An American Dream

What are you going to listen to?

Gershwin connects jazz with classical, Mendelssohn unites virtuosity with lyricism and Florence Price interweaves African-American musical roots with European symphonic forms. Each work testifies to a unique musical identity born of the merging of different worlds - a musical celebration of diversity and imagination.

Gershwin

Gershwin's An American in Paris are the effervescent symphonic impressions of an American tourist in the French capital. The work originated during Gershwin's stay in Paris, where he was inspired both by the atmosphere of the city and by his ambition to fuse jazz and classical music into a new musical idiom. The result is a colorful and rhythmic work. We feel the admiration the New Yorker Gershwin feels for a city where not skyscrapers, but couples in love and bickering motorists determine the street scene. We hear him become briefly homesick for his homeland. And we enjoy wandering aimlessly with him along the boulevards of the city of lights, with in the background the sultry dance rhythms and the honking of the horns of Parisian cabs, which he had specially brought over from France for this purpose.

Mendelssohn

"I would love to compose a concerto for you next winter. Through my mind haunts a theme in E minor that just won't leave me alone." Thus concluded Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's 1838 letter to Ferdinand David; childhood friend, outstanding violinist and - since Mendelssohn's appointment as conductor - first concertmaster of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Six more years would pass, however, before Mendelssohn could put the Last bar line in the score in 1844. A delay largely due to the composer's many commitments during those years. What is special is that this Violin Concerto was written in close collaboration with the soloist. In addition to the technical capabilities of the soloist, Mendelssohn also wanted to showcase his own voice, which allowed him to step out of the shadow of Beethoven's great violin concerto. In part due to some surprising compositional inventions, he succeeded exceptionally well. Where listeners at the time expected a generous orchestral introduction, Mendelssohn's soloist begins after only a measure and a half. And while one was accustomed to a virtuoso improvised cadenza at the end of the first movement, Mendelssohn prescribed a cadenza of his own at a much earlier and more exciting time. Moreover, all the movements ran into each other, so that the Violin Concerto could not be interrupted by applause or murmurs. Such subtle inventions in form, as well as the melodic ingenuity and "violinistic" nature of the solo part, will unquestionably have contributed to the great acclaim the Violin Concerto garnered at its March 13, 1845 premiere. On stage was "co-composer" Ferdinand David who performed the soloist role with brilliance. Seated in the audience was Robert Schumann, who after the concert gave his praise with the words, "Look, dear David, this is now a concerto, such as you would have liked to compose."

Price

The life of Florence Price (born Smith) had both highs and lows. A child prodigy, she graduated top of her class at age 14 in Little Rock, Arkansas. She continued her education at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston, where she graduated with honors in organ and music education. After college, she returned to Arkansas, taught college, married and had three children. But racial tensions in the South forced her family to move to Chicago in 1927. That move proved crucial: In the North, the Harlem Renaissance was flourishing, and Price found connection with a vibrant cultural community. Her neo-Romantic style perfectly matched the tastes of the concert audience. In 1933, she made history as her First Symphony was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In doing so, she became the first black American woman whose orchestral work was played by a major symphony orchestra.

Price continued to compose: six symphonies, concertos, chamber music, choral works, songs and numerous piano pieces, often with an educational purpose. Her music is steeped in spirituals, dance forms and classical structures - a unique fusion of traditions. The Third symphony, completed in 1940, reflects Price's mature style and compositional ambition. Unlike her Second symphony, which contains explicit African-American influences, this work is more abstract and classical in character. Yet her unique voice remains audible: warm harmonies, lively rhythms and colorful orchestration characterize the work. The first movement can almost be called mysterious with dramatic outbursts, followed by a lyrical and introspective Andante. The third movement is a nod to traditional African-American dance, bringing rhythmic energy and playfulness. The final movement is upbeat and hopeful, rounding out the symphony with a sense of triumph.