Mississippi Suite
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| "Mississippi Suite, A Tone Journey Part 1 "Huckleberry Finn" "Old Creole Days"" | |
|---|---|
 1928 Victor Records release | |
| Single by Paul Whiteman and His Concert Orchestra | |
| B-side | Mississippi Suite, A Tone Journey Part 2 "Mardi Gras" |
| Written | 1926 |
| Published | April 20, 1926 Leo Feist, Inc.[1] |
| Released | January 1928[2] |
| Recorded | September 7, 1927[3] |
| Studio | Trinity Church Studio, Camden, New Jersey[4] |
| Genre | Orchestral jazz |
| Length | 3.48, 3.40 |
| Label | Victor 35859 12" 78rpm |
| Composers | , arrangement, orchestration by Ferdie Grofé |
Mississippi; Tone Journey is a 1926 orchestral suite in four movements by Ferde Grofé, depicting scenes along a journey down the Mississippi River from its headwaters of Minnesota to New Orleans.
Daybreak
The work was composed by Grofé in 1926 and first performed that year by Paul Whiteman's Orchestra in New York City.[5] Publisher Leo Feist, Inc., New York copyrighted the composition on April 20 as "Mississippi; Tone Journey" and described it as "1. Father of waters. [3 others]". The composer is "Ferdie Grofe". These are the legal names of the composer and his work, though, in later years, it became known as the "Mississippi Suite".[6]
Later, American lyricist Harold Adamson wrote words to the music from the ballad theme of the suite's final movement. The resulting song was called "Daybreak". In July 1942, it was recorded and released by Harry James, Jimmy Dorsey, and Tommy Dorsey, with their Orchestras and Vocalists. All reached the top 20 of the National Best-Selling charts, with Tommy Dorsey and his vocalist, Frank Sinatra, peaking at number 10 in October.[7] Sinatra recorded it again, along with many of his 1940s hits, on May 2, 1961, for the Reprise album, "I Remember Tommy". Sy Oliver arranged and conducted the Orchestra at United Recorders, Los Angeles.[8]
Movements
- I. Father of the Waters – depicts the birth of the Mississippi River in the streams of Minnesota and the lands of the Chippewa Indians .
- II. Huckleberry Finn – based on the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. A short piece ruminating on Huck's prankish nature.
- III. Old Creole Days – Grofe's interpretation of spirituals sung by slaves on the plantations
- IV. Mardi Gras – depicts Fat Tuesday in New Orleans.
The entire piece runs about 17 minutes.
