Symphony No.4 ''Autochthonous'' - William Grant Still

Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Jeter

I - Moderately: 0:00
II - Slowly: 6:10
III - With a graceful lilt: 13:07
IV - Slowly and reverently: 16:11

The Symphony No.4 by William Grant Still was composed in 1947 in Los Angeles, California. Actually it would be his third symphony. It premiered on March 18, 1951, performed by the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra conducted by Victor Alessandro.

Still remarked: As the subtitle indicates, the Fourth Symphony has its roots in American own soil, but rather than being aboriginal or indigenous, it is intended to represent the spirit of the American people. The composer has described its four movements in this way: 1. Moderately: The spirit of optimism and energy: the American ability to ‘get things done’ 2. Slowly: pensive, then later in the second subject, animated in a folky way 3. With a graceful lilt: humorous and unmistakably typical of our country and its rhythms 4. Slowly and reverently: the warmth and the spiritual side of the American people, their love of mankind. It may also be said that the music speaks of the fusion of musical cultures in North America.

It begins with a first movement of melancholic character, which uses spiritual themes of African character, in search of the racial autochthonous character of the music. In a sonata form, uses thematic transformation, beginning with a melody in the bass instruments later transformed into the movement’s second theme. The main theme, the idée fixe of the entire work, soon appears in chordal strings, and appears throughout, unifying the work. Legato muted trumpets present the second theme.

The second movement corresponds to the slow part of the work. Uses a blues theme on the flute, while the main theme is an oboe solo. The idée fixe reappears in the violins as the tempo increases. When the original tempo returns, the main theme appears in flute and harp, followed by the idée fixe. Luminous strings evaporate at the close.

The third movement corresponds to the scherzo, which takes the form of a rhythmic syncopated dance, derived from primitive jazz. Clarinet and bassoon over brushes on drum and suspended cymbal set the stage for the principal theme in flutes and oboe under a walking bassline. The idée fixe appears as a second theme in three flutes.

The last movement begins with a solemn melody in the form of a religious hymn, a feeling that marks the life of its author. A spiritual melody brings us closer to the creator. Begins with a powerful melancholic theme in the violins. It alternates with two episodes, one in faster tempo developing the idée fixe as the second uses a seven-note motive taken from the main theme. Then the music returns to its initial seriousness through its lyrical theme that leads us to a solemn coda.

Picture: "Young Life" (1998) by the American painter Bo Bartlett.

Sources from this spanish website on Still symphonism: http://www.historiadelasinfonia.es/naciones/la-sinfonia-en-los-estados-unidos/los-compositores-mas-notables-1/grant-still/ and this booklet from the naxos recording: https://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.559603&catNum=559603&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English#

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