Lawrence Mumford: Symphony No. 4: For the Soul
Navona Records

A sweeping tonal symphony whose expansive scope and programmatic dimension invites comparison to material by Dvorák, Copland, and John Williams, Lawrence Mumford's Symphony No. 4: For the Soul explores emotions and spiritual issues each of us grapples with at one time or another, things like change-induced stress and pressure, the gratitude we feel for the splendour of the natural world and the changing seasons, and the hope we bring to each new day. Whereas Mumford's third symphony was premiered by the UCI Symphony Orchestra, his five-part fourth is performed by the Janácek Philharmonic Ostrava. Other works by the composer, who earned his doctorate in music composition at the University of Southern California and is currently a university music professor in the greater Los Angeles area, have been performed by a variety of organizations, and Mumford's been recognized as an award-winning recipient, finalist, or semifinalist for The American Prize thirteen times.

Each of the fourth symphony's parts comes with associated programmatic content, even if that content is more abstract in nature. Yet there's no denying each part exudes a tone and character that separates it from the others. Whereas one is tranquil, another might be agitated. In shifting between serenity and grandeur, the symphony embraces the tradition associated with towering figures such as Mahler and Shostakovich. In contrast to some of their large-scale symphonies, Mumford's fourth is a compact statement lasting just under forty minutes, and, of course, being wholly instrumental, the work can be experienced on purely musical grounds without any thought given to its thematic concept. It is no less rewarding when broached on those non-programmatic terms.

The work's opening part isn't a formal first movement but instead a prelude called “The Race Before Us,” a title well-chosen for material animated by rhythmic drive. Mumford makes full use of the Janácek Philharmonic Ostrava's resources as luscious fields of woodwinds, horns, strings, and percussion combine to communicate splendour and tranquility. The composer's clear melodic command also figures powerfully into the prelude before the opening movement proper, “Of Times and Seasons,” makes its arrival. Drawing for inspiration from the “plein air” school of California painting, Mumford evokes rich, verdant landscapes in his writing and arrangement, the tone of the music warm, soothing, and serene. Again he exploits the extensive palette of orchestral timbres at his disposal to evoke pastoral vistas extending as far as the eye can see. Sporting the title “Hope and a Future,” the second movement is buoyant, radiant, and suffused with optimism and uplift. “Sacrifice” pays tribute to those who give of themselves to make life better for others, including Mumford's father, who fought in two major wars and was awarded a bronze star and purple heart; given such content, it's no surprise the movement's music is powerful and brass-heavy. The symphony reaches a satisfying resolution with the elegiac radiance of “In Golden Light” and its implied message of hope.

Admittedly, the symphony doesn't break stylistic new ground but instead embraces traditions of long-standing. It's no less listenable for doing so, however, and one pictures an audience of concert-goers wholly engaged by the work's accessible and harmonious content. One of the more unusual things about the recording is that rather than one conductor being involved, three put the orchestra through its paces: Stanislav Vavrínek handles the first two movements, Jan Kucera the central one, and Jirí Petrdlík the closing two. Further to that, the symphony's five parts weren't recorded at one place and at one time; instead, two different Ostrava locations (Vesmír Concert Hall and The Ostrava House of Culture) were used to record movements at five separate times between 2020 and 2024. Despite that, the performance sounds remarkably cohesive and fluid, so much so that few if any listeners, I suspect, would imagine it to be anything but a performance captured on a single date and with one conductor at the helm.

July 2025