The Meyerson Symphony Center: Building a Dream
(Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2000)
Note: The book is currently out of print; however, there are still a few copies available for purchase through the author who will sign and inscribe the books at no additional charge. For inquiries, e-mail Laurie Shulman.
More than ten years in planning and construction, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center has become a major landmark in North Texas and a source of prestige and pride for Dallas citizens. With its combination of extraordinary acoustics, distinguished architecture, and a magnificent concert organ, the Meyerson has joined the ranks of the world's great halls.
Shulman's book places the Meyerson in its sociopolitical context, tracing its history back to the early 1970s when financial collapse forced the Dallas symphony to suspend operations. Drawing on interviews with more than one hundred individuals as well as documentary resources, her narrative shows how the orchestra's recovery process led to a splendid new hall. It is a tale of urban planning and reclamation, triumph over adversity, and unflagging commitment to the highest standards.
Plans took shape during an economic boom, then faltered during the steep recession of the mid-1980s. Financing was structured through a unique public/private partnership that has become a model for other communities around the United States. Three bound elections, the first of which failed, took place before the public sector's commitment was ensured. H. Ross Perot's signature donation of $10 million named the hall not for himself but for his friend and colleague Morton H. Meyerson. The hall's steering committee assigned equal authority to architect and acoustician, an unprecedented arrangement that led to heated arguments about visual vs. aural aesthetics. Delays in securing a site in Dallas's fledgling Arts District contributed to escalating costs, which in turn prompted political opponents of the project to level accusations of profligate spending and elitism.
The Meyerson Symphony Center weaves together all of these strands, relating this compelling story in the words of the people who made it happen. Shulman incorporates a wealth of information about city politics, a boom-to-bust economy, and the challenges of press and public relations, as well as significant new information about acoustics, architecture, and organ design.
Contributor
- The New Grove Dictionary of American Music (Oxford University Press, 2013)
- The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition (Oxford University Press, 2001)
- The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (Oxford University Press, 1992)
- The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Oxford University Press, 1980)
- Laurie Shulman wrote the articles on Paul Cooper, Richard Danielpour, Donald Grantham, William Kraft, Christopher Rouse, Robert Xavier Rodriguez and Roberto Sierra.
Playbills, Stagebills and Periodicals sample list...
- "Regatta de Bali: Stewart Copeland's Gamelan D'Drum" appeared in the Dallas Symphony Playbill,January 2011
- "Pedal Pushers: Poul Ruders's Organ Symphony" appeared in the Dallas Symphony Playbill,January 2011
- "McTee Talks: A talk with Texas composer Cindy McTee," appeared in the Dallas Symphony Stagebill, Winter 2000
- "Christopher Rouse:An Overview," appears in Tempo, January 1997, pp. 2-8 "Schubert Finished and Beyond: Berio's Rendering and Harbison's November 19, 1828," was presented at the SW Chapter meeting of the American Musicological Society, Baylor Univ. 13 April, 1996
- "Music Man,"[Composer profile of Joseph Schwantner], appeared in the Dallas Symphony Stagebill, Autumn 1999
- "A Broader Bass,"[Composer Profile of Edgar Meyer], appeared in the Dallas Symphony Stagebill, Autumn 2000
- "A Rediscovered Violin Sonata by Krzysztof Penderecki," was presented at the SW Chapter Meeting of the American Musicological Society, 19 October 1991, Texas Christian Univ., Fort Worth
- "Radical Romantic: Composer Dan Welcher," appeared in Stagebill/Bravo [Dallas Symphony] Spring 1997
- "The Right Stuff," [Composer profile of Michael Hersch], appeared in the Dallas Symphony Stagebill, Autumn 1999
