Vincent Ludwig Persichetti (June 6, 1915 – August 14, 1987) was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. An important musical educator and writer, he was known for his integration of various new ideas in musical composition into his own work and teaching, as well as for training many noted composers in composition 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 el ...

. His students at Juilliard included Philip Glass, Steve Reich,

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, Louis Calabro,

Moshe Cotel Moshe (Morris) Cotel (February 20, 1943 – October 24, 2008) was a pianist and composer whose music was strongly influenced by his Jewish roots. Cotel moved from his Jewish roots to focus on music for most of his life, and received his rabbinic ord ...

Michael Jeffrey Shapiro Michael Jeffrey Shapiro is an American composer, conductor, and author. The son of a Klezmer band clarinetist, Michael Shapiro spent most of his high school years in Baldwin, a Long Island suburb, where he was a music student of Consuelo Elsa ...

Laurie Spiegel Laurie Spiegel (born September 20, 1945) is an American composer. She has worked at Bell Laboratories, in computer graphics, and is known primarily for her electronic-music compositions and her algorithmic composition software ''Music Mouse''. Sh ...

Kenneth Fuchs Kenneth Daniel Fuchs (born July 1, 1956) is a Grammy Award-winning American composer. He currently serves as Professor of Music Composition at the University of Connecticut (Storrs). Music Kenneth Fuchs's fifth Naxos recording with the London ...

Richard Danielpour Richard Danielpour (born January 28, 1956) is an American composer. Early life Danielpour was born in New York City of Persian Jewish descent and grew up in New York City and West Palm Beach, Florida. He studied at Oberlin College and the New E ...

, Lawrence Dillon,

Peter Schickele "Professor" Peter Schickele (; born July 17, 1935) is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist, best known for comedy albums featuring his music, but which he presents as being composed by the fictional P. D. Q. Bach. He also hosted ...

Lowell Liebermann Lowell Liebermann (born February 22, 1961 in New York City) is an American composer, pianist and conductor. Life and career At the age of sixteen, Liebermann performed at Carnegie Hall, playing his Piano Sonata, op. 1. He studied at the Juilliard ...

, Robert Witt,

Elena Ruehr Elena Ruehr (born 1963, Ann Arbor) is an American musician, music educator and composer. Life and career Elena Ruehr's parents were a mathematician and an English professor. She grew up in Houghton, Michigan and began piano lessons at age four. Sh ...

William Schimmel William Schimmel (born 1946) is one of the principal architects in the resurgence of the accordion, and the philosophy of "Musical Reality" (composition with pre-existing music). He holds Bachelor of Music, Master of Science and Doctor of Musical ...

Leonardo Balada Leonardo Balada Ibáñez (born September 22, 1933) is a Catalan American classical composer, who is noted for his operas and orchestral works. Life Balada was born in Barcelona, Spain. After studying piano at the Conservatori Superior de Mús ...

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, Roland Wiggins, Randell Croley and

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. He also taught composition to

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and conductor

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at the Philadelphia Conservatory.

Life

Persichetti was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, Pennsylvania, in 1915. Though neither of his parents was a musician, his musical education began early. Persichetti enrolled in the

Combs College of Music Combs College of Music was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, in 1885 as Combs Broad Street Conservatory of Music by Gilbert Raynolds Combs, celebrated pianist, organist and composer. The faculty included famous musicians such ...

at the age of five, where he studied

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

, organ,

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

and later

music theory 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 (ke ...

and composition with Russel King Miller, whom he considered a great influence. He first performed his original works publicly at the age of 14. By the time he reached his teens, Persichetti was paying for his own education by accompanying and performing. He continued to do so throughout high school, adding church organist, orchestral player and radio staff pianist to his experience. In addition to developing his musical talents, he attended art school and remained an avid sculptor until his death. He attended Combs for his undergraduate education as well. After receiving a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in 1936, he was immediately offered a teaching position. By the age of 20, Persichetti was simultaneously head of the theory and composition department at Combs, a conducting major with

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 ...

at the Curtis Institute, and a student of piano (with

Olga Samaroff Olga Samaroff (August 8, 1880May 17, 1948) was an American pianist, music critic, and teacher. Among her teachers was Charles-Valentin Alkan's son, Élie-Miriam Delaborde. Her second husband was the conductor Leopold Stokowski. Samaroff was ...

