John Maynard La Montaine, also later LaMontaine, (March 17, 1920 – April 29, 2013) was an American

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and

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 Defi ...

, born in Oak Park,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, who won the 1959

Pulitzer Prize for Music The Pulitzer Prize for Music is one of seven Pulitzer Prizes awarded annually in Letters, Drama, and Music. It was first given in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year, and this was eventually converted i ...

for his Piano Concerto No. 1 "In Time of War" (1958), which was premiered by

Jorge Bolet Jorge Bolet (November 15, 1914October 16, 1990) was a Cuban-born American virtuoso pianist and teacher. Among his teachers were Leopold Godowsky, and Moriz Rosenthal – the latter an outstanding pupil of Franz Liszt. Life Bolet was born in Havan ...

. His teachers included

Howard Hanson 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, conductor, educator, music theorist, and champion of American class ...

Bernard Rogers Bernard Rogers (4 February 1893 – 24 May 1968) was an American composer. His best known work is ''The Passion'', an oratorio written in 1942. Life and career Rogers was born in New York City. He studied with Arthur Farwell, Ernest Bloc ...

, and

Nadia Boulanger Juliette Nadia Boulanger (; 16 September 188722 October 1979) was a French music teacher and conductor. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organist. From a ...

. His works have been performed by

Leontyne Price Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American soprano who was the first African Americans, African American soprano to receive international acclaim. From 1961 she began a long association with the Metropolitan Opera, where s ...

Jessye Norman Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert ...

Adele Addison Adele Addison (born July 24, 1925) is an American lyric soprano who was a figure in the classical music world during the 1950s and 1960s. Although she did appear in several operas, Addison spent most of her career performing in recital and conc ...

, Donald Graham,

Eleanor Steber Eleanor Steber (July 17, 1914October 3, 1990) was an American operatic soprano. Steber is noted as one of the first major opera stars to have achieved the highest success with training and a career based in the United States. Biography Eleanor ...

and

. In honor of the American Bicentennial celebration in 1976, he was commissioned to create a choral work for the Penn State Institute for Arts and Humanistic Studies. The opera, entitled ''Be Glad Then America'', was performed by the University Choirs, under the direction of Sarah Caldwell. The folk singer

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

appeared as the Muse for America. La Montaine lived in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. His publishing company, Fredonia Press, is named for the street on which he lived. His business partner was the composer and pianist Paul J. Sifler (1911–2001).

Selected works

;Opera * ''Novellis, Novellis'', a Pageant Opera for narrator, soloists, chorus and orchestra, Op. 31 (1961); libretto adapted by the composer from the Bible, 2 medieval miracle plays, and the Latin liturgy. Premiered December 2, 1962 in Cleveland's Church of the Covenant, followed by performances two days later in New York City's

Riverside Church Riverside Church is an interdenominational church in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the block bounded by Riverside Drive, Claremont Avenue, 120th Street and 122nd Street near Columbia University's Mornin ...

in a Union Theological Seminary production, players included Mac Morgan, Stanley Kole, Maria Di Garlando, Ara Berberian,

Charles Bressler Charles Bressler (April 1, 1926 – November 28, 1996) was an American tenor. He was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania, and studied at the Juilliard School with Lucia Dunham. He became a founding member of the New York Pro Musica, with which he t ...

, Naomi Farr, and

Elaine Bonazzi Elaine Bonazzi (August 28, 1929 – January 29, 2019) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who had an active international career from the 1950s through the 1990s. A singer with an unusually broad repertoire that encompassed both classical and c ...

. * ''The Shephardes Playe'', a Pagaent Opera for Christmas, Op. 38 (1967); libretto adapted by the composer from 4 medieval Corpus Christi plays; televised in 1968 * ''Erode the Greate'', a Pageant Opera in 2 acts, Op. 40 (1969); libretto adapted by the composer from the Bible, medieval miracle plays, and the Latin liturgy * ''Be Glad Then, America'', a Decent Entertainment from the Thirteen Colonies, Op. 43 (1974–75); libretto by the composer from historical sources ;Orchestral * ''Canons'', Op. 10a (1965); original version for piano solo * ''Recitative, Aria, and Finale'' for string orchestra, Op. 16a (1965) * ''Jubilant Overture'', Op. 20 (1959) * ''Colloquy'' for string orchestra, Op. 21 (1965) * ''Passacaglia and Fugue'' for string orchestra, Op. 21a * Symphony No. 1, Op. 28 (1957) * ''Let My Beloved Come into His Garden'', Interlude from ''The Song of Songs'', Op. 29a (1965); adapted from the song cycle ''Fragments from the Song of Songs'', Op. 29 * ''From Sea to Shining Sea'', Overture, Op. 30 (1961) * ''A Summer's Day'', a Sonnet for chamber orchestra, Op. 32 (1962); after a sonnet of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

; also arranged for piano * ''Canticle'', Op. 33 (1965) * ''Nightwings'' (1966) * ''Five Sonnets after Shakespeare'' (1974); original for voice and piano * ''Incantation'' for jazz band, Op. 39 (1968) * ''Lexington Green'', March "Based on Tunes of

William Billings William Billings (October 7, 1746 – September 26, 1800) is regarded as the first American choral composer and leading member of the First New England School. Life William Billings was born in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 14, t ...

