Recorded in New York City on June 19, 1979, Charles Amirkhanian interviews Jerome Moross about his life-long friendship with George Antheil. Moross, a composer and conductor himself, met Antheil when he was living in New York in the early 1930s, and was impressed by his sophistication and international reputation as an avant-garde pianist and composer. Moross talks about Antheil’s difficulties in getting his modernist compositions performed in the U. S. and his gradual shift towards composing in a more traditional style in hopes of being more financially successful, but thereby also alienating many of his initial supporters. Clearly a fan of Antheil’s early style of composition, Moross describes Antheil as someone who had lost his way, forgoing the energetic, even dissonant works of the 1920s, yet refusing to keep abreast of the trends being successfully adopted by his fellow American composers. Moross also discusses Antheil’s personality, his perpetual boyish charm, and his relationship with his wife Böske, as well as with Noma Copley, to whom he dedicated his “Valentine Waltzes.“ Also partaking in this discussion is Moross’ wife, Hazel, and Carol Law. |
