Fantasia for Strings

Not well received in its earliest performances, Mennin's Fantasia was impressive enough to engender fondest hopes for the young composer's promise when he would reach his 30s! Its two movements are somewhat darker than Mennin's usual tone, but have held up very well in the decades since. "The Fantasia can be especially illuminating to listeners new to Mennin's music because it displays, simply and clearly, virtually all the principles upon which most of his later works are constructed." (Walter Simmons, The Music of William Schuman, Vincent Persichetti, and Peter Mennin: Voices of Stone and Steel)