Whithorne’s American Impressions
Emerson Whithorne (1884) was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and studied there and in Europe. After writing some forty songs and compositions in Oriental and European fashion, he has given us in his New York Days and Nights, a group of piano pieces in which are cleverly pictured Times Square, Hudson River ferry boats, Trinity Church chimes, etc. His latest work is a ballet, Sooner and Later, written with Miss Irene Lewisohn for the Neighborhood Playhouse, in which they have combined the primitive and the very modern in an original and pictureful manner.
Albert Spalding—America’s Violinist-Composer
When Walter Damrosch took the New York Symphony Orchestra on tour in Europe, Albert Spalding (1888, Chicago) went along as joint soloist with John Powell, playing his violin concerto. Besides this, Spalding has written many small pieces for violin, other orchestral and piano works, and a string quartet played (1924) by the Flonzaley Quartet. Spalding ranks with the great violinists of the world.
Three other violinists showing talent as composers are Edwin Grasse (1884), who in spite of the handicap of blindness, has composed some charming violin pieces, violin sonatas and string quartets; Samuel Gardner, who has written orchestral works, chamber music and short violin pieces; and Cecil Burleigh, short poetic pieces for violin and for piano and a violin concerto.
American Music Guild
To encourage the composing and appreciation of high class American composition, ten American composers formed an association, the American Music Guild. The members are Marion Bauer, Chalmers Clifton, Louis Gruenberg, Sandor Harmati, Charles Haubiel, Frederick Jacobi, A. Walter Kramer, Harold Morris, Albert Stoessel and Deems Taylor.
Albert Stoessel (1894, St. Louis) is professor of music at New York University, conductor of the New York Oratorio Society, of the New York Symphony concerts at Chautauqua, N. Y., of the Worcester Festival and composer of chamber music and orchestral works.
Deems Taylor (1885, New York) is musical critic of the New York World, and the composer of songs and orchestral works (Through the Looking Glass Suite) and he has written much choral and incidental music for plays and motion pictures. One of his most graceful works is the ballet in The Beggar on Horseback. His opera The King’s Henchman was given at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1927. The book is by Edna St. Vincent Millay.
A. Walter Kramer (1890, New York) is a critic and writer on musical subjects, composer of many songs that have made his name familiar, orchestral works, a Rhapsody for violin and orchestra, pieces for violin, organ and piano, and a symphonic tone poem on Masefield’s Tragedy of Nan.