Uploaded April 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
Translated to English as "The Ardeatine Caves". The symphony is divided into three continuously played sections, "Anteludium", "Offertorium" and "Postludium", but the start and end of each section is not specified in the score.
William Schuman (1910-1992) was a notable American composer of the 20th century, also known for serving as president of the Juilliard School and of Lincoln Center. See also my score video of Schuman's third symphony: youtube.com/watch?v=By4D_Nc1Gr0
Schuman's ninth symphony of 1968, as is the case with many of his later symphonies, is of a rather different character from his earlier orchestral works. It was written after the composer visited the Ardeatine Caves, in which over 300 Italian civilians were massacred by the Nazis in 1944 following an earlier attack by Italian resistance forces.
The musical content of this work has always been controversial and may not resonate with some ears, at least at first. Befitting the subject matter, it is a bleak, gloomy, and essentially atonal piece with far less clarity in development than one might find in Schuman's third symphony. However, it is also a deeply emotional and moving symphony that has much to offer the more contemplative and patient listener.
The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy
Translated to English as "The Ardeatine Caves". The symphony is divided into three continuously played sections, "Anteludium", "Offertorium" and "Postludium", but the start and end of each section is not specified in the score.
William Schuman (1910-1992) was a notable American composer of the 20th century, also known for serving as president of the Juilliard School and of Lincoln Center. See also my score video of Schuman's third symphony: youtube.com/watch?v=By4D_Nc1Gr0
Schuman's ninth symphony of 1968, as is the case with many of his later symphonies, is of a rather different character from his earlier orchestral works. It was written after the composer visited the Ardeatine Caves, in which over 300 Italian civilians were massacred by the Nazis in 1944 following an earlier attack by Italian resistance forces.
The musical content of this work has always been controversial and may not resonate with some ears, at least at first. Befitting the subject matter, it is a bleak, gloomy, and essentially atonal piece with far less clarity in development than one might find in Schuman's third symphony. However, it is also a deeply emotional and moving symphony that has much to offer the more contemplative and patient listener.
