Mark O'Connor's latest work is the "Americana Symphony." Click on this link to listen to an interview with O'Connor on Friday's edition of "All Things Considered in which he talks about the optimism of American music, the American spirit that led to westward expansion and how those aspects of the American character still fuel this nation today.
The opening movement, "Brass Fanfare: Wide Open Spaces" sets up the distinct Americana theme of the piece. "New World Fanciful Dance" celebrates the Appalachian communities that O'Connor calls "the original melting pot of America." The two middle movements, "Different Paths Towards Home," and "Open Plains Hoedown" feature respectively a fugue and a dance. The fifth movement, "Soaring Eagle, Setting Sun" is perhaps the most visual of the movements, as O'Connor imagines the westward travelers facing a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, the Rocky Mountains. The symphony ends with "Splendid Horizons" celebrates the "spirit, wonder, renewed optimism and hope for a brighter future."
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