Symphony No. 1 in E Minor - II. Largo, maestoso

Florence Price
Piece Duration: 13:22

About this Piece

Program Note: "Florence Price composed her First Symphony from 1931 to 1932. The second movement is marked Largo, maestoso and commences with a four-part brass hymn texture, which infuses the Symphony with transcendence. 

The movement is optimistic and full of space, much like music by Copland, and like Debussy’s tone poems it rarely reaches an overwhelming forte, reverent in its subtle changes in dynamics." - Philadelphia Orchestra

Sheet Music: PDF Page 62 
https://issuu.com/scoresondemand/docs/symphony_no_1_58893 

Timbre: The first five minutes of this movement is organized in musical blocks that feature one instrument family at a time. Split the room into three groups (Strings / Winds / Brass) and see if they can identify their family!

Movements Featured:
I. Allegro ma non troppo
II. Largo, maestoso
III. Juba Dance

Notable Passages

Time Stamp: 0:00 — 1:30
Description:

Listen to this gorgeous passage that features Brass Instruments!


Keywords: Brass Instruments

Time Stamp: 2:16 — 3:45
Description:

Listen to the call and response between the violins and bassoons/violas!

[Score PDF Pg. 69-71]


Keywords: Call and Response

Time Stamp: 2:16 — 3:45
Description:

Listen for the Motif in this section!

Notated in Score PDF Pg. 69-71, also isolated here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JBTZp4DWHODtq03MHB7RyLCSucbqIy5Z/view?usp=sharing 


Keywords: Motif