An American in Paris is one of Gershwin’s most vivacious works, an orchestral ballet saturated in homesickness and the blues. This recording, however, uses the new 2019 critical edition and offers Gershwin’s original orchestration, unheard for 75 years – leaner, more angular and transparent, it also employs the correct use of the iconic taxi horns, for a new sonic experience. The breezy vitality of Copland’s An Outdoor Overture is balanced by Bernstein’s Songfest – written to celebrate the Bicentennial Year in America, setting the verses of 13 of the country’s poets.

The ongoing series of American orchestral works presented by the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic received critical acclaim, including a GRAMMY nomination in 2018 for their performance of Harbison’s Fourth Symphony, Ruggles’ Sun-Treader and Stucky’s Second Concerto for Orchestra, under David Alan Miller (8559836). AllMusic.com has commented that Miller ‘draws out exciting and expressive playing from the orchestra and avoids the dry, academic approach of similar surveys.’ ★★★★

‘The NOIP plays magnificently,’ ★★★★★ wrote AudiophileAudition for their debut recording of Corigliano’s First Symphony, Bright Blue Music by Michael Torke, and the Appalachian Spring Suite by Copland (8559782), while the second disc of Randall Thompson’s Symphony no.2, Samuel Adams’ Drift and Providence and Barber’s First Symphony (8559822) was well received by Pizzicato for their ‘top notch performances.’ ★★★★★