Florence Price: Symphony No. 4 – William Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony

Following its revelatory album of Florence Price’s First and Third Symphonies, the Philadelphia Orchestra gives us the Fourth, another milestone in both African American classical music and music written by women. From its dramatic, martial opening, Price seduces with her gift for melody, scored with a keen ear for orchestral textures. After a long first movement, an “Andante cantabile” featuring a melody overtly reminiscent of the second movement of Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony leads on to a Price favourite, a swinging “Juba Dance”, here done with a real spring in its step, and some gorgeous string playing. The work closes with a swirling “Scherzo”. Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s deep musicianship, and some fine orchestral playing, animate William Dawson’s three-movement Negro Folk Symphony (premiered by this orchestra in 1934), a work with a powerful narrative sweep that tells viscerally of the African American experience.