Symphony No. 4 (Zwilich)

4, The Gardens, is a choral symphony for chorus, children's choir, and orchestra by the American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

It was first performed by the Michigan State University Orchestra, Choral Ensembles, and Children's Chorus conducted by Leon Gregorian on February 5, 2000.

Its text consists of the Latin names for various threatened and endangered plants exhibited in the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden.

She added, "I was moved by the care given to helping children understand their need to cherish and preserve the natural world they inherit."

[1] The symphony has a duration of approximately 28 minutes in performance and is cast in four movements: The work is scored for SATB chorus, children's choir, and a large orchestra comprising piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, three percussionists, and strings.