Thorne, Francis

American jazz musician and composer.

Prolific American composer Francis Thorne (born 1922) is well known for his work in a variety of genres, as well as for his service in music administration.

Born in Bay Shore, New York, Thorne came from a musical family. His father had been a ragtime pianist and his grandfather, Gustave Kobbé was an eminent music critic and writer. Thorne's own approach to music was equally eclectic. He received his formal music training at Yale University with Paul Hindemith. After graduation, Thorne served in the United States Navy during World War II. Following the war, he worked in both the banking industry and as a stock broker on Wall Street. In 1955, Thorne abandoned the field of finance and tried his hand again at music. Duke Ellington recommended Thorne to Manhattan's Hickory House, where he landed a two-year engagement as a jazz pianist. In 1958, Thorne moved his family to Florence, Italy in the hopes of studying composition with Luigi Dallapiccola. Thorne instead became a private student of David Diamond. Thorne would incorporate jazz into his formal compositions. A seminal work in this vein was Nocturnes for Voice and Piano. His first big success as a professional composer was the work Elegy for Orchestra, which received its premiere with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1964. Thorne also became the founder and administrator of the Thorne Music Fund from 1965-1974. This fund awarded emerging composers three-year fellowships to focus on their writing. Thorne later served as the executive director of the Naumburg Foundation and the American Composers Alliance. He also has been the president and co-founder of the American Composers Orchestra.

Francis Burritt Thorne Jr. was born June 23, 1922 in Bay Shore, New York. He attended Yale University studying music with Paul Hidemith. Thorne graduated in 1942. He joined the United States Navy during World War II. After the war he worked in both the banking industry and as a stock broker on Wall Street.

In 1955 Thorne abandoned the banking industry and try his hand again at music. Duke Ellington recommended Thorne to Manhattan’s Hickory House, his first professional job as a jazz pianist. In 1958 Thorne moved his family to Florence, Italy in the hopes of studying composition with Luigi Dallapiccola. Because Dallapiccola had recently returned to the United States, Thorne became a private student of David Diamond for two years.

Thorne combined his passion for the western traditional music with jazz. His first seminal work was the Nocturnes for voice and piano. His first big success as a professional composer was the work Elegy. Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra premiered the work in 1964.

Thorne has produced on average from two to five works a year in variety of genres since the early sixties. To date his twenty-three orchestral works include five symphonies, several works for wind ensemble, four string quartets, a number of works for mixed chamber ensemble, and numerous vocal and choral works, including the opera Mario and the Magician.

Thorne was the founder and administrator of the Thorne Music Fund from 1965-1974. The fund awarded composers three-year fellowships, so that they could concentrate on their music. Thorne has served as the executive director of the Naumburg Foundation and the American Composers Alliance. He has also been the President and co-Founder of the American Composers Orchestra.

In 1985 he received the Commendation of Excellence award from the Broadcast Music, Inc. In 1987 he received the Laurel Leaf Award from the American Composers Alliance. He was elected in 1988 to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Thorne lives with his wife Ann in New York City. The couple has three daughters and four grandsons.