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Howard Harold Hanson (October 28, 1896 – February 26, 1981)''The New York Times'' – Obituaries. Harold C. Schonberg. February 28, 1981 p. 1011

/ref> was an American
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...
, conductor, educator,
music theorist Music theory is the study of the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory". The first is the " rudiments", that are needed to understand music notation ( ...
, and champion of
American classical music American classical music is music written in the United States in the European classical music tradition. In many cases, beginning in the 18th century, it has been influenced by American folk music styles; and from the 20th century to the presen ...
. As director for 40 years of the
Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music ...
, he built a high-quality school and provided opportunities for commissioning and performing American music. In 1944, he won a
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
for his Symphony No. 4, and received numerous other awards including the
George Foster Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
for Outstanding Entertainment in Music in 1946.''Howard Hanson in Theory and Practice'' Allen Laurence Cohen, Praeger Publishers, CT., 2004 p.17
Howard Hanson, Peabody Award, "Milestones in American Music", "Milestones in the History of Music" on books.google.com
/ref>


Early life and education

Hanson was born in Wahoo, Nebraska, to
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
immigrant parents, Hans and Hilma (née Eckstrom) Hanson. In his youth he studied music with his mother. Later, he studied a
Luther College
in Wahoo, receiving a diploma in 1911, then at the Institute of Musical Art, the forerunner of the
Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely ...
, in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, where he studied with the composer and music theorist Percy Goetschius in 1914. Afterward he attended
Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...
, where he studied composition with church music expert Peter C. Lutkin and
Arne Oldberg Arne Oldberg (July 12, 1874 in Youngstown, OhioOLDBERG, Arne
in ''
''Making It in America – A Sourcebook on Eminent Ethnic Americans''. Editor: Elliot Robert Barkan. ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, 2001 p. 149
Howard Hanson's Profile on books.google.com
/ref>''Nebraska State Historical Society – "Music From the Soil of the American Midwest -" Erich Backenberg. ''Nebraska History''Howard Hanson – Educator, Composer, Conducto'', Vol. 81 (Spring 2000) p. 23-34
Nebraska State Historical Society – "Music From the Soil of the American Midwest -" Howard Hanson on nebraska.gov
/ref>


