Samuel Latham Mitchell Barlow II (June 1, 1892 – September 19, 1982)[1][2] was an American composer, pianist and art critic. His compositional style was conservative and he once said that he wrote "tunes that wouldn't shock Papa Brahms." But, his music frequently explored new performance techniques and practices; in addition, he used slide projections to accompany his 1936 symphonic concerto Babar.[3]
Born in New York City, Samuel Latham Mitchell Barlow was the second son of Peter Townsend Barlow, a New York City magistrate, and his wife Virginia Louise (Matthews). Her brother was author Brander Matthews.[4][5] Barlow was named after his paternal grandfather, a prominent Wall Street attorney. Samuel's older brother, Edward Mitchell Barlow, was named after their maternal grandfather, a successful merchant. Edward Barlow died in 1901 at the age of thirteen.
Early in his career, Samuel Barlow taught at Settlement schools, contributed to the literary journal North American Review, and served as the first chairman of the New York City Community Chorus. Beginning in 1917, it presented free concerts on Sunday afternoons at Central Park.[7][8][9]
In 1935 Barlow became the first American composer to have an opera presented at the Opéra-Comique in Paris; the opera house staged his one-act work Mon Ami Pierrot. The opera was based on the life of Jean-Baptiste Lully and used a French-language libretto by Sacha Guitry. The opera was well received, and he was awarded the prestigious Légion d'honneur for his achievement.
His compositional style was conservative for his day, and he once stated that he wrote "tunes that wouldn't shock Papa Brahms." He frequently explored new performance techniques and practices in his music. In addition, he used slide projections to accompany his adaptation of Babar.[3]
Barlow lived much of his life in New York City, where he promoted classical music in various civic and professional organizations for several decades. He was the first chairman of the New York City Community Chorus. He was also a regular contributor to the journal Modern Music, published by the American League of Composers. In the 1950s he served as the President of the board of the American Opera Society.[2]
Samuel L. M. Barlow married Evelyn Harris Brown on April 25, 1916 at New York City.[10] Evelyn, a noted diseuse who had performed on both sides of the Atlantic, had previously been married to Herbert Pomeroy Brown, a Wall Street broker.[11][12] Their only child, daughter Audrey Townsend, was born in 1917. [13] Their marriage ended eight years later in Paris. Evelyn was granted a divorce on grounds of abandonment.[14]
Barlow married again on May 10, 1928, to Aimee Ernesta Drinker, then called Ernesta Beaux. She had previously been married to Ambassador William C. Bullitt.[12] Ernesta was the daughter of Sturgis Drinker, one-time president of Lehigh University, and his wife, and descended from a family that traced its Philadelphia roots to the colonial period of William Penn. As a child her beauty caught the eye of her aunt, painter Cecilia Beaux, and Ernesta became the subject of a number of her paintings.[15]
After her divorce from Ambassador Bullitt, Drinker changed her name to Ernesta Beaux. She married Samuel Barlow at her aunt Cecilia's New York residence. At the time of their marriage, Ernesta was an interior decorator. She became well known on the national lecture circuit and as a writer, commenting on numerous social issues of the day. [12][16][17] During World War II, she discussed drafting women for national service.[18]
Barlow Chateau at Èze
In the early 1920s Samuel Barlow fell in love with a charming French medieval village discovered while vacationing along the Mediterranean, midway between Nice and Monaco. Èze occupies a pinnacle of rock some 1,400 feet (427 meters) above Cape Ferrat on the French Riviera. On a clear day one could see the peaks of Corsica to the south and virtually all the Riviera westward toward Toulon.[19][20] After discussions with the village mayor, Barlow received permission to purchase a dozen or so houses that were clinging to the cliff’s side. Over the next few years, Barlow demolished them to build a picturesque estate on the large site. it blended in with the surrounding architecture. He made it a family retreat and a mecca for artists and intellectuals.[19][20]
Death
Samuel Latham Mitchell Barlow died on September 19, 1982 at the age of 90 at the Springfield Retirement Residence in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his daughter, Mrs. Audrey Orndorff.[21] His wife Ernesta Beaux Barlow had died the year before, at the age of 89.[22]
Works
Partial
3 Songs from the Chinese (voice and ensemble, 1924)
Vocalise (1926)
Alba (symphonic poem, 1927)
Ballo Sardo (ballet, 1928)
Circus Overture (1930)
Piano Concerto (1931)
Scherzo (string quartet, 1933)
Spanish Quarter (piano, 1933)
Mon ami Pierrot (opera, 1934)
Biedermeier Waltzes (1935)
Babar (symphonic concerto, 1936)
Amanda (opera, 1936)
Aphitryon 38 (incidental music, 1937)
Leda (1939)
Sousa ad Parnassum (1939)
Conversation with Tchekhov (piano trio, 1940)
Jardin de La Notre (piano)
References
Notes
^US Passport application (Samuel L. M. Barlow) May 20, 1919
^ abc"Obituaries: Composer Samuel L.M. Barlow" (PDF). Central Opera Service Bulletin, Vol. 25, No. 2. Winter–Spring 1984.
