The first week in our series exploring great but lesser-known American composers: all born in the last decade of the 19th century. These are composers whose names are not Ellington, Gershwin, Copland, Barber, or Bernstein — Howard Hanson from Wahoo, Nebraska; Walter Piston from Rockland, Maine; William Grant Still born in Woodville, Mississippi; and Ruth Crawford Seeger born in East Liverpool, Ohio. This week of Exploring Music is full of many beautiful works that you will enjoy.
American Masters, Part I
American Flag
Playlist
Episode 1
Hanson, Howard: Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, Nordic I. Andante Solenne, Allegro Con Forza
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Hanson: Symphonies, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
11:32
Hanson, Howard: Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, Romantic
II. Andante Con Tenerezza
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Symphony Nos 1 & 2, Song of Democracy
Mercury 432008
6:38
Hanson, Howard: Merry Mount Suite: Prelude to Act II and Maypole Dances
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Hanson: Symphonies, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
6:29
Hanson, Howard: Piano Concerto
II. Allegro Molto Ritmico,
III. Andante Molto Espressivo
IV. Allegro Giocoso
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson Alfred Moledous, piano
Hanson: Symphonies, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
11:58
Hanson, Howard: 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
Hanson, Howard: Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, Romantic
III. Allegro Con Brio
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Symphony Nos 1 & 2, Song of Democracy
Mercury 432008
6:38
Episode 2
Piston, Walter: Symphony No. 1 (Excerpt)
New York Chamber Symphony/Schwarz
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
:22
Piston, Walter: Symphony No. 1 (Excerpt)
New York Chamber Symphony/Schwarz
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
1:07
Piston, Walter: Symphony No. 1 (Excerpt)
New York Chamber Symphony/Schwarz
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
6:17
Piston, Walter: Symphony No. 4, I. II
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
American Archives Series
Albany 256
10:47
Piston, Walter: Psalm & Prayer of David
“O Sing Unto The Lord A New Song”
Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Schwarz
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
5:27
Piston, Walter: Divertimento
I. Allegro
III. Vivo
New York Chamber Ensemble
AMERICAN PROFILES
Albany 175
6:20
Piston, Walter: The Incredible Flutist (Ballet Suite)
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Schwarz; Goff, flute
The Incredible Walter Piston
Delos 3126
17:47
Episode 3
Sessions, Roger: Childhood Memories- March, Waltz for Brenda & Scherzino
Arzruni, piano
Childhood Memories: Music for Younger Pianists
New World Records 80590
00:33
Sessions, Roger: Childhood Memories- March, Waltz for Brenda & Scherzino
Arzruni, piano
Childhood Memories: Music for Younger Pianists
New World Records 80590
2:52
Sessions, Roger: Suite from the Black Maskers “Dance,” “Scene”
Julliard Orchestra/Zukovsky
Juilliard Orchestra: Schuman/ Copland/ Sessions
New World Records 80368
12:13
Sessions, Roger: Suite from the Black Maskers- Dance & Scene (excerpt)
Julliard Orchestra/Zukovsky
Juilliard Orchestra: Schuman/ Copland/ Sessions
New World Records 80368
1:07
Sessions, Roger: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
III. Romanza
IV. Cadenza (excerpt)
Monadnock Festival Orchestra/Bolle; Ole Bohn, violin
Sessions: Violin Concerto; Bolle: Ritual
Albany 938
4:46
Creston, Paul: Partita for Flute, Violin and Strings, Op.12 Tarantella
Seattle Symphony/Schwarz; Scott Goff, flute, Ilkka Talvi, violin
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
