There are a lot of black composers out there whose orchestral music ought to be heard more often. And there have been black composers writing orchestral music since at least the 18th Century. In the 20th Century, Florence Price became the first black woman whose music was performed by a major American orchestra.
Specifically, her magnificent Symphony No. 1 in E minor, at times tragic, at times humorous, and the only orchestral composition I know of to include a part for slide whistle, was premiered in 1933 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Seven years later, her Symphony No. 3 in C minor was premiered by the Detroit Civic Orchestra, augmented by musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), presumably back row violinists and maybe some brass players and percussionists. They played at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), across the street from the Main Library of the Detroit Public Library.
It’s not enough to play each piece once, repeat performances are of crucial importance. There are certain compositions in the standard repertoire that are highly regarded more because they’re played so frequently than because of their intrinsic merit. There’s a lot of music out there that we would like if we knew it existed, if it wasn’t just played once and then forgotten.
Price has been luckier than many other black American composers, though not as much as William Grant Still. She’s building up a decent discography and concert history.
This weekend, roughly 81 years after the premiere, the Detroit Symphony is playing Price’s Third in concert. Actually, two of the three scheduled concerts have already taken place. But tonight, if you have a decent Internet connection, you can listen to the concert live from the comfort of your own home.
Here’s the press release:
Detroit, (November 23, 2021) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and Music Director Jader Bignamini will welcome renowned violinist Hilary Hahn to Orchestra Hall on December 2-4 for a program of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto on the PVS Classical Series.
The program will include two audience-favorite works by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana: The Moldau and the Overture to The Bartered Bride. Hahn will join for Antonín Dvořák’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor. The program concludes with the Third Symphony of African American orchestral pioneer Florence Price, which had its world premiere at the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1940 by the Detroit Civic Orchestra featuring members of the DSO.
To protect the health and well-being of its patrons, musicians, and staff due to the ongoing pandemic, the DSO has implemented new safety policies including mask and COVID-19 vaccine or test requirements for all guests and contactless e-ticketing. Visit dso.org/safetyplan for more information.
Jader & Hilary Hahn will take place Thursday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, December 3 at 10:45 a.m., and Saturday, December 4 at 8 p.m. at Orchestra Hall.
The December 4 performance will also be webcast for free at dso.org and via Facebook Live as part of the DSO’sLive from Orchestra Hall series. The December 3 concert will be broadcast and streamed live on 90.9 WRCJ in Detroit and a network of stations across Michigan.
Tickets for these performances start at $15 and can be purchased at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at 313.576.5111, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The title sponsor of the DSO’s Classical Series is PVS Chemicals, Inc. DSO Live is presented by Ford Motor Company Fund and made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Digital programming is produced from the Al Glancy Control Room.
A few weeks ago I tried to listen to another concert, one with Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor on the programme, through the DSO website, and it was just too difficult on my end. Facebook Live fared better, but it was only good for the Schumann, and I missed a piece by a black composer that was also on that programme.
As the press release mentions, tonight’s programme also includes Smetana’s Bartered Bride Overture, which is quite a fun piece. I’ll try to tune in. I listened to Price’s Third earlier, as recorded by the Women’s Philharmonic conducted by Apo Hsu, in a sort of ad hoc concert by iTunes playlist that also included Telemann’s Overture in C minor and Vivaldi’s Concerto in C minor from “La Stravaganza.”
Another good concert programme for Price’s Third might be one that starts with Bruckner’s Overture in G minor, followed by Telemann’s Concerto in E minor for Flute and Recorder.
I personally prefer Price’s other two extant symphonies, which are the aforementioned First and her Symphony No. 4 in D minor (her Second Symphony is, as far as anyone knows, hopelessly misplaced if not destroyed). Price’s Third reminds me of Stenhammar’s Symphony No. 2 in G minor. Any random excerpt sounds very nice.
But both Price’s Third and Stenhammar’s Second lack a sense of direction towards a goal, which is especially disappointing for a symphony in C minor, whereas G minor is better suited for an aimless resigned melancholy (as with Leopold Mozart’s son).
However, it’s good that you don’t have to take my word for it on either of these: you can listen for yourself, and either agree with my criticisms or disagree.
Either way, I hope that you check out more of Price’s music, I think you will find several pieces that you like.
P.S. Maybe there are orchestral pieces with slide whistle by Leroy Anderson, P. D. Q. Bach and Krzysztof Penderecki. Of course with Penderecki the result is probably not as joyously hilarious as with any of the other composers I’ve mentioned.