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A Romantic Symphony: The Autobiography of Howard Hanson
- Author: Hanson, H
A Romantic Symphony: The Autobiography of Howard Hanson
- Author: Hanson, H
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About
Howard Hanson's previously unpublished autobiography is now compiled and edited from manuscript sources, providing valuable insight into the life and work of this important American musician and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.
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
