of George Washington and his continental army crossing the Delaware River at Christmas 1776 at McKonkey�s Ferry, near Trenton � an event that proved a turning point in the Revolutionary war.