More Ways to Liberate the 4th of July

This is an updated version of a post originally written July 4, 2007 I say it every year -- it's past time to retire the "1812 Overture" from 4th of July concerts. I understand why its there. The score has a part for cannons. Cannons go boom. Fireworks go boom. We have a piece of classical music that goes boom.

But what is the "1812 Overture" really about? It's not about our War of 1812 against the British. Rather, Tchaikovsky wrote it to commemorate a Russian victory in the Napoleonic Wars -- the Battle of Borodino, where Russian forces turned back Napoleon. Let's just recap: in relation to the very American July 4th event, the "1812 Overture" is about the wrong war on the wrong continent between the wrong protagonists. And there's more. The work quotes the Russian Imperial and the French national anthems, and uses those two tunes to represent the ebb and flow of the two armies. Is blasting out the "God Save the Tsar" really the best way to celebrate America's Independence Day? And what about "La Marsailles"? So let's forget the Russian overture written by a Russian honoring the victory of a Russian monarch over a French military dictator and trot out some red-blooded American classical music written by real Americans.

If you're looking for rousing, orchestral music that can be enjoyed by casual listeners in a casual setting, here are some suggestions of Real American music written by Real Americans.

Michael Daugherty: Mount Rushmore

Daugherty's composition embodies the vernacular of American music and culture. His Metropolis Symphony is a musical portrait of Superman (a distinctly American superhero) and his world. "Mount Rushmore" has four movements, corresponding to the four presidents it depicts: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Daugherty quotes Revolutionary War songs in Washington's movement, 18th Century French music in Jefferson's, and the finale is an inspiring Copland-esque setting of Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" for orchestra and chorus. This should be a standard work for 4th of July concerts!

Charles Ives: Variations on "America"

No composer sums up the American spirit of independence of thought than Ives. His variations on this distinctively American tune are original and inspired, and makes more traditional arrangements just sound uninspired.

Randall Thompson - Testament of Freedom

Thompson wrote this four-movement choral work for Thomas Jefferson's bicentennial in 1943. It's a populist setting of Jefferson's words, written in the midst of the Second World War. This is an easily accessible work, and can be an uplifting one, too.

Ernest Bloch - America, an Epic Rhapsody

Want to celebrate the immigrant experience on the 4th? After all, if you go back far enough, you'll find we all came from someplace else. Swiss-born Ernest Bloch wrote a tribute to his adopted country in 1923. It starts with music inspired by Native Americans and moves forward through the centuries. Epic, indeed.

Clifton Williams: Strategic Air Command March

No one could write expansive, elegiac American music like Clifton Williams. Want to salute our troops? This march should fill the bill -- especially if you'd like to give the Sousa marches a rest.

J.J. Richards: Shield of Liberty March

And speaking of marches, Sousa wasn't the only one writing good ones in the 1890's. C.L. Barnhouse was a cornet player who wanted to improve the quality of band music, so he started a publishing company that's still in business today. Marches were among the most popular genres, and things like Richards' "Shield of Liberty" march. Now this is the way to start a patriotic concert!



A uniquely American holiday should feature uniquely American music. And there's plenty of it for full orchestra (or wind ensemble). We can do better than the "1812 Overture." Much better.

A July 4th Program That's Truly Liberating

There many ways to create a classical music program for July 4th. Most programmers just take the path of least resistance. While tradition is important (and comforting), our American musical heritage is rich, diverse, and exciting. And it can add deeper meaning to our Independence Day celebration.

July 4, 2018, I'm hosting a three-hour radio program on WTJU. Here's what I've programmed -- and why.

Patriotic Music of the Revolution

I'm airing four selections that were popular in the Revolutionary and Federalist Eras. Yankee Doodle (1770), The Boston March (1774), The Liberty Tree (1780), and Jefferson and Liberty (1810).

The performances by Joel Cohen and the Boston Camerata are historically authentic. These rough-hewn songs shine with optimism and idealistic energy. This is the America of the Founding Fathers.

