Roger Sessions(1896-1985): a Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

For most of his compositional career Sessions wrote music which was atonal, gritty, expressionist and tough. I must confess to having never comes to terms with most of the music (although I have virtually all of the cd recordings ). Sessions was however a composer of considerable importance and total integrity and an influential and highly respected teacher. He was also the cousin of our greatly valued member here- shamokin. I therefore thought it more than appropriate to include his relatively modest output.

(Although Eric Gilder and Mark Morris mention the Scherzino and March of 1938 I have found no other references to the work. "The Five Pieces for Chamber Orchestra" of 1975 listed by Gilder is presumably a confusion with the Five Pieces for piano composed in that year.)

ROGER SESSIONS: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL AND CHORAL MUSIC

1927:   Symphony No.1: 18 minutes             +  (CRI cd)
1928:   Suite "The Black Maskers": 22 minutes    +  (Mercury and New World cds)
1935:   Violin Concerto: 34 minutes    +  (CRI and Albany cds)
1938:   Scherzino and March for orchestra ?
1944-46: Symphony No.2: 26 minutes   +  (CRI and Decca cds)
1954:   "The Idyll of Theocritus" for soprano and orchestra: 37 minutes   +  (First Edition cd)
1955-56:Piano Concerto: 18 minutes    +  (New World and Oehms cds)
1957:   Symphony No.3: 30 minutes  +  (CRI cd)
1958:   Symphony No.4: 23 minutes   +  (New World cd)
1960:   Divertimento for orchestra: 23 minutes     +  (First Edition cd)
1963:   Psalm 140 for soprano and orchestra: 8 minutes
1964:   Symphony No.5: 18 minutes   +  (New World cd)
1966:   Symphony No.6: 20 minutes   +  (Argo cd)
1967:   Symphony No.7: 22 minutes   +  (Argo cd)
1968:   Symphony No.8: 14 minutes   +  (Argo cd)
1970:   Rhapsody for orchestra: 11 minutes    +  (Argo and New World cds)
1971:   Cantata "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" for soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra: 42 minutes   +  (New World cd)
             Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra: 20 minutes
1972:   Concertino for chamber orchestra: 16 minutes   +  (Phoenix cd)
             Three Choruses on Biblical Texts for chorus and orchestra: 15 minutes
1978:   Symphony No.9: 28 minutes   +  (Argo cd)
1981:   Concerto for Orchestra: 16 minutes   + (Hyperion cd)

[alberto]

The Suite "The Black Maskers" exist also on Mercury Cd (Howard Hansono conducting)

[Dundonnell]

Thank you as always, Alberto

[suffolkcoastal]

Sessions's output is relatively small, perhaps his other compositions could be added to make a complete catalogue, many of them are available on CD so overall Sessions hasn't been too badly served on CD.

Of the works not available on CD, I have the Double Concerto (Violin & Cello) and the Three Choruses on Biblical Texts.

[eschiss1]

I thought the scherzino was for piano solo, and if I recall likewise the march. Hrm. Interesting. (Yes, I know Barry David Salwen doesn't include them in his "complete" traversal of Sessions' piano music, but I am aware of recordings of them, memory serves, though I haven't heard them.) (Ah. Arzruni's 2002 recording "Childhood memories: music for younger pianists" has Little piece (:21) ; Waltz for Brenda (1:17) ; Scherzino (:27) ; March (1:10). 27 seconds of a "Scherzino" for piano. Perhaps it wasn't that much work to orchestrate for him or someone... but still...)