This is probably my favorite Piston symphony. I have heard it in several performances for over half a century, and it never loses its power. He is a vastly neglected composer.
Let me add my 2¢. All Walter Piston music is exceptional and so well crafted. This is probably his best symphony. Followed by #2 and #6. But i love them all. A great performance of course. His orchestrations are magnificent. Witty , melodic but acerbic but accessable but fun but pensive. Ok. Thats my 10¢ in. Thanks.
now here is a composer who most certainly deserves to be heard more often in concert halls--Piston's music is fresh, adventuresome, at times sweet, other times spiky--in other words--American
Around 1972 as a conducting student at NEC Boston, I wrote Piston, inviting him to come and give advice concerning a piece of his we were preparing for a performance - the Fantasy for Flute and Cor Anglais if I recall correctly. He wrote back to just follow what was written in the score. I think what I wanted was to meet the composer. Sadly, I never did.
The greatest symphony by one of America's greatest composers! When my son was 3 months old I held him up on my lap between two speakers and played this symphony for him every day for weeks He always seemed enraptured by it. I agree it is one of the greatest American symphonies. (It was the old Ormandy Philadelphia Symphony Columbia record. He didn't seem to mind.)
I guess I'll have to hunt up the Ormandy recording and play it on some decent speakers. This posted recording playing on my laptop's built-in speakers does not send me. But I definitely want to give it a chance. A piece I enjoy even on the laptop's speakers is the David Diamond Symphony No. 3: ruclips.net/video/sZ5cQEqZ8Xk/видео.html And the Carl Nielsen Symphony No. 3 "Expansiva".
I began collecting his scores last year and I do find his orchestrations give such sonorous quality that most large formats fail in adding that underlining that brings you back again and again. I know this to be a Delos recording with the Seattle Symphony under the baton of Gerard Schwarz.
This seems to be the perfect symphony - a modern Romantic masterpiece with memorable material! A festive, celebratory work beginning with a full-fledged heart-on-sleeve statement. The "b" theme in the "Ballando" (7:18; 10;07) sounds familiar, similar to something from a British work that I can't identify at present, and the passage at 17:32 ff. could be a tribute to Sibelius; but it's definitely Piston.
a marvelous symphony with moments of delicious intensity....listen to Piston before reading his books on arranging and orchestration. Both books can seem a bit clinical, yet there is no hint of this in his symphonies.
Absolutely. Those were the days when the Philly Orch. really was the "world's greatest". Check it out here on youtube. I don't know who the conductor is but he/she obviously had a lot of trouble finding his/her way. OK, a poster says it's Schwarz & Seattle Sym. Schwarz is a commendable performer of American music in general but this time he flubbed.
![Lethal Company Music Video 🎵 "Follow The Orders" [VERSION A]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QeooZB4Z7RA/mqdefault.jpg)
I think this symphony is one of Piston's best. Everything seems to hold together. It's worth repeated hearings.
This is probably my favorite Piston symphony. I have heard it in several performances for over half a century, and it never loses its power. He is a vastly neglected composer.
Let me add my 2¢. All Walter Piston music is exceptional and so well crafted. This is probably his best symphony. Followed by #2 and #6. But i love them all. A great performance of course. His orchestrations are magnificent. Witty , melodic but acerbic but accessable but fun but pensive. Ok. Thats my 10¢ in. Thanks.
now here is a composer who most certainly deserves to be heard more often in concert halls--Piston's music is fresh, adventuresome, at times sweet, other times spiky--in other words--American
"one of the finest symphonies of the 20th century." -NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music
thanks!
Around 1972 as a conducting student at NEC Boston, I wrote Piston, inviting him to come and give advice concerning a piece of his we were preparing for a performance - the Fantasy for Flute and Cor Anglais if I recall correctly. He wrote back to just follow what was written in the score. I think what I wanted was to meet the composer. Sadly, I never did.
Thanks for sharing Paul.
This is one of the greatest American Symphonies. It has certainly stood the test of time. Thanks for uploading this. A wonderful performance.
The greatest symphony by one of America's greatest composers! When my son was 3 months old I held him up on my lap between two speakers and played this symphony for him every day for weeks He always seemed enraptured by it. I agree it is one of the greatest American symphonies. (It was the old Ormandy Philadelphia Symphony Columbia record. He didn't seem to mind.)
+Jk Stevenson Your son became interested in music ?
He's a physics professor. But he loves music.
Of course he was enraptured by it-forced to hear it every day for weeks at 3 months old,it was practically his entire experience of sound!
I guess I'll have to hunt up the Ormandy recording and play it on some decent speakers. This posted recording playing on my laptop's built-in speakers does not send me. But I definitely want to give it a chance. A piece I enjoy even on the laptop's speakers is the David Diamond Symphony No. 3: ruclips.net/video/sZ5cQEqZ8Xk/видео.html
And the Carl Nielsen Symphony No. 3 "Expansiva".
What a nice story JK.
A great work by one of my favourite American symphonists.
Why am I only now hearing the music of this exceptional composer? Thanks for the download and the illumination.
Brilliant symphony by a great American Composer!!!
I began collecting his scores last year and I do find his orchestrations give such sonorous quality that most large formats fail in adding that underlining that brings you back again and again. I know this to be a Delos recording with the Seattle Symphony under the baton of Gerard Schwarz.
Thank you for posting it! I was looking this masterpiece for a long a time...
It had been well over twenty years since I heard this last! Thanks!
Aaron Copland brings me here, and its amazing!!!
Jtgalvezo What's amazing,that Aaaaa-choo!-sorry,Aaron- brought you here,or this symphony?
This seems to be the perfect symphony - a modern Romantic masterpiece with memorable material! A festive, celebratory work beginning with a full-fledged heart-on-sleeve statement. The "b" theme in the "Ballando" (7:18; 10;07) sounds familiar, similar to something from a British work that I can't identify at present, and the passage at 17:32 ff. could be a tribute to Sibelius; but it's definitely Piston.
Vaughan Williams?
a marvelous symphony with moments of delicious intensity....listen to Piston before reading his books on arranging and orchestration. Both books can seem a bit clinical, yet there is no hint of this in his symphonies.
I learned to compose using his book "Harmony".
Lovely! Thanks! :)
This was composed in 1950......0:00 to start.
The 6th Symphony by Piston holds a close second place to this one.
I'm also quite partial to the 2nd.
GOD IS AN OPIATE FOR THE MASSES The even-numbered ones are best then.Hmm-is there an 8th?
@@granthicks2030 I was lucky enough to hear Rostropovich play the 2nd in DC.
9:08 is incredible
Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony.
This is a good performance, but the old Ormandy/Philadelphia recording, despite the awful mono sound, has a swagger and swing that this one lacks.
Still the top recorded performance, I agree.
Absolutely. Those were the days when the Philly Orch. really was the "world's greatest". Check it out here on youtube.
I don't know who the conductor is but he/she obviously had a lot of trouble finding his/her way. OK, a poster says it's Schwarz & Seattle Sym. Schwarz is a commendable performer of American music in general but this time he flubbed.
A foundational American piece.
1.2.19. Piston is a Hourse .
#ugottalisten2b4udie