) and composition at the Philadelphia Conservatory. He earned a master's degree in 1941 and a doctorate in 1945 from the Conservatory, as well as a conducting diploma from Curtis. In 1941, while still a student, Persichetti headed the theory and composition department as well as the department of postgraduate study at Philadelphia Conservatory. In 1941 Persichetti married Dorothea Flanagan who was a composer as well. They had a daughter named Lauren who is a dancer. From 1932 to 1948 he was organist and eventually choirmaster of the Arch Street Presbytarian Church. In 1947,

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. ...

offered him a professorship at

Juilliard 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 ...

. While at the Juilliard School, Persichetti was devoted to the wind band movement and advocated William Schuman and

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 ...

to compose pieces for wind band. He was on staff at Juilliard for over forty years. Persichetti's students included

Einojuhani Rautavaara Einojuhani Rautavaara (; 9 October 1928 – 27 July 2016) was a Finnish composer of classical music. Among the most notable Finnish composers since Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), Rautavaara wrote a great number of works spanning various styles. ...

Steven Gellman Steven Gellman (born 16 September 1947) is a Canadian composer and 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 ...

(

P.D.Q. Bach P. D. Q. Bach is a fictional composer invented by the American musical satirist Peter Schickele, who developed a five-decade-long career performing the "discovered" works of the "only forgotten son" of the Bach family. Schickele's music combines ...

Claire Polin Claire Polin (January 1, 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – December 6, 1995 in Merion, Pennsylvania) was an American composer of contemporary classical music, musicologist, and flutist. Education She obtained degrees in music (including a do ...

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, Robert Witt (who also studied with Persichetti at the Philadelphia Conservatory), Randell Croley and Philip Glass. He became editorial director of the Elkan-Vogel publishing house in 1952.

Music

Persichetti is one of the major figures in American music of the 20th century, both as a teacher and a composer. Notably, his ''Hymns and Responses for the Church Year'' has become a standard setting for church choirs. His numerous compositions for

wind ensemble A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

are often introductions to contemporary music for high school and college students. His early style was marked by the influences of Stravinsky, Bartók,

Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

, and Copland before he developed his distinct voice in the 1950s. Persichetti's music draws on a wide variety of thought in 20th-century contemporary composition as well as

Big Band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

music. His own style was marked by use of two elements he refers to as "graceful" and "gritty": the former being more lyrical and melodic, the latter being sharp and intensely rhythmic. Especially true of his early compositions, Persichetti said he "liked bumpy melodic lines and was crazy about music that moved along a zigzag path." He frequently used

polytonality Polytonality (also polyharmony) is the musical use of more than one key simultaneously. Bitonality is the use of only two different keys at the same time. Polyvalence or polyvalency is the use of more than one harmonic function, from the same key ...

and pandiatonicism in his writing, and his music could be marked by sharp rhythmic interjections, but his embracing of diverse strands of musical thought makes characterizing his body of work difficult. This trend continued throughout his compositional career. His music lacked sharp changes in style over time. He frequently composed while driving in his car, sometimes taping staff paper to the steering wheel. His piano music forms the bulk of his creative output, with a concerto, a concertino, twelve

sonatas Sonata (; Italian: , pl. ''sonate''; from Latin and Italian: ''sonare'' rchaic Italian; replaced in the modern language by ''suonare'' "to sound"), in music, literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cant ...

