American Symphonists

lordlance · February 01, 2025, 08:23:32 PM

I had a phase where I listened to a lot of American symphonists. It is sad that American symphonists get very little attention even in their homeland (although I've read that smaller local orchestras do program them? -- at least they do not appear on program of the large ones like LA/NYP.)

I want to jump back into exploring the large corpus of symphonies that have were written by American composers - beyond the greatest hits like Bernstein, Ives, Barber and... I think that's it.

As usual, I would prefer more extroverted/busier/propulsive pieces.

My experience so far (based on distant recollection):
Good - Kaufmann Indian Symphony, Walker 5, Ives 2, Menin 3 and 6, Copland 3, Rubin 4, Creston 5, Diamond 6, Barber 2, Hanson 3.
Bad - Schuman 7, Rorem 1-3 (how very boring)

All other suggestions and composers are welcomed.

Daverz · February 01, 2025, 08:47:54 PM

Gallagher: No. 2
Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony
Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
Irving Fine: Symphony
Flagello: Missa Sinfonica
Lukas Foss: Nos. 1-4
Steven Gerber
Gianinni: No. 3 (for band), No. 4
Robert Helps
Bernard Herrmann
Benjamin Lees
Persichetti: No. 6 (for band)
Piston: Nos. 2, 4, 6
George Rochberg
Ned Rorem: 3
Arnold Rosner: No. 5
Roger Sessions: start with 2 and 3
Harold Shapero: Symphony for Classical Orchestra
Roberto Sierra
William Grant Still
Randall Thompson: No. 2
Judith Lang Zaimont
Ellen Taafe Zwilich
Bloch: Symphony in E-flat
Copland: No. 3, but also the earlier symphonies
Diamond: Nos. 1-4
Don Gillis
Philip Glass: Nos. 2 & 3 (he's written 12 so far)
Kernis: Symphony in Waves
Robert Kurka: No. 2
John Knowles Paine
Jonathan Leshnoff

lordlance · February 01, 2025, 09:11:13 PM

Quote from: Daverz on February 01, 2025, 08:47:54 PMGallagher: No. 2
Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony
Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
Irving Fine: Symphony
Flagello
Lukas Foss: Nos. 1-3
Steven Gerber
Gianinni: No. 3
Robert Helps
Bernard Herrmann
Benjamin Lees
Persichetti: No. 6
Piston: Nos. 2, 4, 6
George Rochberg
Ned Rorem: 3
Arnold Rosner
Roger Sessions: start with 2 and 3
Harold Shapero: Symphony for Classical Orchestra
Roberto Sierra
William Grant Still
Randall Thompson: No. 2
Judith Lang Zaimont
Ellen Taafe Zwilich

Wow! That's a comprehensive list. Thank you very much.

Do the following works have no recordings?

1. Zaimont - Only 2 and 3 are available
2. Sierra 5
3. Rosner 1-5 and 7
4. Benjamin Lees 1 and 4
5. Did Herrmann only write 1 symphony?
6. Helps only wrote 2 symphonies I assume
7. Only found 1 symphony of Gerber?

Roy Bland · February 02, 2025, 02:17:32 AM

We need more orchestral music of him

arpeggio · February 02, 2025, 03:14:17 AM

Bernard Hermann did compose one symphony.
The following is the only recording I am aware of: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9522248--hermann-symphony-no-1-concerto-macabre-suite-the-devil-and-daniel-webster

I have a recording on Naxos of the Lees Fourth Symphony.

arpeggio · February 02, 2025, 03:30:40 AM

Schuman Symphony No 7.

I have mixed feelings about this symphony. I like the second and fourth movements. The rest of it is boring to me.

I found the following interesting lecture about the Seventh:

Dr. Swayne is a noted scholar on Schuman. Wrote a great biography on Schuman.

relm1 · February 02, 2025, 05:34:32 AM

Quote from: arpeggio on February 02, 2025, 03:14:17 AMBernard Hermann did compose one symphony.
The following is the only recording I am aware of: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9522248--hermann-symphony-no-1-concerto-macabre-suite-the-devil-and-daniel-webster

I have a recording on Naxos of the Lees Fourth Symphony.

There is a recording by Herrmann which I prefer.

