Beach, John Parsons, 1877-1953

John Parsons Beach was born in Gloversville, New York, on October 11, 1877. The nephew of Cyrus Northrop, he studied piano at the New England Conservatory in Boston, and became a piano instructor at the University of Minnesota. In 1910 he went to Europe where he took lessons in composition with André Gédalge and piano with Harold Bauer in Paris, and Gian Francesco Malipiero in Venice. Returning to Boston, he took additional lessons with George Chadwick, Clayton Johns, and Charles Martin Loeffler. He held various teaching jobs, finally settling in Pasadena, California. Beach died in Pasadena, on November 6, 1953.

Composed 1926. Original title: New Orleans street cries at dawn. First performance (under original title), Philadelphia, 22 April 1927, Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski, conductor.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1923. First performance in ballet form Asolo, Italy, 6 July 1925, Francesco de Guarnieri conductor. First concert performance Eastman School of Music, Rochester, 28 December 1926, the Rochester Little Symphony Orchestra, Howard Hanson conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1925. First performance the Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, New Orleans, 15 February 1926, Henri Wehrman conductor, William Broussard baritone soloist.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.