, and a variety of other pieces written for the instrument. These were

virtuosic A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...

pieces as well as pedagogical and amateur-level compositions. Persichetti was an accomplished pianist. He wrote many pieces suitable for less mature performers, considering them to have serious artistic merit. Persichetti is also one of the major composers for the concert

wind band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

repertoire, with his 14 works for the ensemble. In 1950, Persichetti composed his first work for band, which was the ''Divertimento for Band''. The Symphony No. 6 for band is of particular note as a standard larger work. This piece boasts complex percussion lines crucial to the work's thematic material as well as utilizes the full spectrum of colors and timbres of the wind band. He wrote one

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

, entitled ''The Sibyl.'' The music was noted by critics for its color, but the dramatic and vocal aspects of the work were found by some to be lacking. He wrote nine symphonies, of which the first two were withdrawn, and four string quartets. Many of his other works are organized into series. One of these, a collection of primarily instrumental works entitled ''Parables'', contains 25 works, many for unaccompanied wind instruments (complete listing below). His 15 ''Serenades'' include such unconventional combinations as a trio for

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

, and

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

, as well as selections for orchestra, for band, and for duo piano. During the 1950s, Persichetti was perceived to "truly achieve his own distinctive voice," in the words of Walter G. Simmons. One of Persichetti's most revered compositions is his Concierto for Piano, Four Hands. This duet was first performed at the Pittsburgh International Contemporary Music Festival on November 29, 1952. The piece itself gives the listener the illusion that the two pianists are having a pleasant conversation, without using words, but just musical notes. The duet featured both Vincent and Dorothea Persichetti as the performers. In his review in the Manchester Guardian, Colin Mason stated, "The Concierto for Piano, Four Hands was for me one of the most interesting stimulating American works of the Pittsburgh International Contemporary Music Festival." Persichetti's esthetic was essentially conservative, a distinctive blend of Classical, Romantic and Modernist elements, contrapuntal, rhythmically charged and expertly scored. His musical imagination was multifaceted and highly virtuosic. "Following the lineage of Mozart, Mendelssohn and Ravel, Persichetti's music suggests the innocence and childlike joy of pure musical creativity", Walter Simmons wrote in the ''New Grove Dictionary of American Music''. "Hence many works for beginners stand, with neither condescension nor apology, alongside more difficult compositions." Persichetti frequently appeared as a lecturer on college campuses, for which he was noted for his witty and engaging manner. He wrote the noted music theory textbook, ''Twentieth Century Harmony: Creative Aspects and Practice''. He and

Flora Rheta Schreiber Flora Rheta Schreiber (April 24, 1918 – November 3, 1988)Special Collections, database. 2020.The Papers of Flora Rheta Schreiber 1916–1988" ''Lloyd Sealy Library''. New York: John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Retrieved 13 May 2020. was an A ...

wrote a monograph on

. Persichetti was a big fan of collaboration between music and dance. He encouraged his students at Juilliard to work with the dance program to create compositions for the dancers choreography. Persichetti also collaborated with choreographers professionally. He worked with Martha Graham. He admired her seriousness and her commitment to movement. Persichetti believed that music has to stand on its own and can not be married to dance, one can not depend on the other. He once said, "There isn't such thing as dance music. Music is dance, it's motion." Persichetti performed many concerts consisting of improvisation. He believed any composer/artist must improvise to create.

Works

Selected works

*''Celebrations'', for Chorus and Wind Ensemble, Op. 103 *''Chorale Prelude: So Pure the Star'', Op. 91 *''Chorale Prelude: Turn Not Thy Face'', Op. 105 *''Divertimento for Band'', Op. 42 *''Masquerade'' for Band, Op. 102 *''Masques'' for violin and piano Op. 99 *''Mass'' for a capella mixed chorus, Op. 84 *''Pageant'', Op. 59 *''Parable IX'' for Band, Op. 121 *''Pastoral'' for Wind Quintet, Op. 21 *''Psalm for Band'', Op. 53 *Symphony No. 6 for Band (1956) *''The Hollow Men'', for trumpet and string orchestra, Op. 25 *''The Sibyl: A Parable of Chicken Little (Parable XX)'': An Opera in One Act, Op. 135 *''Winter Cantata'', Op. 97 for Women's Chorus, Flute, and Marimba

