The American composer John Alden Carpenter was born in Illinois in 1876. H started to learn music privately, and went on to study with John Knowles Paine while at Harvard University. He also studied briefly with Elgar in Rome in 1906. Like his contemporary Charles Ives, Carpenter was a businessman first and composer second, although their musical styles had little in common. He composed in a wide range of musical forms, including ballet, chamber music and song, in addition to orchestral music. Carpenter’s musical style was conservative. His music portrays the cosmopolitan urban milieu in which he lived, rather than deep personal conflicts. Adventures in a Perambulator is typical of this aspect of his music, being both extrovert and romantic. The two symphonies are immediately accessible. They are expertly constructed, with memorable melodic material and virtuoso orchestration.