Career

In 1916, Hanson was hired for his first full-time position as a music theory and composition teacher at the College of the Pacific in California. Only three years later, the college appointed him Dean of the Conservatory of Fine Arts in 1919. In 1920, Hanson composed ''The California Forest Play'', his earliest work to receive national attention. Hanson also wrote a number of orchestral and chamber works during his years in California, including ''Concerto da Camera'', ''Symphonic Legend'', ''Symphonic Rhapsody'', various solo piano works, such as ''Two Yuletide Pieces'', and the ''Scandinavian Suite'', which celebrated his
Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...
and
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and S ...
n heritage. In 1921 Hanson was the first winner of the Prix de Rome in Music (the American Academy's
Rome Prize The Rome Prize is awarded by the American Academy in Rome, in Rome, Italy. Approximately thirty scholars and artists are selected each year to receive a study fellowship at the academy. Prizes have been awarded annually since 1921, with a hiatus ...
), awarded for both ''The California Forest Play'' and his symphonic poem ''Before the Dawn''. Thanks to the award, Hanson lived in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
for three years. During his time in Italy, Hanson wrote a ''Quartet in One Movement'', ''Lux Aeterna'', ''The Lament for Beowulf'' (orchestration Bernhard Kaun), and his ''Symphony No. 1, "Nordic"'', the premiere of which he conducted with the Augusteo Orchestra on May 30, 1923. The three years Hanson spent on his Fellowship at the American Academy were, he considered, the formative years of his life, as he was free to compose, conduct without the distraction of teaching—he could devote himself solely to his art. (It has been incorrectly stated that Hanson studied composition and/or orchestration with
Ottorino Respighi Ottorino Respighi ( , , ; 9 July 187918 April 1936) was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. His compositions range over operas, ballets, orchestral su ...
, who in turn had studied orchestration with
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...
. Hanson's unpublished autobiography refutes the statement, attributed to
Ruth Watanabe Ruth Taiko Watanabe (May 12, 1916 – ) was a Japanese-American music librarian. For 38 years (1946-1984), she ran the Sibley Music Library at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. She was called "one of the great music li ...
, that he had studied with Respighi.) While Hanson may not have pursued formal studies with Respighi while in Rome, he apparently did receive advice from him. In addition, Respighi invited Hanson to attend rehearsals and performances of his orchestral concerts. As a result of these interactions, Hanson credited Respighi as a significant influence on his use of orchestral textures and instrumentation. In addition, he cited the works of several other composers as being influential while studying in Rome including:
Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov . At the time, his name was spelled Николай Андреевичъ Римскій-Корсаковъ. la, Nicolaus Andreae filius Rimskij-Korsakov. The composer romanized his name as ''Nicolas Rimsk ...
,
Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst (born Gustavus Theodore von Holst; 21 September 1874 – 25 May 1934) was an English composer, arranger and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite ''The Planets'', he composed many other works across a range ...
,
Giovanni Palestrina Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina ( – 2 February 1594) was an Italian composer of late Renaissance music. The central representative of the Roman School, with Orlande de Lassus and Tomás Luis de Victoria, Palestrina is considered the leading ...
and
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
. Upon returning from Rome, Hanson's conducting career expanded. He made his premiere conducting the
New York Symphony Orchestra The New York Symphony Orchestra was founded as the New York Symphony Society in New York City by Leopold Damrosch in 1878. For many years it was a rival to the older Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York. It was supported by Andrew Carnegie, ...
in his tone poem ''North and West''. In
Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
in 1924, he conducted his ''Symphony No. 1''. This performance brought him to the attention of
George Eastman George Eastman (July 12, 1854March 14, 1932) was an American entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and helped to bring the photographic use of roll film into the mainstream. He was a major philanthropist, establishing the Eastman ...
. In 1924, Eastman chose Hanson to be director of the
Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music ...
. Eastman, inventor of the
Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
camera and roll film, was also a major philanthropist, and used some of his great wealth to endow the Eastman School of Music at the
University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of ...
. Hanson held the position of director for forty years, during which he created one of the most prestigious music schools in America. He accomplished this by improving the curriculum, bringing in better teachers, and refining the school's orchestras. Also, he balanced the school's faculty between American and European teachers, even when this meant passing up composer
Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hu ...
. Hanson offered a position to Bartók teaching composition at Eastman, but Bartók declined as he did not believe that one could teach composition. Instead, Bartók wanted to teach piano at the Eastman School, but Hanson already had a full staff of piano instructors. In 1925, Hanson established the American Composers Orchestral Concerts. He followed that in 1931 by establishing the annual Festivals of American Music. These week long concerts were free to the public and featured established works by American composers as well as premiers of new compositions. They included performances of: orchestral works, chamber music, band and wind ensemble music, vocal and chamber music, opera and ballet. The festival concerts were eagerly anticipated by audiences in Rochester until 1971 and were also broadcast regularly over national radio networks from the Eastman Theater. Critics have often observed that over the course of four decades "more music has been played at these concerts than in all the rest of the United States put together." Hanson's interest in educating the general public through innovative means became apparent as early as 1938. At this time he engaged the talents of student ensembles at the Eastman School to present ''Milestones in the History of Music'' on the radio. This weekly series of programs presented a sweeping survey of the history of Western music which was broadcast locally in Rochester, New York on