Complete listing of parables

*''Parable ' for Flute, Op. 100 (1965) *''Parable II'' for Brass Quintet, Op. 108 (1968) *''Parable III'' for Oboe, Op. 109 (1968) *''Parable IV'' for Bassoon, Op. 110 (1969) *''Parable V'' for Carillon, Op. 112 (1969) *''Parable VI'' for Organ, Op. 117 (1971) *''Parable VII'' for Harp, Op. 119 (1971) *''Parable VIII'' for Horn, Op. 120 (1972) *''Parable IX'' for Band, Op. 121 (1972) *''String Quartet No. 4 (Parable X)'', Op. 122 (1972) *''Parable XI'' for Alto Saxophone, Op. 123 (1972) *''Parable XII'' for Piccolo, Op. 125 (1973) *''Parable XIII'' for Clarinet, Op. 126 (1973) *''Parable XIV'' for Trumpet, Op. 127 (1975) *''Parable XV'' for English Horn, Op. 128 (1973) *''Parable XVI'' for Viola, Op. 130 (1974) *''Parable XVII'' for Double Bass, Op. 131 (1974) *''Parable XVIII'' for Trombone, Op. 133 (1975) *''Parable XIX'' for Piano, Op. 134 (1975) *''The Sibyl: A Parable of Chicken Little (Parable XX)'': An Opera in One Act, Op. 135 *''Parable XXI'' for Guitar, Op. 140 (1978) *''Parable XXII'' for Tuba, Op. 147 (1981) *''Parable XXIII'' for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Op. 150 (1981) *''Parable XXIV'' for Harpsichord, Op. 153 (1982) *''Parable XXV'' for Two Trumpets, Op. 164 (1986)

Poems for piano

*Volume 1, Op. 4: #''Unroll the flicker's rousing drum'' (

Louis Untermeyer Louis Untermeyer (October 1, 1885 – December 18, 1977) was an American poet, anthologist, critic, and editor. He was appointed the fourteenth Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1961. Life and career Untermeyer was born in New Y ...

''First Words Before Spring'') #''Soft is the collied night'' (

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''Fountains'') #''Gather for festival bright weed and purple shell'' (

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''Songs from Cyprus'') #''Wake subtler dreams, and touch me nigh to tears'' (William Watson ''The Frontier'') #''Ravished lute, sing to her virgin ears'' (

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''Song after Campion'') #''Whose thin fraud I wink at privily'' (William Watson ''The Mock Self'') *Volume 2, Op. 5: #''And warm winds spilled fragrance into her solitudes'' ( Edmond Kowalewski ''Change'') #''To whose more clear than crystal voice the frost had joined a crystal spell'' (

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''Home Coming'') #''Sleep, weary mind; dream, heart's desire'' (

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''There are no islands any more'') #''Dust in sunlight, and memory in corners'' ( T. S. Eliot ''A Song for Simeon'') #''Make me drunken with deep red torrents of joy'' (

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''Autumnal Clouds'') *Volume 3, Op. 14: #''Rear its frondings sighing in aetherial folds'' ( Hart Crane ''Royal Palm'') #''Listen! Can you hear the antic melody of fear those two anxious feet are playing?'' ( Walter Prude) #''Puffed out and marching upon a blue sky'' (

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''Lilacs'') #''And hunged like those top jewels of the night'' (

''Twilit Revelation'') #''Each gay dunce shall lend a hand'' ( John Trumbull ''The Country Clown'')

