Lloyd Norman & Mennin Peter: Piano Music

Both Norman Lloyd and Peter Mennin were born in Pennsylvania and contributed substantially to music education, though their compositional careers took different paths. Lloyd’s Three Scenes from Memory are simple pieces suitable for elementary students, while the Five Pieces for Dance include music written for Martha Graham. The Sonata is a compelling and convincingly developed abstract work and Lloyd’s most ambitious for piano. Peter Mennin was one of the leading symphonic composers of his generation. His remarkable Sonata for Piano ranks among the great American contributions to the genre. Mennin’s Symphonies Nos. 3 and 7 can be heard on Naxos 8559718.