Recognition for Florence Price

A form of ultimate recognition for American composer Florence Price: her Second Violin Concerto embedded between Mozart and Beethoven.

Catchy mix
In life, Florence Price was the first African-American woman considered a great symphonist to have her work performed by the major American orchestras. After her death in 1953, that quickly changed and her work faded into the background. Meanwhile, her infectious blend of classical influences larded with African-American folk music is back in the spotlight.

Spirituals
Price had a solid education and knew her classics. For example, she learned to build a symphonic structure in part thanks to the works of Mozart and Beethoven. Yet she learned the most from Antonin Dvo?ák who encouraged American composers to use not only the European tradition but also their own folk music such as spirituals as inspiration. Thus her work not only holds its own among the symphonies of Mozart and Beethoven, but she and violinist Randall Goosby now give a compelling voice to composers and musicians of color.