Manhattan (soundtrack)

Manhattan is the original motion picture soundtrack to Woody Allen's 1979 American romantic comedy-drama film, Manhattan, composed by George Gershwin. It was performed by the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under Michael Tilson Thomas. The soundtrack works supremely well with the film and is equally effective without the film.^[1] Sony BMG Music Entertainment released the soundtrack in 1979. It was nominated for Best Soundtrack in the 33rd British Academy Film Awards.

Background

Normally, Allen's finding and adding music to a film would be done during the editing process. However, in the case of this soundtrack, Allen knew beforehand exactly what he wanted: "Sometimes I know in advance. When I made Manhattan, for example, I knew I was going to use this Gershwin music".^[2] Fellow Brooklynite Gershwin's 1924 composition entitled "Rhapsody in Blue", also the opening song of the film, does seem perfectly apt for the film, as the idea for the song came to Gershwin on a train journey to Boston.^[3] Gershwin describes as "a musical kaleidoscope of America, of our vast melting pot, our unduplicated national pep, our blues, our metropolitan madness."^[4] It's that Metropolitan Madness that makes it work so well in Woody Allen's Manhattan. Used in the extended opening homage, it is the perfect soundtrack to New York at all hours.^[5]

The inspiration behind the soundtrack came to Allen when he was listening to the CBS Masterworks LP of Gershwin overtures, titled Gershwin on Broadway, in arrangements by Don Rose, recorded in 1976 by Michael Tilson Thomas and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO).^[6] This LP included six Gershwin overtures: Girl Crazy, Of Thee I Sing, Let 'Em Eat Cake, Oh, Kay!, Funny Face and Strike Up the Band. In order to secure the legal rights, Allen's producers sent each BPO musician a check for an extra recording session that would never take place.^[7]

Allen's use of Gershwin perfectly captures the life essence of the city. ^[8] Gershwin is a quintessential American composer whose music is without hyperbole culturally defining for Americans - especially New Yorkers.^[9] The soundtrack contains a mix of Gershwin's more famous songs (Rhapsody in Blue, Someone to Watch Over Me and Embraceable You) and some lesser known ones. There is also variety in the instrumentation, with some scored for the full orchestra and some for smaller ensembles (Mine and Love is Here to Stay).

Track listing

The music of the film was performed by the New York Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and pianist Gary Graffman. The arrangements were mostly done by Tom Pierson

• New York Philharmonic
  • Rhapsody in Blue
  • Mine (from Let 'Em Eat Cake)
  • Love Is Here to Stay (from The Goldwyn Follies)
  • Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (from Shall We Dance)
  • "Love is Sweeping the Country" (from Of Thee I Sing)
  • "Land of the Gay Caballero" (from Girl Crazy)
  • "Sweet and Low Down" (from Tip-Toes)
  • "I've Got a Crush on You" (from Strike Up The Band)
  • "Do-Do-Do" (from Oh, Kay!)
  • "'S Wonderful" (from Funny Face)
  • "Oh, Lady Be Good!" (from Lady, Be Good!)
  • "Strike Up the Band" (from Strike Up The Band
  • "Embraceable You" (from Girl Crazy
• Buffalo Philharmonic
  • "Someone to Watch Over Me" (from Oh, Kay!)
  • "He Loves and She Loves" (from Funny Face)
  • "But Not for Me" (from Girl Crazy)

A part of the first movement of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 is heard in a concert scene.

Developments

After the success of Manhattan, the original BPO-Gerwin LP, Gershwin on Broadway, was later issued on a very popular CD (Sony MK2240) which also features the New York Philharmonic.^[10]

References

External links

• The Woody Allen Pages
• Jazz.com
• Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
• Those Who Dig