In which city was the Symphony for Classical Orchestra in B-flat major completed by Harold Shapero who undoubtedly derived a fair amount from the American composer, teacher and writer known as the 'Dean of American Composers'?
Symphony for Classical Orchestra (Shapero) Harold Shapero completed the Symphony for Classical Orchestra in B-flat major on March 10, 1947, in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. It is written for an orchestra consisting of piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B-flat, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 2 tenor trombones and one bass (silent until the Finale), timpani and strings. Although labelled "Classical," many of the work's features point to Beethoven rather than Haydn or Mozart, such as "the way in which Shapero paces himself, alternating long passages in the tonic and the dominant, with fast, dramatic modulations often reserved for transitions and developments." Nicolas Slonimsky remarked on how the piece is "premeditatedly cast in the proclamatory key of B-flat major, the natural tonality of the bugle, and ending in a display of tonic major triads." But there are modern features as well, with "the work's orchestration, in general, ... distinctively bright and brassy, and undoubtedly derived a fair amount from Piston and Copland, as well as from the composer's experience as a dance band arranger."
Edward Harrison (timpanist) Edward Harrison is Principal Timpanist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Artist Faculty and Head of Percussion at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University. An internationally known maraca expert, Harrison is considered the leading exponent of contemporary maraca playing in the United States and Europe. In 1999, he performed the world's first concerto for maraca soloist with symphony orchestra, which was written for him by Ricardo Lorenz, at Chicago's Orchestra Hall. The composition was entitled "Pataruco: Concerto for Maracas". The "Chicago Sun-Times" lauds his "remarkable mastery as a solo performer". He has served on the faculty at DePaul University, Northwestern University and Concordia University Chicago.