Morton Gould: Symphony No. 1

[@wilsonochoa4899]

I enjoyed hearing this long-forgotten symphony. It's very much of it's time (war-time). Some wonderful music that shares much with other composers of the time (I hear much in common with W. Schuman, actually). Elements of other styles of American music are thrown in (most probably for added patriotic fervor). But it was very much keeping with the time and spirit, and shouldn't keep this piece locked away. The downward sliding trombones, by the way, are obviously a reference to fighter pilots and bombing planes flying overhead (with a "doppler" effect as they pass). Very creative. People will argue whether that kind of "sound effect" belongs in a serious symphony, but it fits the very dramatic music of that section, a reference to battle, I'm sure. We must remember, it was on everyone's minds constantly at the time.

[@jksteven1]

Interesting take concerning the somewhat programmatic effects of this symphony. Makes me think of the first symphony "Communique" by composer Ross Lee Finney which focuses on WW II and hints at communications sounds. Thanks for your input.

[@wilsonochoa4899]

And Samuel Barber in his Second Symphony: the use of an electronic tone-generator built by Bell Telephone Laboratories in the second movement, intended to represent the sound of a radio beam used to guide night flyers. He was heavily criticized for this, and when the symphony was revised in 1947, he replaced the electronic tone-generator with an E-flat clarinet. (Ultimately he ordered the whole piece to be destroyed, even though he initially thought it to be one of his best works. He later came to view it as war-time propaganda.) Thank goodness a set of parts survived, because I think it's very fine work (and deserves to be played more often). Premiere

[@jksteven1]

While I know composers reserve the right to remove their works from circulation, even destroying them (Paul Dukas was notorious for this unfortunately) I also think it is fair for rogues like us to try to snatch them from the jaws of death if possible. I refer to a very rare recording of Barber's Second which I have on a 10" LP from the early 1950's which I clutch in my collection hidden out of alphabetical order lest some arm of the destroyer try to get it. Heh.

[@Twentythousandlps]

Starts out school of Roy Harris, and then evokes Dima Shostakovich very strongly in the opening movement. Very fine performance by an excellent conductor ('80's?).

[@nostalgicmodernist1399]

I don't associate this kind of grim drama with Gould, but I like it!

[@hectorbarrionuevo6034]

Agree with comments by Ronald (meshing diverse influences) and Wilson (influence of war) below. While K. Penderecki was a much later composer (and had a different aesthetic) his Symphony No. 1 comes to mind as one work that portrays elements of war in a stupefying manner. British composer William Alwyn is an example of a composer (from Gould's time) whose musical oeuvre encompassed both concert music and "lighter" programmatic music (e.g. film scores).

[@jksteven1]

Alwyn's symphonies have...in my opinion...more substance that Gould.

[@hectorbarrionuevo6034]

@@jksteven1 I love William Alwyn's concert music. Have not heard enough concert music by Gould.

[@ronaldbwoodall2628]

I don't usually think of Morton Gould as a "classical" composer in the same way as Schuman, Piston, Copland, etc., as he bridged the gap at times between the serious and more popular styles. This symphony is a serious work with elements of his lighter idiom in the second movement and finale (the horn slides and bass clarinet[?] in the slow movement are just weird!). I find this, with much of Gould's music, somewhat dramatically abstruse and thematically uninteresting; but I'm glad for the opportunity to hear it conducted by the composer - and I just might investigate his other symphonies now.

[@composer613]

Gould is very much a "classical" composer - in every sense that composers of the past chose to incorporate "popular" elements into their work. In this sense, you could easily say that he his much more American than many who are considered to be the definers of the American idiom!