I enjoy the music of Roy Harris. I recognize the formulas – the dynamic exuberance of the outer movements, the triumphant perorations, the simple harmonic progressions, the quasi-chorales of scorching lyrical intensity, the solemn dialogues of strings and brass – but that’s what they call “a style” with other composers, so why not with Harris, as long as the style is as appealing and as uniquely personal as Harris’? (but to be honest, I do reach the law of diminishing returns with Harris’ 7th Symphony….)
So far (August 2026) I’ve reviewed:
Piano Sonata op. 1 (1928-29). Roger Shields 1976 in “Piano Music in America (1900-1945)” (with works of MacDowell, Griffes, Antheil, Cowell, Gershwin, Carpenter, Thomson, Barber, Piston, Riegger, Ruggles, Ives, Sessions, Schuman, Copland, Ragtimes by Tom Turpin, Charles Hunter, Joseph Lamb, Scott Joplin, Artie Matthews, James Scott, Robert Hampton, George Gershwin & Will Donaldson, C. Luckyth Roberts, James Reese Europe, J. Hubert (Eubie) Blake). 2 CDs VoxBox CD3X 3027 (1993)
Concerto for Two Pianos (1946) in “Rare Works for Two Pianos And Orchestra” (+ Pierre Max Dubois, Arthur Benjamin). Kleos Classics KL5129 (2004)
Concerto for Piano & Strings (1959-60). Johanna Harris, International String Congress Orchestra, Harris live Puerto Rico 1960
Elegy & Dance (1958). Portland Junior Symphony, Jacob Avshalomov
Cimarron Symphonic Overture (1941), Toccata, Chorale, Fantasy for organ brass & timpani (1944, 1943, 1964). Thomas Harmon (organ), UCLA Wind Ensemble, James Westbrook ’79. Bay Cities BCD-1002 (1989).
When Johnny Comes Marching Home – An American Overture. Epilogue To Profiles In Courage: JFK. The Louisville Orchestra, Robert Whitney (in Epilogue), Jorge Mester (+ William Schuman: Prayer In Time Of War, Symphony No. 4, John Becker: Symphonia Brevis). First Edition Encores Albany TROY027-2 (1990)
Symphony 1933 (Symphony No. 1) (Jorge Mester), Symphony No. 5 (1940-42, rev. 1945, Robert Whitney), Violin Concerto (1949, Gregory Fulkerson violin, Lawrence Leighton Smith). The Louisville Orchestra. Albany First Edition Series AR012 (1988)
“Folksong Symphony” (Symphony No. 4) (1939, rev. 1942). American Festival Chorus & Orchestra, Vladimir Golschman 1960 (+ Creston: Gregorian Chant for String Orchestra). Vanguard OVC 4076 (1993) barcode 023918407623, European edition Vanguard 08 4076 71 (1993) 3351474076716.
Symphony No. 6 “Gettysburg” (1943-4). The Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Keith Clark (+ Copland: Songs on Poems of Emily Dickinson). Varèse Sarabande VCD-47245 (1986)
Symphony for band “West Point” (1952). UCLA Wind Ensemble, James Westbrook ‘79
Chorale for string orchestra (1932), Prelude & Fugue for stringorchestra (1935). International String Congress Orchestra, Harris c. 60 (+ Robert Russell Bennett Violin Concerto). Bay Cities BCD-1008 (1989)
Symphony No. 7 (1952). New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Hugh Keelan (+ William Schuman: Symphony No. 6). Koch International Classics 3-7290-2 H1 (2001)
…and I have much more on my shelves, begging not to be forgotten (some of it is referenced in my published reviews). Useful chronological catalog of Harris’ works on the website of the Pytheas Center for Contemporary Music. It shows how much is NOT recorded. According to Wikipedia’s Harris entry, “Harris composed at least 18 symphonies, though not all of them are numbered and not all are for orchestra”.