Chlishdi snees of ourmhu

You'll have to forgive me. Some things come round only once in a few years. Amusing Countdown choices are one of those things which add to the national gaiety. Neither contestant took the opportunity to win big with the obvious choice.

Meanwhile, what musical treats do we have for you today?

Back to modern(ish) Classical today: Symphonies 4 and 6 with McKonkey's Ferry, by George Antheil, part of Naxos's campaign to bring back every overlooked American composer who ever hummed a note. 

He called himself the 'bad boy of music' which is a bit presumptuous, but he was quite radical for his time. Basically, he liked playing with machines and loud noises, which annoyed conservative audiences, especially in Europe. He was also interested in literature, medicine and science, even patenting a torpedo guidance system with film star Hedy Lamarr. He also seems to have been an arrogant bastard and greedy beggar. 

Here's a clip from the Jazz Symphony, followed by his (badly received - and bad) Ballet Mécanique. The symphonies I have are from his less experimental later phase. Worth hearing but nothing outrageous.