Skyscrapers; Oedipus Tyrannus - Prelude; Lamia; Suite In E For Strings; Festival Overture

This 2010 EMI Classics compilation showcases a collection of works by early 20th-century American composers, a period often characterized by the tension between European romantic traditions and a burgeoning, distinctly American musical identity. The pieces, including Carpenter's jazz-inflected 'Skyscrapers' and MacDowell's 'Lamia,' represent an era when American symphonic music was seeking to define its own voice through neoclassical structures and impressionist tonal palettes.

The recording features the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Kenneth Klein. These performances were curated to provide an accessible survey of a transitional time in classical music history, emphasizing the sophisticated orchestration techniques prevalent in the American academic tradition of the time. The collection was received as a scholarly effort to preserve and revitalize interest in composers whose influence had begun to wane in the mid-century, offering listeners a polished interpretation of early American orchestral ambition.