Patriotic Music about the Revolution

I'm also featuring Michael Torke's latest work, Unconquered (2018).  It commemorates the 1777 Battle of Saragota, which marked a turning point in the War of Independence. The final movement, "Liberty" expresses optimism for the fledgling nation.

Patriotic Music from Mr. Jefferson's University

WTJU is a broadcast service of the University of Virginia. Several of my selections are related either to the University or its founder, Thomas Jefferson.

Made in America (2001) by American composer Joan Tower was jointly commissioned by 65 small and regional American orchestras. The piece was premiered in all 50 states over a two-year period.

It's a set of variations on America the Beautiful. One of the commissioning orchestras (and therefore one of Tower's tour stops), was the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra (now the Charlottesville Symphony).  

Randall Thompson wrote The Testament of Freedom (1943) while on the faculty of the University's music department. It was written for the University of Virginia's Glee Club to commemorate the bicentennial of Jefferson's birth. Thompson used Jefferson's writings for the text, delivering a message of hope to a nation fighting for freedom in the Second World War.

Patriotic Music in an American voice

Aaron Copland is the American classical composer most often programmed for the 4th. Sure "Fanfare for the Common Man" has a populist appeal. But he wasn't the only one forging an American identity in the field. Contemporaries such as Randall Thompon (see above), Walter Piston, Virgil Thomson, William Schuman and Roy Harris also contributed to American music.

I'm airing Roy Harris' 1040 "American Creed." It's a short orchestral work with two parts: "Freedom to Dream" and "Freedom to Build." Quintessentially American concepts expressed in an American classical style.

Patriotic Music of Inclusion

We're all immigrants -- the only difference is how recently we arrived. Henry Cowell's "American Melting Pot" (1940) celebrates our immigrant nation by blending musical traditions of several cultures that contributed to the American experience. The movements are labeled: Chorale (Teutonic-American),  Air (Afro-American), Satire (Franco-American), Alapna (Oriental-American), Slavic Dance (Slavic-American), Rhumba (Latin-American), Square Dance (Celtic-American).

And let's not forget Native Americans. I'm airing Charles Tomlinson Griffes Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes (1910). Not all of his source material is identified, but one of his melodies is based on a farewell song of Chippewas.

For something a little more familiar, I'm including Leonard Bernstein conducting his Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story." What could be more American than Broadway tunes, jazz, and Latino/Ameican music?

Alophus Hailstork is one of the most preeminent African-American composers living today. And he lives right here in Virginia. His work An American Port of Call captures all the bustling action of an American seaport.

Patriotic Music Beyond the Same-Old Same-Old

You can't have a 4th of July concert without a Sousa march. Plenty of folks will program the Stars and Stripes Forever. I chose his Hail to the Spirit of Liberty March. John Philip Sousa and his band represented the United States at the 1900 Paris Exposition. The march was written for this event. The band played it to great acclaim throughout Europe.

Many people think American classical music ended with Aaron Copland and/or Leonard Bernstein who are dead. It didn't. Kenneth Fuchs (b. 1956) is one of several American composers writing in an accessible contemporary style. I chose his 2008  American Rhapsody, a beautiful romance for violin and orchestra work that deserves to be better known.

Patriotic fanfares can be stirring. Morton Gould's American Salute (1943) was written literally overnight for a wartime broadcast. It's a set of variations on the Civil War tune When Johnny Comes Marching Home. Two historic references in one!

America is a standard patriotic piece. Charles Ives' Variations on America (1891) is anything but.

And finally, everyone loves a good march. But which one to play? I went with Henry Mancini's march from the movie "The Great Race." It's a mash-up of just about every famous march with a sprinkle of Mancini magic.

And here's the thing -- I still only scratched the surface. America has an amazing treasury of music written by us for us. And it keeps growing every year. That's what my show tomorrow will be all about -- looking at where we've been,  and how far we've come.*

*musically, that is

More Ways to Liberate 1812 from the Fourth

This is an updated version of a post originally written July 4, 2007

I say it every year -- it's past time to retire the "1812 Overture" from 4th of July concerts. I do understand why its there. The score has a part for cannons. Cannons go boom. Fireworks go boom. We have a piece of classical music that goes boom.