WHAM Wham! was a British pop music duo. Wham may also refer to: Places * Wham, North Yorkshire, England, a hamlet in the Yorkshire Dales, United Kingdom * Wham, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States Stations * WHAM (AM), a talk radio ...
and nationally on the
NBC Red Network The NBC, National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (known as the NBC Red Network prior to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in operation from 1926 through 2004. Along with the Blue Network, NBC Blue Network it was ...
. In recognition of these efforts, the
Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
for outstanding service to music was awarded to Hanson, the Eastman School and WHAM in 1946. Hanson also engaged his student ensembles to present a similar series for the CBS radio network which he entitled ''Milestones in American Music''. This series presented orchestral, choral and chamber music composed by eighty two American composers from the mid 19th century to modern times. As Hanson himself indicated this was "the first attempt at a rather complete presentation of the American picture in music." Later in 1939, he founded the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra, which consisted of first chair players from the
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is an American orchestra based in the city of Rochester, New York. Its primary concert venue is the Eastman Theatre at the Eastman School of Music. History George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak Compa ...
, faculty members from the Eastman School of Music and selected students from the Eastman School.''A Dictionary for the Modern Conductor'' Emily Freeman Brown. Rowman and Littlefield Publishing, 2015 London p. 107
Howard Hanson founder of the Eastman-Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 1939 on books.google.com
/ref> For thirty years from 1939 to 1969 Hanson made over one hundred recordings for
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
,
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it ...
and
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...
with the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra, not only of his own works, but also those of other American composers such as:
Charles Ives Charles Edward Ives (; October 20, 1874May 19, 1954) was an American modernist composer, one of the first American composers of international renown. His music was largely ignored during his early career, and many of his works went unperformed ...
, Wayne Barlow,
John Alden Carpenter John Alden Carpenter (February 28, 1876 – April 26, 1951) was an American composer. Carpenter's compositional style was considered to be mainly "mildly modernistic and impressionistic"; many of his works strive to encompass the spirit of America ...
,
Charles Tomlinson Griffes Charles Tomlinson Griffes ( ; September 17, 1884 – April 8, 1920) was an American composer for piano, chamber ensembles and voice. His initial works are influenced by German Romanticism, but after he relinquished the German style, his lat ...
,
Alan Hovhaness Alan Hovhaness (; March 8, 1911 – June 21, 2000) was an American- Armenian composer. He was one of the most prolific 20th-century composers, with his official catalog comprising 67 numbered symphonies (surviving manuscripts indicate over 70) a ...
,
Homer Keller Homer T. Keller (b. Oxnard, California, February 17, 1915; d. Upland, California May 12, 1996) was an American composer of contemporary classical music. He graduated from Oxnard Union High School in Oxnard, California in 1933, after which he ...
,
John Knowles Paine John Knowles Paine (January 9, 1839 – April 25, 1906) was the first American-born composer to achieve fame for large-scale orchestral music. The senior member of a group of composers collectively known as the Boston Six, Paine was one of those ...
,
Burrill Phillips Leroy Burrill Phillips (November 9, 1907 – June 22, 1988) was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. Biography Phillips was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He studied at the College of Music at the University of Denver with Edwin Stringham and a ...
, Walter Piston, Bernard Rogers,
Roger Sessions Roger Huntington Sessions (December 28, 1896March 16, 1985) was an American composer, teacher and musicologist. He had initially started his career writing in a neoclassical style, but gradually moved further towards more complex harmonies and ...
and William Grant Still. Hanson estimated that more than 2000 works by over 500 American composers were premiered during his tenure at the Eastman School. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the " Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 18 ...
,
Serge Koussevitzky Sergei Alexandrovich KoussevitzkyKoussevitzky's original Russian forename is usually transliterated into English as either "Sergei" or "Sergey"; however, he himself adopted the French spelling "Serge", using it in his signature. (SeThe Koussevi ...
commissioned Hanson's '' Symphony No. 2, the "Romantic"'', and premiered it on November 28, 1930. This work was to become Hanson's best known. One of its themes is performed at the conclusion of all concerts at the
Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City. ...
. Now known as the "Interlochen Theme", it is conducted by a student concertmaster after the featured conductor has left the stage. Traditionally, no applause follows its performance. It is also widely known for its use in the final scene and end credits of the 1979
Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades th ...
film ''
Alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
''. In some ways Hanson's opera '' Merry Mount'' (1934) may be considered the first fully American opera. It was written by an American composer and an American librettist on an American story, and was premiered with a mostly American cast at the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...
in New York in 1934. The Opera received fifty curtain calls at its Met premiere, a record that still stands. In 1935, he wrote "Three Songs from Drum Taps", based on the poem by
Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among ...
.
Frederick Fennell Frederick Fennell (July 2, 1914 – December 7, 2004) was an internationally recognized conductor and one of the primary figures in promoting the Eastman Wind Ensemble as a performing group. He was also influential as a band pedagogue, and gre ...
, conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, described Hanson's first band composition, the 1954 ''Chorale and Alleluia'' as "the most awaited piece of music to be written for the wind band in my twenty years as a conductor in this field". ''Chorale and Alleluia'' is still a required competition piece for high school bands in the New York State School Music Association's repertoire list. During the 1950s and 1960s Howard Hanson continued to adapt innovative techniques in an effort to educate as large an audience as possible, even as revolutionary changes in mass media emerged in America. For example, he collaborated with the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...
during this period in order to produce a series of television films on composition. He also served as a member of the Music Advisory Panel of the
American National Theatre and Academy The American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) is a non-profit theatre producer and training organization that was established in 1935 to be the official United States national theatre that would be an alternative to the for-profit Broadway houses ...
along with
Virgil Thomson Virgil Thomson (November 25, 1896 – September 30, 1989) was an American composer and critic. He was instrumental in the development of the "American Sound" in classical music. He has been described as a modernist, a neoromantic, a neoclass ...
,
William Schuman William Howard Schuman (August 4, 1910February 15, 1992) was an American composer and arts administrator. Life Schuman was born into a Jewish family in Manhattan, New York City, son of Samuel and Rachel Schuman. He was named after the 27th U.S. ...
and
Milton Katims Milton Katims (June 24, 1909February 27, 2006) was an American violist and conductor. He was music director of the Seattle Symphony for 22 years (1954–76). In that time he added more than 75 works, made recordings, premiered new pieces and le ...
. This panel consisted of leading composers and academics who evaluated candidates for the Department of State's Cultural Presentations program. Musicians who were accepted into this program represented America's
cultural diplomacy Cultural diplomacy is a type of public diplomacy and soft power that includes the "exchange of ideas, information, art, language and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster mutual understanding". The purpos ...
initiatives in concert venues throughout the world during the Cold War. Later in the 1960s, he also hosted and conducted the
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic, commonly referred to as the LA Phil, is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at th ...
in several series of young peoples concerts for school children in the Los Angeles area. In 1960, Hanson also published a book ''Harmonic Materials of Modern Music'' (1960).''A Dictionary for the Modern Conductor'' Emily Freeman Brown. Rowman and Littlefield, London 2015 p. 150
''A Dictionary for the Modern Composer'' – Howard Hanson's biography on books.google.com
/ref> Though not an example of integral music theory, it contained fruitful ideas and analytic algorithms which were incorporated in later theories such as
set theory Set theory is the branch of mathematical logic that studies sets, which can be informally described as collections of objects. Although objects of any kind can be collected into a set, set theory, as a branch of mathematics, is mostly concern ...
of
Allen Forte Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univ ...
. The idea of 'modal modulation' (Hanson's term) echoed in the Yuri Kholopov's 'variable mode' doctrine. Following his retirement as Director of the Eastman School of Music in 1964, Hanson was appointed as the first director of the newly established Institute for American Music at the
University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of ...
. In this new role, Hanson continued his efforts to foster a widespread understanding and appreciation of American music through performances, publications and recordings. Operating funds for the institute were largely derived from royalties generated from compositions and recordings which were executed by Hanson during his tenure at the Eastman School. Following his death in 1981, Hanson's wife Peggy assumed his responsibilities at the institute until her passing in 1996. It has been observed that nearly every American composer since World War I is indebted in some degree to Howard Hanson for his efforts to educate the public and future generations of professional musicians about American music. Hanson was elected as a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1935, President of the Music Teachers' National Association from 1929 to 1930, and President of the National Association of Schools of Music from 1935 to 1939. From 1946 to 1962, he was active in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
). UNESCO commissioned Hanson's ''Pastorale for Oboe and Piano'', and ''Pastorale for Oboe, Strings, and Harp'', for the 1949
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
conference of the world body. During the course of his career Hanson also served as a guest conductor for several leading orchestras including: the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
, the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the " Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 18 ...
, and the NBC Symphony Orchestra. He was also a frequent conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the
Eastman Theater Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre is the largest performance venue at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, located in downtown Rochester, New York. The theatre was established by industrialist George Eastman and opened on Septe ...
in Rochester, New York. In addition, he was the founder of the Eastman Philharmonia orchestra at the Eastman School of Music. This ensemble consisted of elite upperclassmen from the Eastman School of Music and was noted for concertizing throughout the country.''Howard Hanson in Theory and Practice'' Allen Laurence Cohen, Praeger Publishers, CT., 2004 p.13
Howard Hanson and the Eastman Philharmonia on books.google.com
/ref> Under Hanson's leadership, it was selected to participate in the United States Department of State's international cultural exchange program during the 1961–1962 season. Hanson took the Eastman Philharmonia on a European tour which passed through Paris, Cairo, Moscow, and Vienna, among other cities. The tour showcased the growth of serious American music for Europe and the Middle East. Hanson's performances with the orchestra received critical acclaim in thirty four cities and sixteen countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Russia.


Marriage

Hanson met Margaret Elizabeth Nelson at her parents' summer home on Lake Chautauqua at the
Chautauqua Institution The Chautauqua Institution ( ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education center and summer resort for adults and youth located on in Chautauqua, New York, northwest of Jamestown in the Western Southern Tier of New York State. Established in 1874, the ...
in New York. Hanson dedicated the ''Serenade for Flute, Harp, and Strings'', to her; the piece was his musical marriage proposal, as he could not find the spoken words to propose to her. They married on July 24, 1946, in the same house where they had first met.


Legacy and honors

*Hanson was an initiate of two chapters of
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...
fraternity: the Iota chapter at
Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...
in 1916, and the Alpha Nu chapter at Eastman in 1928. He was recognized as a national honorary member in 1930, and presented with the
Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award The Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award is one of the highest honors awarded to members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity for a lifelong achievement in uplifting the world through art and music. Its recipients include musical legends such as ...
at the national convention in
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
in 1954. *After he composed the ''Hymn of the Pioneers'' to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first Swedish settlement in
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
, Hanson was selected as a fellow of the
Royal Swedish Academy The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) is one of the royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for prom ...
in 1938. *In 1944, Hanson was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
for ''Symphony No. 4'', subtitled ''Requiem''. *In 1945, he became the first recipient of the Ditson Conductor's Award for his commitment to American music. *In 1946, Hanson was awarded the George Foster
Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
"for outstanding entertainment programming" for a series he presented on the Rochester, New York radio station WHAM in 1945. *In 1953, Hanson helped to establish the Edward B. Benjamin Prize "for calming and uplifting music" written by Eastman students. Each submitted score was read by Hanson and the Eastman Orchestra. Winners of the Benjamin Prize appeared on Hanson's recording ''Music for Quiet Listening''. *In 1959, Hanson won the first Lancaster Symphony Orchestra Composer's Award, which is the oldest award of its kind in America and is awarded annually to a contemporary composer by the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Lancaster, Pennsylvania (established in 1947). Hanson was a friend and colleague of the Founding Conductor of the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, the late Louis Vyner. *In 1960, Hanson published ''Harmonic Materials of Modern Music: Resources of the Tempered Scale'', a book that would lay the foundation for
musical set theory Musical set theory provides concepts for categorizing musical objects and describing their relationships. Howard Hanson first elaborated many of the concepts for analyzing tonal music. Other theorists, such as Allen Forte, further developed th ...
. Among the many notions considered was what Hanson called the isomeric relationship, now usually termed Z-relationship. *Hanson was on the Board of Directors of the Music Educators National Conference from 1960 to 1964. *Hanson's ''Song of Democracy'', on a
Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among ...
text, was performed at the inaugural concert for incoming U.S. President
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
in 1969. Hanson proudly noted this was the first inaugural concert to feature only American music. *In recognition of Hanson's achievements, the
Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
company donated $100,000 worth of stock to the Eastman School of Music in 1976. Hanson stipulated that the gift be used to fund the Institute of American Music. *Hanson was a Distinguished Nebraskans Award Recipient in 1976.


