Symphony instruments, 19th century symphonies were gradually augmented with more string players and more wind parts, so that the orchestra grew substantially in sheer numbers, as concert halls likewise grew. At the beginning of the 20th century, Gustav Mahler wrote long, large-scale symphonies. His Eighth Symphony, for example, was composed in 1906 and is nicknamed the "Symphony of a Thousand" because of the large number of voices required to perform the work. Additionally, his Third Symphony is one of the longest regularly performed symphonies at around 100 minutes in length for most performances. The 20th century also saw further diversification in
Symphony of the New World complicated it was and what we went through. We had to also deal with those who said it couldn’t be done." In 1968 the Symphony of the New World performed the premiere of "Address for Orchestra", composed by concert pianist and Smith College professor George Walker, at the High School of Music & Art in Harlem. They performed it again the following day at Lincoln Center. In a special concert for Black History Month in 1974, the Symphony premiered Wade Marcus' "A Moorish Sonata" and also, with Ruggiero Ricci, the 1864 "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra" by the Cuban composer