America, an Epic Rhapsody

America, an Epic Rhapsody (often shortened to America) is an orchestral work composed between 1926 and 1927^[1] by Swiss-born Ernest Bloch, as a tribute to the country to which he had emigrated in 1916. The work consists of three movements, covering the history of the United States and entitled '1620', '1861-1865' and '1926'.^[2] It was first performed in New York.^[2]

According to Bloch, the idea for America first came to him as he arrived in the United States in 1916.^[1] This idea reoccurred to him as he studied some works of Walt Whitman in 1925, and the following year he composed the rhapsody's anthem while in San Francisco.^[1]

In a 1927 contest sponsored by Musical America, the rhapsody won the $3000 prize for the best symphonic work on an American theme by an American composer, beating ninety other entries to gain the unanimous vote of the judges.^[1][2] On 21 December 1928, following this success, America was performed simultaneously in five American cities: Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco.^[1]

References

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