List of selected works

*Concertino for Piano, op.16, 1941 *Symphony no.1, op.18, 1942 *Symphony no.2, op.19, 1942 *Dance Overture, op.20, 1942 *Fables, op.23, 1943 *The Hollow Men, op.25, 1944 *Symphony no.3, op.30, 1946 *Serenade no.5, op.43, 1950 *Fairy Tale, op.48, 195 *Symphony no.4, op.51, 1951 *Symphony for Strings (Sym. no.5), op.61, 1953 *Symphony no.7 ‘Liturgical’, op.80, 1958 *Piano Concerto, op.90, 1962 *Introit, op.96, 1964 *Symphony no.8, op.106, 1967 *Symphony no.9 ‘Sinfonia janiculum’, op.113, 1970 *Night Dances, op.114, 1970 *A Lincoln Address, op.124, 1972, originally written for Nixon's 2nd inauguration, incorporating text from Lincoln's 2nd inaugural address, but pulled from the program. Later premiered January 25, 1973 by

Walter Susskind Jan Walter Susskind (1 May 1913 – 25 March 1980) was a Czech-born British conductor, teacher and pianist. He began his career in his native Prague, and fled to Britain when Germany invaded the city in 1939. He worked for substantial periods in ...

and the St. Louis Symphony with narration by

William Warfield William Caesar Warfield (January 22, 1920 – August 25, 2002) was an American concert bass-baritone singer and actor, known for his appearances in stage productions, Hollywood films, and television programs. A prominent African American artist ...

