Roger SESSIONS

Overview

PHCD172

Roger Sessions  Symphonies 6, 7 and 9

American Composers Orchestra

Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

This disc includes the first recording of the Sixth and Ninth Symphonies by Roger Sessions, whom critic Leighton Kerner called “the greatest symphonist since Mahler”. Superstitious about writing more symphonies than Beethoven’s nine, Mahler died during the composition of his Tenth. Sessions, like many other composers, also wrote nine symphonies. When commissioned to write another, the composer disclaimed superstition, but called it Concerto for Orchestra. His nine symphonies plus the Concerto, a Violin Concerto, a Piano Concerto, Double Concerto, Rhapsody, Concertino, Divertimento and Suite from The Black Maskers contribute mightily to the American orchestral canon.