Category: Watch Again

Walter Arlen was born in Vienna in 1920. His family was dispossessed by the Nazi takeover in March 1938. While in war-effort jobs in Chicago, he studied with composer Leo Sowerby. In 1947, he became the assistant to composer Roy Harris and his wife, pianist Johanna Harris, as they accepted four year-long composer-in-residence positions at four universities, working with most US composers, conductors, and soloists. He was invited to join the Los Angeles Times as a music critic in 1952. In 1969, he founded the music department at Loyola Marymount University, and served as its chairperson and professor while continuing to write reviews until 1980. His compositions began to be performed and recorded in 2008.

Recorded live at the 2021 Elgar Festival in Worcester Cathedral with special thanks to the Elgar Society for their sponsorship of the recording and videography of this concert.

Adrian Williams’ symphony began its life during the spring of 2018 following a request from Kenneth Woods for a work for the English Symphony Orchestra’s 21st Century Symphony Project.