Overview
Introduction
The Mississippi Suite (Tone Journey) is a 1925 orchestral suite in four movements by Ferde Grofé, depicting scenes along a journey down the Mississippi River from its headwaters of Minnesota down to New Orleans.
History
The work was composed by Grofé in 1925 and first performed in the summer of that year by Paul Whiteman's orchestra at the Hippodrome Theatre, New York City.
Later, American lyricist Harold Adamson wrote words to music from the ballad theme of the suite's final movement. The resulting song was called "Daybreak". Frank Sinatra recorded "Daybreak" twice, once with Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra on July 1, 1942, and nineteen years later, on May 2, 1961, for the album called "I Remember Tommy". (See under Adamson at #[1]) Mississippi Suite incorporates elements from the Gershwins (which Grofe had arranged for) as well as Copland, making this a good example of 'American' classical music.
Movements
- I. Father of the Waters – depicts the birth of the Mississippi River in the streams of Minnesota and the lands of the Chippewa Indians .
- II. Huckleberry Finn – based on the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. A short piece ruminating on Huck's prankish nature.
- III. Old Creole Days – Grofe's interpretation of spirituals sung by slaves on the plantations
- IV. Mardi Gras – depicts Fat Tuesday in New Orleans.
The entire piece runs about 17 minutes.
