Clarke, Henry Leland

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Henry Leland Clarke, composer and professor of music, was born in New Hampshire in 1907. He received his undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees from Harvard University, where he studied composition with Gustav Holst; later he studied under Nadia Boulanger, Hans Weisse, and Otto Luening. Clarke taught at a number of colleges and universities, including the University of Washington. He retired from the University of Washington as professor emeritus in 1977 and died in 1992. In addition to his academic work, Clarke composed two operas: The Loafer and the Loaf, and Lysistrata. Clarke was a member of the Composers' Collective of New York and wrote songs for the group under the pseudonym J. Fairbanks.

From the description of Henry Leland Clarke letters, 1915-1987 (bulk 1930-1986). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70643502

Henry Leland Clarke, American composer and professor of music, was born in Dover, New Hampshire, on March 9, 1907. His studies at Harvard University (1924-29, 1931-32, and 1944-47) included a course in composition with Gustav Holst. He also studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger (1929-31) and in New York and Bennington with Hans Weisse and Otto Luening (1932-38). He held several teaching posts, retiring from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1977 as professor emeritus. He afterwards moved to Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he died on March 30, 1992. In addition to his academic work, Clarke composed two full-length operas. The first, The Loafer and the Loaf, was completed in 1951 and concerns a debate over the morality of stealing a loaf of bread. The music is essentially tonal and makes apt use of musical quotation, with some experimentation with chromaticism and atonality. The vocal lines are rhythmically complex and feature the wide leaps that became characteristic of his later work in the genre. In 1972, Clarke finished his second opera, Lysistrata, based on the play by Aristophanes. The musical style is essentially atonal, with some use of speech-song in the vocal lines. The dramatic character of Lysistrata is portrayed by the wide range and leaps in her vocal lines, in vivid contrast to her comic foils, whose vocal parts are set in a more tonal idiom with frequent use of patter. This work shows the full development of Clarke's 'word tones', in which a specific pitch is assigned to each word of the text, that particular pitch being used at each occurrence of the same word. Clarke was also a member of the Composers' Collective of New York and wrote songs for the group under the pseudonym J. Fairbanks. The collective, which grew out of a seminar in writing songs for the masses in 1933, sought to make an American contribution to the international working-class music movement then flourishing in Europe.

From the guide to the Henry Leland Clarke papers, 1929-1987, (The New York Public Library. Music Division.)

American composer and professor of music, Henry Leland Clarke, (1907-1992), experimented with the treatment of scales in his compositions, and taught at number of institutions over the course of a long academic career.

Born in Dover, New Hampshire, Clarke grew up in Saco, Maine, where he began his musical training. He attended Harvard University as an undergraduate, and later completed two graduate degrees at the same school. Clarke also furthered his musical education in Paris, with Nadia Boulanger, in New York, with Hans Weisse, and in Bennington, Vermont, with Otto Luening. Clarke held several academic positions, including stints at Bennington College, Westminster Choir College, Vassar College, the University of California at Los Angeles, and the University of Washington. He retired from the latter as professor emeritus in 1977. As a composer, Clarke developed the concept of "word tones," in which a specific pitch is assigned to each word of the text and that particular pitch is used for each occurrence of the same word. This technique perhaps is utilized most fully in Lysistrata (1972), the second of Clarke's two full-length operas. Writing under the pseudonym J. Fairbanks, Clarke also was a participant in the Composers' Collective of New York. Following his retirement, he moved to Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he lived until the time of his death.

From the description of Henry Leland Clarke papers, JPB 06-28. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 132692469

Henry Leland Clarke, composer and professor of music, was born in Dover, New Hampshire, on March 9, 1907. He received his undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees from Harvard University. While at Harvard, he studied composition with Gustav Holst. During this same period, his studies took him to Paris, New York, and Bennington, Vermont, where he studied under Nadia Boulanger, Hans Weisse, and Otto Luening, respectively. Over the course of his life, Clarke taught at Bennington College, Westminster Choir College, Vassar College, the University of California at Los Angeles, and the University of Washington. He retired from the University of Washington as professor emeritus in 1977. He afterwards moved to Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he died on March 30, 1992.

In addition to his academic work, Clarke composed two full-length operas. The first, The Loafer and the Loaf, was completed in 1951 and concerns a debate over the morality of stealing a loaf of bread. The music is essentially tonal and makes apt use of musical quotation, with some experimentation with chromaticism and atonality. In 1972, Clarke finished his second opera, Lysistrata, based on the play by Aristophanes. It shows the full development of his "word tones," in which a specific pitch is assigned to each word of the text and that particular pitch is used for each occurrence of the same word.