Popular culture

Excerpts from Hanson's Second Symphony were used to accompany several exterior sequences and the end credits in the released versions of
Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades th ...
's 1979 horror movie ''
Alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
'' without his permission, but the composer decided not to fight it in court—they replaced certain sections of
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his work in film and television scoring. He composed scores for five films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and three in the ''Rambo'' franc ...
's original score at the behest of
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
. This highlighted music can still be found on all DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K versions of ''Alien''.


Death

Hanson died at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York at the age of 84. He was survived by his wife Margaret Elizabeth Nelson.


Compositional style

Hanson's music has been described as part of the Neo-Romantic movement in music which endeavored to continue the traditions of the Romantic era into the 20th century. His Symphony No. 2, for example, has been cited as a Neo-Romantic manifesto. He has also been identified by critics as an "American Neoromantic composer ''par excellence''" whose compositions were conceived in the grand romantic tradition of Antonin Dvorák. In addition, his early symphonies have been characterized as "splendidly effusive, gorgeously orchestrated, rich in harmonic texture". It should also be noted, however, that Hanson's compositions also incorporated experimentation with modern musical idioms. Many of the passages in his works are based upon modal scales which call to mind
Gregorian chants Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed mainly in western and central Europe durin ...
. In addition, he made extensive use of extended tertian chords, motoric ostinati in rapid passages and alternating triadic chords. Several of his liturgical and choral compositions also reflected themes derived from Swedish Lutheran hymns. Elements of Nordic austerity identified in his music have also prompted some observers to compare him to
Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often ...
. It has also been noted that one of Hanson's hallmarks as a composer is his utilization of melodic lines which flow seamlessly in a manner which is almost improvisational, unpretentious, and very American. The composer and critic David Owens indicated that Hanson clearly embraced the use of tonal beauty in his compositions in order to give expression to a conservative musical ideal. By carefully blending his use of tonality with a masterful understanding of orchestral depth, Hanson succeeded in producing compositions which Owen described as being both memorable and compelling. Perhaps Hanson described his music best when he portrayed it as metaphorically "springing from the soil of the American midwest. It is music of the plains rather than of the city and reflects, I believe, something of the broad prairies of my native Nebraska."


Works

Included among Hanson's compositions are the following works:


Opera

*'' Merry Mount'' (1933)


Orchestral

*Symphonic Prelude (1916) *Symphonic Legend (1917) *Symphonic Rhapsody (1919) *''Before the Dawn'', Symphonic Poem (1920) *''Exaltation'', Symphonic Poem, Op. 20 (1920) *Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op.21 ("Nordic") (1922) *''Lux aeterna'', Symphonic Poem for Orchestra with Viola Obbligato, Op. 24 (1923–26) *''Pan and the Priest'', Symphonic Poem with Piano Obbligato, Op. 26 (1926) *Organ Concerto, Op. 27 (1926) * Symphony No. 2 in D major Op.30 ("Romantic") (1930) *''Suite from the Opera "Merry Mount"'' (1938) * Symphony No. 3 Op. 33 (1936–38) * Symphony No. 4 Op. 34 ("Requiem") (1943; won Pulitzer Prize) *''Serenade'', Op. 35 (1945) *''Pastorale'', Op. 38 (1949) *''Fantasy-Variations on a Theme of Youth'' (1951) *Symphony No. 5 Op. 43, "Sinfonia Sacra" (1955) *''Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitzky'' Op.44 (1956) *''Mosaics'' (1957) *''Summer Seascape'' (1958) *''Bold Island Suite'' (1961) *''For the First Time'' (1963) * Symphony No. 6 (1967) *''Dies Natalis'' (1967) * Symphony No. 7 ("A Sea Symphony") (1977) *Ballet ''Nymphs and Satyr'' (1979)


