McDonald, Harl

Composed 1938. First performance Boston, 30 October 1939, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1934. First performance Philadelphia, Philadelphia Orchestra, 4 October 1935, Leopold Stokowski conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

The second movement includes a theme based on a Canadian Indian fishing call. Composed 1945-47. First performance Philadelphia, 9 April 1948, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

First movement originally composed 1941 as Overture 1941. Second movement composed as a separate tone poem 1941. Movements 3 and 4 composed as Elegy and Battle Hymn, originally for baritone and orchestra 1942. First performance as a suite Indianapolis, 8 January 1944, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Fabien Sevitzky conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1938. First performed as an ostensible composition of Handel's amanuensis John Christopher Smith, Boston, 22 May 1939, Boston Pops, Arthur Fiedler conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1932. First complete performance Philadelphia, 26 April 1932, Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1937. First performance Philadelphia, 8 April 1938, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Harl McDonald, 1899-1955, studied music under Vernon Spencer, Earnest Douglass, and Zielinski. He was appointed a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in 1927 and enjoyed other appointments at the University throughout his lifetime including the Director of the Music Department, Director of the University 's Choral Society, and Director of the Pennsylvania Glee Club. In addition to his administrative duties with the University, McDonald composed numerous musical works and served on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association.

Composed 1933. First performance Philadelphia, 16 November 1934, Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

The Damariscotta is a river in Maine. Composed 1947. First performance Philadelphia, 8 January 1959, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1939. First performance CBS Ford Radio Hour broadcast from Detroit, 3 March 1940, Ford Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Not to be confused with the composer's Scenes from Childhood Suite for solo harp and orchestra. Themes are all children's nursery rhymes such as: London bridge is falling down; Baa-baa, black sheep; Oh dear, what can the matter be?; and The farmer in the dell. First performance at a Youth Concert, Philadelphia, 8 March 1950, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Commissioned by Samuel R. Rosenbaum, 1940. Composed 1940. First performance, Philadelphia, 17 January 1941, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor, Edna Phillips, soloist.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1940. First performance Philadelphia, 11 March 1941, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.