But what is the "1812 Overture" really about? It's not about our War of 1812 against the British. Rather, Tchaikovsky wrote it to commemorate a Russian victory in the Napoleonic Wars -- the Battle of Borodino, where Russian forces turned back Napoleon. Let's just recap: in relation to the very American July 4th event, the "1812 Overture" is about the wrong war on the wrong continent between the wrong protagonists. And there's more.

The work quotes the Russian Imperial and the French national anthems and uses those two tunes to represent the ebb and flow of the two armies.

Is blasting out the "God Save the Tsar" really the best way to celebrate America's Independence Day? And what about "La Marseilles"?

So let's forget the Russian overture written by a Russian honoring the victory of a Russian monarch over a French military dictator and trot out some red-blooded American classical music written by real Americans.

If you're looking for rousing, orchestral music that can be enjoyed by casual listeners in a casual setting, here are some suggestions of Real American music written by Real Americans.

Michael Daugherty: Mount Rushmore

- Daugherty's composition embodies the vernacular of American music and culture. His Metropolis Symphony is a musical portrait of Superman (a distinctly American superhero) and his world. "Mount Rushmore" has four movements, corresponding to the four presidents it depicts: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln.

Daugherty quotes Revolutionary War songs in Washington's movement, 18th Century French music in Jefferson's, and the finale is an inspiring Copland-esque setting of Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" for orchestra and chorus. This should be a standard work for 4th of July concerts!

Charles Ives: Variations on "America"

- No composer sums up the American spirit of independence of thought than Ives. His variations on this distinctively American tune are original and inspired and makes more traditional arrangements just sound uninspired.

Clifton Williams: Strategic Air Command March

 - No one could write expansive, elegiac American music like Clifton Williams. Want to salute our troops? This march should fill the bill -- especially if you'd like to give the Sousa marches a rest.

J.J. Richards: Shield of Liberty March

- And speaking of marches, Sousa wasn't the only one writing good ones in the 1890's. C.L. Barnhouse was a cornet player who wanted to improve the quality of band music, so he started a publishing company that's still in business today. Marches were among the most popular genres and things like Richards' "Shield of Liberty" march. Now, this is the way to start a patriotic concert!

Howard Hanson: "Merry Mount" Suite

- Harris had a distinctly American voice, and his opera "Merry Mount" is a distinctively American story. Based on the short story "The May-Pole of Merry Mount" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it dramatizes the conflict between the fun-loving colonists of Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts and their more serious Puritan neighbors.

Henry Cowell - Hymn and Fuging Tunes

- American composer Henry Cowell was a truly original thinker. He developed his own system of music -- something American composers seem to have a knack for (think Harry Partch, Lou Harrison, Carl Ruggles, et al.). Cowell also dug deep into America's musical heritage for inspiration. His series of Hymn and Fuguing Tunes pay homage to the uniquely American "fuging tunes" of the early 1800's. American-sounding melodies based on American musical tradition, in short, 6-10 minute works. Why aren't these programmed more often?

Roy Harris: When Johnny Comes Marching Home

 - Roy Harris was a contemporary of Aaron Copland, Howard Hanson, and Henry Cowell, and like them was concerned with developing an American style of classical music. His short set of orchestral variations on the Civil War tune "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" should be a logical choice for any program celebrating American history.

Many celebrations will feature some Aaron Copland (usually "Fanfare for the Common Man"), or some Leonard Bernstein -- good choices, but there are so many more. We have a rich classical music tradition stretching back over 200 years -- music written by Americans that have a distinctively American voice that can still speak to us today.

If you don't like the concept of American flags being made in China, then why settle for 4th of July music written in Russia?

Celebrate the 4th of July with #USclassics

I've written several times about the oddity of celebrating the 4th of July with that most patriotic of classical works -- Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." I get it. The cannons at the end are just part of the fireworks.

But really. Especially after all the controversy involving the recent election, does a Russian piece really belong in our American holiday celebrations?

There's plenty of substantial patriotic music written by Americans that would serve (albeit without cannons written into the score). See any of my previous July 4th posts for musical examples.

