James Tobin <[log in to unmask]>, wrote:

>Thomson describes how he played this symphony on the piano for
>Serge Koussevitzky, seemingly to increasing approval with each successive
>movement--until the last, at which point Koussevitzky said he could never
>play that for his BSO audience and would Thomson consider rewriting the
>finale.  No he wouldn't and so K didn't.  What was Koussevitzky's problem?

Maybe the brittle waltz episode was the following dissonant hymn were too
"light" for him, although parts of Petrouchka would be as well...  Probably
the mix of rather serious and proud stuff with (deliberately) "gross"
gestures disturbed him a little more in that movement.  Mahler did that
too, but not so plainly.  Well, maybe I am missing a more precise reason.

>Howard Hanson eventually recorded the work and there is a more recent
>recording on Albany.  Both are quite satisfying, but I am also wondering
>if a major orchestra has EVER played this work or if anyone on the list
>has ever heard it live.

Not exactly, but I have heard a live performance on the French radio.
The Orchestre National de France was conducted by Valentin Kozhin.  If I
remember correctly, the concert was part of a series devoted to the 1920s.
I do not think that the concert hall was full...  and the reception was
rather lukewarm, although some listeners were much more enthusiastic.  But
the performance was fine.  For some reason, American symphonies are not
very successful here.  Recently Hovhaness's 2d (Mysterious Mountain) only
got polite applause.  I know that some of our French listers (:-) find it
dull, but I don't, even though it is not one of my favourites.  Besides, I
wonder if any symphony of Harris, Diamond or Schuman was performed in Paris
in the last 30 years.

Nobody quoted William Grant Still and William Dawson.  I agree that their
symphonies are lighter in content, more traditional, but they have much
appeal, I think -- and quite Southern, aren't they?

Best regards,

Thanh-Tam Le
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