This is the work that launched Mennin’s national reputation and almost instantly catapulted him to the forefront of American composers. “This shorty and lively work is an ideal curtain raiser, expertly orchestrated, fresh in its musical ideas, and imaginative in their treatment.” Kindler (Nov., 1945)Īlthough the work does not use actual folk tunes, Mennin sought “to use creatively elements, both rhythmic and melodic, that lie in them.” Although its vigorous kinetic energy, strongly rooted in diatonic modality, and propelled by lively, syncopated, strongly accented rhythms, link it to the American mainstream of the time, a number of traits central to Mennin’s own style can be found: Like other works of his early maturity, the piece displays a brisk self-confidence motivic development occurs against a continuous nervous undercurrent of syncopated counterpoint, while the highly accented foreground counterpoint makes aggressive use of canonic imitation and stretto. Premiere: National Symphony Orchestra, cond. Biancoli, New York World Telegram, March, 1945 A recurring rhythmic figure darts in and out of the scheme like a rabbit.” The style is fast but not furious with not too much stress on the tougher vanguard idiom. The lad knows orchestral terrain like a book and he keeps good order amid teeming content. "Young Mennin’s music titled “Symphonic Allegro” is above average for prize winning music. The third movement, Allegro vigoroso, returns to the character of the opening. The second movement, Andante moderato, treats material whose contours are more “generically American” than personal and distinctive. The first movement, Allegro deciso, already reveals Mennin’s distinctive compulsion for constant contrapuntal and rhythmic activity.
The work comprises three substantial movements, in a fast-slow-fast sequence, revealing many of the characteristics of American symphonies of its time.
It is noteworthy that despite the symphony’s success, Mennin decided to withdraw it from further public performance (although it is equally noteworthy that shortly before his death, the composer lifted the ban on performances of this work). Bernstein (March, 1945)Īwards: First Gershwin Memorial Prize for Symphonic Allegro Movement, Bearns Prize from Columbia for entire symphony That idea is born in the Larghetto introduction and is more fully developed in the second movement.” What is perhaps most striking about the Concertino from the perspective of Mennin’s later works, is its generally mild, subdued character, maintained throughout. The idea of the two instruments answering each other in a conversation is the basic premise of the work. The composer noted, “At the time, the flute and the snare drum seemed to me to be both an unusual and a natural combination. A slower section appears toward the end, suggesting the opening movement, before an abbreviated return of the Presto material brings the work to its conclusion. Largely in 12/8 meter throughout, this section develops rapid conjoint lines in triplets. The second movement, Presto, begins with a snare-drum passage.
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It opens with muted strings in free counterpoint until the flute enters, when the treatment becomes more homophonic. The movement ends with a reference to the opening. The Concertino comprises two movements, the first slow, the second fast. Jensen, Eastman-Rochester Chamber Orchestra, cond. The music of Peter Mennin is available from:Īlleluia (SATB) (1941), Performed 1992 by New York Concert Singers, Judith Clurman, DirectorĬoncertino for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (1945), 12 minutes
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