On NPR’s Deceptive Cadence blog, Tom Huizenga is looking for the great American symphony, and he provides a comprehensive Spotify playlist of candidates. Here are a couple more to consider.
The first is Rochberg’s Symphony No. 2, which George Szell premiered in 1959 with the Cleveland Orchestra. It’s got all the things that makes Rochberg great–it’s aggressive, ironic, and filled with breathtaking musical contrasts–without the (at times) hammy reliance on stylistic allusion that marked his mid-’60s and ’70s music. I think it’s his best piece.
The second is Wallingford Riegger‘s Symphony No. 3 from 1948. It’s alive with rhythmic energy; it’d be a great piece to choreograph:
Mark Likes Music 