In 1967, Previn became music director of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. In 1968, Previn began his tenure as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), serving in that post until 1979. During his LSO tenure, he and the LSO appeared on television in the programme André Previn's Music Night. From 1976-1984, Previn was music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO), and in turn had another television series with the PSO titled Previn and the Pittsburgh. He was also principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 1984, he was named music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, officially taking over the position in 1985. While Previn's tenure with the orchestra was musically satisfactory, other conductors including Kurt Sanderling, Simon Rattle, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, did a better job at the box office. Previn clashed frequently with Ernest Fleischmann (the orchestra's Executive VP and General Manager), most notably when Fleischmann had failed to consult him before deciding to name Salonen as Principal Guest Conductor of the orchestra, complete with a tour of Japan. Because of Previn's objections, Salonen's title and Japanese tour were withdrawn; however, shortly thereafter in April 1989, Previn resigned as Music Director.[2] Four months later, Salonen was named Music Director Designate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, officially taking the post of Music Director in October 1992.
Previn's many recordings include the three complete ballets of Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker, and the complete symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams, all with the LSO. With the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he made other recordings of music by Sergei Prokofiev (most notably, the Symphonies 1 and 5, the score to Alexander Nevsky, and the Symphony-Concerto for Cello & Orchestra with Heinrich Schiff as soloist), symphonies and other pieces by Antonín Dvořák, and works by contemporary composers including William Kraft, John Harbison, and Harold Shapero.
Previn has composed film scores and other musical works including a cello concerto and a guitar concerto. He has also adapted and conducted the music for several films—some of them stage-to-film adaptations, such as My Fair Lady, Kismet, Porgy and Bess, and Paint Your Wagon, but several were written especially for film, including the Academy Award-winning Gigi. Several of the film scores were collaborations with his second wife, Dory Previn.
In the mid-to-late 1950s, and more recently, he toured and recorded as a jazz pianist. In the 1950s, mainly recording for Contemporary Records, he worked with Shelly Manne, Leroy Vinnegar, Benny Carter, and others. An album he recorded with Manne and Vinnegar of songs from My Fair Lady was a best-seller (see My Fair Lady (album)). Andre Previn made two albums with Dinah Shore as arranger, conductor, and accompanist in 1960 and made several appearances on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show in the early 1960s. He collaborated with Julie Andrews on a collection of Christmas carols in 1966, focusing on rarely heard carols. This popular album has been reissued many times over the years, and is now available on CD.
In later years, he has concentrated on composing classical music. He collaborated with Tom Stoppard on Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, a play with substantial musical content, which was first performed in London in 1977 with Previn conducting the LSO. His first opera, A Streetcar Named Desire, premiered at the San Francisco Opera in 1998. His numerous other classical works include vocal, chamber, and orchestral music. Occasionally he has made recordings of jazz music on the Telarc label.
In the United Kingdom, where he was knighted in 1996, Previn first became well-known as a result of his television appearances with the LSO. He is now particularly remembered for his performance as "Mr Andrew Preview" (or "Privet") on the Morecambe and Wise comedy show in 1971, which involved his conducting a spoof performance of Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto, with Eric Morecambe as soloist. Because of other commitments, the only time available for Previn to learn his part was during a transatlantic flight, but the talent he showed for comedy won high praise from his co-performers. At a concert in Britain afterwards, Previn had to stop the playing of the concerto to allow the audience time to stop giggling as they remembered the sketch. It is still voted one of the funniest comedy moments of all time.
Blue Skies
Andre Previn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing but blue skies do I see
Bluebirds singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds all day long
Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothing but blue skies from now on
(Blue skies smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies do I see)
Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my, how they fly
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothing but blue skies from now on
Nothing but blue skies from now on
The song "Blue Skies" by Andre Previn is a cheerful celebration of finding love and happiness. The blue skies represent a metaphor for a bright and optimistic future. The lyrics begin with the singer describing the beautiful clear blue skies that are smiling down on them. The world around them seems blissful and free of worry. The mention of bluebirds singing adds to the joyful atmosphere of the song. The singer then declares that they have never seen the sun shine so brightly before, and everything seems to fall into place.
The song then describes how much time flies when one is in love. The days seem to hurry by quickly, and it feels like time is slipping away. Nonetheless, the singer is happy and content. They declare that all the blue days are gone and that they will now only see blue skies from now on. This final line signifies a newfound hope and optimism, and suggests that the singer has overcome their previous struggles and are now moving forward with hope.
Overall, "Blue Skies" is a simple and uplifting song that highlights the feelings of happiness and excitement that come with falling in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue skies smiling at me
The sky is serene and peaceful, and looking at it brings me happiness
Nothing but blue skies do I see
Everything around me seems positive and full of possibility
Bluebirds singing a song
The birds around me are carefree and happy, just as I am
Nothing but bluebirds all day long
Their songs fill my day with joy and hope, reinforcing the positive atmosphere around me
Never saw the sun shining so bright
I am filled with intense, vibrant energy that comes from within when I am happy
Never saw things going so right
Everything in my life feels like it's falling into place, and I am grateful for the positivity surrounding me
Noticing the days hurrying by
Time seems to be moving quickly when I am happy, and I appreciate every moment because of that
When you're in love, my, how they fly
Being in love speeds up time even more, making it feel like everything is passing by in a blur
Blue days, all of them gone
The melancholy and sadness of the past has dissipated, replaced by a sense of optimism and positivity
Nothing but blue skies from now on
My future is filled with opportunity, and I am excited to embrace every new day with a positive attitude
Lyrics © DistroKid, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind