JOHN TASKER HOWARD WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ARTHUR MENDEL Our
Contemporary Composers AMERICAN MUSIC IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY NEW YORK Howard Hanson Constant Champion
of the American Composer See page 74. To R. H. H. PREFACE TEN years
have passed since the appearance of the authors first book. Our
American Music. That volume dealt with our historical development
through three cen turies, and after treating o the background and
the lives and works of our earliest and nineteenth-century
composers, discussed the music of our contemporaries, to 1930. In
the single decade since that time, so much of significance has
taken place, so many new composers have appeared, viewpoints and
conditions have changed so materially, that the need for a
supplementary and companion volume has already become ap parent 5
for a book dealing exclusively with recent and present day American
music and its composers in short, with OUR CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS
Anticipating this need, the author started work on such a volume
several years ago, intending that it be ready for publica tion in
1938 or 1939. Illness delayed his progress, however, and although
recovery is now complete, this incapacity was of such duration that
it was thought wiser to seek aid in finishing the book, rather than
to delay its completion and publication for too long a period. For
this purpose the author sought the assistance of his friend and
colleague, Mr. Arthur Mendel, who has borne a considerable share of
the writing in the last four chapters, mostly from notes and
material which the author himself had previously assembled. Through
long association and through frequent consultation, Mr. Mendel is
thoroughly acquaintedwith the authors viewpoints and opinions, and
has been willing to present them rather than viii PREFACE his own.
For this, as well as for his labors, the author extends his sincere
thanks. In the matter of opinion, however, while the personal view
point of the author is of course essential to any work that aims at
discussion of trends and idiomatic tendencies, he has felt in many
cases that his personal opinions should be supplemented by, and
even subordinated to, the best critical attitude of the present day
towards its own music. Hence, quotations from reviewers of the
daily press are frequently inserted, particularly those following
premiere performances of important works. The research worker of
the future may have rare sport from learning how we have
overpraised our then-forgotten composers, and derided and be
littled our Mozarts and Wagners. As for the content of this book an
earnest attempt has been made to render it as comprehensive as
possible, to include all those who have made themselves known for
works in the larger forms. With the exception of Charles T.
Griffes, who was so in advance of his time that he belongs to the
present day, it has seemed superfluous to include lengthy
discussion of composers who had passed from the scene before Our
American Music was written, and whose lives and works are fully
treated in that volume. Consequently, such men as Edward MacDowell,
Ho ratio Parker, and others, are mentioned only for their influence
on more recent musicians. In the field of light music, the same is
true with Victor Herbert and John Philip Sousa. It has also seemed
unwise to lengthen these pages with detailed discussion of
composers who are known exclusively orprincipally for shorter works
songs, teaching pieces, etc. The American song and its composers
are treated fully in such books as William Treat Uptons Art Song in
America. Hence, such estimable writers as Oley Speaks, Geoffrey
OHara, Wintter Watts, and others, are not represented here. Some of
the Broadway song smiths are included, it is true, but in most
cases for the effect their work is having on the nationalist
expression of our sym phonists rather than for their actual
songs...
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