Choral

*''A Prayer of the Middle Ages'' *''North and West'', Symphonic poem with Chorus Obligato (1923) *''The Lament for Beowulf'', Op. 25 (1925) *''Heroic Elegy'' for wordless chorus and orchestra (1927) *''Three Songs from Drum Taps'' (Walt Whitman), Op. 32 for baritone, chorus & orchestra (1935) *''The Cherubic Hymn'', Op. 37 for chorus and orchestra (1949) *''How Excellent Thy Name'' Op. 41, (1952) *''Song of Democracy'', Op. 44 (1957) for wind ensemble, string orchestra and SATB Choir *''Song of Human Rights'', Op. 49 (1963) (text from the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) *''The One Hundred Fiftieth Psalm'' (''Praise Ye The Lord'') for chorus and orchestra (1965) *''The One Hundred Twenty First Psalm'' for baritone, chorus and orchestra (1968) *''Streams in the Desert'' for chorus and orchestra (1969) *''The Mystic Trumpeter'' for narrator, chorus and orchestra (1970) * ''New Land, New Covenant'' oratorio (1976)


Band

*Centennial March (1966) *Chorale and Alleluia (1954) *Dies Natalis II (1972) *Laude *Variations on an Ancient Hymn


Concertante

*Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G Major, Op. 36 (1948) *Concerto for organ, harp & strings in C, Op 22/3 (1921) *''Summer Seascape No.2'' for Viola and String Orchestra (1965)


Chamber

*Quintet in F minor, for 2 Violins, Cello and Piano (1916) *''Concerto da Camera in C Minor for Piano and String Quartet'' (1917), Op. 7 *''String Quartet'' (1923), Op. 23 *''Serenade for Flute, Harp and Strings'' (1946), Op. 35 *''Pastorale for Oboe and Piano'' (1949), reorchestrated as alternative ''Pastorale for Oboe, Harp and Strings'' (1950), both Op. 38 *''Fantasy Variations on a Theme of Youth'' (1951) *''Elegy for Viola and String Quartet'' (1966)


Keyboard

*''Poèmes érotiques'', Op. 9 *Sonata in A Minor, Op. 11 *''Three Miniatures'' for Piano, Op. 12 *''Symphonic Rhapsody'', Op. 14 *Three Etudes, Op. 18 *''Two Yuletide Pieces'', Op. 19


Music theory

Harmonic Materials of Modern Music (1960), Irvington.


Discography

*A boxed set of Howard Hanson conducting the Eastman Philharmonia in his symphonies, piano concerto, etc., is available on the Mercury label. A companion set from Mercury, a compilation of Hanson conducting lesser known American works, is also available. *His Symphony No. 2 is probably his most recorded work. In addition to the composer's own recording, those by Erich Kunzel,
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
, and
Gerard Schwarz Gerard Schwarz (born August 19, 1947), also known as Gerry Schwarz or Jerry Schwarz, is an American symphony conductor and trumpeter. As of 2019, Schwarz serves as the Artistic and Music Director of Palm Beach Symphony and the Director of Orche ...
are also popular. Also, the
Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City. ...
uses part of this symphony as its theme (see detailed explanation above). *
Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...
released a recording of the 1934 world premiere performance of ''Merry Mount'' in 1999. For copyright reasons it was not made available in the United States. Recordings by Howard Hanson conducting his own compositions with the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra include: * ''Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitzky'' Op. 44 –
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it ...
(SR90150) – Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra (1957) * ''The Lament for Beowulf'' Op. 25 – Mercury Records (SR90192) – Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra (1958) * ''Song of Democracy'' Op. 44 – Mercury Records (#432 0008-2) – Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra (1957) * Symphony No. 1 in E Minor Op. 21 (''Nordic'') – Mercury Records (#432 008-2) – Hanson conducting the Eastman- Rochester Orchestra (1960) * Symphony No. 2 in D-Flat Major Op. 30 (''Romantic'') – Mercury Records (#432 0008-2)- Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra (1958) * Symphony No. 3 Op. 33 – Mercury Records (SR90449) – Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra (1963)


