KFUO-FM, Classic 99 and Jim Althoff will be playing (or “spinning” in DJ parlance) my new Violin Concerto this Saturday at 10:00 AM and I couldn’t be happier. These days, with all the trials and tribulations facing classical music, --dwindling and aging audiences, the record companies’ uncertain future,--many composers (meaning me) have learned to accept the sad reality that actual live performances of their compositions will be rarer than a C chord in a Schoenberg symphony. A major label release will be even more atypical. These days composers (meaning me, again) have come to expect most performances will take place in the concert all of their (my) mind.
Luckily, my new piece, THE RUNAWAY BUNNY, a Violin Concerto for Reader, Violin and Orchestra, has been an exception. It was recorded by SONY/BMG (a big deal), performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, (a bigger deal) and narrated by the divine Brooke Shields, (a mega-watt deal.) I even conducted it at Carnegie Hall in April, with Glenn Close as the narrator and the American Symphony Orchestra. Plus, it’s been played by over thirty classical stations all over the country, KFUO being the latest.
Why is this piece different than all the rest? I’m very proud of my score but I’m also very sober about what has opened the doors: three words, The Runaway Bunny.
As every four year old in American knows, Margaret Wise Brown’s book is one of the most popular children’s books of all time. It annually sells almost a million copies and has been known to bring grown men to tears. In fact, when Brooke recorded the piece, she said to me she couldn’t get through it without crying. DJ’s and the usually heartless, stone-cold concert promoters turn to mush when they remember the book and their curiosity is peaked. Open-sesame, I get a consideration.
Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have Brooke’s name attached. (And Glenn certainly helped the sales at Carnegie Hall.)
This is not to say that getting from my mind to KFUO was an easy road. It took me two years of negotiations with HarperCollins, the publisher of the book, to secure the rights. Not to mention the legal fees. Then, it took SONY/UK two years to actually record it and SONY/US another two years to release it. Contracts, funding, schedules, record executives coming and going, all contributed to this time delay, which actually in music-industry time, is light-speed. I wrote the piece when my nephew, Myles, was born. He’s almost five. Composing is the easiest part of the process. Certainly, the most fun. The rest is where it gets dicey!
Chris Craker, an English record producer and friend of mine didn’t know the book, but he responded to the music and, as a businessman, was attracted to the book sales. He owned a small record company, which was bought by a bigger company, which was bought by a bigger company, which was subsequently bought by an even bigger one. Finally, after all those big fish/little fish mergers and acquisitions, Chris ended up head of SONY/BMG Classical for the UK. And that’s when he was able to give the go ahead for the Royal Philharmonic. (A little side bar: When my composer friends heard that SONY was involved, the first thing they asked was, “How much are you paying them?” When I answered, “nothing,” they were as incredulous as I. Ah, the fiduciary fate of composers.)
Despite Chris’s exalted position, there was still no budget for an orchestra rehearsal. I had to hear the entire concerto in my head in NYC, e-mail the music to the Royal Phil in London, and then have the producer push the red button to record the piece for posterity. Even the greatest composers like/need to change certain things after hearing a piece played for the first time, but budgetary constraints denied me that luxury. I was, however, able to hear the score spit out by my computer program, so I had had a high-tech preview of the piece. Not perfect, but beggars and composers can’t be chooser and I was, at least, able to correct some wrong notes.
However, nothing really prepared me for the glorious sound of an orchestra, especially the Royal Phil playing my music. Live! Not in my head. In between takes, I frantically make some slight alterations, even though clock was ticking. And I did make further revisions for the Carnegie performance. By that time, I had heard the piece performed, counting the Royal Phil performance, once!
(A second side bar: Chris resigned one week after the CD was released in America. I dread to think what would have happened to the poor Bunny if he had resigned two weeks earlier.)
When the album came out, I did a phone interview with Canadian talk show host, Peter Anthony Holder. He talked about what the piece would be compared to (Peter and the Wolf, of course), the inspiration, (the book, of course), and how SONY came to record it, (see above.) Then, he played the main theme of the Concerto on the air. After that, he came back and asked me another question. I didn’t respond. Wondering if perhaps there were technical difficulties, he asked if I was there? I was unequivocally there, but as that was the first time I had heard the Concerto played on the radio, I was shell-shocked and honestly, tearing up. I couldn’t respond. It was a dream come true. Having the Bunny hop out of my head and reach all those people was more than I could bear.
So, people of St. Louis (and environs) enjoy the play on KFUO and Mr. Althoff’s interview. And if you want to buy a copy, I wouldn’t be upset!
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