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Magnificent, brilliant example from 1958 of the music genre known as "Third Stream", the combination of classical
and jazz elements, from the late composer/pianist John Lewis, founder and leader of the legendary, long-lived jazz
ensemble "The Modern Jazz Quartet". I first came across "European Windows" back in the 70's when I was in college,
and spent many hours in blissful relaxation listening to this timeless, haunting work of art - I still have a mint vinyl
copy of it. Recorded in Stuttgart, Germany in February 1958 by members of the Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra, along
with two other members of "The Modern Jazz Quartet", bassist Percy Heath and drummer Connie Kay, two European
soloists, flautist Gerry Weinkopf and baritone saxophonist Ronnie Ross, and Lewis, himself, who composed and con-
ducted all six pieces on the recording, Lewis also orchestrated five of the selections; the only piece NOT orchestrated
by him, "Midsommer", was done by Gunther Schuller (President of the New England Conservatory of Music and legend-
ary "Third Stream" authority). "Midsommer", itself, was Lewis' composition describing a Swedish summer festival, and
was first recorded by him in 1955 with the jazz group, "The Modern Jazz Society". The next piece, "The Queen's Fancy",
was composed by Lewis during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and is related to the ceremonial music written for
Elizabeth I of England earlier by Farnaby, Morley, and others. "Cortege" and "Three Windows" are from John's score for
the 1957 Roger Vadim film, "One Never Knows". "Cortege" is funeral music, and is structured on the second theme in
"Three Windows", which was composed as a triple fugue and describes the personalities of the film's three lead male
roles. Read more >