Notable students

During the course of his forty-year tenure as Director of the Eastman School of Music, Howard Hanson also served as a member of the faculty of Composition. Several of his students won the Pulitzer Prize for Music including:
Dominick Argento Dominick Argento (October 27, 1927 – February 20, 2019) was an American composer known for his lyric operatic and choral music. Among his best known pieces are the operas ''Postcard from Morocco'', '' Miss Havisham's Fire'', ''The Masque of An ...
,
John La Montaine John Maynard La Montaine, also later LaMontaine, (March 17, 1920 – April 29, 2013) was an American pianist and composer, born in Oak Park, Illinois, who won the 1959 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his Piano Concerto No. 1 "In Time of War" (1958 ...
and
Robert Ward Robert Ward may refer to: Politicians *Robert Ward (MP for City of York) * Robert Ward (1754–1831), Irish MP for Wicklow Borough, Killyleagh and Bangor * Robert Ward (American politician) (1952–2021), American lawyer and politician * Robert Wa ...
. In addition, several of his students enjoyed widespread recognition as composers including: Wayne Barlow, Jack Beeson, William Bergsma, Ulysses Kay,
Kent Kennan Kent Wheeler Kennan (April 18, 1913, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – November 1, 2003, Austin, Texas) was an American composer, author, educator, and professor. He learned to play the organ and the piano and received degrees in composition and music the ...
,
Peter Mennin Peter Mennin (born Mennini) (May 17, 1923 in Erie, Pennsylvania – June 17, 1983 in New York City) was a prominent American composer, teacher and administrator. In 1958, he was named Director of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and i ...
,
Louis Mennini Louis Alfred Mennini (November 18, 1920, Erie, Pennsylvania – February 22, 2000) was an American composer, music educator, and university administrator. Life and career Born in Erie, Pennsylvania on November 18, 1920, Mennini was the son of Am ...
, W. Francis McBeth and Gardner Read.


References


Sources

*Autry, Philip Earl ''The Published Solo Piano Music Of Howard Hanson: An Analysis For Teaching And Performing'' (U. M. I. 1996) * Cohen, Allen Laurence. ''Howard Hanson in Theory and Practice'' (Praeger Publishers, CT., 2004).''Howard Hanson in Theory and Practice'' Allen Laurence Cohen, Praeger Publishers, CT., 2004 p.28
Howard Hanson on books.google.com
/ref> *Goss, Madeleine ''Modern Music-Makers: Contemporary American Composers'' (Greenwood Press, Publishers. 1952) *Perone, James ''Howard Hanson: A Bio-Bibliography'' (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993) *Machlis, Joseph ''American Composers of Our Time'' (Thomas Y. Crowell. 1963) *Simmons, Walter ''Voices in the Wilderness: Six American Neo-Romantic Composers'' (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2006) *Shetler, Donald J. ''In Memoriam Howard Hanson'' (Music Educators Natl. 1984) *Williams, David Russell ''Conversations with Howard Hanson'' (Arkadelphia, Arkansas: Delta Publications, 1988) *20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, ''The Beast Within: The Making of Alien'' (2004)


External links


Howard Hanson's page at Carl Fischer

''Harmonic Materials of Modern Music: Resources of the Tempered Scale''
by Howard Hanson (1960), now available free in various electronic formats on archive.org
''Harmonic Materials of Modern Music: Resources of the Tempered Scale''
by Howard Hanson (1960), now available free in various electronic formats on openlibrary.org
Classical Composers Database

Clog Dance sheet music
Nebraska Memories
Howard Hanson: An American Romantic
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanson, Howard 1896 births 1981 deaths 20th-century American composers 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century classical composers 20th-century American musicologists American classical composers American male classical composers American music theorists American opera composers American people of Swedish descent Bienen School of Music alumni Classical musicians from Nebraska Concert band composers Male opera composers People from Wahoo, Nebraska Pulitzer Prize for Music winners Pupils of Percy Goetschius