This year I'm going a little bit further. For the #ClassicsaDay Twitter feed I'll be posting music exclusively by American composers for the month of July. Each tweet will also have the hashtag #USclassics to make it easier to find.

And you don't even have to be on Twitter. Just do a search for the hashtag and you'll see the posts -- and the links.

I'll be posting music from the colonial period through to the 21st Century.  For the most part, I'll be avoiding the obvious choices, such as Sousa, Copland, Gershwin, and Bernstein. Instead, I'll be focusing on the composers who are just as talented but aren't as well-known (like Randall Thomson, below).



I'll be posting music by composers born in the US, as well as immigrants who became citizens. You'll see links to music by male composers, female composers, and composers of color. Follow the feed the entire month and you'll find that American classical music is as rich and diverse as America itself.

Next month I'll also post an annotated list, as I did for the previous #ClassicsaDay themed month.

Real American Music for the 4th - The Program

Yesterday I outlined my thoughts about American music, and what I might be airing for my 4th of July radio program this morning. Here's a rundown of what I actually aired -- and why.

If you missed the program, you can replay it anytime during the next two weeks -- it's currently available at the WTJU website (http://wtju.net/vault).

Liberty Fanfare - John Williams
     Cincinnati Pops Orchestra; Eric Kunzel conductor

John Williams gets played a lot on the 4th -- but it's usually his film scores. I decided to open with a work he specifically wrote for the holiday.

Bunker Hill, a Sapphick Ode - Andrew Laws
Heroism - Supply Belcher
Liberty Tree - Anon. 18th C.
The Sons of Liberty - Anon. 18th C.
  Waverly Consort

This set of tunes all date from around 1780. They're excellent examples of patriotic songs that would have been sung by veterans of the Revolution.

Bold Island Suite - Howard Hanson
   Cincinnati Pops Orchestra; Eric Kunzel, conductor

Howard Hanson was an outstanding American composer, and as a teacher and a conductor was a champion of American music. This evocative work is a good introduction to Hanson's style.

O come, come away - Anon. 19th C.
School hymn - Anon. 19th C.
Gospel Feast - Anon. 19th C.
   Boston Camerata; Joel Cohen, director

These hymn tunes were created during the Second Great Awakening of the 1790's-1830's. The melodic shapes and harmonies of these hymns were distinctively American. Designed to be sung by amateurs with limited vocal range, they're nevertheless powerful and attractive works.

Freedom Fanfare - Tim Rumsey
   Kiev Philharmonic; Robert Ian Winstin, conductor

Not all American composers are dead. Many aren't even middle-aged. This work was written just a few years ago, and is a great occasional piece.

When Johnny Comes Marching Home - Roy Harris
  Louisville Symphony; Jorge Mester, conductor 

In the 1960's, this work was regularly programmed for patriotic events. Many of Roy Harris' works have American themes, or are based on American subjects. It's always been a puzzle to me why he's not performed more frequently in this country.

Overture and Opening Credits to "How the West Was Won" - Alfred Newman
   MGM Orchestra & Chorus; Alfred Newman, conductor 

Many 4th of July programs include movie soundtracks -- and they're almost exclusively John Williams scores. "How the West Was Won" was a sprawling epic chronicling three generations of a family as they move west from Ohio through to California (and being a part of every major historical event between 1840-1890). 

In addition to the rousing original music Alfred Newman wrote for the film, which has more of an American rather than Western character, he also researched the music of the period. The overture features a medley of folk songs and ballads spanning the mid-1800's -- perfect for a day which celebrates all things American.

Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes - Charles Tomlinson Griffes
   Kohen Quartet

Charles Tomlinson Griffes achieved international success in the early 1900's with his tone poems. And while his music does have a cosmopolitan sound to it, he was also looking to American music for inspiration. This string quartet is an interesting experiment, and while today we might not consider the treatment of these themes very authentic, they certainly evoke the romanticized ideal of Native American life.

