FLORIDA BLUE CLASSICAL SERIES
Aaron COPLAND • Appalachian Spring Suite
Carlos SIMON • The Block
Florence PRICE • Symphony No. 1
Gonzalo Farias, conductor
Whether it’s your first or fiftieth hearing, “The Gift to Be Simple” at the heart of Copland’s Appalachian Spring remains bulletproof in its charm and tenderness. The piece he wrote for legendary choreographer Martha Graham is today the cornerstone of Americana symphonic music. Florence Price’s First Symphony likewise evokes the sounds of America, imbued with tunes inspired by spirituals and church hymns. Carlos Simon’s The Block is a perfect companion on this program, musically capturing Romare Bearden’s energetic paintings of a neighborhood in Harlem.