Clarke was also a member of the Composers' Collective of New York and wrote songs for the group under the pseudonym J. Fairbanks. The collective, which grew out of a seminar in writing songs for the masses in 1933, sought to make an American contribution to the international working-class music movement then flourishing in Europe.

From the guide to the Henry Leland Clarke letters, 1915-1987, 1930-1986, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Salute to Holland Weeks : piano / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Ah! Freedom is a noble thing / [music] by Henry Leland Clarke ; [words] from "The Bruce" by John Barbour. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Loudmouse : three songs from Loudmouse by Richard Wilbur / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Look up / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; words by Edward Everett Hale. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Sleep on, my friend / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Himself a song / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; words by Arthur Davison Ficke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The great hope / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words by] Henry Hervey Barber. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Julie's song / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [word by] JNK. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. O God, by roads unknown : final chorus of "Esther" : (for three part chorus of women's voices and piano, with soprano solo) / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [word by] John Masefield. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. United Nations tune / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Listen to me / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words from] epitaph of Samuel Allen (killed Deerfield, Mass., 1746) New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Greed / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Letter [typescript] : 1983 June 8 : Deerfield, MA [to] Dr. Helen E. Ellis, Greenfield, MA / Henry Leland Clarke. Greenfield Community College, Nahman-Watson Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Ah! Freedom is a noble thing : for mixed voices and piano / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words] from "The Bruce" by John Barbour. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. We believe / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Vera Zorina papers Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Wordsworth's daffodils / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Variations and rondo for violin and pianoforte / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Beauty is truth / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [word by] John Keats. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn The Virgil Thomson Papers, 1804-1990 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Pray for peace : solo or unison / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words by] Charles D'Orleans. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Kirkpatrick, Ralph. The Ralph Kirkpatrick papers, 1911-1977 (inclusive). Yale University, Music Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Henry Leland Clarke papers, JPB 06-28. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The song of Alknomook / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words by] Royall Tyler. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Salute to Holland Weeks : organ / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Porter, Quincy, 1897-1966. The Quincy Porter papers, 1897-1975 (inclusive). Yale University, Music Library
creatorOf MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982. Correspondence between Archibald MacLeish and Henry Leland Clarke [typescript and holograph], 1970-1973 / Archibald MacLeish ; Henry Leland Clarke. Greenfield Community College, Nahman-Watson Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. A fierce unrest / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words by] Don Marquis. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The Beatitudes : organ ostinato / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962. Additional papers, 1870-1969. Houghton Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The sun shines also today / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words by] Ralph Waldo Emerson. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The minstrel : flute & piano : from the Loafer and loaf : an incredible episode in one act by Evelyn Sharp / set to music by Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Correspondence with American Musicological Society, 1945-1965. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Henry Leland Clarke papers, 1929-1987 The New York Public Library. Music Division.
referencedIn Quincy Porter Papers, 1897-1975 (inclusive) Irving S. Gilmore Music Library
referencedIn Papers, 1875-1978 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The spring / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [word by] Robert Terry Weston. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Manuscript music compositions, 1880-1985. Houghton Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. College quodlibet / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Correspondence with Marian Anderson, 1939. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Do and live / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Henry Leland Clarke letters, 1915-1987 (bulk 1930-1986). University of Washington. Libraries
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. No great, no small / music by Henry Leland Clarke ; [words] by R.W. Emerson. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Reese, Gustave, 1899-1977. The Gustave Reese collection, 1855-1978 (bulk 1930-1977). New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Give and take three : for two keyboards / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Monograph : for orchestra : piano reduction / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Gustave Reese papers, 1855-1978, 1930-1977 The New York Public Library. Music Division.