Samuel L. M. Barlow, residence at 11 Gramercy Park West, New York City.
January 20, 2023
samuel, barlow, other, people, named, barlow, barlow, disambiguation, samuel, latham, mitchell, barlow, june, 1892, september, 1982, american, composer, pianist, critic, compositional, style, conservative, once, said, that, wrote, tunes, that, wouldn, shock, p. For other people named Sam Barlow see Sam Barlow disambiguation Samuel Latham Mitchell Barlow II June 1 1892 September 19 1982 1 2 was an American composer pianist and art critic His compositional style was conservative and he once said that he wrote tunes that wouldn t shock Papa Brahms But his music frequently explored new performance techniques and practices in addition he used slide projections to accompany his 1936 symphonic concerto Babar 3 Samuel L M Barlow IIBornSamuel Latham Mitchell Barlow II 1892 06 01 June 1 1892New York City New York U S A DiedSeptember 19 1982 1982 09 19 aged 90 Wyndmoor Pennsylvania U S A OccupationComposer musician and art critic Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Marriages 4 Barlow Chateau at Eze 5 Death 6 Works 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditBorn in New York City Samuel Latham Mitchell Barlow was the second son of Peter Townsend Barlow a New York City magistrate and his wife Virginia Louise Matthews Her brother was author Brander Matthews 4 5 Barlow was named after his paternal grandfather a prominent Wall Street attorney Samuel s older brother Edward Mitchell Barlow was named after their maternal grandfather a successful merchant Edward Barlow died in 1901 at the age of thirteen Samuel Barlow graduated with the Harvard Class of 1914 He studied at the Institute of Musical Art Juilliard School in New York City under Percy Goetschius and Franklin Robinson and later in Paris with Isidor Philipp at the Paris Conservatoire and in Rome with Ottorino Respighi at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia During the First World War he put his music studies on hold while serving as a lieutenant with US Army Intelligence 6 7 Career EditEarly in his career Samuel Barlow taught at Settlement schools contributed to the literary journal North American Review and served as the first chairman of the New York City Community Chorus Beginning in 1917 it presented free concerts on Sunday afternoons at Central Park 7 8 9 In 1935 Barlow became the first American composer to have an opera presented at the Opera Comique in Paris the opera house staged his one act work Mon Ami Pierrot The opera was based on the life of Jean Baptiste Lully and used a French language libretto by Sacha Guitry The opera was well received and he was awarded the prestigious Legion d honneur for his achievement The following year the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski performed his Concerto for Magic Lantern and Symphony Orchestra Barlow s adaptation of the French children s book Babar the Elephant 7 In 1937 Barlow contributed music to the Broadway Musical Amphitryon starring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne 7 Barlow composed one other opera Amanda which was never performed 2 He wrote a number of orchestral and chamber music pieces 7 His compositional style was conservative for his day and he once stated that he wrote tunes that wouldn t shock Papa Brahms He frequently explored new performance techniques and practices in his music In addition he used slide projections to accompany his adaptation of Babar 3 Barlow lived much of his life in New York City where he promoted classical music in various civic and professional organizations for several decades He was the first chairman of the New York City Community Chorus He was also a regular contributor to the journal Modern Music published by the American League of Composers In the 1950s he served as the President of the board of the American Opera Society 2 Marriages Edit Portrait of Ernesta Beaux by William Bruce Ellis Ranken 1933 Samuel L M Barlow married Evelyn Harris Brown on April 25 1916 at New York City 10 Evelyn a noted diseuse who had performed on both sides of the Atlantic had previously been married to Herbert