Atlantic

While Florence Price's Dance Suite draws its inspiration from traditional South American tunes, Augusta Read Thomas conceived Of Paradise and Light as a page "where a slender parcel of paradise and light descends to illuminate a garden of colorful flowers", placing her work in the wake of Barber's Adagio. As for Dvorák's "New World" Symphony, it does not explicitly quote African-American melodies but deeply captures their spirit. Rich in memorable themes, vibrant colors and striking rhythms, it met with immediate success: "People applauded for so long that I had to express my gratitude from my box, like a king", the composer recalled after its premiere.