Battle of San Juan Hill - Albert C. Sweet
   New Columbian Brass Band

In the late 1800's community bands were an important part of many cities and towns. They often played throughout the warmer months, and most definitely on important events like the 4th of July. This tone poem is somewhat literal, with its bugle calls and cannonfire. But if folks like gunshots with their music, why not give them something relating to American history -- instead of the 1812 Overture (which celebrates Russia's victory over Napoleon)?

Singing School - Anon. 19th C.
Thomas-Town - William Billings
Amazing Grace - Anon. 19th C.
   Boston Camerata; Joel Cohen, director

Shape note singing is a distinctively American artform. Developed in the 1790's, this music was written with symbols non-musicians could easily understand. And the rudimentary counterpoint in these tunes -- called fuguing -- is absolutely unique to America. What better music for an absolutely unique American holiday?

Fanfare and Allegro - Clifton Williams
   Eastman Wind Ensemble; Frederick Fennell, conductor

Concert marches are a staple for 4th of July programs. But most concerts seldom venture beyond Sousa. In the latter part of the 20th Century, Clifton Williams was the master of the concert march, many of which entered the band and orchestral repertoire.

American Hymn - Nancy Bloomer Deussen
   Kiev Philharmonic; Robert Ian Winstin, conductor

Another short work written within the past few years. Deussen demonstrates that accessible, well-crafted and tuneful music is still being written in this country.

Dance in Three-Time - Quincy Porter
   Albany Symphony Orchestra; Julius Hegyi, director 

Although seldom played today, Quincy Porter is a quite important American composer. He had a successful career both in America and Europe, and even won the Pulitzer Prize for his second piano concerto. This short orchestral work at least gives the listener a taste of his compositional style.

Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune No. 8 - Henry Cowell
   Northwest Chamber Orchestra; Alun Francis, director

Henry Cowell was an American composer with a distinctively American voice. I thought it appropriate after playing some original fuguing tunes to air one of Cowell's 1947 interpretations of this American genre. 

Fanfare for the Signal Corps - Howard Hanson
   Cincinnati Pops Orchestra; Erich Kunzel, conductor

During the Second World War, many composers were commissioned to write patriotic pieces. Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" might be the best know, but it's not the only example. This short fanfare is another -- and it happened to fit nicely in the two-minute window I had at the end of the show.

July 4th Classical Music - Moving 1776 beyond 1812

For Independence Day celebrations, there few classical works that make the cut. You can usually count on hearing a John Philip Sousa march.

Perhaps Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," And, if the presenters have the budget and/or a National Guard armory nearby, Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture."

Time for a change

I get it. "1812" = cannons = fireworks. But come on.

Do we really want to end our Fourth of July celebrations with a rousing chorus of "God Save the Czar?" As always, I'd like to propose some different music for the Fourth of July. Nothing esoteric, or complex. Just well-written, uplifting music by Americans for Americans.

Engendering representation

Approximately half the US population are female. There is plenty of first-rate classical music by American women available. Amy Beach, Florence Price, Libby Larsen, and Ellen Taafe Zwilich are just a few names that spring to mind -- and that's not counting the vast number of women that have entered the field in the past twenty years.

For the Fourth of July, I'd recommend one of Joan Tower's "Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman." She's written five of them, take your pick! I think having Copland's "Fanfare" at the beginning of the program and Tower's near the end would be a nice balance.

Rounding out the spectrum

Non-listeners often characterize classical music as that of dead, white, European males. Well, we've already established that there are American composers, the majority of them still alive. And they're not all male (see above). And they're not all white. Plenty of American composers past and present have been persons of color.

How about William Grant Still's "Festive Overture?" Seems right for the occasion.



Mounting a celebration with a band instead of a full orchestra? Try Adolphus Hailstork's "Celebration."

March to a different drummer

John Philip Sousa wasn't called the "March King" for nothing. He wrote way more than just the two or three pieces everyone programs for the Fourth of July.  The "Yorktown Centennial March" seems appropriate for a Revolutionary War-related holiday.

Or perhaps a call for unity with the "Keep Step with the Union March."

What about the artillery?

