In the first week of our series, we explore the great but little-known American composer. All were born in his last decade of the 19th century.
These are composers whose names are not Ellington, Gershwin, Copland, Barber or Bernstein. I’m Howard Hanson from Wahoo, Nebraska. Walter Piston from Rockland, Maine. William Grant He was still born in Woodville, Mississippi. Ruth Crawford Seeger was born in East Liverpool, Ohio.
This week on Exploring Music, there’s a lot of beautiful stuff you’re sure to enjoy.
Listen to this week’s episode on demand.
Monday, June 5th
Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 1 in E minor “Nordic”
I. Andante Sorennes, Allegro con Forza
Eastman Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Hanson: Symphony, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
11:32
Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, “Romantic”
II. With Kindness
Eastman Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 “Democratic Song”
Mercury 432008
6:38
Hanson, Howard: Mary Mount Suite
Prelude to Act II and “Maypole Dance”
Eastman Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Hanson: Symphony, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
6:29
Howard Hanson: Piano Concerto
II. A highly rhythmic allegro,
III.Expressive Andante
IV. Cheerful playfulness
Eastman Rochester Orchestra/Hanson Alfred
Moredus, piano
Hanson: Symphony, Piano Concerto
Mercury 4756867
11:58
Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 7 “Symphony of the Sea”
I. “Ah, the infinite sea”
Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Chorale/Schwartz
The Music of Howard Hanson Vol 1
Delos 3705
3:23
Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, “Romantic”
III.Allegro con brio
Eastman Rochester Orchestra/Hanson
Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 “Democratic Song”
Mercury 432008
6:38
Tuesday, June 6th
Walter Piston: Symphony No. 1 (excerpt)
New York Chamber Symphony Orchestra/Schwarz
Amazing Walter Piston
Delos 3126
:twenty two
Walter Piston: Symphony No. 1 (excerpt)
New York Chamber Symphony Orchestra/Schwarz
Amazing Walter Piston
Delos 3126
1:07
Walter Piston: Symphony No. 1 (excerpt)
New York Chamber Symphony Orchestra/Schwarz
Amazing Walter Piston
Delos 3126
6:17
Walter Piston: Symphony No. 4 I.II
Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy
American Archive Series
Albany 256
10:47
Walter Piston: Psalms and David’s Prayer
“Oh, sing a new song to the Lord”
Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Schwartz
Amazing Walter Piston
Delos 3126
5:27
Walter Piston: Fun
I. Allegro
III.i am alive
new york chamber ensemble
American profile
Albany 175
6:20
Walter Piston: “The Incredible Flutist” (Ballet Suite)
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Schwartz; Goff, flute
Amazing Walter Piston
Delos 3126
17:47
Wednesday, June 7
Roger Sessions: Childhood Memories
March, Waltz for Brenda and Scherzino
Arzurni (piano)
Childhood Memories: Music for Young Pianists
new world record 80590
00:33
Roger Sessions: Childhood Memories
March, Waltz for Brenda and Scherzino
Arzurni (piano)
Childhood Memories: Music for Young Pianists
new world record 80590
2:52
Roger Sessions: “Black Maskers” Suite
“dance,”
Juilliard Orchestra/Zukovsky
The Juilliard Orchestra: Schumann/Copland/The Sessions
new world record 80368
12:13
Roger Sessions: “Black Maskers” Suite
“Scene” (excerpt)
Juilliard Orchestra/Zukovsky
The Juilliard Orchestra: Schumann/Copland/The Sessions
new world record 80368
1:07
Roger Sessions: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
III.romance
IV. Cadenza (Excerpt)
Monadnock Festival Orchestra/Bubbles; Ole Born (violin)
Session: Violin Concerto; Bolle: Ritual
Albany 938
4:46
Paul Creston: Partita Op.12 for flute, violin and strings
Tarantella
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Schwartz; Scott Gough (flute), Iruka Talvi (violin)
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
3:37
Paul Creston: Symphony No. 3
I. “Nativity” (excerpt)
Seattle Symphony Orchestra / Schwartz
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
1:00
Paul Creston: Symphony No. 3
I. “Nativity”
Seattle Symphony Orchestra / Schwartz
Creston: Orchestral Works Vol 1
Delos 3114
9:32
Paul Creston: Symphony No. 4
II. Andante
Albany Symphony Orchestra/Mirror
Violin Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 4
Albany 737
6:33
Paul Creston: String Quartet Op. 8
II. Jokes
Hollywood String Quartet
Ravel / Debussy / Turina / Villa-Lobos / Creston
Testament 1053
4:09
Paul Creston: Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 78
IV. Immediately
Albany Symphony Orchestra/Miller; Fulkerson (violin)
Violin Concerto No. 2, Symphony No. 4
Albany 737
5:51
Thursday, June 8th
Ruth Crawford: Diaphonic Suite No. 1 for Flute
II.
