A tribute to Manhattan Towers

"To hear this music is to catch a glimpse of the urgent, elusive spirit dwelling within a great city... a city some say is enchanted, magical. And merging with the music is a tender story touched by the wonder of a dream become real: of enchanting shadow become substance. It is high tribute, too – worthy of the most exciting town on earth – a debt of gratitude and affection repaid in the golden coin of creative artistry. "

These words describe Manhattan Tower, a musical narrative composed by Gordon Jenkins as a tribute to the city he fell in love with as a young man. I remember hearing it for the first time as a child and thinking of the magnificence of New York. It was written long before the idea for the World Trade Center was even born. This tower can be the Empire State, the Chrysler Building or any New York penthouse. It belongs to another time but the sentiments it expresses and its description of the vibrant hub of America remain the same. In light of recent events that left Manhattan in mourning, I decided to reprint these excerpts hopeful that these words will be able to assuage the sense of loss anybody who ever loved New York now feels.

"It was raining the first time I saw my tower, that is, the first time I saw it in reality. In my mind I’d seen it many times before... standing by the ocean. . . looking out of a train window at night... even the structure I made with blocks as a child was this same tower, that long ago. My heart beat faster than the raindrops as I looked up and saw it painted against the sky. The outside of the building was as beautiful as the outside of anything can be, but the inside was pure enchantment. The elevator operator was ‘Merlin’... my feet touched the ‘magic carpet’ as I ran down the hall... and the key that I turned in the lock was ‘Aladdin’s Lamp. ’

"As I entered the tower for the first time, I knew that I had found contentment, a home that I would leave many times, yet never really leave. I went to the window and looked out at my beloved town. The buildings were constant flames, bright and shining, stronger than the rain. And the people on the street below were the people that built that fire and kept it alive... seven million Keepers of the Flame. The sound of traffic on a New York street creates a strange music. It is an orchestra conducted by the Statue of Liberty, with the words engraved forever on her side. I opened my tower windows to let the music in...

"...but there were quieter moments in the tower... moments when there was time to gaze out of a window and watch the buses... lumbering modern mastodons, stolidly moving up Fifth Avenue... time to glimpse a ruddy drop of sunset slipping down the gaunt, gray side of a building... time to listen to the taxi horns heckling each other... time to notice the pale aura of light hovering wraith-like over Broadway at night... time to stare at the concrete poetry of Manhattan’s midnight skyline.

"And love too, found its way into the tower. Love came through the door with a big bundle of happiness under her arm. Love walked in and took me by the hand and the sound of a million violins filled the room. . . and each note that they played became a glance or a sigh or a kiss. Love sought out my tower like a stranger far from home, but in a little while two strangers became friends and we knew that no matter where the sound of music should lead us, the tower would always be our home.

"The days and the nights sped by on wings of wonder crowded upon wonder; of delight leaping to meet new delight. But as things do, it had to end. And so... inevitably, sadness found its way into my tower in Manhattan... the sadness born of the thought of leaving. No lovers taking separate paths ever experienced more regret than I, as I looked for the last time at my adopted city. It was twilight and as I opened the window, the music of Manhattan came whirling in, singing a song, not of the past, not of despair, but of days to come, a clean, healthy song with words of hope and promise, a promise that someday the tower would be mine forever. "

Manhattan Tower sold more than 100,000 copies when it was released in 1957. It also produced some hits like Once Upon a Dream, Never Leave Me, and Learning My Latin. Jenkins passed away in 1984 after a long and successful career as a musician, most notably his collaborations with Frank Sinatra.