I admit the selection of classical works for cannons is pretty slender. Besides Tchaikovsky's hit, the only other example I know of is also Russian. In 1922 Arseny Avraamov composed the "Symphony Of Factory Sirens." The orchestra comprises of factory sirens, boat whistles, machinery, and field artillery. It's an interesting work, albeit almost impossible to perform. Plus, the end result sounds more like a city under siege than one celebrating a victory. (If you listen to the music below, the cannons first come in at around 2:20.)

 

If it's a battle piece you want, I have a suggestion. C.L. Barnhouse's "Battle of Shiloh" depicts the whole event -- and it's a lot shorter than the "1812." Have the field cannons double the bass drum strikes, and you've got sonic fireworks for an American piece about an American subject by an American composer. How's that for Fourth of July programming?

#ClassicsaDay Month-long music for the 4th of July

American music for an American holiday!

Throughout the years I've offered suggestions for 4th of July classical music. Just going with the 1812 Overture is not only lazy programming but does a disservice to our rich musical heritage. (I get it -- cannons. But do we really want "God Save the Czar" accompanying our fireworks?)

This year, rather than just posting American music worth exploring on the 4th, I'll be doing it all month long via Twitter.

American music on #ClassicsaDay

Classical music lovers on Twitter post music links using #ClassicsaDay in their tweet to share with others. And they know to click on the hashtag in tweets to see what others have found.

For the month of July, some of the participants (including yours truly) will be featuring American music. I’ll personally be tweeting a link to music by a different American composer every weekday in July. Look for #ClassicsaDay and #USclassics.

Don't use Twitter?

Not a problem! Just keep reading this blog. Next month I'll post an annotated list (with embedded videos) of the composers I’ve highlighted. And you can do a Google search for #ClassicsaDay and see the most popular tweets without even going to Twitter.

There’s more to American music than John Philip Sousa and Aaron Copland!

Want to join the month-long celebration of American music from the 1700s to the present? Using the hashtag is simple. In Twitter, type #Classicsaday into the search field to call up the most recent tweets. 

Or if you see #ClassicsaDay in a tweet, just click on it to do the same thing. 

Liberating the 1812 from the Fourth

This is an updated version of a post originally written July 4, 2007

Personally, I think it's past time to retire the "1812 Overture" from 4th of July concerts. I get it. It's got canons. Canons go boom. Fireworks go boom. We have a piece of classical music that goes boom.

But have you really listened to this work? Tchaikovsky wrote it to commemorate the Battle of Borodino, where Russian forces turned back Napoleon. The work contains the Russian and the French national anthems and uses those two tunes to represent the ebb and flow of the two armies.

Is blasting out the "God Save the Tsar" really the best way to celebrate Independence Day? And what about "La Marseilles"? Perhaps an apologist could construe it as an acknowledgment of Lafayette's contributions, but it wasn't that long ago we insisted those potato strings be called "freedom fries."

So let's forget the Russian overture written by a Russian honoring the victory of a Russian monarch over a French military dictator and trot out some red-blooded American classical music written by real Americans.

Here are some suggestions for rousing, American music written by Real Americans.

Michael Daugherty: Mount Rushmore

- Daugherty's composition embodies the vernacular of American music and culture. His Metropolis Symphony is a musical portrait of Superman (a distinctly American superhero) and his world. Mount Rushmore has four movements, corresponding to the four presidents it depicts: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Daugherty quotes Revolutionary War songs in Washington's movement, 18th Century French music in Jefferson's, and the finale is an inspiring Copland-esque setting of Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" for orchestra and chorus. This should be a standard work for 4th of July concerts!

Charles Ives: Variations on "America"

- No composer sums up the American spirit of independence of thought than Ives. His variations on this distinctively American tune are original and inspired and makes more traditional arrangements just sound uninspired.

Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 66, "Hymn to Glacier Park"

- Hovhaness was another American original, placidly making his own music without getting sucked into the academic fashions of the day. Hovhaness drew inspiration from mountains, and his symphony to Glacier Park captures the grandeur and spaciousness of this national treasure.

