The years of the Great Depression, World War II, and their aftermath brought a sea change in American music. This period of economic, social, and political adversity can truly be considered a musical golden age. In the realm of classical music, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, Howard Hanson, Virgil Thompson, and Leonard Bernstein -- among others -- produced symphonic works of great power and lasting beauty during these troubled years. It was during this critical decade and a half that contemporary writers on American culture began to speculate about "the Great American Symphony" and looked to these composers for music that would embody the spirit of the nation. In this volume, Nicholas Tawa concludes that they succeeded, at the very least, in producing music that belongs in the cultural memory of every American. Tawa introduces the symphonists and their major works from the romanticism of Barber and the "all-American" Roy Harris through the theatrics of Bernstein and Marc Blitzstein to the broad-shouldered appeal of Thompson and Copland. Tawa's musical descriptions are vivid and personal, and invite music lovers and trained musicians alike to turn again to the marvelous and lasting music of this time.

(Meredith Music Resource). This book is a must-read for anyone interested in acquiring a "back-stage" tour of symphony life, not included in the price of a box-office ticket! Gain a behind-the-scenes look at the orchestra as a family; its discipline, artistry, and devotion, the overwhelming audition process, and the good and bad about the orchestra musicians' profession. Learn about the love-hate relationship between musicians and conductors as the author shares his experiences performing under conductors Josef Krips, Seiji Ozawa, Edo DeWaart, Herbert Blomsted, Michael Tilson Thomas, Eugene Ormandy, Igor Stravinsky, Arron Copland, and Arthur Fiedler. Discover conductors' dictatorial control, interpretative powers, and technical skills, as revealed through quotes from James Levine, John Barbariolli, Gustav Mahler, Daniel Barenboim, and Herbert von Karajan. Examine comments from Leonard Bernstein, Arturo Toscanini, Carl Nielsen, and Lou Harrison that bring a unique awareness to avante-garde music in the chapter titled Cruel and Unmusical. Understand the difference between conducting talent and composing talent and how rare it is to possess both.

First published in 1998, this volume is the first book to focus on the American symphony. Neil Butterworth surveys the development of the symphony in the United States from early European influences in the last century to the present day, and asks why American composers have shown such allegiance to a musical form which their European contemporaries appear to have discarded. An overview of the growth of musical societies in America during the eighteenth century and the establishment of the first professional orchestras during the early part of the nineteenth century is followed by chronological analyses of the works of those composers who have played important parts in the progress of symphony in the United States, from Charles Ives, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein, to contemporary figures such as William Bolcom and John Harbison. Complete with a comprehensive catalogue of symphonies and an extensive discography, this book is an indispensable reference work.

This book provides a history of what has been termed the monumental orchestra in America. It traces the growth of the symphony orchestra to its roots in European traditions, recounts the crises which it has overcome, and describes the musical repertoires with which it has regaled its audiences during the past century.

An award-winning scholar and leading authority on American symphonic culture argues that classical music in the United States is peculiarly performance-driven, and he traces a musical trajectory rising to its peak at the close of the 19th century and receding after World War I.