![]() ![]() ![]() The title refers not to American symphony orchestras-histories of which have also been written-but to symphonies (the musical compositions) written by American composers. The American Symphony is a paperback reprint of a book originally published in 1998, thus allowing it to be appreciated anew by readers. That it took a British musicologist, Neil Butterworth, to tell the tale is remarkable-although not altogether surprising given our general neglect of our serious artistic heritage. The contribution of the United States to the tradition of Western classical music is one of the best-kept secrets of the world of culture. The American Symphony, by Neil Butterworth (366 pages, Routledge, 2020) Our achievements in serious music are in no way inferior, and they deserve to be passionately sung. Author Neil Butterworth alerts us to a classical side of Americana which is too often ignored, certainly compared to the attention given our accomplishments in literature. ![]()
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