The Philadelphia Orchestra’s recording of a pair of symphonies by the pioneering 20th-century African-American composer Florence Price has been named as the 2022 Limelight Recording of the Year. Clive Paget caught up with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin to talk about these absorbing interpretations, why Florence Price has recently caught the world’s imagination, and the importance of a broader repertoire.

Congratulations on winning the Limelight 2022 Recording of the Year!

That was a really beautiful surprise. I’m very, very happy – we were all thrilled, at DG and at the orchestra – so thank you.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Photo © Chris Lee

Can I ask you first of all, how did you come across the music of Florence Price and what made you want to record it?

It’s one of those names you always hear, and then six or seven years ago I wanted to play one movement – something by her – just to get a sense of her music. Since I arrived at the orchestra 10 years ago, we constantly search for areas of the repertoire that we feel are underrepresented and so I came across the First Symphony. I was...