Eschewing the development of new forms in Western music, Samuel Barber turned to traditional harmonies and forms. On the advice of Arturo Toscanini, he arranged a movement of his String Quartet in B minor into the Adagio for Strings. The work gained well-deserved fame, eventually overshadowing the original work.

The son of immigrants of Lithuanian origin, Aaron Copland is a perfect example of someone integrated into his new homeland while at the same time fostering a link between Europe and North America through his studies in Paris and New York. Written for the "king of swing", Benny Goodman, his now famous Clarinet Concerto blends various musical styles through his great writing skill.

In his Symphony 'from the New World' , Antonín Dvořák expresses a palpable sense of attraction for this new country, as seen through the eyes of Europeans at the end of the 19th century.