The Vacant Chair was a Civil War poem written by Henry S. Washburn and set to music by George Root in 1862. The song mourns the loss of a son during the Battle of Bull Run. The image of ‘the vacant chair’ signifies the empty space Grout’s absence left as the family gathered for Thanksgiving.
1. Antonin Dvorak, Symphony No. 9, “The New World”, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir George Solti
2. John Barry, Somewhere in Time, Royal Philharmonia, John Barry
3. Leonard Bernstein, Somewhere from West Side Story Symphonic Dances, Minnesota Orchestra, Edo De Waartz
4. Igor Stravinsky, Firebird Suite, New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
5. Song of the Lakes, Horndance, narration by Rick Jones, Song of the Lakes
6. Various Composers, Medley of Service Anthems, U.S. Army Field Band and Chorus, Colonel Finley R. Hamilton
7. George R. Root/Henry Washburn, The Vacant Chair, Corie Roots, Dodworth Saxhorn Band
8. Franz Jospeh Haydn, Scherzando No. 1 in F major, Emmanuel Pahud, Haydn Ensemble Berlin
9. Sergei Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 3, Martha Argerich, Berlin Radio Symphony, Riccardo Chailly
10. Jill Jackson Miller and Sy Miller/arr. Ruth Dwyer, Let There Be Peace on Earth, Cincinnati Boy Choir, Christopher Eanes
11. Paul Simon, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The King’s Singers
12. Signmund Romber, Oscar Hammerstein II, When I grow too old to dream, Nelson Eddy
13. Johann Sebastian Bach, Tocatta and Fugue in D minor, E. Power Biggs
14. Franz Lehar, Conclusion of the First Act from The Merry Widow, Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, Otto Ackerman
15. Leos Janacek, Sinfonietta, London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas
16. Lerner and Lowe, A Hymn to Him, My Fair Lady Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Rex Harrison
17. Ron Nelson, Rocky Point Holiday, Dallas Wind Symphony, Jerry Junkin
18. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 3, English Chamber Orchestra, Barry Tuckwell
19. Aaron Copland, Variations on a Shaker Melody, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, Frederick Fennel
20. Manuel De Falla, Three Spanish Folk Songs, Kathleen Battle and Christopher Parkening
21. Gang Chen and Zhanhoe He, The Butterfly Lover’s Concerto, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Lan Shui
22. W.A. Mozart, Divertimento in F major, Hagan Quartet
23. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Edelweiss from the Sound of Music, Johann Strauss Orchestra, Andre Rieu
24. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 3 “Pastoral” London PHilaharmonic, Bernard Haitnick
25. Bederich Smetana, The Moldeau, Maria Graf
26. W.A. Mozart, Voi Che Sapete from The Marriage of Figaro, Joyce DiDonato, National Opera Orchestra of Lyon, Kazushi Ono
27. Samuel A Ward, Katherine Lee Bates, America the Beautiful, Master Sergeant Janet Hjelmgren, U.S. Army Field Band and Chorus, Colonel Finley R. Hamilton
28. Alexandra Streliski, Plus Tot, Alexandra Streliski
29. Richard Wagner, Mild und Leise wie er lachelt from Triston and Isolde, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Klaus Tennstedt
30. Mark O’Connor, Americana Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop