July 4 is incomplete for me if I don't listen to the third movement of William Schuman's "New England Triptych" at least once. That movement, "Chester," is ideal for Independence Day, with its loud, brassy, anthemic passages. My default go-to version has always been the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra recording, with Leonard Slatkin conducting.
This year, however, I've made room for a second compelling rendition. If you know the piece well, seek out the Dallas Symphony's performance of it with Andrew Litton conducting. The darker sonority in the winds got my attention, as did the orchestra's powerful horn section.
In a dumpster fire of a year for this country and the world so far, we could all use a brassy reminder of what America sounds like at its best.