. *Concerto for English Horn and Strings, op.137, 1977 *Band: **Divertimento, op.42, 1950 **Psalm, op.53, 1952 **Pageant, op.59, 1953 **Symphony for Band (Sym. no.6), op.69, 1956 **Serenade no.11, op.85, 1960 **Bagatelles, op.87, 1961 **So Pure the Star, chorale prelude, op.91, 1962 **Masquerade, op.102, 1965 **Turn not thy Face, chorale prelude, op.105, 1966 **O Cool is the Valley (Poem for Band), op.118, 1971 **A Lincoln Address, op.124a, nar, band, 1973 **O God Unseen, chorale prelude, op.160, 1984 *Vocal **Choral: ***Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, op.8, SATB, pf, 1940 ***Canons, op.31, SSAA/TTBB/SATB, 1947 ***2 Cummings Choruses (e.e. cummings), op.33, 2vv, pf, 1948 ****I. jimmie's got a goil ****II. sam was a man ***Proverb, op.34, SATB, 1948 ***2 Cummings Choruses, op.46, SSAA, 1950 ****I. hist whist ****II. this is the garden ***Hymns and Responses for the Church Year (W.H. Auden, Dickinson, Milton, Shakespeare, Psalms, Shelley, and others), op.68, 1955, originally a commission for a single hymn by Carleton Sprague Smith for Smith's collection American Hymns. ***Seek the Highest (F. Adler), op.78, SAB, pf, 1957 ***Song of Peace (anon.), op.82, TTBB/SATB, pf, 1959 ***Mass, op.84, SATB, 1960 ***Stabat mater, op.92, SATB, orch, 1963 ***Te Deum, op.93, SATB, orch, 1963 ***Spring Cantata (Cummings), op.94, SSAA, pf, 1963 ***Winter Cantata (11 Haiku), op.97, SSAA, fl, mar, 1964 ***4 Cummings Choruses, op.98, 2vv, pf, 1964 ****I. dominic has a doll ****II. nouns to nouns ****III. maggie and millie and molly and may ****IV. uncles ***Celebrations (cant., W. Whitman), op.103, SATB, wind ens, 1966 ***The Pleiades (cant., Whitman), op.107, SATB, tpt, str, 1967 ***The Creation (Persichetti), op.111, S, A, T, Bar, SATB, orch, 1969; ***Love (Bible: Corinthians), op.116, SSAA, 1971 ***Glad and Very (Cummings), op.129, 2vv, 1974 ***Flower Songs (Cant. no.6) (Cummings), op.157, SATB, str, 1983 ***Hymns and Responses for the Church Year, vol. 2, op.166, 1987 **Solo: ***e.e. cummings Songs, op.26, 1945, unpublished ***2 Chinese Songs, op.29, 1945 ***3 English Songs (17th century), op.49, 1951, unpublished ***Harmonium (W. Stevens), song cycle, op.50, S, pf, 1951 ***Sara Teasdale Songs, op.72, 1957, unpublished ***Carl Sandburg Songs, op.73, 1957, unpublished ***James Joyce Songs, op.74, 1957 ***Hilaire Belloc Songs, op.75, 1957 ***Robert Frost Songs, op.76, 1957, unpublished ***Emily Dickinson Songs, op.77, 1957 ***A Net of Fireflies (Jap., trans. H. Steward), song cycle, op.115, 1970 *Chamber and Solo Instrumental **3 or more instruments: ***Serenade no.1, op.1, 10 wind, 1929 ***Str Qt no.1, op.7, 1939 ***Concertato, op.12, piano quintet, 1940 ***Serenade no.3, op.17, violin, cello, piano, 1941 ***Pastoral, op.21, woodwind quintet, 1943 ***String Quartet no.2, op.24, 1944 ***King Lear, op.35, woodwind quintet, timpani, piano, 1948 ***Serenade no.6, op.44, trombone, viola, cello, 1950 ***Piano Quintet, op.66, 1954 ***String Quartet no.3, op.81, 1959 **1–2 instruments: ***Suite, op.9, violin, cello, 1940, unpublished ***Sonata, op.10, violin, 1940 ***Fantasy, op.15, violin, piano, 1941, unpublished ***Vocalise, op.27, cello, piano, 1945 ***Serenade no.4, op.28, violin, piano, 1945 ***Sonata, op.54, cello, 1952 ***Little Recorder Book, op.70, 1956 ***Serenade no.9, op.71, 2 recorder, 1956 ***Serenade no.10, op.79, flute, harp, 1957 ***Infanta marina, op.83, viola, piano, 1960 ***Serenade no.12, op.88, tuba, 1961 ***Serenade no.13, op.95, 2 clarinets, 1963 ***Masques, op.99, violin, piano, 1965 ***Serenade no.14, op.159, oboe, 1984 *Keyboard **Piano: ***Serenade no.2, op.2, 1929 ***Sonata no.1, op.3, 1939 ***Poems, vols.1–2, opp.4–5, 1939 ***Sonata no.2, op.6, 1939 ***Sonata, op.13, 2 pianos, 1940 ***Poems, vol. 3, op.14, 1941 ***Sonata no.3, op.22, 1943 ***Variations for an Album, op.32, 1947 ***Sonata no.4, op.36, 1949 ***Sonata no.5, op.37, 1949 ***Sonatina no.1, op.38, 1950 ***Sonata no.6, op.39, 1950 ***Sonata no.7, op.40, 1950 ***Sonata no.8, op.41, 1950 ***Sonatina no.2, op.45, 1950 ***Sonatina no.3, op.47, 1950 ***Serenade no.7, op.55, 1952 ***Concerto, op.56, 4 hands, 1952 ***Parades, op.57, 1952 ***Sonata no.9, op.58, 1952; ***Little Piano Book, op.60, 1953 ***Serenade no.8, op.62, 4 hands, 1954 ***Sonatina no.4, op.63, 1954 ***Sonatina no.5, op.64, 1954 ***Sonatina no.6, op.65, 1954 ***Sonata no.10, op.67, 1955 ***Sonata no.11, op.101, 1965 ***Little Mirror Book, op.139, 1978 ***Reflective Studies, op.138, 1978 ***4 Arabesques, op.141, 1978 ***3 Toccatinas, op.142, 1979 ***Mirror Etudes, op.143, 1979 ***Sonata no.12, op.145, 1980 ***Winter Solstice, op.165, 1986 **Other: ***Sonatine, op.11, organ pedals, 1940 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.1, op.52, 1951 ***Sonata for Organ, op.86, 1960, commissioned by the St. Louis chapter of the AGO, premiered by Rudolph Kremer at the AGO chapter's 50th anniversary concert. ***Shimah b'koli, op.89, organ, 1962 ***Drop, Drop Slow Tears, chorale prelude, op.104, organ, 1966 ***Do Not Go Gentle, op.132, organ pedals, 1974 ***Auden Variations, op.136, organ, 1977, commissioned by the

