Abstract
Vytautas Bacevičius’s life was defined by exile and migration during the turbulent first half of the 20th century, but his impressive catalogue represents a remarkable creative spirit undimmed by adversity. Composed while studying in Paris, the youthful Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 represent Bacevičius’s nostalgia for his native Lithuania in their unselfconscious and spirited use of folk melodies, all of which contribute to their light and celebratory nature. Written not long after his arrival in the United States in 1944, the Third Symphony expresses an early optimism for the composer’s new home in its energetic, positive and confident tone, culminating in a citation of The Stars and Stripes Forever.