Piston's Fifth Symphony was commissioned by the Juilliard School of Music on the occasion of their 50th anniversary.
It was completed in 1954, but premiered only on February 24, 1956, by the Juilliard Orchestra, conducted by Jean Paul Morel.
The program also included premieres of works by Peter Mennin, Lukas Foss, Milton Babbitt, Irving Fine, Ross Lee Finney, and William Schuman.
[3] The impression of a strong "American" sound is produced in this movement by a spaciousness of melodies and textures.
The three movements do not form as satisfactory a symphonic whole as is found in the Fourth and Sixth Symphonies.