Symphonies: Overlooked Repertoire

Including String Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Wind Band

Elfrida Andree:

Symphony No.2 in A Minor (1879)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZk0tYgD2M&t=12s   28 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cfoQHoYo4Y  29:51 min
https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/se/ID_No/1361839/Product.aspx?srsltid=AfmBOoqCqI01CG6BKhHkaslvuV2bynmOQlS6QjF8YRYTARBiQ8I5NKU4: Digital score to purchase -includes addt’l print out option

 

Amy Beach:

Symphony in E Minor, Op.32: Gaelic Symphony (1894) 40:22 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnYtZD3sldw
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_in_E_minor,_Op.32_%27Gaelic%27_(Beach,_Amy_Marcy)
Boston Symphony premiere, 1896.  MN Orch 2019 & ff increasingly performed U.S.

 

Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de Saint Georges):

Symphony No.1 in G Major, Op.11 (1779) 14:39
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGvYgTlsLes 

Symphony No.2 in D Major, Op.11 (1779) 10:49 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxoL3BlHfBs
https://imslp.org/wiki/2_Symphonies,_Op.11_(Saint-Georges,_Joseph_Bologne)
includes both pieces above
Bellingham WA Symphony, Sept. 2021

 

Margaret Bonds:

Montgomery Variations:  A set of seven variations on the spiritual "I Want Jesus to Walk with Me" (1964)   25:29 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ereaXUDie-A
Seattle Phil, 2022 ; Detroit Symph., Dec. 2023; MN Orch., Jan 2025

 

 

Teresa Carreno:

Serenade for String Orchestra  in E Flat Major (1895)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_nhmT15qcg      20:28 min
https://www.cayambismusicpress.com/carreno-serenade-p/cmp-1300.htm:
Paper copy to purchase
Tuscon Symphony, Feb 2024

 

 

Cecile Chaminade:

Callirhoe Suite from the Ballet Symphonique, Op.37 (1888)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWmZdSTDgco: 19:44 min
https://imslp.org/wiki/Callirhoë%2C_Op.37_(Chaminade%2C_Cécile)
BBC Philharmonic, 2011

 

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor:

Ballade in A Minor for Orchestra, Op.33 (1898) 11-12 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKtIbkP3tgM&t=404s
https://imslp.org/wiki/Ballade,_Op.33_(Coleridge-Taylor,_Samuel)
Most BBC Proms 1908-1923, then not again until 2023

Petite Suite de Concert, for orchestra Op. 77 (1910) 16:17 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP_2DYjiikE
https://imslp.org/wiki/Petite_Suite_de_Concert,_Op.77_(Coleridge-Taylor,_Samuel)

Solemn Prelude, Op.40, Arranged for Winds (1889/rediscov 2022) 9:21 min
https://soundcloud.com/user-561932992/solemn-prelude-samuel-coleridge-taylor-arr-by-paul-noble
https://imslp.org/wiki/Solemn_Prelude%2C_Op.40_(Coleridge-Taylor%2C_Samuel)
Chicago Symphony premiere, Sept. 2022         

 

 

William Dawson: 

Negro Folk Symphony (1934) 35:18 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDfCWTwVWDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4YyaigN1Fs: Youtube “study score”
Premiered by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1934
Increasingly performed U.S. (since 2009)- esp. Philadelphia, some Europe

 

 

 

Louise Farrenc:

Symphony No.3, Op. 36 in G Minor (1847/1849) 36:30 min . (also Symphs 1&2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLSww02ptiI
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.3%2C_Op.36_(Farrenc%2C_Louise), Op.
Increasingly performed  in U.S. in last 5 years-2022, first time at Tanglewood, MA                   

 

 

 

Ruth Gipps:

Symphony No.2 in B Major, Op.30 in One Movement (ca.1945)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FSm_DUbb_0    22:08 min
Score not yet found
Seattle Philharmonic U.S. premiere, 2018; BBC Proms, Aug 2021

 

 

Quinn Mason:

Inner City Rhapsody (2021) 18:21 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_L5sX3iD5k&t=395s
https://www.notationcentral.com/product/inner-city-rhapsody-for-orchestra/: Paper score to purchase
Irish Dance Suite for String Orchestra (2019) 15:33 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwtOMPdSwwA
https://www.notationcentral.com/product/irish-dance-suite-for-string-orchestra/ :Paper score to purchase
Bellingham  WA, WWU Orch., March, 2024    

