Florence Beatrice Price: Symphonies No. 1 in E minor, No. 4 in D minor (2019)

Florence Price In The American Classics Series

Shortly after moving to the United States in 1892, the renowned composer Antonin Dvorak developed what became known as the "Dvorak Manifesto" which prophesied that music in the United States would develop in its own way and would ultimately be based on folk materials, especially spirituals and other music of African Americans and Native Americans. Much American music, both popular and classical expands upon the Dvorak Manifesto. Florence Price (1887 -- 1953) incorporated African American themes, as well as a style reminiscent of Dvorak's own music into her extensive output. Price's work was known in her lifetime but faded from the public eye after her death. It has been rediscovered and has been getting a great deal of attention in recent years.

The "American Classics" of Naxos CD aims to make accessible United States' large, diverse, but often overlooked achievement in classical music. With the revival of interest in Florence Price, Naxos began to include CDs of her orchestral works in its "American Classics" series. The CDs feature John Jeter the Music Director of the Fort Smith Symphony, Arkansas and an enthusiastic proponent of Price's work. Price was born and lived much of her life in Arkansas even though she composed most of her music while living in Chicago. Jeter conducts the Fort Smith Symphony on this, the first CD, in the series. In the two following CDs, Smith conducts two internationally known European orchestras. Of the three CDs issued to date, I like this first CD the best in terms of both music and performance. Smith and his orchestra are in their element.

In 1933, the Chicago Symphony under its Music Director Frederick Stock became the first major orchestra to perform a symphony by an African American woman when it performed Price's Symphony No. 1 in E minor. Price's first symphony is a large scaled work which combines the styles of Dvorak and Brahms with African American folk elements and rhythms. The first two movements are spacious with beautiful orchestration for winds, brass, harp, and percussion. The deeply moving second movement is based upon themes reminiscent of spirituals. The final two movements are shorter and rhythmic with an African American dance, the Juba, forming the third movement and a whirlwind scherzo for the finale. This Symphony held my attention throughout.

Price's Symphony No. 4 in D minor (1945) receives its world-premier recording on this CD. The symphony is lyrical, with lovely orchestration and use of solo instruments and syncopated rhythms. Quotations of spirituals feature in the symphony's extended opening movement. The slow second movement is a lullabye. The Juba dance of the third movement is particularly effective with its outer rhthmic themes surrounding a slow middle section for solo oboe. The final movement is heavily rhythmical and jazz-inflected.

The CD was recorded in May 2018 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Because most listeners will be unfamiliar with Price's music, they should find useful the liner notes by Douglas Shadle of Vanderbuilt University. I listened to this CD after listening to the two CDs of Price's music conducted by Jeter which include Price's Symphony No. 3 together with orchestral suites, overtures and dances. I was won over to Price's music by her First Symphony from this CD. It is fortunate that Price's music has been rediscovered and made available for listeners to enjoy. Her music rewards getting to know for itself, and it deserves recognition in a series of American Classics devoted to preserving the breadth and depth of American accomplishments in classical music.

Total Time: 69:04

Robin Friedman