Thomson's "Louisiana Story"

On today's date in 1948, Eugene Ormandy conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra in the premiere performance of the "Louisiana Story" Suite by the American composer, Virgil Thomson.

This was a concert hall reworking of Thomson's score for a film of that name by the famous director Robert Flaherty. The film was sponsored by the Standard Oil Company, and depicted the conflict between the encroaching oil industry and the traditional way of life of Louisiana Bayou inhabitants as viewed through the eyes of a young child. Many film buffs regard "Louisiana Story" as Robert Flaherty's best film.

Thomson's score culled material from traditional folk sources and field recordings. The score was singled out for special praise at the time of the film's release, and, in 1949, won that year's Pulitzer Prize for Music.

For their part, Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra must have been particularly pleased with the "Louisiana Story" Suite they premiered in 1948, as they took this work with them on two, subsequent European tours: to London in 1949 and Paris in 1955. Perhaps, like Copland's populist scores of the 1930s and 40s, it was thought to be quintessentially American.

For his part, Thomson's comment was as follows: "The way to write American music is simple. All you have to do is to be an American and then write any kind of music you wish."