Spencer Norton: Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra

[@garyralph9749]

I remember Spencer Norton quite vividly. My mother was a graduate student in his class on the History of Opera at the University of Oklahoma in the 1960s (she once asked him why he had never written an opera and he said, "Nobody would perform it!"), and after she got her PhD there in 1970 she was a colleague until she moved on to what was then Central State College (now University) in Edmond, OK. When I was occasionally on campus with my mom, we had several casual conversations with him. Slim, with a wrinkled face a bit like W.H. Auden's, always wearing a coat and tie and ALWAYS with a lit cigarette between his fingers (Mom said that even when he was playing musical examples on the piano in class, he would still be holding the cigarette between his fingers). And always with a slightly ironic expression on his face. He was the only 'real' composer I had ever met until I left for college--my composition teachers in high school were also composers but you couldn't buy LPs of their music as you could Prof. Norton's! I practically wore out my copy of the CRI recording of this piece, and though tonight is the first time I have heard it in 40 years, this morning I could have hummed you the themes of the Gavotte and Air (the latter has always been one of my favorite pieces). It is strange for me to realize he has been dead forty years.

[@aikiman1000]

Wow, so glad to find this. Just found this while searching for videos of Guy Fraser Harrison and the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra. My dad (Robert Rigsbee) was their percussionist from 1937-1964. He had retired by the time I was born and he passed on in 1971. This is the first time I have heard him play when he was with the symphony. Thank you for finding and posting this.

[@jksteven1]

You're welcome! Thanks for the comment!

[@annacuj1170]

Thanks

[@charleswoodard253]

I took History of Opera and History of the Symphony under Prof Norton at OU in the late 60’s. Great courses and he was unforgettable as a teacher.

[@PatrickMurtha]

What an excellent piece. Thanks for posting the live version. I pinned it at my Pinterest "General Interest" board where I share my discoveries of many kinds.

[@collectionCB4]

A excellent work. The first movement is remarkable. Thanks, Jim ! Corentin Boissier (collectionCB, collectionCB2, collectionCB3 & collectionCB4)

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