- New England Triptych is based on melodies by William Billings, a Revolutionary War-era composer whose music influenced the development of American folk tradition. As implied by the title, Schuman’s work consists of three movements:
- Be Glad Then, America
- When Jesus Wept
- Chester
- New England Triptych was written in 1956 and premiered that same year with the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra under André Kostelanetz. Kostelanetz had also been the one to commission the work.
- New England Triptych is considered Schuman’s most popular work.
- This piece wasn’t the first instance of Schuman adapting the music of William Billings. In 1943, the composer wrote a piece called William Billings Overture.
- Fun fact – Billings’s “Chester” had been used as a marching song for the Continental Army.1
Sources
- Steven C. Smith, Notes in accompanying booklet, A Tribute to William Schuman performed by the Seattle Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz, Delos 3115, 1992, compact disc.
Cut IDs
45898 48712 21615