Florence Price was the first female African-American composer to earn a national reputation, and to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra. In recent years she has come to be recognized as a significant American composer of the 1930s and 1940s. Her late-Romantic style is infused with echoes of her experience in popular
music, and her African-American heritage. In addition to 100 songs – her best-known works – her catalogue of music includes orchestral and choral pieces, and music for piano, organ and chamber ensembles. Orchestral works include four symphonies, concertos for violin and piano, and a variety of overtures, tone poems, suites and dance pieces.
One of my favorite works by Price is the Piano Concerto in One Movement, which was premiered in Chicago in 1934 with Price herself as the soloist. There are three distinct sections played without a break. The first part is characterized by an urgent and lyrical theme; the slow-tempo central part is tender and nostalgic; and the concerto concludes with a sprightly example of a juba, a folk dance often used by Florence Price, a sort of proto-rag. It is striking how much this concerto says in its short span, moving from storm to carefree summer idyll to ecstatic joy in well under 20 minutes.
The Texas Medical Center Orchestra conducted by Libi Lebel performs the Concerto in One Movement by Florence B. Price. Piano soloist is Lulu Liu.