Howard Hanson: "Merry Mount" Suite

- Harris had a distinctly American voice, and his opera "Merry Mount" is a distinctively American story. Based on the short story "The May-Pole of Merry Mount" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it dramatizes the conflict between the fun-loving colonists of Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts and their more serious Puritan neighbors.

Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Union Paraphrase en Concert

- Gottschalk was an internationally renowned piano virtuoso. In many ways, he was the American Franz Liszt, performing and composing. The "Union Paraphrase" is an excellent example of Gottschalk's technique and a rousing piece of musical Americana.

Many celebrations will feature some Aaron Copland (usually "Fanfare for the Common Man"), or some Leonard Bernstein -- good choices, but there are so many more. We have a rich classical music tradition stretching back over 200 years -- music written by Americans that have a distinctively American voice that speaks to us today.

If you don't like the concept of American flags being made in China, then why settle for 4th of July music written in Russia?

Retiring the 1812 for the Fourth

I'll be doing my WTJU radio program "Gamut" on the 4th of July.

This past Sunday in the Washington Post Tim Page offered up some thoughts about music for the Fourth of July.

Personally, I like his idea of playing Hans Pfitzner, Elliott Carter and Anton Bruckner instead of the usual fare, but both he and I concede that won't work for everyone.

Still, there's plenty of great American classical music that would be appropriate for the Fourth, and I'm not just talking about Sousa either.

Personally, I think it's past time to give the "1812 Overture" a rest. OK, it's got canons, but has anyone listened to this work? Tchaikovsky wrote it to commemorate the Battle of Borodino, where Russian forces turned back Napoleon. The work contains the Russian and the French national anthems and uses those two tunes to represent the ebb and flow of the two armies.

Is blasting out the "God Save the Tsar" really the best way to celebrate Independence Day? And what about "La Marseilles"? Perhaps an apologist could construe it as an acknowledgment of Lafayette's contributions, but it wasn't that long ago we insisted those potato strings be called "freedom fries."

So let's forget the Russian overture written by a Russian honoring the victory of a Russian monarch over a French military dictator and trot out some red-blooded Amercian classical music written by real Americans.

In past years I've played some of these works on "Gamut" for the Fourth of July, and I might air some of this for this upcoming program.

Charles Ives: Variations on "America"

- No composer sums up the American spirit of independence of thought than Ives. His variations on this distinctively American tune are original and inspired and makes more traditional arrangements just sound tired.

Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 66, "Hymn to Glacier Park"

- Hovhaness was another American original, placidly making his own music without getting sucked into the academic fashions of the day. Hovhaness drew inspiration from mountains, and his symphony to Glaciar Park captures the grandeur and spaciousness of this national treasure.

Howard Hanson: "Merry Mount" Suite

- Harris had a distinctly American voice, and his opera "Merry Mount" is a distinctively American story. Based on the short story "The May-Pole of Merry Mount" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it dramatizes the conflict between the fun-loving colonists of Mount Wollaston, Massachusetts and their more serious Puritan neighbors.

Louis Moreau Gottschalk: Union Paraphrase en Concert

- Gottschalk was an internationally renowned piano virtuoso. In many ways, he was the American Franz Liszt, performing and composing. The "Union Paraphrase" is an excellent example of Gottschalk's technique and a rousing piece of musical Americana.

Many celebrations will feature some Aaron Copland (usually "Fanfare for the Common Man"), or some Leonard Bernstein -- good choices, but there are so many more. We have a rich classical music tradition stretching back over 200 years -- music written by Americans that have a distinctively American voice that speaks to us today.

This Fourth of July, I'm declaring independence from unimaginative programming. Who's with me?

- Ralph

July 4th Classical Music - Making a Federal Case

I've shared my thoughts many times about traditional Fourth of July classical programming. Sousa marches, Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" and -- of course-- Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" are pretty much the default. 

But there's so much more. American composers have been writing music celebrating their heritage right from the beginning. Sometimes it was expressed simply in the style of the music. Other times it was overtly patriotic in character. 

Interested in celebrating America's rich classical music heritage this holiday? Here are a few suggestions from the Federalist Era, when America first grew into its own as a new nation. 

