Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances
May 24, 2025 / 7:30 p.m.
Enjoy an evening celebrating the vibrancy of the American spirit and classical mastery, featuring Copland's iconic Fanfare for the Common Man, Hailstork's dynamic Piano Concerto No. 3, Boyer's patriotic Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue, and the lush, emotive Symphonic Dances by Rachmaninoff with guest pianist Jeffrey Biegel. Program COPLAND Fanfare for the Common Man ADOLPHUS HAILSTORK – (Indiana Premiere) Piano Concerto No. 3 PETER BOYER – (Indiana Premiere) Rhapsody in Red, White & Blue – Intermission – RACHMANINOFF Symphonic Dances I. (Non) allegro II. Andante con moto (Tempo di valse) III. Lento assai – Allegro vivace – Lento assai. Come prima – Allegro vivace Program Notes Fanfare for the Common Man AARON COPLAND Born: November 14, 1900, New York, New York Died: December 2, 1990, North Tarrytown, New York Composed: 1942 Premiered: March 12, 1943, Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati Symphony Duration: 4 minutes Despite his training in Paris, Copeland is a composer who has often come to represent America through his music. Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, Billy the Kid, the list goes on and on in terms of pieces that, at least in today’s world, hold “American” qualities. However, in terms of patriotism, no other piece in his oeuvre comes close to Fanfare for the Common Man. Commissioned by Eugene Goossens, conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, it was one of several fanfares commissioned from American composers as part of a larger project to honor the American entry into the Second World War in December of 1941. It was a continuation of a similar project Goossens undertook during the First World War, in which they commissioned fanfares from British composers. The title comes from a speech by then Vice President Henry A. Wallace, who proclaimed the 20th century as “The Century of the Common Man.” Unlike the other fanfare commissioned, Fanfare for the Common Man has remained a staple in American symphonic repertoire. Leonard Bernstein ...
