Florence B. Price (1887-1953)
Los Angeles
April 15, 2019
This May, the Metropolitan Youth Symphony illuminates the diversity
of our nation's rich cultural tapestry with the program "America's
Florence."
Named for the pioneering African-American composer Florence Price,
this concert features what is believed to be the West Coast Premiere of
her Symphony No. 1 in E minor, winner of the first place prize for an
orchestral work in the progressive Rodman Wanamaker Competition of 1932.
Premiered the following year by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, this
was the first symphony by an African-American woman ever to be performed
by a major American orchestra. By marrying the finesse of her
traditional, European style training with the raw and soulful qualities
of African-American folk music, Price charmingly and very effectively
captured the spirit of an era in American history. In 2012, Bob
McQuiston of NPR wrote that "this is an early American symphony worthy
of being rediscovered." His description reads:
"The opening movement... recalls Dvorák's New World Symphony, while
the following slow movement features a moving hymn tune of Price's
design. Both concluding movements are fast and return to the juba dance
concept. They contain hints of fiddles and banjos, antic slide whistle
effects, and a recurring three-against-two melody which end this
loveable work on a whimsical note."
Also on the program is Price's vivid and playful Dances in the
Canebrakes, which suggests a cakewalk, a rag, and a hot and languid
summer soiree, all among the sugarcane. Originally composed for piano,
this suite is orchestrated by William Grant Still, widely regarded as "the Dean of African-American composers."
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