Which playground for your child. George Stoney in conversation with Joseph Horowitz.
Notes:
Title from container. Soundtrack re-created by Post-Classical Ensemble, Angel Gil-Ordóñez, conductor ; Francis Guinan, narrator. Recorded Oct. 15, 2007 at Dekelboum Concert Hall, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland, College Park. Special features: The city (with the original soundtrack) (1939) (Morris Carnovsky, narrator, orchestra conducted by Max Goberman) (43:40); Which playground for your child: Greenbelt or gutter? (2000): a documentary film from the Greenbelt Museum featuring interviews with three Greenbelt pioneers (15:09); George Stoney in conversation with Joseph Horowitz (2007): a legendary documentary film-maker revisits The city (29:15).
Summary:
Made for the 1939 New York World's Fair ("The World of Tomorrow"), 'The City' is a seminal documentary film distinguished for the organic integration of narration (scripted by city planner Lewis Mumford), cinematography (Ralph Steiner and Willard Van Dyke) and music (Aaron Copland). The score, arguably Copland's highest achievement in film, was also his ticket to Hollywood; it has been called "an astonishing missing link not only in the genesis of Copland's Americana style but in American music and cinema" (Mark Swed, 'The Los Angeles Times'). As the film contains no dialogue, it is possible to create a fresh soundtrack and discover musical riches inaudible on the original monaural recording. As Copland created no suite from 'The City', the present DVD at the same time marks the world premiere recording of this music in its entirety.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.