 

 

Emilie Mayer:

(8  Symphonies) Symphonies 1, 3 & 7  possibly recorded &/or performed more often. esp. with  Female European Conductor  Laurence  Equilbey’s  Insula Orch)
Symphony No.2 in E Minor (c1847)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1hxbvl1d8U   37:16 min
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.2_in_E_minor_(Mayer,_Emilie)

Symphony No.4 in B Minor (1850)  36:30 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20j2cxy1c-M&t=3s
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.4_in_B_minor_(Mayer%2C_Emilie)
https://furore-verlag.de/en/produkt/sinfonie-nr-4-h-moll-2/: Paper score (arr.by Stephan Malzew ) to purchase
U.Tenn, 2021 U.S. premiere; Neubrandenberger Philharmonic, GY

 

 

 

Dora Pejacevic:

Symphony in F Sharp Minor, Op.41 (1918, rev.1920) 47:39 min
https://www..com/watch?v=jofJDctHBUI
https://mic.hr/enChicago Sinfonietta, March 11, 2018; BBC Proms premiere, August 2023

 

 

Florence Price:

Symphony No.1 in E Minor (1931-1932, premiere 1933)   38:35 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s4yY_A2A2k

Symphony No.3 in C Minor (1940) 29:25 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVYS46ylzFA
https://www.areditions.com/price-symphonies-nos-1-and-3-mu19-a066.html : Paper copy to purchase contains both pieces above

Andante Moderato for String Orchestra. (1929) 9:43 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4hhFWInrpw&t=157s
https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/work/61199/Andante-moderato-for-string-orchestra--Florence-Price/ : Rental information
Mississippi River Suite (1934) 27:48 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfdvCrqzTm0
https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/work/58891/The-Mississippi-River-Suite--Florence-Price/Rental information
Bellingham, WA – WWU, Feb 2024; St. Pauls’s Sinfonia, London, 2023 & 2024

 

 

Alice Mary Smith:

Symphony No.1 in C Minor  (1864)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYmgrC8F6TY 32:38 min
World premiere recording, 2005
Symphony No.2 in A Minor (ca.1876) 26:11 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f_Ot22MBXI
World premiere recording, 2005
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.2_(Smith%2C_Alice_Mary)
https://www.prestomusic.com/sheet-music/products/8435774--smith-symphonies#related : Paper score to purchase includes both pieces above
St. Paul’s Sinfonia, London, 2023 & 2024; Mid Atlantic Symph, Sept. 2024 

 

 

Fela Sowande:

African Suite for Harp and Strings (1944)   24:30 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVGbS21o8qg
https://www.fabermusic.com/music/african-suite: Rental information

 

 

 

William Grant Still:

Symphony No.1 in A Flat Major: Afro -American Symphony (1930) 24:54 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S-g-qYnqQQ&t=6s
http://williamgrantstillmusic.com/WorksforOrchestra.htm#Symphony%20No.%201: Paper score to purchase
The first performance , the Rochester Philharmonic, Oct. 1931—Still performed this symphony with the Boston Symphony in 1937, 1938, 1944, and 1945.

BSO: once each  in 2003  and 2017
https://archives.bso.org/Search.aspx?searchType=Performance&Work=Symphony%20No.%20%201%20in%20A-flat%20major,%20%22Afro-American%22&Composer=William%20Grant%20Still
https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/performances/search/composer/1520/

Long list of U.S. and Int’l performances,  2001-2025
Symphony No. 2: Song of a New Race (1937)     29:25 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cly1UbUzang Study score included

Phila. Orch, Jan 2025

 

 

 

Germaine Tailleferre:

Petite suite pour orchestra (1957)  7:41 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_w827ZX1k4
https://www.ficksmusic.com/products/tailleferre-petite-suite-billaudot?srsltid=AfmBOorX9Tyl5co1R-DALjYhxQV3iUNbRQ5P1LwXKqwOYxYCYotanQO-: Paper score to purchase
Summer 2025: Bellingham  WA. Festival of Music

 

 

George Walker:

Lyric for Strings. (1946/1990)  6:35 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLLVacAT6Y
https://www.halleonard.com/product/1336643/lyric-for-strings: Paper score to purchase

 

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Links checked: Jan 18, 2025