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.
Listen on demand to this week's episodes.
Monday, June 5
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”
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
Tuesday, June 6
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 and 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
Wednesday, June 7
Sessions, Roger: Childhood Memories
March, Waltz for Brenda and Scherzino
Arzruni, piano
Childhood Memories: Music for Younger Pianists
New World Records 80590
00:33
Sessions, Roger: Childhood Memories
March, Waltz for Brenda and Scherzino
Arzruni, piano
Childhood Memories: Music for Younger Pianists
New World Records 80590
2:52
Sessions, Roger: Suite from the Black Maskers
“Dance,”
Julliard Orchestra/Zukovsky
Juilliard Orchestra: Schuman/ Copland/ Sessions
New World Records 80368
12:13
Sessions, Roger: Suite from the Black Maskers
“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)
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
Thursday, June 8
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
Friday, June 9
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
II. Tango Lullaby (excerpt)
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