Rosenfeld (flute)
Seeger: vocal works, chamber works, instrumental works
Naxos 8.559197
2:18
Ruth Crawford: Music for Small Orchestra
II. “With crude humor”
Schoenberg Ensemble/Nassen
Portrait of Ruth Crawford Seeger
DG449925
2:31
Ruth Crawford: Andante for Strings
Schoenberg Ensemble/Nassen
Portrait of Ruth Crawford Seeger
DG449925
4:02
Ruth Crawford: “Lisolti Rosolti”
Schoenberg Ensemble/Nassen
Portrait of Ruth Crawford Seeger
DG449925
2:55
Henry Cowell: Banshee (excerpt)
Henry Cowell (piano)
piano music
Smithsonian Folkways 40801
2:24
Henry Cowell: Suite for Violin and Piano
Fritz Geerhart, violin. Paul Tardiff (piano)
American Violin – Copeland, Still
Koch 7268
12:09
Roy Harris: Symphony No. 3 (1938)
New York Philharmonic/Bernstein
Harris, Schumann: Symphony No.3
DG419780
18:31
Roy Harris: American Ballad
“Birds and black are colors”
Joanna Harris (piano)
Johanna Harris Plays Roy Harris Music
CRI818
3:02
Friday, June 9th
Thomson, Virgil: Northeast Suite (excerpt)
Smith, flute. Cohen, oboe. Harutunian, Fagot. Tommasini (piano)
Tohoku 240
1:26
Virgil Thomson: Suite from the plow that broke the plain
I. II. III. IV.
LA Chamber Orchestra/Mariner
The plow that broke the plain – River – Symphony No. 2 “Romantic”
EMI 06612
7:31
Aaron Copland: Rodeo
III. “Saturday Night Waltz” (Excerpt)
London Symphony Orchestra/Copland
Aaron Copeland
Sony G010001967755
:20
George Antheil: Jazz Symphony, I.
Ensemble Modern/Gruber
Fighting the Waves (music by George Antheil)
RCA68066
6:32
Thomson, Virgil Arr. Dashkin: Portraits for Piano, 1940
II. Tango Lullaby (excerpt)
Quint, violin. Wolfram (piano)
Corigliano: Red Violin Caprice – Violin Sonata – Thomson, V.: Five Women / Portrait
Naxos 8.559364
2:15
Thomson, Virgil: Portraits for Violin Solo (excerpt)
“Mr. Gertrude Stein as a Young Woman”
Quint, violin
Corigliano: Red Violin Caprice/Violin Sonata/V. Thomson: Five Women/Portrait
Naxos 8.559364
1:47
Thomson, Virgil: “Ah, the pigeons on the grass!”
Sylvain, baritone.Tommasini, slow down
Tohoku 240
3:18
Okay, Irving: “Frogs and snakes.”
Miller, mezzo-soprano. Built Cliff (piano)
American Composer Series – Secrets of Love and Other Songs
vox 5129
1:21
Still, William Grant: “The Frog Courted”, “Jesus Is the Rock of the Weary Man”
Miniature Shanley flute for flute, oboe and piano.Davis, piano, Kleist, oboe
Sparrow and Avant / Suite for oboe, clarinet and viola / Miniature for flute, oboe and piano / Fable 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 – Copeland, Still
Koch 7268
6:54
Still, William Grant: Three Visions
I. “Dark Horseman”
Hinderas, piano
Piano music by African-American composers
CRI629
1:16
Still, William Grant: Three Visions
II. “Summerland”
Hall-Tompkins, violin.ketter, piano
Kelly Hall-Tompkins – In My Own Voice
MSR1278
3:31
Ellington, Duke: Black, Brown and Beige Suites
“Come on Sunday”
Duke Ellington Orchestra.Nance, violin
Essential Duke Ellington
sony 89281
5:49