Cato · February 02, 2025, 05:56:31 AM

Quote from: Daverz on February 01, 2025, 08:47:54 PMGallagher: No. 2
Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony
Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
Irving Fine: Symphony
Flagello: Missa Sinfonica
Lukas Foss: Nos. 1-4
Steven Gerber
Gianinni: No. 3 (for band), No. 4
Robert Helps
Bernard Herrmann
Benjamin Lees
Persichetti: No. 6 (for band)
Piston: Nos. 2, 4, 6
George Rochberg
Ned Rorem: 3
Arnold Rosner: No. 5
Roger Sessions: start with 2 and 3
Harold Shapero: Symphony for Classical Orchestra
Roberto Sierra
William Grant Still
Randall Thompson: No. 2
Judith Lang Zaimont
Ellen Taafe Zwilich
Bloch: Symphony in E-flat
Copland: No. 3, but also the earlier symphonies
Diamond: Nos. 1-4
Don Gillis
Philip Glass: Nos. 2 & 3 (he's written 12 so far)
Kernis: Symphony in Waves
Robert Kurka: No. 2
John Knowles Paine
Jonathan Leshnoff

Highly recommend the ones in bold above!

Like fellow composer for the movies Bernard Herrmann, Jerome Moross also composed one symphony, and one wishes that both of them had composed more symphonies:

Daverz · February 02, 2025, 10:05:20 AM

Quote from: lordlance on February 01, 2025, 09:11:13 PMWow! That's a comprehensive list. Thank you very much.

Do the following works have no recordings?

1. Zaimont - Only 2 and 3 are available

I have No. 1 on an Arabesque CD.

Quote2. Sierra 5

I suggest No. 4 on Naxos.

Quote3. Rosner 1-5 and 7

I only have No. 5 on Naxos, coupled with the Flagello Missa Sinfonica.

Quote4. Benjamin Lees 1 and 4

I have Nos. 2, 3 & 5 on an Albany set.

https://www.albanyrecords.com/catalog/troy0564-65/

The work that put Lees on my "to collect" list was his Concerto for String Quartet & Orchestra, which was the flip side of the Sessions Symphony No. 3.

https://www.newworldrecords.org/products/sessions-symphony-no-3-lees-concerto-for-string-quartet-and-orchestra?_pos=3&_sid=43c41df48&_ss=r&variant=32127563759695

Also a fabulous Violin Concerto, particularly the recording by Elmar Oliveira.

Quote5. Did Herrmann only write 1 symphony?

Yes, recorded by Herrmann himself and by James Sedares in Phoenix.

Quote6. Helps only wrote 2 symphonies I assume

I only know No. 1, which was on CRI (now distributed by New World Records).

https://www.newworldrecords.org/products/music-of-robert-helps?_pos=2&_sid=f42a6fad6&_ss=r&variant=32449003847759

Quote7. Only found 1 symphony of Gerber?

Yes, on Chandos.

A few more symphonists worth mentioning:

Samuel Adler (still with us at age 96)
Stephen Albert: 2 symphonies
George Antheil
Leonardo Balada: Steel Symphony
Amy Beach: Gaelic Symphony
John Alden Carpenter
George Chadwick
Carson Cooman
John Corigliano
Morton Gould
Adolphus Hailstork (best composer name ever)
Samuel Jones
Erich Wofgang Korngold: Symphony in F sharp
David Maslanka
Douglas Moore
Quincy Porter
Florence Price
Kevin Puts
Cindy McTee
John Vincent: Symphony in D. Recorded by Ormandy, as was...
Richard Yardumian: 2 symphonies
James Yannatos: Symphony No. 3 coupled with Piston's Symphony No. 3 on an Albany CD.
Easly Blackwood (but I do not like his Symphony No. 1, which was recorded by Munch in Boston).
Christopher Rouse

How could I forget Rouse? Probably PTSD from worrying about my tweeters being blown out. His music is loud.

All of Ernst Toch's symphonies were written after he was settled in the US.

Oh, and some guy named Leonard Bernstein.

And the most prolific of all American symphonists: Alan Hovhaness

foxandpeng · February 02, 2025, 12:53:11 PM

This link to another thread elsewhere on GMG, 'The Great American Symphony', seems relevant here...

https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,25762.0.html

Karl Henning · February 02, 2025, 04:19:46 PM

Quote from: lordlance on February 01, 2025, 08:23:32 PMat least they do not appear on program of the large ones like LA/NYP.

Shamefully, the NY Phil has abandoned them for decades. I wonder if The Great Neglect began under Boulez.

Roy Bland · February 02, 2025, 05:36:04 PM

lordlance · February 02, 2025, 05:53:23 PM

Am I missing something or does the forum not have a dedicated thread for American composers? That's quite surprising.

Brian · February 02, 2025, 07:03:39 PM

A great many of them have their own individual threads!