Symphony No. 4, "The Cycle" For Chorus And Orchestra / Concerto For Piano-Four Hands & Orchestra In C Major, Op. 153

Released in 1973 by the Desto label, this recording brings together two distinct works: Peter Mennin's Symphony No. 4, subtitled 'The Cycle', and Carl Czerny's Concerto for Piano Four-Hands and Orchestra in C Major, Op. 153. Mennin, a prominent American composer and long-time president of the Juilliard School, was known for his rigorous approach to symphonic structure and his penchant for dense, highly rhythmic choral writing. The 'Cycle' was composed in 1948 and captures the mid-century American aesthetic of large-scale, academic orchestral music that emphasizes intricate counterpoint and emotive intensity.

The recording features the husband-and-wife duo Jean and Kenneth Wentworth as soloists for the Czerny concerto, accompanied by the Camerata Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Abraham Kaplan. Desto Records played a significant role during this era in documenting lesser-known 19th-century concerti and contemporary American works that were otherwise neglected by major labels. The selection of the Wentworths for the Czerny piece reflects the era's specialized focus on four-hand piano literature, a genre that remained popular in academic and private musical circles despite its relative obscurity in the mainstream concert repertoire.