Ever since a trove of 200 of Florence Price’s extraordinary compositions was discovered in an abandoned Chicago home in 2009, she has captured the attention of the classical music world. She is now widely known as the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra, as well as the composer of over 300 symphonies, concertos, sonatas and songs that show an astounding virtuosity and range.
Her earlier work has received less attention, but in this episode we explore the extraordinary array of influences in it through the journey of award-winning pianist and scholar Karen Walwyn, who followed Price's path from Little Rock to Chicago as she prepared to record an album of the composer's nascent piano compositions.
“As I see Florence Price's use of the Negro experience in her music, which depicts the history of our country in such a beautiful way that one wants to hear more, I believe she sets an example for Americans from all walks of life," says Dr. Walwyn. Join us as we examine the life and work of a woman that embodied all that is great about the American musical idiom.
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Featuring Price's Concerto in One Movement, courtesy of PARMA Recordings.
