Known as the Dean of Northwest Composers, George Frederick McKay composed and arranged a wide variety of works, ranging from orchestral compositions and music for ballet to band marches, over the course of forty years as a professor at the University of Washington. McKay was the first student to graduate in composition from Eastman. Although his performance instrument was the violin, the piano compositions here included exemplify his ability to write idiomatically for the instrument. Chamber works for strings, dance music and some of McKay’s lovely songs showcase the composer’s ability to write engaging music that is firmly rooted in the art music of the time.
McKay, George Frederick
Caricature Dance Suite
1 I. Snickertyskip 01:50
2 II. Jabbertyflip 01:00
3 III. Swaggerhop 01:07
4 IV. Burlesque March 02:38
My Tahoe Window - Summer Moods and Patterns
5 I. Sunrise 02:29
6 II. A Morning Mood 01:06
7 III. Looking Upward 01:37
8 IV. Storm Clouds 01:27
9 V. Caballeros 01:14
10 VI. Sundown 02:07
11 VII. Summer's End 02:17
Americanistic Etude, Op. 27
12 Americanistic Etude, Op. 27 02:20
An April Suite, Op. 3
13 I. To the Blue Eyed Days of Spring 01:43
14 II. One April Morning 01:23
15 III. A Remembered Happiness 02:40
16 IV. Prelude to a Summer Day 01:41
Dance Suite No. 2
17 I. Insouciant Proclamation 00:52
18 II. Naive Pastorale 01:11
19 III. Athletic Poem 01:11
20 IV. Calisthenics a la Hollywood 02:03
21 V. A Giddy Pace 01:17
Dancing in a Dream
22 Dancing in a Dream 01:45
Five Songs for Soprano (selection)
23 Bunches of Grapes 01:23
24 Days of the Week 01:55
25 The Flower will Bloom Another Year 02:06
Every Flower that ever grew
26 Every Flower that ever grew 02:57
Suite for Viola and Piano
27 I. Allegro moderato, vigoroso e parlando 03:42
28 II. Cantante e poetico 04:26
29 III. Moderato scherzoso e grotesco 02:25
30 IV. Moderato cantabile 05:15
31 V. Moderato marziale, ritmico e marcato 02:35
