Metropolis Symphony for Orchestra (1988–93) by American composer Michael Daugherty is a five-movement symphony inspired by Superman comics. The entire piece was created over the span of five years with separate commissions for each movement. Individual movements may be performed separately; however, it is preferred that the 41 minute symphony be performed in its entirety. Metropolis Symphony was premiered by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman conducting, in January 1994, at the Meyerhoff Concert Hall in Baltimore, Maryland.
A new recording conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero and performed by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra was nominated in six categories for Grammy Awards of 2011. It won in the Best Orchestral Performance, Best Engineered Album, Classical and Best Classical Contemporary Composition categories.
I. Lex (1991)
Duration: 9 minutes
Commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman, Music Director
Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon; 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; timpani, strings
II. Krypton (1993)
Duration: 7 minutes
Commissioned by Absolut Vodka for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Leighton Smith, Conductor
Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 3 oboes, E flat clarinet, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon; 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; 4 percussion; piano; strings
III. MXYZPTLK (1988)
Duration: 7 minutes
Commissioned by Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Edwin London, Music Director
Instrumentation: 2 flute solo (II. doubles pic), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons; 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone; 1 or 2 percussion; synthesizer; strings
IV. Oh, Lois! (1989)
Duration: 5 minutes
Commissioned by Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Edwin London, Music Director
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons; 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones; timpani, 2 percussion; synthesizer; strings
V. Red Cape Tango (1993)
Duration: 13 minutes
Commissioned by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, David Allan Miller, Music Director
Instrumentation: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon; 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba; timpani, 4 percussion; piano; strings
Publisher: Peermusic Classical
Metropolis Symphony - Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony/Bizarro Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman, Conductor London/Decca Argo 452-103-2
Metropolis Symphony - Michael Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony/Deus ex Machina Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero, Conductor Naxos American Classics 8.559635
