Roy Harris's approach to formal structures was unique, shaping material from a single idea developed across an entire movement rather than using traditional exploration, development, and return of themes.
Composition History
Roy Harris's Symphony No. 5 was inspired by the Russian people's stand against the Nazis and was dedicated to 'the heroic and freedom-loving people of our great ally, the Union of Soviet Republics'.
Composer Biography
Roy Harris studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, a renowned French composer and teacher, thanks to two Guggenheim awards.
Composer Biography
Roy Harris, a leading American symphonist, was born in a log cabin in Oklahoma and raised by farmers of Scottish and Irish descent.
Performer Biography
Marin Alsop, the conductor on this album, is the first woman to head a major American orchestra, serving as Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra since 2007.
Notable Performances
The premiere of Roy Harris's Symphony No. 5 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Koussevitzky in February 1943 was broadcast simultaneously to the Soviet Union and later relayed to American forces worldwide.
Composition History
Roy Harris's Symphony No. 6, subtitled 'Gettysburg', was commissioned by the Blue Network (a forerunner of the American Broadcasting Association) and drew creative stimulus from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
