Missoula, one last time

American Dreams; Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; Raymond Leppard, conducting

My family and I endured a somewhat melancholy departure from K.’s house in Lolo, MT, last August. For thirteen years, my family and I had fueled a genuine romance with the state of Montana and the city of Missoula by descending upon my sister’s house at any and every opportunity we could find. At least three Christmases, a mother’s day, three or four summer vacations and a break from the steamboat would find us winding our way through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and sometimes Idaho to immerse ourselves in the calming, soothing, take-it-easy character of Zoo Town.

Last summer, K. found a new job that would move her back to Minnesota. The rest of us, upon hearing the news, immediately planned a trip to Missoula to go do those things that we loved to do one “last time”. Our itinerary included, amongst many favorites, the used bookstore, the quilt shop, a deli called Wheat Montana, the farmer’s markets, the carousel, an Asian restaurant called The Mustard Seed and Rockin Rudy’s.

I have purchased many CD’s at Rockin Rudy’s on my various trips to visit K. On my final visit, I found two used CD’s. One of them included George Gershwin’s “Lullaby”.

The Dakota String Quartet frequently visited the campus of SDSU in the 1980’s. The principle players of each part in the string section of the South Dakota Symphony formed this ensemble. On the first recital that I ever heard them perform, the Dakota String Quartet performed Gershwin’s “Lullaby”.

Mr. Gershwin wrote “Lullaby” while studying harmony and counterpoint in 1919. Like many composers, Mr. Gershwin borrowed from himself. When he needed a tune for Miss Vi in his one-act “jazz opera” called “Blue Monday” in 1922, he gleaned the melody from his “Lullaby”. “Blue Monday” opened and closed on the same evening at the “Globe Theatre” on Broadway.

Jazz bandsman Paul Whiteman conducted the original performance of “Blue Monday”. Though the stage work was a failure, its originality and ingenuity compelled Mr. Whiteman to commission a work from Mr. Gershwin for his Aeolean Hall concert in 1924. George Gershwin composed “Rhapsody In Blue” in a little less than five weeks after an article in the January 4, 1924, New York Tribune reminded him that “George Gershwin is at work on a jazz concerto.”

I like that the producers included a “Lullaby” on an album called “American Dreams”. I don’t know if they connected the “Lullaby” to the “Rhapsody In Blue” like I have here, but WE can enjoy that connection. The success story of the “Rhapsody” is the personification of the American Dream.

Credits: To the people of Missoula. You have a very special town. Somehow, we’ll be back soon. For more.