Overview

Howard Hanson's previously unpublished autobiography is now compiled and edited from manuscript sources, providing valuable insight into the life and work of this important American musician and educator. Howard Hanson was an American composer, conductor, and educator. Following his retirement as director of the Eastman School of Music, he worked intermittently for about a half-dozen years on an autobiography before abandoning the project. A Romantic Symphony: The Autobiography of Howard Hanson has been compiled and edited from various manuscript sources and now published as a valuable source of information concerning a man of wide influence in the music world of his time. Although an important composer, it is perhaps as an educator and advocate for American music that he should be most remembered. His early efforts to establish criteria for the Bachelor of Music curriculum and later for the development of a professional doctorate in music were among his most notable achievements. Of equal importance, however, was his support for the work of fellow American composers through his annual American Composers' Concerts and Festivals of American Music, which gave these composers opportunities to hear live performances of their works, often for the first time. Equally significant were Hanson's many recordings of American music that were issued on the RCA Victor, Columbia, and Mercury labels over a period of more than three decades. Hanson's autobiography is an important addition to our knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of this important figure in American music.

Full Product Details

Author:   Vincent A Lenti (Royalty Account) ,  Dr Howard Hanson
Publisher:   Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Imprint:   University of Rochester Press
Edition:   Paperback original
Weight:   0.584kg
ISBN:  

9781648251023

ISBN 10:   1648251021
Pages:   322
Publication Date:   10 December 2024
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  General/trade ,  Professional & Vocational ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

List of Figures Preface Introduction 1. Bold Island 2. Nebraska 3. Early Years in Wahoo and Lincoln 4. On the Chautauqua Circuit 5. Studying in New York 6. Studying at Northwestern University 7. Teaching at the College of the Pacific 8. Dean of the Conservatory 9. Prix de Rome 10. At the American Academy 11. Travels in Europe and Composing in Rome 12. An Invitation from Rochester 13. Beginnings in Rochester 14. Joseph Maddy and the National Music Camp 15. Finding Time for Composition 16. Conductors and Orchestras 17. Promoting the Cause of American Music 18. Radio Broadcasts and Recordings 19. Concerts at the Library of Congress 20. The Lament for Beowulf and the First Two Symphonies 21. Return to Rome 22. Conducting Concerts in Germany 23. A Commission to Write an Opera 24. The Metropolitan Opera Production of Merry Mount 25. Serious Challenges at the Eastman School 26. The Death of George Eastman and Rush Rhees's Retirement 27. Chautauqua Memories 28. Thoughts on Orchestral Conducting 29. Working for UNESCO 30. Working with University of Rochester Presidents 31. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers 32. Experiences with Several American Presidents 33. Honorary Doctorates and Other Honors 34. Eastman School Students 35. An Author and a Lecturer 36. An Invitation from the State Department 37. The Eastman Philharmonia Tour (I) 38. The Eastman Philharmonia Tour (II) 39. The Eastman Philharmonia Tour (III) 40. The Eastman Philharmonia Tour (IV) 41. The Eastman Philharmonia Tour (V) 42. The Eastman Philharmonia Tour (VI) 43. Encounters With Various Musicians 44. Composing During the Nineteen-Fifties 45. Reflection at the End of a Long Career Appendix: Letters from Howard Hanson to His Parents Index

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Author Information

VINCENT A. LENTI is professor emeritus of piano and school historian at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. HOWARD HANSON (1896-1981) was an American composer, conductor, and educator. He served as director of the Eastman School of Music for forty years (1924-64) and was a winner of the 1944 Pulitzer Prize in music.

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