Rooted in America

https://www.oaklandsymphony.org/

Five Folksongs in Counterpoint, Florence Price (1887-1953). Price was the first black female composer to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra. Price wrote compositions for string quartet around 1950, though some of the material may date from as early as 1927. Second Rhapsody, George Gershwin (1898-1937). In 1931 George and Ira Gershwin wrote the music for a film called Delicious, starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Second Rhapsody extracts music from the movie, and “In many respects, such as orchestration and form,” Gershwin said, “it is the best thing I’ve written.” Negro Folk Symphony, William Dawson (1899–1990). Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony was first performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski, on November 20, 1934 at Carnegie Hall in New York. It was a sensation. One critic called it “the most distinctive and promising American symphonic proclamation which has so far been achieved.” Dawson said “the themes are taken from what are popularly known as Negro Spirituals.” NO/NO attendees received SWAG bags.