Today's playlist featured Folk Suite No. 2 by William Grant Still. His career as a composer was comprised of many "firsts." His Symphony No.1 was premiered by Howard Hanson and the Rochester Philharmonic, the first symphony performed by an African-American composer. In 1936 he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the first African-American to conduct a major symphony orchestra in the United States. The New York City Opera performed his Troubled island, the first opera by an African-American composer.
1. Gene Scheer,arr. Floyd, American Anthem, Denyce Graves, David Perry
2. Richard Wagner, Ride of the Valkyries, Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado
3. Aaron Copland, Our Town, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin
4. John Lennon/Paul McCartney, arr. Breiner, Beatles Concerto No. 1 (in the style of Handel) Peter Breiner and His Chamber Orchestra
5. William Grant Still, Folk Suite No. 2, Susan DeWitt, Alexa Still, New Zealand String Quartet
6. Carl Bohm, Charge of the Uhlans, Joao Lucena e Vale and Jose Bunde Sousa
7. Aaron Copland, Music for Theater, New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
8. Franz Schubert, Sonata in A major, Seymour Lipkin
9. Traditional, Arr. Mack Wilberg, Cindy, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Jerold Ottley
10. Alexander Glazunov, Autumn from The Seasons, Concert Arts Orchestra, Robert Irving
11. Victor Herbert, Thine Alone, Beverly Sills
12. Bedrich Smetana, The Moldeau, Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan
13. Giuseppe Verdi, O terra, addio from Aida, Placido Domingo, Katia Rcciarelli and Elena Obraztsova
14. Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” Gewandahaus Orchestra of Leipzig, Kurt Masur
15. Louis Alter, Manhattan Serenade, Beau Hunks Saxaphone Soctette
16. Mark Knopfler, The Long Road from the original motion picture soundtrack, Cal, Mark Knopfler
17. Ralph Vaughan Williams, The Lark Ascending, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
18. Vangelis, Theme from Chariots of Fire, 2Cellos
19. Emmerich Kalman, excerpt from Die Csardasfurstin, Slovak Philharmonic Choir and Radio Symphony Orchestra, Richard Bonynge
20. Giacomo Puccini, excerpts from Tosca, Jussi Bjorling, Stockholm Orchestra, Nills
21. Various Artists, British Music Hall Medley, Florrie Forde
22. Kurt Weill, arr. Stefan Frenkel, Song of Human Insufficiency/Mack the Knife from Seven Pieces from The Threepenny Opera, No. 1
23. Vernon Duke, Autumn in New York, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
24. Richard Strauss, An Alpine Symphony, Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Bernard Haitink
25. Jean Sibelius, Symphony No. 2, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Jarvi
26. Erik Satie, Three Gymnopedies, Chen Yi and Lars Hannibal
27. Traditional Scottish, Scotland the Brave, Boston Pops Orchestra with Boston Pipers Society, Keith Lockhart
28. Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, excerpts from The Fantasticks, Broadway Original Cast Album
