Florence Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3

Description

The Deutsche Grammophon label presents the first in a series of recordings dedicated to the symphonic cycle of Florence Price by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. This edition features two important unpublished orchestral works by the composer: Symphony No. 1 in E minor and Symphony No. 3 in C minor.
In 1933, Price's Symphony No. 1 was the first symphonic work by a Black woman to be performed by a major American orchestra. Infused with American folk music, spirituals, and religious hymns, this celebrated work reflects her experience as a Black woman raised in the post-Civil War South. The artist composed her third symphony in the midst of the Chicago Renaissance. It is a more modern approach to composition and reflects her evolution as a composer, taking more risks, adding modern techniques, and expanding emotional elements.