Pomeroy Brown a Wall Street broker 11 12 Their only child daughter Audrey Townsend was born in 1917 13 Their marriage ended eight years later in Paris Evelyn was granted a divorce on grounds of abandonment 14 Barlow married again on May 10 1928 to Aimee Ernesta Drinker then called Ernesta Beaux She had previously been married to Ambassador William C Bullitt 12 Ernesta was the daughter of Sturgis Drinker one time president of Lehigh University and his wife and descended from a family that traced its Philadelphia roots to the colonial period of William Penn As a child her beauty caught the eye of her aunt painter Cecilia Beaux and Ernesta became the subject of a number of her paintings 15 After her divorce from Ambassador Bullitt Drinker changed her name to Ernesta Beaux She married Samuel Barlow at her aunt Cecilia s New York residence At the time of their marriage Ernesta was an interior decorator She became well known on the national lecture circuit and as a writer commenting on numerous social issues of the day 12 16 17 During World War II she discussed drafting women for national service 18 Barlow Chateau at Eze EditIn the early 1920s Samuel Barlow fell in love with a charming French medieval village discovered while vacationing along the Mediterranean midway between Nice and Monaco Eze occupies a pinnacle of rock some 1 400 feet 427 meters above Cape Ferrat on the French Riviera On a clear day one could see the peaks of Corsica to the south and virtually all the Riviera westward toward Toulon 19 20 After discussions with the village mayor Barlow received permission to purchase a dozen or so houses that were clinging to the cliff s side Over the next few years Barlow demolished them to build a picturesque estate on the large site it blended in with the surrounding architecture He made it a family retreat and a mecca for artists and intellectuals 19 20 Death EditSamuel Latham Mitchell Barlow died on September 19 1982 at the age of 90 at the Springfield Retirement Residence in Wyndmoor Pennsylvania He was survived by his daughter Mrs Audrey Orndorff 21 His wife Ernesta Beaux Barlow had died the year before at the age of 89 22 Works EditPartial 3 Songs from the Chinese voice and ensemble 1924 Vocalise 1926 Alba symphonic poem 1927 Ballo Sardo ballet 1928 Circus Overture 1930 Piano Concerto 1931 Scherzo string quartet 1933 Spanish Quarter piano 1933 Mon ami Pierrot opera 1934 Biedermeier Waltzes 1935 Babar symphonic concerto 1936 Amanda opera 1936 Aphitryon 38 incidental music 1937 Leda 1939 Sousa ad Parnassum 1939 Conversation with Tchekhov piano trio 1940 Jardin de La Notre piano References EditNotes US Passport application Samuel L M Barlow May 20 1919 a b c Obituaries Composer Samuel L M Barlow PDF Central Opera Service Bulletin Vol 25 No 2 Winter Spring 1984 a b Lynn Vought Samuel L M Barlow America s successful men of affairs An encyclopedia of contemporaneous edited by Henry Hall The New York Times May 10 1921 The North American Review By Jared Sparks Edward Everett James Russell Lowell Henry Cabot Lodge 1922 pg 866 a b c d e The New York Times September 21 1982 pg D27 The Daily Northwestern Oshkosh Wisconsin May 27 1922 pg 8 The North American Review by Jared Sparks Edward Everett James Russell Lowell Henry Cabot Lodge 1922 pg 866 The New York Times April 26 1916 The New York Times April 30 1916 a b c The New York Times May 11 1928 Passenger Manifest October 29 1926 SS Berengaria The Bridgeport Telegram October 28 1925 pg 15 The New York Times June 7 1970 The Lowell Sun Lowell Massachusetts November 21 1938 San Antonio Light San Antonio Texas The Nebraska State Journal Lincoln Nebraska May 14 1944 pg 11 a b In My Time By Robert Strausz Hupe 1995 pg 60 a b Vogue Magazine February 15 1927 The New York Times September 21 1982 Social Security Death Index BibliographyHitchcock H Wiley Samuel Barlow The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians online External links EditSamuel L M Barlow residence at 11 Gramercy Park West New York City Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel L M Barlow II amp oldid 1109181548, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
