Modern Traditionalist Classical Music
2 total works
The Music of William Schuman, Vincent Persichetti, and Peter Mennin
by Walter Simmons
Published 16 December 2010
William Schuman, Vincent Persichetti, and Peter Mennin were three of the most significant American composers of the 20th century; yet their music has largely disappeared from view since their respective deaths. Their music is often viewed as 'interchangeable,' partly because they spent the majority of their careers working at the Juilliard School and Lincoln Center. The purpose of this book is to provide a thorough examination of their lives and work, and thereby clarify their considerable individuality, both as composers and as human beings.
Simmons examines those composers whose styles maintain continuity with the values and principles developed during the 19th century. The six composers chosen are each presented through a biographical overview, followed by a comprehensive assessment of their bodies of work. Each composer's musical output is discussed according to its stylistic origins and affinities with other composers, phases or periods of development, as well as strengths and weaknesses. Each chapter concludes with a discography of essential recordings.