Howard Hanson And The Eastman-Rochester Symphony Play Music Of Porter, Rogers And Copland – 1945 – Past Daily Weekend Gramophone

Howard Hanson – stalwart for exposing new American music.

Click on the link here for Audio Player: Eastman-Rochester Symph. 1945

Another dose of Americana tonight, by way of the venerable Eastman-Rochester Symphony, conducted by none other than Howard Hanson. A recreation of a portion of the first concert given spotlighting new American composers which the Eastman-Rochester Symphony took part in on May 19, 1925.

This portion of that recreated concert features works by Quincy Porter, Bernard Rogers and then-unknown Aron Copland. In the broadcast announcements it was noted that Howard Hanson and The Eastman-Rochester Symphony had been responsible (as of April 19, 1945 – the date of this broadcast) for premiering some 900 works by new American composers. I can’t think of another orchestra, except possibly the Louisville Symphony, responsible for that much dedication to new music.

The music on this program is as follows:

1. Quincy Porter – Ukrainian Suite

2. Bernard Rogers – Soliloquy for Flute and String Orchestra

3. Aron Copland – Cortege Macabre

I may be wrong, but I don’t believe I have seen commercial recordings of any of the above pieces – certainly not recently. And the Copland piece, an early composition, is totally unfamiliar.

All told – a fascinating concert of unfamiliar and enjoyable music.

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