Leonard J. Lehrman is a conductor, pianist, and composer of more
than 190 works, including 10 operas and 6 musicals. He studied
composition with Elie Siegmeister, is the co-founder of the Elie
Siegmeister Society, and has performed his music in over 100
concerts and on 5 CDs for Capstone and Original Cast Records. He is
author of Marc Blitzstein: A Bio-Bibliography (2005) and editor of
The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1-3 (1999, 2001, 2003).
Kenneth O. Boulton is associate professor of piano at Southeastern
Louisiana University and has performed extensively as piano soloist
and chamber musician in the United States and Europe. His most
recent album, Louisiana - A Pianist's Journey, was nominated for a
classical solo instrumental GRAMMY Award in 2007 and his recordings
of Elie Siegmeister's solo piano music garnered international
critical acclaim.
Lehrman and Boulton have done a great service here for the study of
American music. Their tireless research finally brings into sharp
focus the career and output of one of America's most distinctive
and prolific composers. Siegmeister's multiple commitments—to
social progress, to American folk music, and, in his own works, to
balancing depth with accessibility—sing out from this (not short
but) sweet book.
*Ralph P. Locke, professor of musicology, Eastman School of Music,
and author of Musical Exoticism: Images and Reflections*
Composers work in the medium of time, but time is not always a good
friend of composers, especially after their death. Memories of
performances and works can fade and important legacies can be
forgotten. For this reason alone, a bio-bibliography of the
distinguished American composer Elie Siegmeister by Leonard Lehrman
and Kenneth Boulton is especially valued. This is not a definitive
or personalized biography but, instead, a factual compendium of
virtually every salient aspect of Siegmeister's life and work. Of
particular interest is a very detailed "Biographical Essay" which
includes many little-known facts about the composer's life. Adding
to this, though, is the great utility of lists of every known
Siegmeister composition, performance, recording, video and article
on the composer. Surely this important reference will be a good
place to start for an Elie Siegmeister revival and new performances
and recordings of his exceptional works.
*Joseph Pehrson, Co-Director/Co-Founder, Composers Concordance*
Clearly a labor of love on behalf of Elie Siegmeister and his work,
this splendid volume is just as clearly a labor of intelligence and
service. Its broad and detailed scholarship and its brilliantly
clear organization offer the reader both ease of use and the
stimulation of one discovery after another. Siegmeister's vast
creativity has never been so fully or so enticingly revealed.
*Bradford Gowen, Professor of Piano, University of Maryland at
College Park*
A landmark in American music scholarship, a significant book, and
one that deserves to be a part of any serious music library’s
collection.
*Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association*
Researchers and performers will find this a useful guide to this
composer.
*American Reference Books Annual, May-August 2010*
This book contributes to a greater awareness of Elie Siegmeister,
his contribution to American musical culture, and his connections
with other American composers...The bio-bibliography constitutes a
usueful tool for those interested in learning more about the life,
music, and writings of Elie Siegmeister. Performers should avail
themselves of the catalog of musical works in order to bring to
life more of his compositions in the concert hall. Scholars may
find the book a beginning to complementary research.
*Journal of Musicological Research*
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