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Ernest Charles

January 01, 1970

Ernest Charles (Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 21, 1895 – Beverly Hills, California, April 16, 1984) was an American composer of art songs.

Ernest Charles
Born(1895-11-21)November 21, 1895
Minneapolis, Minnesota
DiedApril 16, 1984(1984-04-16) (aged 88)
Beverly Hills, California
Occupation(s)Composer
Instrument(s)Voice
Years active1932–1950

Life and musical career edit

Charles was born in Minnesota with the surname Grosskopf.[1] He attended The University of Southern California as a college student and studied singing with Charles Modini Wood. He eventually went to New York City, changed his surname to Charles, and began his professional life as a singer, performing in vaudeville and Broadway reviews, including Earl Carroll's Vanities in 1928 and the George White Scandals in 1929.[2] His songs became widely known after 1932, when John Charles Thomas performed his song Clouds in a New York recital.[3] Following that success, he continued to compose songs regularly until about 1950. At that time he lived with his wife, a mezzo-soprano, in New York City, and produced the radio program Great Moments in Music. He returned to California in 1953, settling in Beverly Hills, where he spent the remaining years of his life.[4]

He was selected as a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity.[5] He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha, an honorary member of the Apollo Club of Minneapolis, and a fellow of the California-based American Institute of Fine Arts.[6] He joined ASCAP in 1934, and served as an Assistant Executive Secretary of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) from 1937 until at least 1966.[7]

Musical works edit

Charles composed around 45 songs for voice and piano in the years between 1930 and 1950. Most were published individually by G. Schirmer, and a few have been reissued in various song anthologies and collections of American art songs from the same publisher. The songs are known for their rubato, sweeping vocal lines, sumptuous melodies, and ingenuous charm.[8] Two of his songs are popular encores: the Viennese Waltz Let My Song Fill Your Heart, made famous by Eileen Farrell; and When I Have Sung My Songs, recorded by such singers as Kirsten Flagstad, Rosa Ponselle, and Thomas Hampson,[9] and featured in the closing credits of the 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins, sung by lead actress Meryl Streep.

Published songs edit

published by G. Schirmer unless otherwise noted

  • Always You, 1936
  • And So, Goodbye (E. Charles), 1938
  • Bon Voyage (Velma Hitchcock), 1939
  • Carmé (Neapolitan Song), arr., 1938
  • Clouds, 1932
  • Crescent Moon, 1939
  • Dawn (E. Charles), Boston Music, 1933
  • Disenchantment (Mona Bonelli), 1940
  • L'Envoi (Sarojini Naidu), 1935
  • The Harp Aline Kilmer, 1936
  • The House on the Hill (E. Charles), 1933
  • Hymn to the United States Navy (Foster G. Carling), 1943
  • If You Only Knew (G. Johnston-Jervis), 1935
  • Incline Thine Ear (Isaiah 55: 3, 1), 1948
  • Let My Song Fill Your Heart ("Viennese Waltz"), 1936
  • Little Green Gate to Heaven (Fred Meadows), Chappell-Harms, 1933
  • Lord of the Years (Velma Hitchcock), 1938
  • Love (William Bruno), 1941
  • Love is of God (John 4:7-8), 1949
  • Message (Sara Teasdale)
  • My Lady Walks in Loveliness (Mona Modini Wood), 1932
  • Night (Sydney King Russell), 1944
  • Oh Little River (Earl Benham), 1946
  • O Lovely World (Velma Hitchcock), 1947
  • Over the Land is April (Robert Louis Stevenson), Willis Music, 1937
  • Over the Wall of My Garden (William Bruno), Chappell & Co., 1929
  • Parting (William Bruno), Irving Berlin Standard Music Corporation, 1929
  • Psalm XXIII (Psalm 23), Ecco Music, Beverly Hills, California, 1956
  • Psalm of Exaltation (Psalm 27), 1951
  • Remembrance (Dorothy Tete), 1949
  • Romany Honeymoon (R. Atwater), Boston Music Co., 1933
  • Save Me, God (Psalm 69), 1947
  • Someone (E. Charles), 1937
  • Speak Not in Haste (Velma Hitchcock), 1936
  • The Spendthrift (Sarojini Naidu), 1935
  • Stampede, 1937
  • The Sussex Sailor (Alfred Noyes), 1933
  • Sweet Song of Long Ago (E. Charles), 1933
  • Take the Knocks, Lad (William Bruno), 1957
  • When I Have Sung My Songs, 1934
  • The White Swan, 1941
  • A Wish (Anita McLean Willison), 1936
  • Who Keeps the Years (E. Olmstead), 1940
  • You Are! (E. Charles), Boston Music, 1935
  • Youth, 1928

