Metropolis Symphony

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 New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra, James Bolle conducting, in November 1993, at the Palace Theater in Manchester, New Hampshire. A connective narrative between movements was written and read by Jack Larson, who had played Jimmy Olsen on television in The Adventures of Superman. The orchestral version without narration 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.

Movements

• I. Lex (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. Krypton (1993)

Duration: 7 minutes

Commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Leighton Smith, 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. MXYZPTLK (1988)

Duration: 7 minutes

Commissioned by Cleveland Chamber Symphony, 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! (1989)

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 Orchestra, 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 Classical

Discography

Metropolis Symphony - Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony/Bizarro 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

External links

• Official site
• Grammy Awards: Daugherty's 'Metropolis Symphony' and Verdi's 'Requiem' top classical Grammy awards
• All Things Considered. "Superman Symphony's Surprise Grammy Nominations : NPR." NPR 10 Dec. 2010