Death Valley Suite

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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}

The '''''Death Valley Suite''''' is a short symphonic [[suite (music)|suite]] written by [[Ferde Grofé]] in 1949, depicting the westward travels of pioneers through the 'harsh lands' of [[Death Valley]] in [[California]]. Grofe was commissioned by the Death Valley 49ers, a non profit organization devoted to preserving the pioneering and mining history of the Death Valley region (consisting of Death Valley National Park and surrounding area).<ref name="deathvalley49ers" /> The composition and music was part of a pageant celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 49ers who came by way of Death Valley in search of gold and other riches and celebration of the California state centennial (1850-1950).<ref name="DannyRayThomas">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Danny Ray |title=1949 #0 DV 49ers |url=http://www.dannyraythomas.com/dv'49er_keepsakes/1949_00_dv_centennial_celebration/index.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224153/http://www.dannyraythomas.com/dv'49er_keepsakes/1949_00_dv_centennial_celebration/index.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |access-date=2015-10-01 |publisher=Death Valley 49ers |format=Flash}}</ref>

The '''''Death Valley Suite''''' is a short symphonic [[suite (music)|suite]] written by American composer [[Ferde Grofé]] in 1949, depicting the westward travels of pioneers through the 'harsh lands' of [[Death Valley]] in [[California]]. Grofe was commissioned by the Death Valley 49ers, a non profit organization devoted to preserving the pioneering and mining history of the Death Valley region (consisting of Death Valley National Park and surrounding area).<ref name="deathvalley49ers" /> The composition and music was part of a pageant celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 49ers who came by way of Death Valley in search of gold and other riches and celebration of the California state centennial (1850-1950).<ref name="DannyRayThomas">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Danny Ray |title=1949 #0 DV 49ers |url=http://www.dannyraythomas.com/dv'49er_keepsakes/1949_00_dv_centennial_celebration/index.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224153/http://www.dannyraythomas.com/dv'49er_keepsakes/1949_00_dv_centennial_celebration/index.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |access-date=2015-10-01 |publisher=Death Valley 49ers |format=Flash}}</ref>

The original performance was conducted by Grofe with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony on December 3, 1949 in the Desolation Canyon area of Death Valley National Monument (now [[Death Valley National Park]]). The music was used in the background as a procession of covered wagons entered the area. Actor [[James Stewart]] narrated the pageant celebration. The 1949 pageant was attended by 65,000 people.<ref name="DannyRayThomas" /><ref name="deathvalley49ers">{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.deathvalley49ers.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006072350/http://www.deathvalley49ers.org/ |archive-date=2014-10-06 |access-date=2014-08-01 |publisher=Death Valley 49ers}}</ref>

The original performance was conducted by Grofe with the Hollywood Bowl Symphony on December 3, 1949 in the Desolation Canyon area of Death Valley National Monument (now [[Death Valley National Park]]). The music was used in the background as a procession of covered wagons entered the area. Actor [[James Stewart]] narrated the pageant celebration. The 1949 pageant was attended by 65,000 people.<ref name="DannyRayThomas" /><ref name="deathvalley49ers">{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.deathvalley49ers.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006072350/http://www.deathvalley49ers.org/ |archive-date=2014-10-06 |access-date=2014-08-01 |publisher=Death Valley 49ers}}</ref>