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Sanctus for St. Cecilia's Day : Tenor (or soprano solo), S.S.S. (and /or T.T.B. on octave lower), and piano (or organ) / Henry Leland Clark. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. The year's at the spring / [music by] Henry Leland Clarke ; [words by] Robert Browning. Baylor University Libraries, Moody Memorial Library
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. These are the times that try men's souls : (1976) : high voice / [music] by Henry Leland Clarke ; [words] from "The American Crisis no. 1" by Thomas Paine. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Porter, Quincy, 1897-1966. The Quincy Porter papers, 1897-1975 (inclusive). Yale University, Music Library
creatorOf Henry Leland Clarke letters, 1915-1987, 1930-1986 University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
referencedIn Clarke, Annie Barber, 1861-1956. Papers, 1866-1978 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Clarke, Henry Leland. Let peace encircle all the world / Henry Leland Clarke. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Correspondence, literary manuscripts, sound recordings, and other material, 1873-2001. Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Music Collection corporateBody
associatedWith Barber, Henry Hervey person
associatedWith Barbour, John, d. 1395 person
associatedWith Boulanger, Nadia. person
associatedWith Boyden, David D. (David Dodge), 1910-1986. person
associatedWith Browning, Robert, 1812-1889 person
associatedWith Cazden, Norman, 1914-1980. person
associatedWith Charles,cd'Orleans, 1394-1465. person
associatedWith Charles, d'Orléans, 1394-1465 person
associatedWith Clarke, Annie Barber person
associatedWith Clarke, Annie Barber, 1861-1956. person
associatedWith Clarke, Julia Newbold person
associatedWith Clarke, Julia Newbold. person
associatedWith Composers' Collective (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962 person
associatedWith Davison, Archibald T. (Archibald Thompson), 1883-1961. person
associatedWith De Cola, Felix Lee. person
associatedWith Ellis, Helen E. person
associatedWith Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882 person
associatedWith Ficke, Arthur Davison, 1883-1946 person
associatedWith Green, Johnny, 1908-1989. person
associatedWith Hale, Edward Everett, 1863-1932 person
associatedWith Hitchcock, H. Wiley (Hugh Wiley), 1923-2007. person
associatedWith Keats, John, 1795-1821 person
associatedWith Kerr, Harrison. person
associatedWith Kirkpatrick, Ralph. person
associatedWith K., J. N. person
associatedWith Kremenliev, Boris, 1911-1988. person
associatedWith Lang, Paul Henry, 1901-1991. person
associatedWith Luening, Otto, 1900-1996. person
associatedWith MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982. person
associatedWith MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982. person
associatedWith Marquis, Don, 1878-1937 person
associatedWith Masefield, John, 1878-1967 person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans. person
correspondedWith Moldenhauer, Hans, collector. person
associatedWith Mycielski, Zygmunt. person
associatedWith Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809 person
associatedWith Porter, Quincy, 1897-1966. person
associatedWith Racine, Jean, 1639-1699. person
associatedWith Reese, Gustave, 1899-1977. person
associatedWith Robinson, Earl, 1910-1991. person
associatedWith Sanders, Robert L., 1906-1974. person
associatedWith Sharp, Evelyn, 1869-1955 person
correspondedWith Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995 person
associatedWith Thomson, Virgil, 1896- person
associatedWith Thomson, Virgil, 1896-1989. person
associatedWith Tyler, Royall, 1757-1826 person
associatedWith Unitarian Universalist Association. Hymnbook Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith United Nations corporateBody
associatedWith University of Washington corporateBody
associatedWith University of Washington. University Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Vogt, Von Ogden person
associatedWith Weeks, Holland. person
associatedWith Weston, Robert Terry person
associatedWith Wilbur, Richard, 1921- person
associatedWith Winogron, Blanche. person
associatedWith Woodworth, G. Wallace. person
associatedWith Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850 person
correspondedWith Zorina, Vera. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Washington (State)--Seattle
United States
Subject
Anthems
Beatitudes (Music)
Canons, fugues, etc. (Vocal)
Choruses, Sacred (Men's voices, 3 parts) with piano
Choruses, Sacred (Mixed voices, 4 parts), Unaccompanied
Choruses, Sacred (Mixed voices, 4 parts) with piano
Choruses, Sacred (Mixed voices, 6 parts) with piano
Choruses, Sacred (Unison) with piano
Choruses, Sacred (Women's voices, 3 parts) with piano
Choruses, Secular (Mixed voices, 3 parts) with piano
Choruses, Secular (Mixed voices, 4 parts) with piano
Choruses, Secular (Mixed voices, 4 parts) with piano, Arranged
Choruses, Secular (Unison) with piano
Choruses, Secular (Women's voices, 3 parts) with piano
Universities and colleges
Composers
Composers
Composers
Composers
Composers' spouses
Composers' spouses
Incidental music
Keyboard instrument music (Keyboard instruments (2))
Music
Musicologists
Musicologists
Musicologists
Musicologists
Music teachers
Music teachers
Music teachers
Music teachers
Operas
Organ music
Photographs
Piano music
Piano music, Arranged
Piano music (Pianos (2))
Rondons (Violin and piano)
Sacred songs (Medium voice) with piano
Saint Cecilia's Day
Seattle
Songs (High voice) with piano
Songs (High voice) with piano
Songs (Medium voice), Unaccompanied
Songs (Medium voice) with instrumental ensemble
Songs (Medium voice) with piano
Variations (Violin and piano)
Occupation
Composers
Musicologists
Music teachers
Activity

Person

Birth 1907

Death 1992

Birth 1907

English,

Latin,

French

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