The first week in our series exploring great but lesser-known American composers. These are composers whose names are not Ellington, Gershwin, Copland, Barber, or Bernstein — but rather Howard Hanson from Wahoo, Nebraska; Walter Piston from Rockland, Maine; William Grant Still of Woodville, Mississippi; and Ruth Crawford Seeger, from East Liverpool, Ohio. Bill introduces a cast of American composers whose sound deserves to be brought back into the spotlight.
American Masters, Part I
Playlist
Episode 1
Hanson: Symphony #1 In E Minor
Nordic I. Andante Solenne, Allegro Con Forza
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Hanson: Symphonies, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
11:32
Hanson: Symphony #2, Op. 30, Romantic
2. Andante Con Tenerezza,
3. Allegro Con Brio
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Symphony Nos 1 & 2, Song Of Democracy
Mercury 432008
6:38, 7:17
Hanson: Merry Mount Suite Prelude To Act II and Maypole Dances
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Hanson: Symphonies, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
6:39
Hanson: Piano Concerto
2. Allegro Molto Ritmico
3. Andante Molto Espressivo
4. Allegro Giocoso
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Alfred Moledous, piano
Hanson: Symphonies, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
11:58
Hanson: Symphony No. 7, A Sea Symphony
I. Lo, The Unbounded Sea (Largamente)
Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Chorale/Schwarz
Music Of Howard Hanson Vol 1
Delos 3705
3:23
Episode 2
Piston: Symphony No. 1: (excerpts)
New York Chamber Symphony/Schwarz
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
:22, 1:07, 6:17
Piston: Symphony No. 4
I – Piacevole
II – Ballando
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
American Archives Series
Albany 256
10:47
Piston: Psalm & Prayer Of David- “O Sing Unto The Lord A New Song”
Seattle Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Schwarz
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
5:27
Piston: Divertimento
I – Allegro
III – Vivo
New York Chamber Ensemble
AMERICAN PROFILES
Albany 175
6:20
Piston: The Incredible Flutist (Ballet Suite)
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Schwarz
Scott Goff, flute.
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
17:47, :59
Episode 3
Sessions: Childhood Memories
March, Waltz For Brenda & Scherzino
Sahan Arzruni, piano.
Childhood Memories: Music for Young Pianists
New World Records 80590
2:52
Sessions: Suite From The Black Maskers
Dance & Scene
Juilliard Orchestra/Zukovsky
Juilliard Orchestra: Schuman/ Copland/ Sessions
New World Records 80368
12:13
Sessions: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
III – Romanza (Andante)
IV – Molto vivace e sempre con fuoco
Monadnock Festival Orchestra/Bolle
Ole Bohn, violin
Sessions: Violin Concerto; Bolle: Ritual
Albany 938
4:46
Creston: Partita for Flute, Violin & Strings
Op.12 – Tarantella
Seattle Symphony/Schwarz
Scott Goff, flute ; Ilkka Talvi, violin
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
3:37
Creston: Symphony No.3
I – The Nativity
Seattle Symphony /Schwarz
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
9:32
Creston: Symphony No. 4, II
Albany Symphony Orchestra/Miller
Violin Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 4
Albany 737
6:33
Creston: String Quartet, Op. 8, II
The Hollywood String Quartet
Ravel · Debussy · Turina · Villa-Lobos · Creston
Testament 1053
4:09
Paul Creston: Concerto #2 For Violin & Orchestra, Op. 78
IV – Presto
Albany Symphony Orchestra/Miller
Gregory Fulkerson, violin
Violin Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 4
Albany 737
5:51
Episode 4
Crawford: Diaphonic Suite #1 For Flute, II
Jayn Rosenfeld, flute.
SEEGER: Vocal, Chamber and Instrumental Works
Naxos 8.559197
2:18
Crawford: Music for Small Orchestra, II
Schoenberg Ensemble/Knussen
RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER
Portrait
DG 449925
2:31
Crawford: Andante for Strings
Schoenberg Ensemble/Knussen
RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER
Portrait
DG 449925
4:02
Ruth Crawford: Rissolty Rossolty
Schoenberg Ensemble/Knussen
RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER
Portrait
DG 449925
2:55
Cowell: The Banshee
Henry Cowell, piano.
Piano Music
Smithsonian Folkways 40801
2:24
Henry Cowell: Suite for Violin and Piano
Fritz Gearhart, violin; Paul Tardif, piano.
American Violin – Copland, Still
Koch 7268
12:09
Harris: Symphony No. 3
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
Harris, Schuman: Symphony no 3
DG 419780
18:31
Harris: American Ballads
“The Bird” & “Black is the Color”
Johanna Harris, piano
Johana Harris Plays The Music Of Roy Harris
CRI 818
3:02
Episode 5
Thomson: Northeastern Suite (excerpt)
Fenwick Smith, flute; Frederic T. Cohen, oboe;
Ronald Haroutunian, bassoon; Anthony Tommasini, piano.
Northeastern 240
1:26
Thomson: Suite fr. The Plow That Broke the Plains, I-IV
LA Chamber Orchestra/Marriner
The Plow that Broke the Plains – The River – Symphony No.2 ‘Romantic’
EMI 06612
7:31
George Antheil: A Jazz Symphony, I
Ensemble Modern/Gruber
Fighting The Waves (Music Of George Antheil)
RCA 68066
6:32
Thomson, arr. Dushkin: Portraits for Piano, 1940 (excerpt)
II. Tango Lullaby
Phillipe Quint, violin; William Wolfram, piano.
CORIGLIANO: Red Violin Caprices (The) /
Violin Sonata / THOMSON, V.: 5 Ladies / Portraits (Quint)
Naxos 8.559364
2:15
Thomson: Portraits for Violin Solo (excerpt)
4. Miss Gertrude Stein as a Young Lady
Phillipe Quint, violin.
CORIGLIANO: Red Violin Caprices (The) /
Violin Sonata / THOMSON, V.: 5 Ladies / Portraits (Quint)
Naxos 8.559364
1:47
Thomson: “Pigeons on the Grass Alas”
Sanford Sylvan, baritone; Anthony Tommasini, piano
Northeastern 240
3:18
Fine: “The Frog and the Snake”
Mildred Miller, mezzo-soprano; Edwin Biltcliffe, piano.
The American Composers Series – Love’s Secret & Other Songs
Vox 5129
1:21
Still: Frog Went A-Courtin’ & Jesus is a Rock in the Weary
Land fr. Miniatures for Flute, Oboe & Piano
Gretel Shanley, flute; Sharon Davis, piano; Peter Christ, oboe
The Sparrow And Mr. Avaunt / Suite For Oboe, Clarinet, Viola /
Miniatures For Flute, Oboe, Piano / Parable For Solo Oboe
Crystal 321
3:44
Still: Suite for Violin and Piano, II. Mother and Child
Fritz Gearhart, violin; Paul Tardif, piano
American Violin – Copland, Still
Koch 7268
6:54
Still: Three Visions, I. Dark Horseman
Natalie Hinderas, piano.
Piano Music By African American Composers
CRI 629
1:16
Still: Three Visions, II. Summerland
Kelly Hall-Thompkins, violin; Craig Ketter, piano.
Kelly Hall-Tompkins – In My Own Voice
MSR 1278
3:31
Duke Ellington: Come Sunday fr. Black, Brown and Beige
Duke Ellington Orchestra; Ray Nance, vocalist.
The Essential Duke Ellington
Sony 89281
5:49