- "Krzysztof Penderecki: Composer with a Conscience," appeared in Houston Symphony Magazine, Dec. 1990
- "Complete Composer: A Talk with Samuel Adler," appeared in the Dallas Symphony Stagebill, Winter 1999
- "Sounds of Silence," appeared in the Dallas Observer, 15 October 1992 [John Cage article]
- "Tarot, symbolism, and music: Richard Dubugnon's Les arcanes symphoniques," delivered at the SW Chapter meeting of the American Musicological Society, Trinity University, San Antonio, 6 March 2004
Laurie has contributed CD liner classical program notes for more than 20 record companies
- Casals Homage: Amit Peled, cello and Noreen Polera, piano. Works by Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Fauré, Saint-Saëns, and Casals. Centaur CRC 3535 (2016)
- Margaret Brouwer Concertos: Viola Concerto (Ellen Rose) and Violin Concerto (Gary Levinson) with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO Live, 2016)
- Ivan Zenaty and Sandra Shapiro play Violin/Piano Sonatas of Strauss and Janáčekt (Azica, 2016)
- Colors: Jessica Lee, violin and Reiko Uchida, piano; Music of Vitali, Janáček, Prokofiev, Beethoven, and Debussy (Azica 71305, 2015)
- Stuyvesant Quartet with Alfred Gallodoro. Brahms Clarinet Quintet Op.115, Mozart Quartets K.499 & K.575, Stuyvesant String Quartet, Alfred Gallodoro, clarinet (Bridge 9397, 2013)
- Perspectives - Netanel Draiblate. Music for violin & piano by Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Elgar, Grieg, and Kreisler. Netanel Draiblate, violin; Lura Johnson, piano; Luigi Mazzochi, violin (Azica 71283, 2013)
- Johannes Brahms Klavierstücke, Peter Longworth, piano (Azica 71279, 2013)
- Diary in G: Sonatas by Schubert and Schumann, Weiyin Chen, piano (Azica71278, 2013)
- Sparkle & Wit: International Treasures for Flute and Piano. Music of Blaž Pucihar, Bruce Stark, Mike Mower, and Pierre Max Dubois; Pam Youngblood, flute and Gabriel Bita, piano (Azica 71276, 2012)
- Israeli Chamber Project Opus 1: Music of Saint-Saëns, Martinů, Matan Porat, Debussy, and Bartók (Azica 71274, 2012)
- Garden in Harp: Compositions by Gary Schocker, Emily Mitchell, harp (Azica 71272, 2012)
- Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden, Music Director
- Mahler Symphony No.6, Jaap van Zweden, conductor (DSOLIVE005, 2013)
- Stucky: August 4, 1964, Jaap van Zweden, conductor, with Dallas Symphony Chorus, Mahajan, Jepson, Rideout, Gilfry (DSOLIVE004, 2012)
- Tchaikovsky Fourth Symphony, Mozartiana, Jaap van Zweden, Conductor (DSOLIVE002, recorded live, 2010)
- Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony, Capriccio Italien, Jaap van Zweden, Conductor (DSOLIVE003, recorded live, 2009)
- Beethoven: Fifth Symphony, Seventh Symphony, Jaap van Zweden, Conductor (DSOLIVE0010 , 2008; recorded live November, 2007)
- George Gershwin: Complete Music for Piano & Orchestra, Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano, Justin Brown, Conductor
- Orchestral Music of Joseph Schwantner, with Anne Akiko Meyers, violin, Gregory Hustis, French horn, and James Diaz, organ, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Hyperion CDA67493); 2005
- Mahler: Symphony No.4, with Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3261); 2003
- Mahler: Symphony No. 10 (Clinton Carpenter completion), Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3295); 2002
- Mahler: Symphony No. 3, with Nathalie Stutzmann, contralto and DSO Chorus, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3248); 2000
- Opera Gala, with Alessandra Marc, soprano and DSO Chorus, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3240); 2000
- Mahler: Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection," with DSO Chorus, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3237); 1999
- Shostakovich: Festive Overture, Piano Concerto No. 2, Symphony No.5, Andrew Litton, Piano and Conductor, (Delos 3246); 1999
- A Copland Profile, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3221); 1998
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8, Andrew Litton, Conductor (Delos 3204); 1997
Voices of Change
Other Compact Discs
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