(1746–1800)" for band or orchestra (1974) * ''Be Glad Then, America'', Overture: an Early American Sampler, Op. 43 (1975); overture to the opera * Concerto for string orchestra, Op. 51 (1981); based on the String Quartet, Op. 16 (1965) ;Concertante * Concerto No. 1 ''In Time of War'' for piano and orchestra, Op. 9 (1958) * ''Ode'' for oboe and orchestra, Op. 11 (1952) * ''Birds Of Paradise: On the Infinite Efflorescence of Living Things'' for piano and orchestra, Op. 34 (1964) * Concerto for flute and orchestra, Op. 48 (1980) * ''Symphonic Variations'' for piano and orchestra, Op. 50 (1982) * Concerto No. 2 ''Transformations'' for piano and orchestra, Op. 55 (1987) * Concerto No. 3 ''Children's Games'' for piano and orchestra (1985) * Concerto No. 4 for piano and orchestra, Op. 59 (1989) ;Chamber and instrumental music * Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 8 (1950) * String Quartet, Op. 16 (1965) * Sonata for flute solo, Op. 24 (1957) * ''Quartet for Woodwinds'' for flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon, Op. 24a (1969); melodic material based on the Sonata for flute solo, Op. 24 * ''Conversations'' for clarinet (or viola, or violin, or flute, or trombone, or marimba) and piano, Op. 42 (1977) * ''Scherzo'' for 4 trombones (1977) * ''12 Studies'' for 2 flutes, Op. 46 (1979) * ''Canonic Variations'' for flute and clarinet, Op. 47 (1980) * ''2 Scenes from the Song of Solomon'' for flute and piano, Op. 49 (1978) or flute and 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, piano and percussion (1980); adapted from the song cycle ''Fragments from the Song of Songs'', Op. 29 :# ''Come into My Garden'', Interlude :# ''My Beloved, Let Us Go Forth'' * Sonata for piccolo and piano, Op. 61 (1993) ;Organ * ''Even Song'' (1962) * ''Processional'' (1964) * ''Of That Hallowed Season'', Op. 57 (1954, 1987); adapted from ''Songs of the Nativity'', Op. 13 ;Piano * ''Toccata'', Op. 1 (1957) * Sonata, Op. 3 (1950) * ''A Child's Picture Book'', Op. 7 (1957) * ''Birds'' (1957) * ''Questioning'' (1957); adapted from Sonata for flute solo * ''Sparklers'' (1957) * ''Venice West'', Blues (1962) * ''12 Relationships'', a Set of Canons, Op. 10 (1965); also orchestrated * ''Fuguing Set'', Op. 14 (1965) * ''6 Dance Preludes'', Op. 18 (1964) * Sonata for piano 4-hands, Op. 25 (1965) * ''Copycats'', Canons in 5-Finger Position for the Young Pianist, Op. 26 (1957) * ''A Summer's Day'', Op. 32a (1962); after a sonnet of

; original version for chamber orchestra * ''Jugoslav Dance'' (1974) * ''Sketches'' for 2 pianos, Op. 56 (1985) * ''Variations: Patriotic Thoughts and Much Loved Hymns'', Op. 67 (2005) ;Vocal * ''4 Songs'' for high voice, piano, and violin or flute, Op. 2 (1950); words by

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...

, Ross Rosazza,

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

and anonymous * ''Invocation'' for medium voice and piano, Op. 4 (1950); words by the composer * ''Songs of the Rose of Sharon'', Cycle of Songs for soprano and orchestra, Op. 6 (1947); words based on Chapter Two of the Song of Songs * ''Birds' Courting Song'', American Folk Song for medium voice and piano (1954) * ''A Child's Prayer'', Song for medium voice and piano (1956); traditional words * ''5 Sonnets of Shakespeare'' for voice and piano, Op. 12 (1957); words by

* ''Songs of the Nativity'', a Cycle of Christmas Songs for medium voice with organ and optional bells, Op. 13a (1954, 1963) * ''3 Poems of Holly Beye'' for medium voice and piano, Op. 15 (1954); words by

Holly Beye David Ruff (1925-2007) was an American painter and print maker. In 1950, Ruff and his wife, writer Holly Beye (1922–2011), moved to San Francisco, where Ruff founded the fine art print publishing studio The Print Workshop. His plan was "to pr ...

