David Dalle
Thursday February 22nd, 2024 with David Dalle
Black History Month: the Symphonies of Florence Price; When the sun goes out-music of unbearable beauty and spirituality.

Today we finish the cycle of Florence Price's symphonies with her 4th symphony composed in 1945. You can listen to her 1st and 3rd symphonies on the two previous shows. Her 2nd symphony is currently lost, though perhaps not lost forever. Her 4th symphony as well as many other unknown manuscripts were found in a house in Illinois in 2009 which Price had used as a summer home six decades before. I am so happy it was found, as this is my favourite of her three extant symphonies. It has thoroughly rich and dramatic orchestration, highlighting so many different instruments, demonstrating her mastery of the orchestra. It also features several Black spirituals interwoven in the symphonic texture. It definitely places her in the pantheon of major American symphonic composers. This recording, like the other two symphonies we heard, is by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Canadian conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin. They are coming to Ottawa and performing this symphony at the NAC on April 18th, however, it is sold out. https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/33729