Marcel Georges Lucien Grandjany ( ) (3 September 1891 – 24 February 1975) was a French-American harpist and composer.

Biography

Early life

Marcel Grandjany was born in Paris and began the study of the harp at the age of eight with

Henriette Renié Henriette Renié (; 18 September 1875 – 1 March 1956) was a French harpist and composer who is known for her many original compositions and transcriptions, as well as codifying a method for harp that is still used today. She was a musical pr ...

. At age eleven, he was admitted to the

Conservatoire de Paris The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

, where he studied with Alphonse Hasselmans, winning the coveted Premier Prix at age thirteen.

Career

At seventeen he made his debut with the

Concerts Lamoureux The Orchestre Lamoureux () officially known as the Société des Nouveaux-Concerts and also known as the Concerts Lamoureux) is an orchestral concert society which once gave weekly concerts by its own orchestra, founded in Paris by Charles Lamoureu ...

Orchestra, and gave his first solo recital, winning immediate acclaim. He appeared with Maurice Ravel in Paris in 1913. His London debut was in 1922 and his New York debut in 1924. He appeared as soloist with major orchestras under the direction of

Gabriel Pierné Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné (16 August 1863 – 17 July 1937) was a French composer, conductor, pianist and organist. Biography Gabriel Pierné was born in Metz. His family moved to Paris, after Metz and part of Lorraine were annexed to Ger ...

, Alfred Cortot,

Walter Damrosch Walter Johannes Damrosch (January 30, 1862December 22, 1950) was a German-born American conductor and composer. He was the director of the New York Symphony Orchestra and conducted the world premiere performances of various works, including Geo ...

, Serge Koussevitzky,

George Szell George Szell (; June 7, 1897 – July 30, 1970), originally György Széll, György Endre Szél, or Georg Szell, was a Hungarian-born American conductor and composer. He is widely considered one of the twentieth century's greatest condu ...

Fritz Reiner Frederick Martin "Fritz" Reiner (December 19, 1888 – November 15, 1963) was a prominent conductor of opera and symphonic music in the twentieth century. Hungarian born and trained, he emigrated to the United States in 1922, where he rose to ...

and

Vladimir Golschmann Vladimir Golschmann (16 December 18931 March 1972) was a French-American conductor. Biography Vladimir Golschmann was born in Paris. He studied violin at the Schola Cantorum in Paris. He was a notable advocate of the music of the composers ...

, among others. From 1921 to 1926, he headed the harp department of the Fontainebleau Summer School. He moved to the United States in 1936 and was appointed head of the Harp Department at the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts 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 regarded as one of the most elit ...

in 1938, where he taught until his death in 1975. In 1943 he was chosen to organize the harp department of the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique à Montréal, and for the next twenty years he traveled monthly from New York to Montréal. He was also head of the harp department at the Manhattan School of Music from 1956 to 1967. Notable students include American harpists Nancy Allen, Catherine Gotthoffer, and Eileen Malone. He also taught Anna Clark, the second wife of

William A. Clark William Andrews Clark Sr. (January 8, 1839March 2, 1925) was an American politician and entrepreneur, involved with mining, banking, and railroads. Biography Clark was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. He moved with his family to Iowa in 1 ...

; she was also his patron.

Bill Dedman Bill Dedman (born 1960) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, an investigative reporter for '' Newsday'', and co-author of the biography of reclusive heiress Huguette Clark, '' Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark ...

, Paul Clark Newell, Jr., ''Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Loss of one of the World's Greatest Fortunes'', London: Atlantic Books (2013), p. 154 At the First International Harp Contest in Israel in 1959, Pierre Jamet of France proposed the formation of an international association of harpists. Grandjany undertook to see what he could do in the United States and chaired a committee of leading harpists. The Founding Committee met for the first time on 3 December 1962 in his apartment at 235 W. 71 St, Apartment 32. Over the years, he was a member of the Board of Directors, Regional Director, Chapter Chairman and President of the New York Chapter. He generously performed at AHS conferences; in 1964 at the first conference and in 1967, a solo recital which was his last public performance. He supported the educational goals of the Society vigorously and delighted in the

American Harp Society The American Harp Society, Inc. (AHS) is a non-profit organization. Founded in 1962, the AHS is an organization of harpists with more than 3,000 members from all 50 states and 20 countries. The organization is currently led by President Lynne Aspnes ...

's growth and community. He died in New York City.