John Antes (1740-1811)

Antes was born in Pennsylvania and served as an American Moravian missionary. The Moravians had a vibrant music tradition and kept current with European composers in the 1700s. 

Antes was also an instrument maker and is credited with making one of the earliest violas in the U.S. He composed a set of string trios in 1780. They're among the earliest American chamber works, and model Haydn's trios (written around the same time). 

William Billings (1746-1800)

Billing was born in Boston and was a tanner by trade. By avocation, he was a choral composer -- American's first. His hymns were in a new, distinctively American style, with melodies and harmonies that came from folk traditions.

Billing's music was written for amateur choirs, and distributed through hymn collections. They proved quite popular, especially in non-denominational churches that sprang up along the frontier. There were other composers of fugueing tunes, but none as popular as Billings.

"Chester" was originally a patriotic hymn for the new nation, composed in the 1770s.

Benjamin Carr (1768-1831)

Carr emigrated from England in 1793. He became a prominent figure in Philadelphia's music scene. He was a sought-after teacher of piano, organ, and voice. He founded the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia and ran a music publishing company. One of his publications was awarded the very first copyright in 1794 awarded under the then-new U.S. Constitution

His 1794 Federal Overture incorporates many of the tunes Americans were singing at the time. 

Alexander Reinagle (1756-1809)

Like Carr, Reinagle was born in England and emigrated to the States. He settled in Philadelphia and continued Carr's work. Reinagle introduced American audiences to the music of Mozart and Haydn. He also produced over 75 opera ballets in Philadelphia.

Reinagle was a friend of George Washington and wrote music in his honor, as well as a presidential march for another friend -- James Madison. Reinagle's Federal March was published in 1788.

Real American Music for the 4th

"I won't just listen to any old thing.
It's unAmerican."

My weekly classical music radio program I host on WTJU, "Gamut," lands on the 4th of July, and I've been thinking quite a lot about programming. I will definitely NOT be airing the 1812 Overture (as I explained in Retiring 1812 for the 4th). And I'd like to stay away from the typical fare: Sousa marches, Bernstein, Gershwin, Copland's "Appalachian Spring," John Williams film scores.

So what does that leave?

Plenty.

Most Americans -- even those who enjoy classical music -- seem unaware of the rich classical music heritage this country has. There really is more to American classical music than Samuel Barber's "Adagio."

Tomorrow morning I'll definitely be airing some shape note selections. In the late 1700's several itinerant and self-taught composers wrote hymns for the burgeoning spiritual revival sweeping through the new country. William Billings, Supply Belcher, and others created fuguing tunes, a uniquely American style of hymnody.

And then there's the Moravian school of the 1700's. Moravian settlers in Pennsylvania and South Carolina brought their love of music with them. Their ensembles regularly performed Mozart, Haydn, and other European composers of the day -- often playing the American premiers of their works. The body of compositions created by American Moravians is based on the early Classical style.

There are also several important American composers of the 1800's, who looked for a balance between American music and European concert traditions. Louis Moreau Gottschalk was a piano virtuoso who rivaled Franz Liszt in popularity, with compositions based on New Orleans folk melodies.

And Edward MacDowell, known today for just a single piano piece, but respected in his day for his orchestral compositions as well. MacDowell was part of the Second New England School, which also included important composers, such as Horatio Parker, George Chadwick, and John Knowles Paine

Moving into the 20th Century, there are the many colleagues of Copland and Barber: William Schuman, Paul Creston, Roy Harris and Howard Hanson -- respected perhaps more in Europe than in their own country.

Virgil Thompson wrote important music based on American themes, as did Randall Thomson. Henry Cowell composed a series of "Hymn and Fuguing Tunes" inspired by William Billings.

I could also go with some distinctively American composers -- Charles Ives, Harry Partch, Carl Ruggles and other unique artists.

Moving to more recent times, there are the minimalists, such as Steve Reich, John Adams, and Philip Glass, who are internationally recognized. And many, many more.

I've got a lot to choose from -- over 200 years of music -- but I know two things. My show tomorrow morning will be made up exclusively of American music that hasn't been overplayed, and that music will be great.