Rod McKuen: Concerto For 4 Harpsichords

[kolaboy]

Ummmm... OK,

I'll admit to having an unwholesome curiosity about the piece, as well as his very ominously titled Symphony no.1 in 4 Movements.  The thing is, I've never encountered any of his so-called "classical" pieces, and I'm not about to shell out an ungodly sum for vinyl on ebay for what I know in my heart of hearts must be the aural equivalent of his poetry...

So, has anyone here ever heard any of McKuen's classical compositions? Apparently he's quite prolific...

[chill319]

With Rod there's a middle ground between poetry ("God bless the little creatures / Who leave puddles on the floor.") and concertos -- namely his songbook, easily accessed via YouTube. Try "A Cat Named Sloopy."  Try "This One's Gonna Hurt You." Or not.

[JimL]

A very long time ago I heard a broadcast of his Piano Concerto #2.  Attractive, but, as I recall, rather shapeless.  I couldn't figure out the form.

[kolaboy]

Oh, I've heard a number of his songs. I'm just curious as to the depth of his symphonic thought. Once years ago I did manage to hear a brief snippet of the 1st symphony, and the portion aired sounded somewhat like the theme to Return To Peyton Place. But I try not to judge works from snippets.
Wonder if he did his own orchestration?

[chill319]

According to one Steve Huey, in the early 1970s, McKuen "moved into larger-scale classical-style composition, writing a series of concertos, suites, symphonies, and chamber pieces for orchestra. His piece The City: A Suite for Narrator & Orchestra was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Music. "  Perhaps for those readers who consider him a blowhard, he has also, says Wikipedia, composed a Concerto For Balloon & Orchestra. One suspects it ends with a bang.

[Latvian]

After hearing radio broadcasts of a number of his symphonic pieces many years ago, he has been at the very, very bottom of my list of composers whose music I'd ever want to hear again. The adjectives "trite" and "banal" don't even begin to suffice in describing what I heard.