Duke, Vernon, 1903-1969

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1903-10-10
Death 1969-01-16
Americans
English

Biographical notes:

< Born Vladimir Alexandrovitch Dukelsky, Parafianove, Minsk 1916 1919 Studied composition with Reinhold Glière and Marian Dombrovsky at the Kiev Conservatory 1920 Fled the Revolution with his family, settling first in Constantinople 1921 Autumn Sailed for New York 1924 Sailed to Paris at the behest of Artur Rubinstein 1925 Feb. 21 Katja the Dancer opens in London, two songs by Duke added to score 1925 Zephyr and Flora performed (Diaghilev Ballets Russes, Kochno-Braque-Chanel-Massine) 1926 May 22 Yvonne opens in London, half of the score by Duke 1927 April Two Little Girls in Blue closes during pre-London tryout, one song by Duke 1927 Oct. 12 Bow-Wows opens in London, one song by Duke 1928 Feb. 8 Yellow Mask opens in London 1928 June 14 First Symphony premiered by Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony 1929 August Open Your Eyes closes during pre-London tryout 1930 Duke contributes songs or instrumentals to the films: Follow the Leader, Follow Thru, Heads Up, Hold Your Man, Laughter and The Sap from Syracuse 1930 June 4 Garrick Gaieties (Third Edition) opens in New York, partial score by Duke 1930 Oct. 15 Three's A Crowd opens in New York, one song by Duke 1931 July 21 Shoot the Works opens in New York, one song by Duke 1931 Epitaph premieres in Boston; July 31st, Shoot the Works opens, which included one song by Duke 1932 Oct. 5 Americana (1932) opens in New York, one song by Duke 1932 Dec. 7 Walk a Little Faster opens in New York, Duke's first complete Broadway score, which included his most famous song "April in Paris" 1933 May 31 "Composers' manifesto" published in the New York Times 1934 Jan. 4 Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 opens in New York, music mostly by Duke 1934 Dec. 27 Thumbs Up opens in New York, one song by Duke--"Autumn in New York" 1934 35 Duke studies orchestration with Joseph Schillinger 1935 March 8 Public Gardens ballet premieres in Chicago 1936 Jan. 30 Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 opens in New York, score includes "I Can't Get Started" 1936 April Revised ballet Jardin presented at the N.Y. Metropolitan Opera House, then Covent Garden (London) in June 1936 Dec. 25 The Show Is On opens in New York, partial score by Duke 1937 Second Symphony in Paris, conducted by Albert Wolff 1937 July 11 George Gershwin dies; Duke is a pallbearer at the funeral 1937 38 Duke completes Gershwin's score for the film The Goldwyn Follies 1938 Jan. 12 The End of St. Petersburg is premiered at Carnegie Hall 1938 Duke organizes High-Low Concerts in New York 1939 March 7 Vladimir Dukelsky becomes an American citizen and takes Vernon Duke as his legal name 1939 Dec. 26 The White Plume retitled A Vagabond Hero opens and closes in Washington, D.C., during pre-Broadway tryout, partial score by Duke 1940 May 23 Keep Off the Grass opens in New York with Duke's contribution, the ballet "Raffles," choreographed by George Balanchine for Ray Bolger 1940 Oct. 25 Cabin in the Sky opens in New York, score includes "Takin' a Chance on Love" 1940 Duke writes songs for the Seymour Felix-staged Midnight Frolics, and composes "New York Nocturne," to become Charlie Barnet's theme song 1940 41 Duke contributes songs to the shows: Crazy With the Heat, Ice-Capades of 1941 and It Happens on Ice 1941 Dec. 25 Banjo Eyes opens in New York 1942 Jan. 9 The Lady Comes Across opens in New York 1942 April Duke's mother dies. 1942 Duke contributes a song to the film White Catgo; he is drafted and enters the Coast Guard for two and one half years; composes Cello Concerto for Gregor Piatigorsky 1943 March Cabin in the Sky (film) opens 1943 March 18 Violin Concerto premiered by Koussevitzky in Boston 1943 March 22 Dancing in the Streets opens and closes in Boston during pre-Broadway tryout 1944 Jan. 13 Jackpot opens in New York 1944 May 5 Tars and Spars opens in New York and tours the country 1944 Nov. 16 Sadie Thompson opens in New York 1946 Jan. 4 Cello Concerto premieres in Boston with Piatigorsky, conducted by Koussevitzky 1946 Oct. 10 Sweet Bye and Bye opens and closes in New Haven during its pre-Broadway tryout 1946, Nov. 18 "Ode to the Milky Way" premieres at City Center in New York, conducted by Leonard Bernstein 1946 Dec. 19 Le Bal des Blanchisseuses (Ballets des Champs Elysées, Kochmo-Stanislao Lepri-Roland Petit) 1948 Feb. Paris Aller et Retour broadcast on French radio 1948 Harpsichord Sonata composed for Fernando Valenti; Duke founds the Society for Forgotten Music 1952 Dec. 15 Two's Company opens in New York 1955 Duke's autobiography--Passport to Paris--is published 1956 May 22 The Littlest Revue opens in New York (Off-Broadway,) score mostly by Duke 1957 Vernon Duke marries Kay McCracken 1957 Nov. 12 Time Remembered opens in New York, a play with two songs by Duke 1959 Oct. 14 The Pink Jungle opens and closes in San Francisco during its pre-Broadway tryout 1963 Listen Here!: a Critical Essay on Music Depreciation published. Zenda performed on the west coast 1963 Aug. 5 Zenda opens and closes in San Francisco during its pre-Broadway tryout 1964 Jan. 21 Cabin in the Sky revival opens in New York 1969 Jan. 16 Vernon Duke dies in Santa Monica, California

From the guide to the Vernon Duke Collection, 1918-1968, (Music Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • Ballades (Instrumental music)
  • Composers
  • Musical revues, comedies, etc.
  • Musical theater
  • Music, Popular (Songs, etc.)
  • Pantomimes with music
  • Piano music
  • Piano with orchestra
  • Piano with timpani and string orchestra
  • Songs (High voice) with orchestra
  • Songs (Medium voice) with piano
  • Symphonies

Occupations:

  • Arrangers
  • Collector
  • Composers

Places:

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