Episode 1 - 1943: William Schuman, Secular Cantata, No. 2, ”A Free Song”

In this episode, Dave and Andrew explore the winner of the first Pulitzer Prize in Music, William Schuman and his Secular Cantata No. 2, "A Free Song." The work was William Schuman's contribution to the American war effort during World War II, but remains more of a curiosity than a mainstay in the choral/orchestral repertoire.

If you'd like to know more about William Schuman and how he won the prize, we recommend:

1. Steve Swayne's biography Orpheus in Manhattan: William Schuman and the Shaping of America's Musical Life (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011)
2. Steve Swayne's article on "A Free Song," "William Schuman, World War II, and the Pulitzer Prize," The Musical Quarterly, Volume 89, Issue 2-3 (Summer-Fall 2006): 273–320

Finally, several listeners have asked about our wonderful announcer for the podcast; Dale Morehouse is a marvelous singer, teacher, and stage director, and we're fortunate he agreed to help us out with the podcast.