Hartt College of Music The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford located in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States, that offers degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and ...

for organist Leonard Raver, premiered by Raver at Hartt's International Contemporary Organ Music Festival on July 14, 1978. ***Dryden Liturgical Suite, op.144, organ, 1979, commissioned by the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

's Marilyn Mason Commissioning Fund, dedicated to Marilyn Mason, premiered by Mason on June 1980 at the AGO's national convention in Minneapolis. ***Harpsichord Sonata no.2, op.146, 1981 ***Song of David, op.148, org, 1981 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.3, op.149, 1981 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.4, op.151, 1982 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.5, op.152, 1982 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.6, op.154, 1982 ***Little Hpd Book, op.155, 1983 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.7, op.156, 1983 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.8, op.158, 1984 ***Serenade no.15, op.161, harpsichord, 1984 ***Give Peace, O God, chorale prelude, op.162, organ, 1985 ***Harpsichord Sonata no.9, op.163, 1985

Awards and honors

*In honor of Persichetti's influence on American music, on May 19, 1984, he was awarded the

University of Pennsylvania Glee Club Founded in 1862, the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club (Penn Glee Club) is one of the oldest continually running glee clubs in the United States and the oldest performing arts group at the University of Pennsylvania. The Club draws its singing ...

Award of Merit. Beginning in 1964, this award "established to bring a declaration of appreciation to an individual each year that has made a significant contribution to the world of music and helped to create a climate in which our talents may find valid expression." *Persichetti was an honorary brother of the Delta Eta chapter 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 ...

Youngstown State University Youngstown State University (YSU or Youngstown State) is a public university in Youngstown, Ohio. It was founded in 1908 and is the easternmost member of the University System of Ohio. The university is composed of six undergraduate colleges a ...

. He was initiated into the fraternity on April 1, 1961. *Persichetti was an honorary brother of the Omicron chapter of

Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919, on Thanksgiving Day, at Oklahoma Agricult ...

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...

. He was initiated into the fraternity on November 17, 1967.

References

External links

Vincent Persichetti's page
Carl Fischer
Vincent Persichetti's page
Theodore Presser Company
Vincent Persichetti papers, 1901–1996
Music Division,

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

Vincent Persichetti collection of noncommercial recordings, 1940–1987
Music Division, New York Public Library
Dorothea Flanagan Persichetti scrapbook, 1925–1941
Music Division, New York Public Library

discussion of

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

songs, Opus 77, by Vincent Persichetti
Persichetti information and trivia
bandroom.com
List of works
ArkivMusic
Vincent Persichetti Society

Interviews

by Bruce Duffie, November 15, 1986
David Dubal interview with Vincent Persichetti
WNCN-FM, June 3, 1984
Interview with Tim Page
WNYC, May 12, 1987

Listening

Art of the States: Vincent Persichetti
''Night Dances, op. 114'' (1970) {{DEFAULTSORT:Persichetti, Vincent 1915 births 1987 deaths 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century classical composers American classical composers American male classical composers American people of Italian descent Classical musicians from Pennsylvania Combs College of Music alumni Composers for carillon Concert band composers Curtis Institute of Music alumni Juilliard School faculty Musicians from Philadelphia Pupils of Fritz Reiner South Philadelphia High School alumni University of the Arts (Philadelphia) alumni University of the Arts (Philadelphia) faculty