WorldView Episode 01: Florence Beatrice Price
By Hinke Younger
In 1933, Frederick Stock and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed Symphony in E Minor by Florence Beatrice Price, making her the first woman of African descent to have a full length symphony performed by a major American orchestra. Price completed the work in 1932, more than three decades after she wrote her first composition.
Price was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1887. Her father was one of only a dozen Black dentists in the United States. Dr. James Smith lost his business and home in the Chicago Fire of 1871. He was forced to move to Arkansas where he met and married Florence Irene Smith. From a young age, Price attended a segregated convent school and graduated class valedictorian at age 14. After enrolling in the New England Conservatory of Music to study teaching piano and organ, she began presenting herself as Mexican because her mother believed that an association with African American culture could hinder Price’s success; however, the composer began to embrace her heritage in her work, and sought out a community of Black artists and musicians in Chicago.
As the Chicago Black Renaissance flourished in the 1930s and 40s, Price began composing in earnest, writing more than 300 works in the last three decades of her life. The emphasis of “urban” themes and Christian gospel tunes is prevalent across her symphonies, instrumental pieces, and choral works. Like those of William Grant Still, her compositions are influenced by African American spirituals, melodies, rhythms, and traditional dances.
Price’s Dances in the Canebrakes, featured in the first episode of WorldView, was written in 1953 and reflects influences from both the Chicago Renaissance and the romantic style of the mid 1900s. The piece is performed by Charlotte Mueller, with a recording from her Woman’s Work album.
| WorldView Episode One Playlist:
Alberto GINASTERA (1916-1983), “Variaciones Concertantes, Op.23”, {Israel Chamber Orchestra, Gisèle Ben-Dor (cond)} – Naxos Béla BAŘTÓK (1881-1945), “Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68”, {Daniel Hope (violin), Sebastian Knauer (piano} – Warner Classics Agustín MANGORÉ (1885-1944), “Maxixe”, {Brent Poe} – Downeast Records Florence PRICE (1887-1953), “Dances in the Canebrakes”, {Charlotte Mueller} – MSR Classics John ADAMS (1947-), “Short Ride in a Fast Machine”, {Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Peter Oundjian (cond)} – Chandos Esa SALONEN (1958-), “Yta II”, {Gloria Cheng} – Telarc |
WorldView is a classical music radio show featuring composers from everywhere in the world – except Western Europe. Tune in to hear works by lesser-known artists such as Gabriela Montero and Bright Sheng, and widen your knowledge of classical music. Hinke Younger hosts each week’s episode of WorldView on Mondays at 9AM and again at 6PM on Charlottesvilleclassical.org.
