Synopsis

Following the successful premiere of his Symphony No. 1 in 1876, New England composer John Knowles Paine finished a second, which he gave a German subtitle: Im Fruehling or In Springtime. In 19th century America, “serious” music meant German music, and “serious” musicians like Paine all studied in Germany. Returning home, Paine became the first native-born American to win acceptance as a symphonic composer, and, accepting a teaching post at Harvard, became that school’s first professor of music.

On today’s date in 1880, when Paine’s Spring Symphony was premiered at Sanders Theater, the normally staid Bostonians went nuts. One critic who was present, recalled that “ladies waved their handkerchiefs, men shouted in approbation, and the highly respected John S. Dwight, arbiter in Boston of music criticism, stood in his seat frantically opening and shutting his umbrella as an expression of uncontrollable enthusiasm.”

Paine’s music remained tremendously popular in his own day. In 1883 George Henschel, then the conductor of the Boston Symphony, was sent the following poetic suggestion about his programming:

Let no more Wagner themes thy bill enhance
And give the native workers just one chance.
Don’t give that Dvořák symphony a-gain;
If you would give us joy, oh give us Paine!

Music Played in Today's Program

John Knowles Paine (1839-1906): Symphony No. 2; New York Philharmonic; Zubin Mehta, conductor; New World 350