PRICE, F.B.: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Piano Concerto / Dances in the Canebrakes

Florence Price: Historical Context

In 1933, Florence Price became the first African American woman composer to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra when the Chicago Symphony premiered her Symphony in E minor. Despite critical recognition, much of her work fell into obscurity following her death in 1953.

Her Piano Concerto in D minor, composed in 1934, synthesizes European Romantic forms with African American musical traditions—incorporating spirituals and juba dance rhythms into a sophisticated concert work. The rediscovery of Price's manuscripts in 2009 initiated renewed scholarly and performance interest in her compositions.

This Recording

Recorded with conductor John Jeter and the Malmö Opera Orchestra in Sweden, this album presents Price's Piano Concerto alongside her Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 and Dances in the Canebrakes. Released on Naxos Records in June 2025, the recording applies the same interpretive standards and production values typically reserved for established repertoire.

Critical reception of Han Chen's performance has been uniformly strong. American Record Guide praised his performance as "fully up to the demands of the piece… dynamic and virtuosic, yet also warm and expressive," noting that "the pianist conveys [it] with grandeur and conviction." BBC Music Magazine noted his "heart-on-sleeve playing" that "captures the music's irresistible spirit," while The Strad praised his "splendidly idiomatic performance." French publications Télérama and ResMusica similarly recognized both the artistic merit of the performance and the significance of the repertoire.

The Recording Academy's nomination of the Piano Concerto for a 2026 Grammy Award in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category represents institutional recognition of both Han Chen's artistry and the enduring value of Price's compositional voice.

View 2026 GRAMMY® Nominations →