August 2019

Frederick Theodore Albert Delius (Jan. 29, 1862 - June 10, 1934) was an English composer born to a wealthy mercantile family. Having shown musical talent as a young child, he resisted entering in to the world of commerce, but was sent to Florida in 1884 to manage an orange plantation. He began composing there, after being influenced by African American music, and just a couple years later became a full time composer in Paris; his time there was productive. He then lived in Grez-sur-Loing, where he and his wife Jelka Rosen lived the rest of their lives. Continue reading →

Paul Gilson (June 15, 1865 - April 3,1942) was born in Brussels, and was an organist and choir director. At the Brussels Conservatory he studied harmony and counterpoint, and won a Prix de Rome for a cantata he wrote. He became a Professor of Composition there in 1899, but quit in 1909 after he became an inspector for music education until 1930. He wrote a great deal, but his output slowed down significantly after 1905; at that point he mainly wrote about music theory, criticism, and composition. Continue reading →

Clarence Cameron White (Aug. 10, 1880 - June 30, 1960) was an African-American composer, teacher, and violinist. During his time, he was considered the foremost violinist of his race.  Continue reading →

Alexander von Zemlinsky (Oct. 14, 1871 - March 15, 1942) was born in Vienna, Austria, and played the piano from a young age. Admitted to the Vienna Conservatory in 1884, and won the school's piano prize in 1890. He began writing in 1892, when he started studying theory with Robert Fuchs, and composition with Johann Nepomuk Fuchs and Anton Bruckner. Continue reading →