美国名人音乐人约翰·路易斯.docx

美国名人音乐人约翰路易斯JohnLewis,1920-2001:HeCreatedOneoftheMostFamousJazzGroupsinAmerica,theModernJazzQuartetplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:27repeatByCynthiaKirk2009-2-28VOICEONE:mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmShirleyGriffithwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOPLEINAMERICA.Today,wetellaboutpianistJohnLewis.HecreatedoneofoneofthemostfamousjazzgroupsinAmerica,theModernJazzQuartet.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:JohnLewisJohnLewiswasknownforhiscreativity.HewasaskilledpianoplayerandmusicaldirectoroftheModernJazzQuartetforalmostfiftyyears.Hewroteandarrangedallthemusicforthesmallgroup.MisterLewiswasresponsibleforthegroup'ssoundanditsidentity.JohnLewiswasinterestedinjazz,blues,andbebob,amusicwithagreatdealofenergy.YethewasalsogreatlyinfluencedbyhistraininginEuropeanclassicalmusic.Classicalmusicisexpressiveandintense,butisalsostructured.Hethoughtjazzshouldbepresentedthesameway.JohnLewiscombinedclassicalmusicwithtraditionaljazztocreatesongsforhimselfandthethreeothermembersofhisquartet.Hebelievedmusicshouldbesimpleandclear,yetplayedinameaningfulway.HereisoneoftheModernJazzQuartet'sbighits,"Django."(MUSIC)VOICETWO:JohnLewiswasgreatlyinfluencedbythepianostyleofthefamousjazzbandleader,CountBasie.1.ikeBasiezLewisbelievedinmakingeverynoteofmusiccount.Hedependedasmuchonsilenceashedidonnotestogethismessageacross.JohnLewisoftenusedaformofmusiccalledfugue.Fugueisaseriesofopposingmelodiesusedtocreateacomplexeffect.MisterLewisalsocombinedwrittenmusicwithmusicthatthegroupinventedasitwentalong.Thisnewkindofjazzattractedbothloversofjazzandclassicalmusic.ItalsoappealedtopeoplewhodidnotnecessarilyIikejazz.Hereisanexampleoffugueinthesong"Alexander'sFugue."(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ModernJazzQuartetmembersfromleft,JohnLewis,ConnieKay,above,MiltJackson,below,andPercyHeathzright.TheModernJazzQuartetincludedJohnLewis,MiltJackson,PercyHeathandConnieKay.Thegroupmadeitsfirstrecordinginnineteenfifty-two.Andtheycontinuedtoplaytogether,withasevenyearbreak,untilnineteenninety-nine.JohnLewiswasasconcernedaboutappearancesashewasaboutthemusic.Themusicianshadtodresswellforeveryperformance.Theyplayedmostlyinconcerthallsinsteadofsmalldanceclubs.Lewisbelievedjazzshouldreceivethesamerespectasclassicalmusic.VOICETWO:JohnLewiswasborninLaGrange,Illinois,innineteentwenty.HegrewupinAlbuquerque,NewMexico.Hestartedplayingthepianowhenhewasseven.Asateenager,heplayedprofessionallyinchurchesaroundAlbuquerque.Hesoonwasplayinginlocaldancehalls.1.ewisstudiedanthropologyandmusicattheUniversityofNewMexico.Innineteenforty-two,hejoinedtheArmyandservedinEuropeduringWorldWarTwo.Afterthewar,LewismovedtoNewYorkCityandplayedinDizzyGillespie'sbigband.Healsostudiedforhismaster'sdegreeattheManhattanSchoolofMusic.VOICEONE:JohnLewisplayedintherhythmsectionofGillespie'sband.OthermembersweredrummerKennyClarke,bassplayerRayBrownandvibraphoneplayerMiltJackson.Thefouroftenperformedtogetherwhilethehornplayersinthebandrested.ThefourbandmemberscontinuedtoworktogetherafterleavingDizzy'sgroupinthelatenineteenforties.Atthattime,theywerecriticizedfornotplaying"truejazz."Buttheycontinuedanyway.RayBrownandKennyClarkesoonleftthegroup.BassplayerPercyHeathanddrummerConnieKayreplacedthem.Innineteenfifty-two,thegroupbecametheModernJazzQuartetandestablisheditsownidentity.VOICETWO:Innineteenfifty-six,theModernJazzQuartetplayedaseriesofconcertsinEurope.ThegrouphelpedmakejazzpopularwithmanymusiclistenersinEurope.ThemembersofthequartethadbecomemajorstarsbythetimetheyreturnedtotheUnitedStates.TheModernJazzQuartetcontinuedtoperformallovertheworldforsold-outcrowdsuntilthelatenineteenseventies.Peoplelovedthegroup'steamworkandtheiramazingsound.Listenasweplay"Vendome",anotherbighit.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:CriticssayJohnLewis's"lessismore"pianostyleandMiltJackson'senergyonthevibraphonewerethesecrettothegroup'slong-lastingsuccess.Yetovertheyears,MisterJacksonexpresseddissatisfactionwithlimitsthatwereputonhistalents.Thegroupseparatedinnineteenseventy-four.Howeverzthemembersofthequartetreunitedaftersevenyears.TheyplayedtogetheruntilMiltJackson'sdeathinnineteenninety-nine.InadditiontohisworkwiththeModernJazzQuartet,JohnLewisworkedformanyyearsasmusicaldirectoroftheMontereyJazzFestivalinCalifornia.HewrotethemusicforseveralHollywoodfilms.HetaughtatHarvardUniversityandtheCityCollegeofNewYork.AndhehelpedestablishajazzschoolinMassachusetts.VOICETWO:Throughtheyears,JohnLewisworkedwithsomeofthebiggestnamesinjazz,includingtrumpetplayerMilesDavis.YetforallthepraiseLewisreceived,hewasknownforputtingtheinterestsofthegroupovertheindividual.JohnLewislivedaquietlifewithhiswife,Mirjana,inNewYorkCity.InMarch,twothousandone,hediedofcancer.Hewaseightyyearsold.Hisdeathofficiallymarkedtheendofahistoricperiodinmodernjazz.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ThisSpecialEnglishprogramwaswrittenandproducedbyCynthiaKirk.OuraudioengineerwasRoyBenson.mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmShirleyGriffith.ListenagainnextweekforanotherPEOPLEINAMERICAprogramontheVoiceofAmerica.