Jace Whitmarsh wrote:

>I am keen to hear something about Vincent Persichetti.  Known to me only
>by a text on modern harmony I am curious about his Mirror music.  Any
>thoughts?

I am not familiar with his Mirror music, however I do have recordings of a
fair amount of his work.

During my student days I played several of his works including at least
two of the piano sonatas.  While I found some of his work to be lacking a
certain ease of expression, most of the music is excellent.  I feel that
his work has been overshadowed by others of his generation.

 From his writing, one can sense the influence of the music of William
Schuman.  The second movement of the Persichetti Piano Concerto includes
the same chord progression that can be found in the second movement of
the Schuman Piano Concerto.  Many of the gestures in the Persichetti 8th
Symphony derive from the Schuman 8th!

That is not to say that Persichetti didn't have his own voice.  His 6th
Symphony for Band is one of the finest works for band I have ever heard.
His 4th Symphony is a neglected masterpiece.  I have a wonderful tape of
the Piano Concerto played by James Dick.  When done well, his music comes
through brilliantly.

Oh how I would love to hear those first 3 Symphonies of his!

Karl