3:37
Creston, Paul: Symphony No.3, I. “The Nativity” (excerpt opening)
Seattle Symphony /Schwarz
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
1:00
Creston, Paul: Symphony No.3, I (The Nativity)
Seattle Symphony /Schwarz
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
9:32
Creston, Paul: Symphony No. 4, II, Andante
Albany Symphony Orchestra/Miller
Violin Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 4
Albany 737
6:33
Creston, Paul: String Quartet, Op. 8,
II. Scherzo
The Hollywood String Quartet
Ravel · Debussy · Turina · Villa-Lobos · Creston
Testament 1053
4:09
Creston, Paul: Concerto No. 2 For Violin and Orchestra, Op. 78 IV. Presto
Albany Symphony Orchestra/Miller; Fulkerson, violin
Violin Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 4
Albany 737
5:51
Episode 4
Crawford, Ruth: Diaphonic Suite No. 1 For Flute, II
Rosenfeld, flute
Seeger: Vocal, Chamber and Instrumental Works
Naxos 8.559197
2:18
Crawford, Ruth: Music for Small Orchestra, II. “In roguish humor”
Schoenberg Ensemble/Knussen
Ruth Crawford Seeger Portrait
DG 449925
2:31
Crawford, Ruth: Andante for Strings
Schoenberg Ensemble/Knussen
Ruth Crawford Seeger Portrait
DG 449925
4:02
Crawford, Ruth: Rissolty Rossolty
Schoenberg Ensemble/Knussen
Ruth Crawford Seeger Portrait
DG 449925
2:55
Cowell, Henry: The Banshee (excerpt)
Henry Cowell, piano
Piano Music
Smithsonian Folkways 40801
2:24
Cowell, Henry: Suite for Violin and Piano
Frizt Gearhart, violin; Paul Tardif, piano
American Violin – Copland, Still
Koch 7268
12:09
Harris, Roy: Symphony No. 3 (1938)
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
Harris, Schuman: Symphony no 3
DG 419780
18:31
Harris, Roy: American Ballads- The Bird and Black is the Color
Johanna Harris, piano
Johana Harris Plays the Music of Roy Harris
CRI 818
3:02
Episode 5
Thomson, Virgil: Northeastern Suite (excerpt)
Smith, flute; Cohen, oboe; Haroutunian, bassoon; Tommasini, piano
Northeastern 240
1:26
Thomson, Virgil: Suite from The Plow That Broke the Plains, I. II. III. IV.
LA Chamber Orchestra/Marriner
The Plow that Broke the Plains – The River – Symphony No.2 ‘Romantic’
EMI 06612
7:31
Copland, Aaron: Rodeo III “Saturday Night Waltz” (excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/Copland
Aaron Copland
Sony G010001967755
:20
Antheil, George: A Jazz Symphony, I.
Ensemble Modern/Gruber
Fighting the Waves (Music of George Antheil)
RCA 68066
6:32
Thomson, Virgil, arr. Dushkin: Portraits for Piano, 1940 (excerpt)II. Tango Lullaby
Quint, violin; Wolfram, piano
Corigliano: Red Violin Caprices- Violin Sonata-thomson, V.: 5 Ladies / Portraits
Naxos 8.559364
2:15
Thomson, Virgil: Portraits for Violin Solo (excerpt)
Miss Gertrude Stein as a Young Lady
Quint, violin
Corigliano: Red Violin Caprices/ Violin Sonata / THOMSON, V.: 5 Ladies / Portraits
Naxos 8.559364
1:47
Thomson, Virgil: “Pigeons on the Grass Alas”
Sylvan, baritone; Tommasini, piano
Northeastern 240
3:18
Fine, Irving: “The Frog and the Snake”
Miller, mezzo soprano; Biltcliffe, piano
The American Composers Series – Love’s Secret & Other Songs
Vox 5129
1:21
Still, William Grant: “Frog Went A-Courtin’,” “Jesus is a Rock in the Weary”
Miniatures for Flute, Oboe & Piano Shanley, flute; Davis, piano 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, William Grant: Suite for Violin and Piano, II. “Mother and Child”
Gearhart, violin; Tardif, piano
American Violin – Copland, Still
Koch 7268
6:54
Still, William Grant: Three Visions I. “Dark Horseman”
Hinderas, piano
Piano Music by African American Composers
CRI 629
1:16
Still, William Grant: Three Visions, II. “Summerland”
Hall-Thompkins, violin; Ketter, piano
Kelly Hall-Tompkins – In My Own Voice
MSR 1278
3:31
Ellington, Duke: Black, Brown and Beige Suite “Come Sunday”
Duke Ellington Orchestra; Nance, violin
The Essential Duke Ellington
Sony 89281
5:49