The advent of George Frederick McKay's music on CD Recordings marks a new era of sensitivity towards the achievements of American composers in the 20th Century. McKay was in reality a highly successful and respected cultural leader and master composer residing for most of his life on the Pacific Coast, including 40 years at the University of Washington. He was famous for encouraging other composers who studied with him, and is considered by some to have the greatest number of publications of any serious American composer. Economic, political and social factors somewhat discouraged the early prospects of his music being recorded commercially, although his music was widely broadcast during the "Radio Days" in the period 1929 to 1965 in live symphony concerts or programs with American themes, and he conducted his own works several times with the Seattle Symphony and the CBC Radio Orchestra. Other conductors who presented his works included Leopold Stokowski, Sir Thomas Beecham, and Howard Hanson. The situation regarding the recording of McKay's music has changed dramatically since 1999 with the issuing of his first CD in the NAXOS American Classics Series (8.559052). Titles included in this disc are: From A Moonlit Ceremony, Harbor Narrative, and Symphony for Seattle (Evocation Symphony). This recording which significantly contains Native American themes in the first orchestral selection, has had great success in terms of favorable reviews and worldwide radio broadcasts; notably on stations like the BBC, Radio France, WQRX New York, CBC Canada and Classic 99 in St. Louis. This breakthrough recording which was an early addition to the American Classics series, conducted by John McLaughlin Williams, weaves a wonderful story of Northwest history and culture into the American fabric. It has earned a five star rating from Diapason Magazine of France, and was selected for the "Want List of 2001" by two critics of Fanfare Magazine.
Interestingly, both McKay's first publications in the 1930's (Schott's and Senart) and his first commercial recording in 1999 (National Symphony of Ukraine) originated from Europe. George Frederick McKay's Chamber album (8.559143) features McKay's former composition student, Pulitzer Prize winner William Bolcom, who performs many works both romantic and modern (including jazz age) on the piano in a virtuoso turn. The album was produced by Joan Morris, who sings several McKay songs accompanied by Mr. Bolcom. Other performers on the album are Mahoko Eguchi & Sanford Margolis (Suite for Viola and Piano), and Logan Skelton playing a piano duo with Bolcom in "Dancing In A Dream." The chamber album captures the vitality of the jazz age, as well as 20th Century romanticism and avant-garde adventure. McKay's second Orchestral CD on the NAXOS (8.559225) label, contains no less than four wonderful orchestral works, including one directly related to Ancient Music (Suite on 16th Century Hymn Tunes), once again conducted by John McLaughlin Williams. This CD is a triumphant exploration of nearly unknown and lost works, with unforgettable scenarios taken from George Frederick McKay's true love for America and its people. This album has had great success in being broadcast on many radio stations around the world including WGBH Boston, KDFC San Francisco and KING Seattle. All the McKay CD recordings are readily available at Amazon.com., Tower Records and other internet sites. Included in this album is the premiere recording of McKay's Violin Concerto, with a brilliant solo performance by Brian Reagin. Also heard on the CD are the thoroughly American works Song Over the Great Plains, and Sinfonietta No. 4; the Sinfonietta contains an enchanting pastorale movement that embraces the essence of the Pacific Coast environment, a hallmark of George Frederick McKay's many years spent living and creating music near the mountains and seashore of the Far West.
