Harris Symphony No3

[Barbirollians]

I have read it seems all over the place that this was the great American symphony of the 20th century but I do not know it or Harris's music at all. Any recommendations to end this ignorance . I see that there are two Lenny recordings one on Sony and the other expensive and deleted on DG . Is he the man for the job ? Or is Marin Alsop the woman for the job ?

[mathias broucek]

Bernstein on Sony is terrific. For me that beats the Alsop (tame to my ears) or Koussevitsky (not as well played). I've not heard the DG. The Sony coupilngs are well worth hearing too.

His other symphonies are OK but not on the same level as 3 which is a masterpiece. BUY if you like American music!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Bernstein on Sony is terrific. For me that beats the Alsop (tame to my ears) or Koussevitsky (not as well played). I've not heard the DG. The Sony coupilngs are well worth hearing too.

Damn. How do I know the work? From the Alsop and the Koussevitsky

Lenny here I come?

[Don Petter]

Don't overlook Pristine's re-issue of Hanson's Mercury recording:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Mar12/Hanson_American_v4_PASC315.htm

[Black Swan]

I have both Bernstein recordings, Sony and DG as well as Alsop. I think it comes down to the couplings. DG has William Schuman's Symphony 3 while Sony has Virgil Thompson's Symphony 2 and David Diamond's Symphony 4. All are very interesting works and selection might come down to the coupling. But I would definitely go with Lenny.

[antongould]

I think we should await the entrance of suffolkcoastal ............

[Black Swan]

Bernstein on Sony is terrific. For me that beats the Alsop (tame to my ears) or Koussevitsky (not as well played). I've not heard the DG. The Sony coupilngs are well worth hearing too.

His other symphonies are OK but not on the same level as 3 which is a masterpiece. BUY if you like American music!

I totally agree with this. I have recordings of other Harris Symphonies but 3 is the best. For many years it was the opinion of American Academics that the 3 - 3 Symphonies were the pinnacle of the American Symphonies.
Copland 3
Harris 3
Schuman 3

J

[EdgeleyRob]

I have the Bernstein Sony record,the Thompson and Diamond symphonies are very fine too.
I recently invested in the Alsop on Naxos, mainly for the coupling of the folk song symphony after reading one of suffolkcoastal's symphonic journey episodes,not a patch on Lenny IMO.

[Barbirollians]

Cheers - have ordered the Lenny only £4 !

[PJPJ]

And, no help at all I know, there's a third very fine performance from LB in NY in a large box of American the NYPO issued a few years ago, and taken from a single concert broadcast. I think it has the added frisson of being live, but it's as likely I'm kidding myself.

The Pristine release has in my view the cream of the Eastman Hanson performances. A lovely collection of Americana.

[Suffolkcoastal]

I'd better enter then!

The recordings can be divided into those which play the work complete and those which include the small cuts in the pastoral section. These cuts were purely originally in order to accommodate the Symphony on four 78rpm record sides, but seemed to be almost universally adopted.
Of those which adopt the cuts then Bernstein's CBS (now Sony) recording is by far the best. The later DG one is more laboured. If you want an early recording then the choice is between Koussevitsky, Harris's early champion, and Toscanini and the former still packs quite a punch. Hanson's recording is isn't bad either.
Two more recent recordings play the work complete but both aren't recommendable unless you really want to those extra bars. The Dallas S O under Mata is the better of the two, but still rather tame, but Allsop's recording is very weak and best avoided. Ormandy recorded it complete but I've never heard that recording. There is also a downloadable only version conducted by Leo Botstein, I think I can listen to it via spotify, so if I can I'll give it a run through shortly.
Roy Harris's music is one of my passions and I have around 2/3rds of his large output, in many cases through off-air recordings, but much of his music is still to make it on to CD. I'd gladly pass my knowledge on of other of his works and make recommendations.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Well I've just listened to the Botstein, which is a live recording. He does play it complete and it is better than either the Mata or Allsop recordings. There are some drawbacks. The tragic and lyrical sections are marginally to quick and the phrase endings are horribly clipped at times and the organum harmonies are not allowed to resonate as they should. There are a couple of ragged entries and one major entry that is a fraction too soon. The pastoral section is perhaps a little too broad, the fugal section is pretty good, just a bit more beefy punch from the brass. The conclusion though is horribly rushed.

[richardfinegold]

Bernstein on Sony has been the iconic recording. I recently acquired the Hanson lp and the Orchestra is simply not in the same tier as the NY Phil.

[Pabmusic]

I have an unusual one - Walter Hendl conducting the American Recording Society Orchestra. It's a decent performance (timed identically to the Bernstein NYPO recording) and dates from the early 50s. The orchestra cannot rival the 1960s NYPO, though.

[Black Swan]

Suffolkcoastal,

Many thanks I too am a big fan of Harris. I have mostly mainstream recordings but do have some Louisville Symphony recordings done by Lawrence Leighton Smith and Robert S Whitney.
I think that Harris is mostly known for his symphonies. What other works would you recommend?

John