Selected works

;Concertante * ''Rhapsodie on a Theme of a Gregorian Easter Chant'' for harp and orchestra (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and strings), Op. 10 (1921) * ''Aria in Classic Style'' for harp and organ (or orchestra), Op. 19 * ''Poème symphonique'' for harp, horn and orchestra ;Harp * ''Trois petites pièces très faciles'' (3 Very Easy Little Pieces), Op. 7 # Rêverie # Nocturne # Barcarolle * ''Rhapsodie'' (op.10) * ''Dans la forêt du charme et de l'enchantement'', Conte de fée (Fairy Tale), Op. 11 (1922) * ''Pièce romantique'' for piano, Op. 15 * ''Les enfants jouent'' (Children at Play), Op. 16 * ''Souvenirs'', Poème, Op. 17 * ''Variation on the Londonderry Air'', Op. 20 * ''Bagatelles'', Op. 22 * ''Old Chinese Song'', Op. 23 * ''Noël provençal'', Op. 24 * ''Children's Hour'', Suite, Op. 25 * ''Two Duets'' for 2 harps, Op. 26 # Sally and Dinny Duet # Eleanor and Marcia Duet * ''Harp Album'', Op. 27 # Greetings # Zephyr # In Dancing Mood # A Butterfly # Deep River Interlude for 3 harps # The Pageant Begins # On a Western Ranch # Through the Meadows * ''The Colorado Trail'', Fantaisie, Op. 28 * ''Divertissement'', Op. 29 # Canon # Fughetta # Final * ''Fantaisie sur un thème de J. Haydn'', Op. 31 (1958) * ''Frère Jacques'', Fantaisie, Op. 32 * ''The Erie Canal'', Fantasy, Op. 38 * ''Fileuse'', Op. 39 * ''Les cerisiers en fleurs'' (Cherry Blossoms), Op. 41 * ''Arabesque'' pour harpe sans pédales, No. 1 from ''Trois pièces pour le piano'' * ''Automne'', Pièce pour harpe (1927) * ''Deux chansons populaires françaises'', Easy Pieces # Le bon petit roi d'Yvetôt # Et ron ron ron, petit patapon * ''4 Études'' # Legato # Phrasing # 4th Finger # Rhythm * ''Impromptu'' pour harpe sans pédales, No. 3 from ''Trois pièces pour le piano'' * ''Les agneaux dansent'' (Dancing Lambs) for harp with or without pedals * ''Little Harp Book'', 8 Easy Solos for harp with or without pedals * ''Pastorale'' pour harpe sans pédales, No. 2 from ''Trois pièces pour le piano'' * ''Petite suite classique'' # Joyful Overture: In the Style of Purcell # Gigue: Remembrance of Kuhnau # Gavotte: Reverence to Lully # Siciliana: Aeolian Mode # Passepied: Homage to the Couperins # Bourrée: In the Style of Handel * ''3 Préludes'' * ''Trois pièces faciles'' (3 Easy Pieces) * ''Variations on a Prelude of J.S. Bach'' (1965?); after BWV 872a ;Transcriptions for harp solo *

J.S. Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

- ''Etudes for Harp'' selected and transcribed from Bach's ''violin partitas and sonatas'' *

- "Gigue & Preambulum, Corrente & Minuetto" selected and transcribed from Bach's ''Clavier partitas 1 & 5'' *

- ''Praeludium'' transcribed from Bach's ''Well tempered Clavier Book 1'' *

– ''Allemande'' *

John Bull John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter- ...

– ''The King's Hunt'' * François Couperin – ''La commère'' *

Manuel de Falla Manuel de Falla y Matheu (, 23 November 187614 November 1946) was an Andalusian Spanish composer and pianist. Along with Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tárrega, and Enrique Granados, he was one of Spain's most important musicians of the first ...

- ''Spanish Dance 1'' *

Antoine Francisque Antoine Francisque (c. 1570 in Saint-Quentin – 1605 in Paris) was a 16th-century French lutenist and composer. Biography Little is known of the details of Francisque's life. Francisque was born in Saint-Quentin circa 1570. On 23 February 159 ...

– ''Pavane et bransles'' from ''Le Trésor d'Orphée'' * George Frideric Handel – ''Prelude and Toccata'', HWV 568, 475; ''Saraband'' (HWV 455); "Concerto en si bémol & cadence originale", 1933 * Gottfried Kirchhoff – ''Aria and Rigaudon'' * Jean-Baptiste Loeillet – ''Toccata'' *

Giovanni Battista Sammartini Giovanni Battista Sammartini (c. 1700 – 15 January 1775) was an Italian composer, violinist, organist, choirmaster and teacher. He counted Gluck among his students, and was highly regarded by younger composers including Johann Christian ...

– ''Allegretto'' *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

- ''Ave Maria'' * Ottorino Respighi - ''Siciliana'' * Traditional ic– ''On an Old Christmas Song: " Silent Night, Holy Night"'' (actually by

Franz Xaver Gruber Franz Xaver Gruber (25 November 1787 – 7 June 1863) was an Austrian primary school teacher, church organist and composer in the village of Arnsdorf, who is best known for composing the music to "Stille Nacht" (" Silent Night"). Life Gruber ...

and

Joseph Mohr Josephus Franciscus Mohr, sometimes spelled Josef (11 December 1792 – 4 December 1848) was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer, who wrote the words to the Christmas carol " Silent Night." Early life and education Mohr was born in ...

) ;Vocal * ''O bien aimée'' for voice (or melody instrument) and harp; words by

Paul Verlaine Paul-Marie Verlaine (; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the '' fin de siècle'' in international and ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grandjany, Marcel Musicians from Paris 1891 births 1975 deaths 20th-century classical composers American classical harpists American male classical composers American classical composers French classical harpists Composers for harp Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal faculty Juilliard School faculty Manhattan School of Music faculty 20th-century American composers 20th-century French composers 20th-century American male musicians French male classical composers French emigrants to the United States