Symphony No. 1 In One Movement, Op. 9 / Overture To "The School For Scandal" / Adagio For Strings / Essay For Orchestra, No. 1

Released by Mercury Records in 1957, this high-fidelity recording features Howard Hanson and the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra performing a selection of Samuel Barber's most iconic orchestral works. The album captures a quintessential mid-century American sound, pairing Barber’s neo-Romantic compositions with Mercury’s acclaimed Living Presence recording technique, which utilized a minimal microphone setup to achieve exceptional clarity and dynamic range.

The album serves as a definitive showcase of Barber's versatility, moving from the intense structure of his Symphony No. 1 to the evocative, elegiac quality of his Adagio for Strings. Howard Hanson, a champion of American classical music, was instrumental in bringing these works to a wider audience through this series. The release remains a touchstone for audiophiles and classical enthusiasts who value the technical precision of the Mercury Living Presence catalog and the emotional depth of the twentieth-century American repertoire.