Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1894-04-27
Death 1995-12-25
Americans,
English,

Biographical notes:

Composed 1933. First performance Hollywood Bowl, 13 July 1933, the composer conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

From the description of Fragment of chorus from "Orestes" of Euripides : from a conjectural version (400 B.C.) / arranged by Nicolas Slonimsky. [19--] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 54759973

Movements 1-6 and 8 originally composed 1928 in Studies in Black and White for piano. Transcribed and Valse added, 1941. First performance Buenos Aires, 31 October 1941, Grupo Renovación concert, the composer conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

From the description of Suite : for flute, oboe, clarinet, percussion and a portable typewriter / Nicolas Slonimsky. [19--] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 54759989

Commissioned by Arthur Cohn. Composed 1942.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

From the description of [Fanfare for the W.P.A. Music Copying Project of the Free Library of Philadelphia] / Nicolas Slonimsky ; edited by Arthur Cohn. [1942] (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 54759953

Originally composed 1928 as part of Studies in Black and White for piano. Transcribed 1933. First performance Hollywood Bowl, 23 July 1933, the composer conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

From the description of Little march for the big bowl : alternate title--Marche grotesque / by Nicolas Slonimsky ; edited by Arthur Cohn. 1943. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 54759968

Slonimsky was a conductor, composer, writer, and editor of a number of reference books on music.

From the description of Letter, 1991. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232008507

Russian-born American musicologist.

From the description of Typewritten letters signed (2), dated : Boston, 6 May 1964 and Los Angeles, 13 February 1980, to Mr. [James] Fuld, 1964 May 6 and 1980 Feb. 13. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270874536

Nicholas Slonimsky, lexicographer, composer, and writer on music, was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Apr. 27, 1894. He studied the piano with his aunt, Isabelle Vengerova, a well-known piano pedagogue, at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and composition with Glière. He taught at the Eastman School of Music (1923¡1925). He was Serge Koussevitzky's secretary for two years and conducted the Boston Chamber Orchestra (1927¡1934) and the Harvard University Orchestra (1927¡1930). In the 1930s and early 1940s he became known for conducting first performances of Ives, Varèse, Riegger, Cowell, Chàvez, and other composers of the Americas. He was a lecturer at Colorado College (1940, 1947¡1949), the Peabody Conservatory (1956¡1957), and the University of California at Los Angeles (1964¡1967). Slonimsky was author or editor of major music reference works, including Music Since 1900, Music of Latin America, The international cyclopedia of music and musicians, 4th ed., Thesaurus of scales and melodic patterns, Lexicon of musical invective, and many editions of Baker's biographical dictionary. He died on Dec. 25, 1995, in Los Angeles.

From the description of Nicolas Slonimsky collection, 1873-1997 (bulk 1920-1990). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71055179

Biographical Sketch

1894 April 27 Born in St. Petersburg (Nikolai Leonidovich) 1900 November 6 Studies piano with his aunt, Isabelle Vengerova 1919 Composition lessons with Glière 1920 Appointed instructor at Yalta Conservatory, piano accompanist for singers 1921 Arrives in Paris; Hired as secretary and rehearsal pianist for Serge Koussevitzky 1923 Coach, Eastman School of Music, opera department; Studies composition with Selim Palmgren; conducting with Albert Coates 1925 Works for Koussevitzky in Paris and Boston 1925 Composes "Make this a day of Pepsodent," "No More Shiny Nose," "Children Cry for Castoria" (singing commercials) 1927 Fired by Koussevitzky 1927 Organizes the Chamber Orchestra of Boston 1927 29 Conducts the Pierian Sodality at Harvard 1928 30 Directs the Apollo Chorus 1928 "Studies in Black and White" for piano 1931 January 10 Conducts first performance of Charles Ives' "Three Places in New England," NYC, Town Hall 1931 Marries Dorothy Adlow 1931 Becomes naturalized US citizen 1931 32 Conducts concerts of modern American, Cuban and Mexican music in Paris, Berlin, and Budapest under the auspices of the Pan-American Association of Composers 1932 Conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic 1933 March Premiers Varèse's "Ionisation" 1933 First appearance at Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 1937 Invents the term "Pandiatonicism" 1937 Music Since 1900 published 1942 "My Toy Balloon" 1945 "Gravestones" 1945 Music of Latin America 1945 47 Lectures in Slavic languages and literatures at Harvard 1946 The International cyclopedia of music and musicians, 4th edition 1947 Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns 1947 The Road to Music 1952 Lexicon of Musical Invective 1962 63 Travels in Russia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Rumania, Greece, and Israel under the auspices of the Office of Cultural Exchange, U.S. Department of State 1964 Dorothy Adlow, his wife, dies 1965 May 5 "Möbius Strip-Tease" performed at UCLA 1968 February 2 "Sex and the Music Librarian" 1971 Music Since 1900, 4th edition 1971 77 "Minitudes" 1987 Translates Boris de Schloezer's biography of Scriabin into English 1987 Perfect Pitch 1988 Lectionary of Music 1995 December 25 Dies in Los Angeles 1996 January 22 Memorial Service at UCLA

From the guide to the Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990), (Music Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • Chamber orchestra music
  • Fanfares
  • Marches (Chamber orchestra)
  • Music
  • Music
  • Orchestral music
  • Overtures (Chamber orchestra)
  • Pantomimes with music
  • Songs, English
  • Songs (Medium voice) with piano
  • Songs with piano
  • Suites (Clarinet, flute, oboe, percussion)
  • Variations (Violin)
  • Violin and violoncello music
  • Violin music

Occupations:

  • Composers

Places:

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