Symphonic Series Number 7!!

Henry Cowell’s symphonic series, Episode 7: including two broadcast premieres! As we continue with our ongoing survey of one of the great American composers, this is an evening to discover an unreleased and radically innovative sympony, his thirteenth. Cowell composed an astonishing variety of symphonic works – large and small, intimate and bombastic, funny and poignant. An ardent ethnomusicologist, his experience in India was a life-altering one.

In this episode of American Highways, pianist Guy Livingston brings us orchestral music by this little-known american master: The Madras Symphony and “If he please” an orchestral-choral work which is also a world broadcast premiere (as far as I know).

AMERICAN HIGHWAYS #68: Henry Cowell – The Madras Symphony

Playlist:

Theme Music :

Henry Cowell

Symphony #11 “Seven Rituals of Music”

VI. Vivace

Robert Whitney: Louisville Orchestra

First Edition FECD-0003

Henry Cowell

Saxophone Quartet

Ulrich Krieger, Intersax Quartet

Mode Records 293

Henry Cowell

Madras Symphony (1958) WORLD PREMIERE BROADCAST

i. Alapna. Andante rubato

ii. Tala Adi (16/4). Allegretto

iii. Allegro

iv. Andante

v. Allegro

Juilliard School Orchestra

unreleased (by special permission of the Juilliard School, NY)

George Antheil

Golden Bird

Guy Livingston, pianist

Wergo 6762-2

Henry Cowell

Ensemble for String Quintet and Thunder Sticks: Adagio

Terry King & Roger Vetter

Naxos Digital CD-4685

Henry Cowell

Cowell: Hymn and Fuguing Tune No. 3 (1954)

Jorge Mester conducts the Louisville Orchestra

First Edition FECD-0003

Henry Cowell

“If he please” EUROPEAN PREMIERE BROADCAST

The New York Oratorio Society, the boys’ choirs of St. John the Divine and St. Thomas’ Church; with William Strickland conducting.

re-released as NWCRL165 (courtesy of CRI/New World Records)