Principal works: - Several symphonies, of which the third (3) symphony is most important. An american classic - played most often in concert hall. Leonard Bernstein is best interpreter. Could also be well interpreted by Leonard Slatkin & Gerard Schwarz. 4th symphony - "Folksong" played occasionally. To my knowledge one recording exists made in the 50’s on Vanguard by Vladimir Goldschmitt. Now available on CD. Written in 1940 for a teachers’ convention.

(Contributed by Ralph Barrocas - U.S.A. - <RBarrocas@aol.com>)

Maurice Abravenal recorded Harris’ 4th symphony on Everest label during the LP era. It is now on CD by others but the interpretation is inferior. Harris wrote 11 symphonies of which the last was subtitled "Abraham Lincoln". His 8th and 9th Symphonies are on CD. It is a shame that the last 2 symphonies have yet to be heard. Harris is my favorite American composer, though he was not as consistently good as Copland. BTW Varese-Saraband recorded a great deal of his music on LP and Louisville Records also has a number of works including his very tuneful violin concerto.

(Contributed by <drexelr@earthlink.net>)

Symphonies

• Symphony - Our Heritage (1926) [only the Andante movement survives]
• Symphony - American Portrait (1928-29)
• Symphony 1933 [generally considered to be Symphony No.1] (1933)
• Symphony No.2 (1934)
• Symphony for Voices (1935)
• Symphony No.3 (1938-9)
• Symphony No.4 ‘Folksong Symphony’ for chorus and orchestra (1940-42)
• Symphony No.5 (1942)
• Symphony No.6 ‘Gettysburg) (1943-4)
• Symphony for Band ‘West Point’ (1952)
• Symphony No.7 (1952-55)
• Symphony No.8 ‘San Francisco’ (1961-2)
• Symphony No.9 (1962)
• Symphony No.10 ‘Abraham Lincoln’ for high school chorus, speaker, brass, 2 amplified pianos and percussion (1965)
• Symphony No.11 (1967)
• Symphony No.12 ‘Pere Marquette’ for tenor/speaker and orchestra (1968-9)
• Bicentennial Symphony 1976 for chorus and orchestra [Symphony No.13](1975-6)

(Contributed by Malcolm MacDonald <macval@compuserve.com>)

The Abravanel recording of the Harris Folksong Symphony was released on an Angel LP in the mid-1970s in quadraphonic sound, never on compact disc. We badly need this to be released on CD. The Golschmann recording, made in Vienna in 1958, is in excellent stereo and is a remarkably good recording, considering the date and venue. It is available on CD from the Vanguard/Omega label.

Albany Records has recently (October 2002) released a wonderful world-premiere recording of the Harris Symphony No. 2, with the Albany Symphony, David Allen Miller conducting. Highly recommended.

Also available on Albany, a CD of choral music, including the Symphony for Voices on words of Walt Whitman and the substantial Mass for Men’s Voices.

(Contributed by <JProffitt@kuhf.org>)