Other compositions edit

published by G. Schirmer unless otherwise noted

  • Christmas Song (Robert Herrick), SATB solos, SATB chorus, organ, 1951
  • Festival Jubilate, mixed voices, R. L. Huntzinger, 1937
  • The Greatness of the Lord, SATB chorus, 1957
  • Waltz Interlude ("in the Viennese Style"), piano solo, 1788

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Villamil, p. 100
  2. ^ Claghorn, p. 90
  3. ^ Baker and Slonimsky, p.318
  4. ^ Villamil, p. 98
  5. ^ List of Patrons & Patronesses, National web site for Delta Omicron, www.http://delta-omicron.org
  6. ^ ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, Fourth Edition, p. 83
  7. ^ ASCAP Biographical Dictionary, 1966 edition, p. 117
  8. ^ Villamil, p. 99
  9. ^ Villamil, pp. 99-100

References edit

  • American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (1966), The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary (1966 ed.), New York, New York: ASCAP
  • American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (1980), The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary (Fourth ed.), New York, New York: Jacques Cattall Press/R. R. Bowker Company, ISBN 0-8352-1283-1
  • Baker, Theodore (1992), "Charles, Ernest", in Slonimsky, Nicolas (ed.), Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Eighth Edition, New York: Schirmer Books, pp. 317–318, ISBN 0-02-872415-1.
  • Claghorn, Charles Eugene (1973), Biographical Dictionary of American Music, West Nyack, New York: Parker Publishing, p. 90, ISBN 0-13-076331-4
  • Villamil, Victoria Etnier (1993), A Singer's Guide to The American Art Song 1870-1980, Lanham, Maryland, and London: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., pp. 98–100, ISBN 0-8108-2774-3

