Harrison Kerr Portrait of a Twentieth-Century American Composer - Composers of North America

Harrison Kerr (1897-1978) is probably best known for his efforts to foster an understanding of twentieth-century American music, but his achievements as a teacher, administrator, and composer are equally important. Kerr composed nearly one hundred works, but allowed fewer than half to be performed. The works released include an opera, four symphonies, compositions for chorus, chamber works for piano, strings, and winds, and solos for piano, organ, guitar, and several other instruments. The text presents an extensive biography of Kerr and detailed analyses of three representative musical works with explanations. A catalog of Kerr's musical compositions, dates of first performances and names of those performers and publishers is included along with 14 photographs representing Kerr in various stages of his life. Featured in the work are Kerr's remembrances of Boulanger, Edgard VarD'ese, Aaron Copland and others; and events relating to the dilemmas faced by artists in New York City during the late 1920s through the late 1940s. A bibliography, index, 12 tables and 50 musical examples complete the study.