Evanston Symphony Orchestra

Howard Harold Hanson, one of our most famous 20th century composers, was best known for Symphony No. 2 (“Romantic”). The Evanston Symphony Orchestra will showcase this sweeping work at its March 15 concert.

Hanson, who was also a conductor, educator and music theorist, served as director of the Eastman School of Music for 40 years. He also has a personal connection to Evanston: He received his bachelor’s degree in music from Northwestern University.

The Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber has an interesting provenance. It was commissioned by Philadelphia industrialist Samuel Simeon Fels, who headed the company that developed Fels-Naptha soap, and premiered in 1941 with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The soloist was Albert Spalding, whose uncle of the same name was a Hall of Fame pitcher and founder of the National League as well as the Spalding sporting goods company.

Aaron Copland’s El Salón México, the first of many signature works, was completed in 1936. During the Depression, Copland traveled to Mexico and made an important friendship with Carlos Chávez, the Mexican composer. It was during his first visit to Mexico City in 1932 that Chávez took him to the colorful nightclub called El Salón México.