Florence Price - Piano Sonata in E Minor (Clipper Erickson)

Information

Composer: Florence Price

• Piano Sonata in E Minor

Clipper Erickson, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Navona

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In Sonata for Piano in E Minor, pianist Clipper Erickson offers a compelling interpretation of Florence Price’s 1932 Wanamaker Prize–winning work. Symphonic in scale yet cohesively structured, the sonata blends the grandeur of Romantic form with melodic and rhythmic elements rooted in African American spirituals and dance traditions. Erickson’s performance highlights the vitality, lyricism, and architectural strength of Price’s writing, bringing clarity and expressive depth to the score. A dedicated advocate for underrepresented composers, he underscores Price’s significance as one of America’s most distinctive and innovative musical voices.

Praised by Fanfare as “one of the finest pianists of his generation… a consummate musician,” Clipper Erickson has built a distinguished career championing new and underrecognized repertoire. He debuted at 19 with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra in Los Angeles and pursued studies at The Juilliard School, Yale University, and Indiana University, where he worked with John Ogdon, whose advocacy for contemporary and overlooked works profoundly shaped Erickson’s artistic path. Erickson has performed internationally in major venues including the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. Sonata in E Minor marks his fifth release with Navona Records, following his critically acclaimed recording of R. Nathaniel Dett’s complete piano works, named a 2016 Gramophone UK Critic’s Choice and Best Album of the Year.

High Resolution 24-bit / 48 kHz