1889 was a good year for America. The expanding Union racked up more states that year than in any other year except 1776, when the 13 rogue American colonies decided they weren't ugly British stepchildren anymore and became a country of their own. North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington all became states in 1889, adding the Black Mountains, Big Sky country and the awe-inspiring Cascade Mountains to the nation's list of natural treasures. All this natural beauty had to inspire composers to write music about it. And so it did. This week, The American Sound brings you sounds inspired by one Montana composer's music-loving, fiddle-playing family and a symphony inspired by Washington's majestic Glacier Peak. Korine Fujiwara takes us to a lively family jam session with her Fiddle Suite: Montana, and Alan Hovhaness' Symphony No. 66 "Hymn to Glacier Peak" guides us to the summit of this magnificent volcano in equally breathtaking music. We'll continue to enjoy our beautiful Ohio autumn with "Fall" from Mark O'Connor's American Seasons. And we'll dance a waltz with one of Gabriela Lena Frank's Three Latin American Dances. Please join me for natural beauty in sound 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Tuesday on The American Sound on Classical 101!
Jennifer Hambrick unites her extensive backgrounds in the arts and media and her deep roots in Columbus to bring inspiring music to central Ohio as Classical 101’s midday host. Jennifer performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago before earning a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.