# Roy Harris 3rd Symphony



## john august smith (Jul 6, 2008)

In the 40s and 50s this symphony was considered the "great" american symphony. Today it is rarely played or heard. What brought this change? I have loved it from the first time I heard it in 1955 on a Mercury label LP. If you do not know this music, please try it, you will like it!


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## marval (Oct 29, 2007)

Hi john it is one I don't know.

I think I shall try it.


Margaret


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## shsherm (Jan 24, 2008)

A few years ago I bought a CD with the Harris 3rd and the Copland 3rd. Those are two really good thirds.


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## gmt (Aug 20, 2010)

If one had to pick "the" best American symphony, it would be my choice. It is poetic, powerful, memorable. And it has this rarest of qualities: a perfect sense of transitions. Other symphonies by Roy Harris are splendid (Nos. 6, 7 for instance) but No. 3 still stands above in my opinion. As a complete set of symphonies, probably my vote would go to Sessions.


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## johnfkavanagh (Sep 9, 2011)

Harris's 3rd is a superb piece. But best American symphonist overall? David Diamond for me.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

There seems to be a difficulty in consensus between who the best American symphonist is. Right now, I would say that its a toss up between three symphonies, Copland's 1st, William Schuman's 3rd, and Roy Harris's 3rd. I personally don't like David Diamond that much, but maybe its a premature decision.


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