External links edit

January 01, 1970
ernest, charles, minneapolis, minnesota, november, 1895, beverly, hills, california, april, 1984, american, composer, songs, born, 1895, november, 1895minneapolis, minnesotadiedapril, 1984, 1984, aged, beverly, hills, californiaoccupation, composerinstrument, . Ernest Charles Minneapolis Minnesota November 21 1895 Beverly Hills California April 16 1984 was an American composer of art songs Ernest CharlesBorn 1895 11 21 November 21 1895Minneapolis MinnesotaDiedApril 16 1984 1984 04 16 aged 88 Beverly Hills CaliforniaOccupation s ComposerInstrument s VoiceYears active1932 1950 Contents 1 Life and musical career 2 Musical works 3 Published songs 4 Other compositions 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksLife and musical career editCharles was born in Minnesota with the surname Grosskopf 1 He attended The University of Southern California as a college student and studied singing with Charles Modini Wood He eventually went to New York City changed his surname to Charles and began his professional life as a singer performing in vaudeville and Broadway reviews including Earl Carroll s Vanities in 1928 and the George White Scandals in 1929 2 His songs became widely known after 1932 when John Charles Thomas performed his song Clouds in a New York recital 3 Following that success he continued to compose songs regularly until about 1950 At that time he lived with his wife a mezzo soprano in New York City and produced the radio program Great Moments in Music He returned to California in 1953 settling in Beverly Hills where he spent the remaining years of his life 4 He was selected as a National Patron of Delta Omicron an international professional music fraternity 5 He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha an honorary member of the Apollo Club of Minneapolis and a fellow of the California based American Institute of Fine Arts 6 He joined ASCAP in 1934 and served as an Assistant Executive Secretary of the American Guild of Musical Artists AGMA from 1937 until at least 1966 7 Musical works editCharles composed around 45 songs for voice and piano in the years between 1930 and 1950 Most were published individually by G Schirmer and a few have been reissued in various song anthologies and collections of American art songs from the same publisher The songs are known for their rubato sweeping vocal lines sumptuous melodies and ingenuous charm 8 Two of his songs are popular encores the Viennese Waltz Let My Song Fill Your Heart made famous by Eileen Farrell and When I Have Sung My Songs recorded by such singers as Kirsten Flagstad Rosa Ponselle and Thomas Hampson 9 and featured in the closing credits of the 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins sung by lead actress Meryl Streep Published songs editpublished by G Schirmer unless otherwise noted Always You 1936 And So Goodbye E Charles 1938 Bon Voyage Velma Hitchcock 1939 Carme Neapolitan Song arr 1938 Clouds 1932 Crescent Moon 1939 Dawn E Charles Boston Music 1933 Disenchantment Mona Bonelli 1940 L Envoi Sarojini Naidu 1935 The Harp Aline Kilmer 1936 The House on the Hill E Charles 1933 Hymn to the United States Navy Foster G Carling 1943 If You Only Knew G Johnston Jervis 1935 Incline Thine Ear Isaiah 55 3 1 1948 Let My Song Fill Your Heart Viennese Waltz 1936 Little Green Gate to Heaven Fred Meadows Chappell Harms 1933 Lord of the Years Velma Hitchcock 1938 Love William Bruno 1941 Love is of God John 4 7 8 1949 Message Sara Teasdale My Lady Walks in Loveliness Mona Modini Wood 1932 Night Sydney King Russell 1944 Oh Little River Earl Benham 1946 O Lovely World Velma Hitchcock 1947 Over the Land is April Robert Louis Stevenson Willis Music 1937 Over the Wall of My Garden William Bruno Chappell amp Co 1929 Parting William Bruno Irving Berlin Standard Music Corporation 1929 Psalm XXIII Psalm 23 Ecco Music Beverly Hills California 1956 Psalm of Exaltation Psalm 27 1951 Remembrance Dorothy Tete 1949 Romany Honeymoon R Atwater Boston Music Co 1933 Save Me God Psalm 69 1947 Someone E Charles 1937 Speak Not in Haste Velma Hitchcock 1936 The Spendthrift Sarojini Naidu 1935 Stampede 1937 The Sussex Sailor Alfred Noyes 1933 Sweet Song of Long Ago E Charles 1933 Take the Knocks Lad William Bruno 1957 When I Have Sung My Songs 1934 The White Swan 1941 A Wish Anita McLean Willison 1936 Who Keeps the Years E Olmstead 1940 You Are E Charles Boston Music 1935 Youth 1928Other compositions editpublished by G Schirmer unless otherwise noted Christmas Song Robert Herrick SATB solos SATB chorus organ 1951 Festival Jubilate mixed voices R L Huntzinger 1937 The Greatness of the Lord SATB chorus 1957 Waltz Interlude in the Viennese Style piano solo 1788Footnotes edit Villamil p 100 Claghorn p 90 Baker and Slonimsky p 318 Villamil p 98 List of Patrons amp Patronesses National web site for Delta Omicron www http delta omicron org ASCAP Biographical Dictionary Fourth Edition p 83 ASCAP Biographical Dictionary 1966 edition p 117 Villamil p 99 Villamil pp 99 100References editAmerican Society of Composers Authors and Publishers 1966 The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary 1966 ed New York New York ASCAP American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers 1980 The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary Fourth ed New York New York Jacques Cattall Press R R Bowker Company ISBN 0 8352 1283 1 Baker Theodore 1992 Charles Ernest in Slonimsky Nicolas ed Baker s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians Eighth Edition New York Schirmer Books pp 317 318 ISBN 0 02 872415 1 Claghorn Charles Eugene 1973 Biographical Dictionary of American Music West Nyack New York Parker Publishing p 90 ISBN 0 13 076331 4 Villamil Victoria Etnier 1993 A Singer s Guide to The American Art Song 1870 1980 Lanham Maryland and London The Scarecrow Press Inc pp 98 100 ISBN 0 8108 2774 3External links edithttp www lieder net lieder c charles html Texts of some songs by Ernest Charles http delta omicron org Ernest Charles is listed as a National Patron under the subheading National Patrons Patronesses http www priscillasings com WhenIHaveSungMySongs html permanent dead link A singer writes about one of Charles s songs https web archive org web 20131207192155 http theaifa org home html The American Institute of Fine Arts Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernest Charles amp oldid 1166819568, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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