Spencer Norton: Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra
Spencer Norton (1909–1978):Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra (1960)
Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra-Guy Fraser Harrison, conducting; Arthur Whittemore and Jack Lowe, duo-pianists
Performed on February 2, 1960.
While not particularly prolific, American composer Spencer Norton did write some alluring music. One of his two known pieces to be commercially recorded is the Partita for Two Solo Pianos and Orchestra. This upload is not the commercial CRI release (later New World Records) but rather the premier performance with duo pianists Whittemore and Lowe as performing soloists.
The movements are titled:
1. Sinfonia
2. Corrente
3. Sarabande
4. Gavotte
5. Air and Toccata
Note: For an in-depth look at this work, go to New World Records re-issue of the CRI album notes detailing this work in greater depth. It is at http://www.newworldrecords.org/upload...
The second work by Norton to be commercially released is one which I had intended to also upload: his Dance Suite Prologue recorded on 78rpm by the Eastman Rochester Symphony Orchestra with Howard Hanson in 1941. However, I found it to be already uploaded by Shellackophile in a far better quality recording than I have, and so I reference it here as a worthy companion to this Partita. It may be found at:
• Spencer Norton: Dance Suite-Prologue (Hans... .
Photo credits:
Thumbnail photograph is of Whittemore and Lowe, duo pianists (from the National Music Museum website
http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/whitlow.html)
Painting in the video is entitled Composition 6, 1913 by artist Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944). Public domain.