"All of us concerned with America's classic musical heritage will for a
long time be indebted to Cedille Records and conductor Paul Freeman . .
. The Second Symphony . . . is chockful of the Sowerby persona:
vigorous and plangent by turns, and bolstered by the composer's
intuitive grasp of polyphonic elaboration, sense of psychological
appositeness, and overall tone of rigorous rapture . . . The 1933
Passacaglia, Interlude, & Fugue . . . is a marvel to experience . .
. This is a must acquisition for all lovers of our indigenous muse."
(Fanfare)...
This CD aims to restore Sowerby's stature as a symphonist who "can be
rated favorably with . . . his exact contemporary Howard Hanson and the
younger Samuel Barber" (Fanfare). Paul Freeman conducts both of "his"
orchestras, the Chicago Sinfonietta and Czech National Symphony
Orchestra, in world premiere recordings of Sowerby's Concert Overture;
Passacaglia, Interlude and Fugue; and Symphony No. 2 in B. Also on the
disc is the jazz-ifused program overture All On a Summer's Day (1954),
commissioned and first recorded by the Louisville Orchestra and
conductor Robert Whitney (a former Sowerby student). The music is
presented in concert format, with each "half" containing an overture
followed by a larger work.
The Second Symphony (1927-28), Sowerby's most popular, "is vintage
Sowerby", writes Francis Crociata of the Leo Sowerby Foundation, citing
its "brilliant orchestration . . . a heart-on-sleeve inner movement
with its memorable horn solo, and explicit and virtuosic use of
counterpoint culminating in a grand orchestral fugue."
To purchase the CD or download this performance, click here.
Cedille Records is the recording label of The Chicago Classical Recording Foundation, a publicly-supported, not-for-profit, organization devoted to promoting the finest musicians, ensembles, and composers in the Chicago area by producing and releasing their efforts on audiophile-quality recordings. The recordings and their promotion are designed to stimulate interest in these performers and composers and bring their artistry to a wider audience. Cedille Records is also dedicated to promoting interest in neglected areas of the classical repertory by presenting masterpieces that have been overlooked by other recording companies.
Classical Music | Orchestral Music
Leo Sowerby
Symphony No. 2 Play
Recorded on 10/21/1996, uploaded on 03/30/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
"All of us concerned with America's classic musical heritage will for a long time be indebted to Cedille Records and conductor Paul Freeman . . . The Second Symphony . . . is chockful of the Sowerby persona: vigorous and plangent by turns, and bolstered by the composer's intuitive grasp of polyphonic elaboration, sense of psychological appositeness, and overall tone of rigorous rapture . . . The 1933 Passacaglia, Interlude, & Fugue . . . is a marvel to experience . . . This is a must acquisition for all lovers of our indigenous muse." (Fanfare)...
This CD aims to restore Sowerby's stature as a symphonist who "can be rated favorably with . . . his exact contemporary Howard Hanson and the younger Samuel Barber" (Fanfare). Paul Freeman conducts both of "his" orchestras, the Chicago Sinfonietta and Czech National Symphony Orchestra, in world premiere recordings of Sowerby's Concert Overture; Passacaglia, Interlude and Fugue; and Symphony No. 2 in B. Also on the disc is the jazz-ifused program overture All On a Summer's Day (1954), commissioned and first recorded by the Louisville Orchestra and conductor Robert Whitney (a former Sowerby student). The music is presented in concert format, with each "half" containing an overture followed by a larger work.
The Second Symphony (1927-28), Sowerby's most popular, "is vintage Sowerby", writes Francis Crociata of the Leo Sowerby Foundation, citing its "brilliant orchestration . . . a heart-on-sleeve inner movement with its memorable horn solo, and explicit and virtuosic use of counterpoint culminating in a grand orchestral fugue."
More music by Leo Sowerby
Concert Overture
Prairie - Poem for Orchestra after Carl Sandburg
Performances by same musician(s)
Piano Concerto in E-flat Major, Op. 32
“Renascence” (Concertino for Flute and Orchestra)
Quatre Chansons de Ronsard
Introduction, Theme, and Variations in F minor, Op. 102
Oboe Concerto No. 1 in F major, Op. 37
Oboe Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 52
Concerto for Flute and Orchestra
Concerto for Flute, Strings, Harp, and Percussion
Concert Overture
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
To purchase the CD or download this performance, click here.
Cedille Records is the recording label of The Chicago Classical Recording Foundation, a publicly-supported, not-for-profit, organization devoted to promoting the finest musicians, ensembles, and composers in the Chicago area by producing and releasing their efforts on audiophile-quality recordings. The recordings and their promotion are designed to stimulate interest in these performers and composers and bring their artistry to a wider audience. Cedille Records is also dedicated to promoting interest in neglected areas of the classical repertory by presenting masterpieces that have been overlooked by other recording companies.