David Diamond - American composer - familiar with him?

Question

David Diamond(1915-2005) is a composer I am unfamiliar with.

Several weeks ago whilst I was reading answers to another members submitted question(the specifics of which elude me) another contributor recommended this composer and in particular his second symphony(1942-43) which was said to be very moving..

Therefore I'm particularly curious as regards this piece if anyone is familiar with it.

Also if perchance you know of a particularly fine recording of it.

Answer 1

I am familiar with this work - as I am with several of this fine composer's works. In fact, I cited David Diamond as one of America's finest composers when some ill-informed person tried to suggest in this forum that there were no decent composers from the USA.

The Second Symphony IS a very moving work, it's true and was written in 1942-43 at a time when the world was at war andthere was a great deal of anxiety in the USA. The symphony is in four movements - a long, funeral-march-like slow first movement; a ferocious scherzo; a slow movement proper and a driving, optimistic (and very 'American'-sounding) finale.

The Second Symphony is quite a long work at some 43 minutes' duration. There is a very fine series of David Diamond's orchestral works on some re-issued Delos CDs now on the ultra-cheap Naxos label. The performances are by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra under Gerard Schwarz and are as fine as you could wish for. The Naxos issue of Symphony No 2 is coupled with Diamond's Fourth Symphony. I can't recommend it (and the rest of the series) too highly. Go and buy it now!