* ''Fragments from the Song of Songs'', Song Cycle for soprano and orchestra, Op. 29 (1959) * ''Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening'' for voice and piano (1963); words by

Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloq ...

* ''The Lord Is My Shepherd'', Psalm 23 for voice with English horn, harp and string orchestra, Op. 36 No. 2 (1968) * ''Wilderness Journal'', Symphony

o. 2 O is the fifteenth letter of the modern Latin alphabet. O may also refer to: Letters * Օ օ, (Unicode: U+0555, U+0585) a letter in the Armenian alphabet * Ο ο, Omicron, (Greek), a letter in the Greek alphabet * O (Cyrillic), a letter of the ...

for bass-baritone, organ and orchestra, Op. 41 (1970–1971); based on texts from the essays and journals of

Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading Transcendentalism, transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon simple living in natural su ...

* ''Prayer for Evening'' for medium voice and organ (1973); words from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer * ''3 English Folk Songs'' for voice and piano (1974) * ''Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair'' for medium voice and piano (2000) ;Choral * ''Songs of the Nativity'', Christmas Anthem for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 13 (1954) * ''Sanctuary'', Short Cantata for baritone, mixed chorus and organ, and optional parts for two trumpets and timpani, Op. 17 (1956); words by Theodore S. Ross and Charles Atwood Campbell * ''Merry Let Us Part and Merry Meet Again'' for mixed chorus and piano (1958) * ''Nonsense Songs from

Mother Goose The figure of Mother Goose is the imaginary author of a collection of French fairy tales and later of English nursery rhymes. As a character, she appeared in a song, the first stanza of which often functions now as a nursery rhyme. This, howeve ...

'' for mixed chorus and piano, Op. 19 * ''God of Grace and God of Glory'', Short Cantata Based on the Welsh Tune "Cwm Rhondda" for unison choir, children's choir, mixed choir and organ, Op. 22 (1974); words by

Harry Emerson Fosdick Harry Emerson Fosdick (May 24, 1878 – October 5, 1969) was an American pastor. Fosdick became a central figure in the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy within American Protestantism in the 1920s and 1930s and was one of the most prominen ...

* ''Wonder Tidings'', Cycle of Christmas Carols Based on 15th to 17th Century Texts from the British Isles for soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, mixed chorus, harp (or piano), percussion and optional organ, Op. 23 (1964) * ''Te Deum'' for narrator, mixed chorus and wind orchestra, Op. 35 (1963–1964) * ''The Earth Is the Lord's'', Psalm 24 for mixed chorus and string orchestra, Op. 36 No. 1 (1968) * ''Missa naturae'' (Mass of Nature) for narrator, mixed chorus and orchestra, Op. 37 (1966) * ''Freedom Proclamation'', Anthem for soloists, mixed chorus, organ, handbell in G and optional guitar (1975) * ''The Nine Lessons of Christmas'' for soloists, mixed chorus, harp and small percussion instruments, Op. 44 (1975) * ''The Whittier Service'', 9 Hymn-Anthems to Texts by

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...

for chorus, guitar and organ, Op. 45 (1979) * ''The Lessons of Advent'' for soloists, narrator, double chorus, handbell choir, trumpet, drums, harp, oboe, guitar, and organ, Op. 52 (1983) * ''The Marshes of Glynn'' for bass, chorus and orchestra, Op. 53 (1984); words by

Sidney Lanier Sidney Clopton Lanier (February 3, 1842 – September 7, 1881) was an American musician, poet and author. He served in the Confederate States Army as a private, worked on a blockade-running ship for which he was imprisoned (resulting in his catch ...

* ''We Can Get Along'' for children's chorus (treble voices) and piano (2003); words by Azell Taylor * ''Holiday Greeting'' for mixed chorus

References

External links

*
John La Montaine biography
by Bruce Duffie (June 1989) {{DEFAULTSORT:La Montaine, John 1920 births 2013 deaths 20th-century classical composers American classical pianists Male classical pianists American male pianists American male classical composers American classical composers Pulitzer Prize for Music winners American opera composers Male opera composers Musicians from Chicago Musicians from Los Angeles Writers from Oak Park, Illinois Pupils of Bernard Rogers Musicians from Oak Park, Illinois 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American composers Classical musicians from California Classical musicians from Illinois 20th-century American male musicians