Metropolis Symphony
Encyclopedia
Metropolis Symphony for Orchestra (1988-93) by American composer Michael Daugherty
, is a five-movement symphony
inspired by Superman
comics. The entire piece was created over the span of five years with separate commissions for each movement. Individual movements may be performed separately, however, it is preferred that the 41 minute symphony be performed in its entirety. Metropolis
Symphony was premiered by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
, David Zinman
conducting, in January 1994, at the Meyerhoff Concert Hall
in Baltimore, Maryland.
A new recording conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero and performed by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra
was nominated in six categories for Grammy Awards of 2011. It won in the Best Orchestral Performance, Best Engineered Album, Classical and Best Classical Contemporary Composition categories.
Publisher: Peermusic
Classical
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
, David Zinman
, Conductor
London/Decca Argo 452-103-2
Metropolis Symphony - Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony/Deus ex Machina
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
, Giancarlo Guerrero
, Conductor
Naxos American Classics 8.559635
Michael Daugherty
Michael Kevin Daugherty is an American composer, pianist, and teacher. Influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism, Daugherty is one of the most colorful and widely performed American concert music composers of his generation...
, is a five-movement symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
inspired by Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
comics. The entire piece was created over the span of five years with separate commissions for each movement. Individual movements may be performed separately, however, it is preferred that the 41 minute symphony be performed in its entirety. Metropolis
Metropolis (comics)
Metropolis is a fictional city that appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and is the home of Superman. Metropolis first appeared by name in Action Comics #16 ....
Symphony was premiered by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
, David Zinman
David Zinman
David Zinman is an American conductor and violinist.After early violin studies at the Oberlin Conservatory, Zinman studied theory and composition at the University of Minnesota and took up conducting at Tanglewood...
conducting, in January 1994, at the Meyerhoff Concert Hall
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, often referred to simply as the Meyerhoff, is a music venue that opened September 16, 1982 at 1212 Cathedral Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The main auditorium has a seating capacity of 2,443 people, and is home to the...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
A new recording conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero and performed by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
The Nashville Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in Nashville, Tennessee. The orchestra performs 140 concerts annually.-History:...
was nominated in six categories for Grammy Awards of 2011. It won in the Best Orchestral Performance, Best Engineered Album, Classical and Best Classical Contemporary Composition categories.
Movements
- I. LexLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
(1991)
- Duration: 9 minutes
- Commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman, Music Director
- Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon; 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; timpani, strings
- II. KryptonKrypton (comics)Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
(1993)
- II. Krypton
- Duration: 7 minutes
- Commissioned by Absolut VodkaAbsolut VodkaAbsolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, Skåne, in southern Sweden. Since July 2008 the company has been owned by the French firm Pernod Ricard who bought V&S Group from the Swedish government....
for the New Jersey Symphony OrchestraNew Jersey Symphony OrchestraThe New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra located in the state of New Jersey, United States. Philip James founded the orchestra in 1922. The orchestra is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey. Neeme Järvi, the NJSO's music director from 2005 to 2009, is currently the orchestra's...
, Leighton SmithLawrence Leighton SmithLawrence Leighton Smith, a conductor and pianist, was born April 8, 1936 in Portland, Oregon.He studied piano with Ariel Rubstein in Portland and Leonard Shure in New York. He earned bachelor's degrees from Portland State University in 1956 and Mannes College of Music in 1959...
, Conductor - Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 3 oboes, E flat clarinet, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon; 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; 4 percussion; piano; strings
- III. MXYZPTLKMister MxyzptlkMr. Mxyzptlk , sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 . He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys...
(1988)
- III. MXYZPTLK
- Duration: 7 minutes
- Commissioned by Cleveland Chamber SymphonyCleveland Chamber SymphonyThe Cleveland Chamber Symphony is an American chamber orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is dedicated to the performance of contemporary classical music, and has presented over 200 performance premieres.-History:...
, Edwin London, Music Director - Instrumentation: 2 flute solo (II. doubles pic), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons; 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone; 1 or 2 percussion; synthesizer; strings
- IV. Oh,Lois!Lois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
(1989)
- IV. Oh,Lois!
- Duration: 5 minutes
- Commissioned by Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Edwin London, Music Director
- Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons; 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones; timpani, 2 percussion; synthesizer; strings
- V. Red Cape Tango (1993)
- Duration: 13 minutes
- Commissioned by the Albany Symphony OrchestraAlbany Symphony OrchestraThe Albany Symphony Orchestra is a professional symphony orchestra based in Albany, New York. The upcoming season will mark the orchestra's 78th....
, David Allan Miller, Music Director - Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon; 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; timpani, 4 percussion; piano; strings
Publisher: Peermusic
Peermusic
Peer music is a United States based independent music publisher.-History:Ralph Peer, a field recording engineer and A&R representative for Victor Records, went on a scouting trip to Bristol, Tennessee. For two weeks, he recorded artists such as Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family on what would...
Classical
Discography
Metropolis Symphony - Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony/BizarroBizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
, David Zinman
David Zinman
David Zinman is an American conductor and violinist.After early violin studies at the Oberlin Conservatory, Zinman studied theory and composition at the University of Minnesota and took up conducting at Tanglewood...
, Conductor
London/Decca Argo 452-103-2
Metropolis Symphony - Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony/Deus ex Machina
Deus ex Machina (composition)
Deus ex Machina is a composition by Michael Daugherty. It is a 33 minute composition commissioned by the Charlotte, Nashville, New Jersey, Rochester and Syracuse Symphony Orchestras...
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Nashville Symphony Orchestra
The Nashville Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in Nashville, Tennessee. The orchestra performs 140 concerts annually.-History:...
, Giancarlo Guerrero
Giancarlo Guerrero
- Biography and career :Giancarlo Guerrero was born in Costa Rica, and had his musical training through El Sistema in Venezuela. He has degrees from Baylor University and Northwestern University. In June 2004, Mr. Guerrero was awarded the Helen M...
, Conductor
Naxos American Classics 8.559635