Grofe Mississippi Suite Sheet Music, Program Notes and recordings

A Tone Journey Down the Father of Waters

In the mid-1920s, the bandleader Paul Whiteman was on a mission to make jazz a respectable art form. Following the monumental success of the 1924 "An Experiment in Modern Music" concert that premiered George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Whiteman was eager to commission more ambitious, large-scale works for his virtuosic jazz orchestra. He turned to his own brilliant in-house pianist and arranger, Ferde Grofé. Grofé, whose orchestration had been so crucial to the success of Rhapsody, delivered his first major original composition for Whiteman in 1926: the Mississippi Suite. The work was a smash hit, a perfect vehicle for the "symphonic jazz" style Whiteman was pioneering. It proved that Grofé was not just a gifted arranger for others, but a major compositional voice in his own right, with a unique talent for painting iconic American scenes in sound.

Movement I: Father of the Waters The River's Birth

The suite opens with a movement depicting the birth and early history of the Mississippi River. Grofé sets a powerful and majestic scene. The music begins with a broad, expansive theme that grows in power, much like the river gathers strength from its tributaries. He uses pentatonic scales and tom-tom rhythms to evoke a Native American atmosphere, suggesting the land before the arrival of European settlers. The sound of a distant horn call introduces the theme of the pioneers, and the movement builds to a grand, swelling climax, representing the river in its full, majestic power as it flows through the heart of the continent.

Movement II: Huckleberry Finn A Boy's Daydream

The second movement is a charming and whimsical character sketch of Mark Twain’s famous literary creation, Huckleberry Finn. The music is a complete contrast to the grandeur of the opening, shifting to a more intimate and playful mood. A lazy, bluesy theme in the woodwinds depicts Huck lounging on his raft, watching the river go by. Grofé creates a wonderfully awkward and comical main theme, full of quirky rhythms and unexpected instrumental colors, to represent the boy's mischievous and adventurous spirit. The entire movement is a masterpiece of gentle humor and innocence, a perfect musical portrait of a boy's daydream on a summer afternoon.

Movement III: Old Creole Days A Nostalgic Glance

The third movement takes us further south, to the world of the Old South and the elegant, faded charm of its Creole culture. The music is a nostalgic and sentimental slow dance, featuring the distinctive rhythm of a habanera or a tango. Grofé spins a long, lyrical, and deeply romantic melody, meant to evoke a bygone era of gaslights and graceful living in cities like St. Louis or New Orleans. The central section of the movement introduces a beautiful theme with the character of an African American spiritual, adding a layer of soulful melancholy to the nostalgic atmosphere.

Movement IV: Mardi Gras A New Orleans Celebration

The suite concludes with a brilliant and chaotic depiction of Mardi Gras, the famous annual carnival in New Orleans. The music explodes with the sounds and energy of a massive street party. Grofé unleashes the full, jazzy power of the orchestra, with raucous themes, syncopated rhythms, and the sounds of whistles, parades, and cheering crowds. In a clever touch, he weaves in quotes from other well-known American songs, most notably a jazzed-up version of Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home" (Swanee River). The movement builds in a wild, cacophonous crescendo, a joyful explosion of sound that brings the journey down the Mississippi to a vibrant and thrilling conclusion.

From Jazz Band to Symphony Orchestra The Two Versions of the Suite

Like many of the ambitious works written for Paul Whiteman, the Mississippi Suite was originally scored for his unique and versatile jazz orchestra, an ensemble that included a full saxophone section, banjo, and other instruments not typically found in a symphony orchestra. This original 1926 version has a leaner, jazzier, and more percussive sound. As the work’s popularity grew, Grofé, a master orchestrator, created a new version for the standard symphony orchestra. It is this grander, more lush symphonic version that is most frequently performed in concert halls today.

The Blueprint for the Canyon A Lasting Legacy

The Mississippi Suite was a landmark work for Grofé and for American music. It established the formula that he would perfect five years later in his more famous Grand Canyon Suite: a multi-movement programmatic work that paints a picture of an iconic American landscape. Its brilliant orchestration, memorable melodies, and evocative storytelling made it a favorite of the public and a staple of the "symphonic jazz" movement. It remains a beloved piece of American pictorial music, a charming and masterful tone journey that forever captures the spirit and history of the nation’s greatest river.