Howard Hanson
20th Century · 1896–1981
Howard Hanson was born in 1896 in Wahoo, Nebraska, to Swedish immigrant parents, and the open-hearted, big-sky romanticism of his music never strayed far from those roots. After winning the American Prix de Rome, which took him to Italy for three years of composing, he was hired in 1924 to run the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.
He stayed forty years, and that job became his real legacy alongside the music: he built Eastman into a major conservatory and used its concerts and recordings to champion American composers by the hundreds, programming their works when almost no one else would. His own Symphony no. 4 won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944. He kept composing in a warm, melodic style long after fashion moved elsewhere, and died in Rochester in 1981.
Start with the Symphony no. 2, the one he called Romantic: its sweeping main theme is his signature, and you may recognize it even on first hearing.
47 works in the catalog, across 5 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.
Chamber
- Concerto da camera, for string quartet, op. 7
- String Quartet, op. 23
- Summer Seascape no. 2, for viola and strings
Keyboard
- Enchantment, for piano
- For the First Time, for piano
- Miniatures for piano, no. 1, Reminiscence, op. 12, no. 1
- Miniatures for piano, no. 2, Lullaby, op. 12, no. 2
- Miniatures for piano, No 3, Longing, op. 12, no. 3
- Poèmes érotiques, for piano, no. 1, "Peace", op. 9, no. 1
- Poèmes érotiques, for piano, no. 2, Joy, op. 9, no. 2
- Poèmes érotiques, for piano, no. 3, Desire, op. 9, no. 3
- Slumber Song, for piano
- Études for piano, no. 1, Studio ritmico, op. 18, no. 1
- Études for piano, no. 2, Studio melodico, op. 18, no. 2
- Études for piano, no. 3, Poema Idillico, op. 18, no. 3
Orchestral
- Symphony no. 2, op. 30, "Romantic"
- Centennial March
- Concerto for organ, harp and strings in C major, op. 22/3
- Concerto for piano and orchestra in G major, op. 36
- Dies Natalis II, for wind ensemble
- Dies Natalis no. 1, for orchestra
- Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitsky, op. 44
- Fantasy Variations on a Theme of Youth, for piano and orchestra, op. 40
- For the First Time, suite for orchestra
- Harp Christmas, for wind ensemble
- Laude, Chorale, Variations, and Metamorphoses, for band
- Lux aeterna, for viola and orchestra, op. 24
- Mosaics, for orchestra
- Pan and the Priest, symphonic poem op. 26
- Pastorale, for oboe and piano, op. 38
- Rhythmic Variations on 2 Ancient Hymns, for orchestra
- Serenade for flute, harp and strings, op. 35
- Symphony no. 1 in E minor, op. 22, "Nordic"
- Symphony no. 3, op. 33
- Symphony no. 4, op. 34, "The Requiem"
- Symphony no. 6
- Symphony no. 7, "A Sea Symphony"
Stage
- Merry Mount,, op. 31 Opera
- Merry Mount, suite from the opera, op. 31
- Nymphs and Satyr, ballet
Vocal
- A Prayer of the Middle Ages, for chorus
- Chorale and Alleluia, for chorus and orchestra
- How Excellent Thy Name, for chorus and organ, op. 41
- Lament for Beowulf, for chorus and orchestra, op. 25
- Lumen in Christo, for chorus and orchestra
- Song of Democracy, for chorus and orchestra, op. 44
- The Cherubic Hymn, for chorus, op. 37
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