Virgil Thomson (Symphony on a Hymn Tune)

[@heterosectional]

When rummaging a neglected pile of old 78 rpm records in my school library many years ago, I came upon a mint conditioned set of Thomson works distributed by the federal government as a teaching aid. I recall The Plow that Broke the Prairie, as it was titled then and The River. These were on 12 inch 78s. These were seldom if ever played. So I played them on the record player in the library.

[@TheJohnnyBE]

Heard this on WMHT on the way to work, yesterday. Sat in the car for 15 min, till it was over, and I could find out who it was. Thank you for posting. Just ordered the CD and download from Amazon. :)

[@mosaicclassics]

TheJohnnyBE Thanks for commenting. I've also uploaded his concerto for cello, which as an unusual middle movement. It has a strange magnetism, at least for me. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmPKgJWVl6iXhZY

[@pelayosquared]

1000% American music. He wanted to find and preserve American music. His goals (although not his music) were similar to Ralph Vaughan Williams with regard to English music, or Bartok and Hungarian music. Wonderful to listen to.

[@Musicfan-vz8kr]

What a beautiful, thrilling piece. Deserves to be played much more often.

[@ogbobbydee]

People can say what they want about Thompson...I don't care. Parts of his score to "Louisiana Story" still moves me to tears.

[@alexkije]

Really good! CHEERS! Love the dissonance and playfulness.

[@harvestedvoltage4324]

0:00 I. Introduction and Allegro 8:06 II. Andante cantabile 12:55 III. Allegretto 16:04 IV: Alla breve (Allegro)

Thanks ! 🙂👍

[@scmager]

It is clear that Thomson's "Americana" antedated, and probably influenced Copland's populist style, who in turn, influenced Bernstein. The spacious open fifths, the folksy hymn tunes, the hymnlike folk tunes, even some of the same tunes Copland (later) capitalized on -- they are all there in these Thomson works of the 1920s and early 1930s. Thomson probably doesn't get enough credit for laying the groundwork for this "frontier idiom." And he was from the mid-west himself, unlike the cosmopolitan new Yorker Copland. Perhaps Thomson, the music critic, burned some bridges among the East Coast symphonic elite, and so others, like Copland, enjoyed the limelight denied V.T. It must be said, however, that Copland's command of form is, in the main, more crisp, concise and communicative than Thomson's, whose treatment of these tunes, often colorful, witty, and effective, also can tend to ramble a bit much. Copland seems to have refined and concentrated the idiosyncrasies of the populist style. Still, give credit where credit is due. Thomson probably got to the American symphonic "vernacular style" well ahead of the others.

[@chrisingres6221]

This is such an original, colorful work, full of strange ideas and musical jokes. Brilliant! I didn't know the composer. Also an excellent rendition. Many thx 4 posting!

[@mosaicclassics]

+chris ingres Gladly! Thanks for your comment.

[@heterosectional]

It is pretty good. Love the dissonance.

[@josettemieuzet7126]

the sounds of America are there, so very unique, I like it...

[@jakubchraska]

I don't mind 'comfortable music' and I get the influence Thomson had on Copland. Still, for me, Copland's music is far superior even in the category of comfortable music (not that he wrote only comfortable music).

[@cmillerg6306]

I came across this piece on the radio, during the brass-only-with-solo-violin part and it reminded me of Alban Berg. Nice to come across something interesting AND not objectionable. Its a bit too episodic to make a big impression. But worth listening to. Anyone know of a good CD that pairs it with another good piece?

[@jimmyboswell2617]

You can hear how his music (along with Ravel, Villalobos and a few others) were precursors to modern movie music.

[@musicman2786]

I would say Thomson is the bridge from Ives to Copland (aurally that is). He's Copland with teeth (Not saying Copland didn't push boundaries).

[@gerthenriksen8818]

Andrew Kroepel I would say that Copland had far the biggest teeth of the two. I like Thomson's music too, but Copland was/is far more radical, rhythmic, complex, inventive, melodic within and many times outside the boundaries. To this day his music, ballets are buzzing with life and movement. And his very unique and brilliant orchestration is so personal, that you only need to hear the first couple of bars to know it is Copland. Thomson is far more traditional in his expert handling of the orchestra.

[@mosaicclassics]

Gert Henriksen I tend to agree. One of the most unusual pieces by Thomson is the slow middle movement of his cello concerto. Yet I find it quite attractive. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmPKgJWVl6iXhZYm1s

[@TiticatFollies]

"his music doesn't veer far from the ear's comfort zone," Thank goodness! Why would discomfort ever be considered a good thing. Spare me the "fashionable." Give me simple and unfashionable.

[@mosaicclassics]

+TiticatFollies The older I grow, the more inclined I am to take that position. I still enjoy listening to some music that challenges my ideas of music, but it isn't long before I'm drawn right back to Bach and Haydn. And I am left wondering to myself if there will ever be anything that reaches that level of brilliance and timelessness. Thanks for commenting!

[@pgroove163]

a freaking genius......this cat is incredible...love his stuff

[@kuang-licheng402]

great

[@belamoure]

Just discover him throught the Journals of Ned Rorem. I just like very much his musical style so far. It is substantive harmonious and like a fairy tale of sort. Harmonious not batty, cringy, disharmonic, clashy, broken, horrid like all modern music except Grass and Adams Taverner and Part.

[@sizeoverload5254]

When you say Adams who are you referring to?

[@belamoure]

@@sizeoverload5254 John, John Adams.

[@harvestedvoltage4324]

Modern? Taverner died nearly 500 years ago…

[@belamoure]

@@harvestedvoltage4324 Sir John Kenneth Tavener was an English composer, known for his extensive output of choral religious works. Among his best known works are The Lamb The Protecting Veil, and Song for Athene. Tavener first came to prominence with his cantata The Whale, premiered in 1968. Wikipedia Born: January 28, 1944, Wembley, United Kingdom Died: November 12, 2013, Child Okeford, United Kingdom Date of burial: November 28, 2013.

[@jakubchraska]

@@belamoure Tavener x Taverner, two different composers

[@ashleighholmes8422]

1:11 7:23 10:39

[@urbsasusual]

Mr. Virgil Thomson wrote for the New York Herald Tribune that the Sibelius's Symphony #2 was "vulgar, self-indulgent, and provincial beyond all description." I believe Mr. Virgil was talking about himself.

[@mosaicclassics]

Perhaps, as I don't care much for his second symphony. But this one has a rather subtle invention in its pages. Thanks for sharing that.

[@waynesmith3767]

Thomson certainly was a tendentious critic and an often unfair one but his criticism should be seen as if it’s time; Sibelius has triumphed ( as is just!) in the long run. Thomson the composer is underrated and, like most American “ classical “ music underperformed. His influence on others or being a bridge to this or that is beside the point-he wrote a lot of good music which deserves to be performed.

[@jg2904]

Love the piece, but I'm not wild about Sedares's often sluggish tempi. There's a (much better) uptempo version of the fourth movement performed by the consummate musician Maurice Peress and the Kansas City Philharmonic, though the rest of the movements are sadly absent. I find his rendition superior in just about every way.