Musicatlas
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Died:
15 February
1992
— Manhattan
— USA
Music
- Eight symphonies, numbered 3 (1941) thru 10 (1976)
- Violin Concerto
- Ballets Judith, Undertow
- One-act opera The Mighty Casey
- Cantata A Free Song
- Other orchestral include Song of Orpheus; To Thee Old Cause; In Praise of Shahn; Three Colloquies for Horn and Orch.
His music is polytonal, not serial, dense counterpoint, long melodic line, large gestures, powerful. The symphonies are a major achievement in Amererican music.
Life
He was raised in the Bronx, New York City. Wrote pop songs in high school with buddy Frank Loesser of Broadway fame. Schuman decided to study serious music at age 21. Ten years later Koussevitsky premier of Third Symphony made him famous. Became president of Julliard School, then first director of Lincoln Center in 1962. Was major power in American music with Copland and Bernstein until the New York establishment declined in the seventies, and Schuman’s music fell from grace in new music circles.
(contributed by Slade Moody <psmoody
swbell.net>)
Sources — links
Concerts
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Events
Submit an event (date and year) for William Schuman
25 May 1938: Premiere of Symphony no. 2, in New York, USA.
10 February 1950: Premiere of the violin concerto, in Boston, USA.
Contributions by:
psmoody |
© 1995–2010 Jos Smeets — Quixote; Last update: 2005-01-13 04:10:24.