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William Flanagan (composer)

April 12, 2024

This article is about the American composer. For the American football player, see William Flanagan (American football).

William Flanagan (August 14, 1923 – September 1, 1969) was an American composer of the mid-twentieth century.

William Flanagan, 1961

Biography edit

Flanagan was a great admirer of Maurice Ravel, David Diamond,[1] and Aaron Copland, who became something of a mentor to Flanagan. His best work was in the realm of vocal music. Although little known today, as well as unsuccessful and undervalued in his time,[2] a number of his brief vocal compositions, including Horror Movie and The Upside-Down Man, have been recorded. He is best known today as having been the long-time lover of playwright Edward Albee, with whom he wrote an opera after Bartleby, the Scrivener. He composed music for the 1960 premiere of Albee's play The Sandbox as well as Albee's adaptations The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1963 from the Carson McCullers and Malcolm (1966, from the James Purdy novel).[3] In 1963, Albee wrote one act of The Ice Age, a libretto for Flanagan, but the opera was never completed.[4] Flanagan committed suicide in 1969, after which Copland eulogized him in a memorial concert given by Albee and Ned Rorem.[2] At the concert, Albee "announced that he was planning to open a writers' colony in Montauk to be called the William Flanagan Memorial Creative Persons Center.[2] Some of Flanagan's scores and papers are in the William Flanagan Papers collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.[5]

Musical style edit

Flanagan was "an unappreciated conservative in a time of artistic upheaval".[1] His compositional technique and musical preferences were molded in the 1930s and 1940s; he did not make the fashionable transition to serialism.[6] He said, in his program notes, "Since I'd spent the Forties being brainwashed in the historically inevitable 'musical direction' of Stravinsky's neoclassicism, I had agonized over my apparently glandular inability to Go In The Right Direction." He went on to express relief that, when Neo-classicism suddenly gave way to "dodecaphony," that he had done neither, and was not trapped within the trends.[6] "[His] warm music and cool intellect" were influenced most by Copland and Diamond.[7]

Flanagan was best known for songs. Rorem describes Flanagan's compositional style thus: "Today, with a volume of symphonic and chamber works to his credit, Flanagan still thinks of music as 'sung'".[7] Flanagan himself considered his songwriting style to be "'not just prosodized [sic] declamation, but...a bona fide lyric utterance'".[6]

Flanagan "was passionately concerned with language and felt that American composers would never fully realize themselves until they came to grips with native inflection.[1] Ned Rorem, in his New Grove's article on Flanagan, says that Flanagan was "directly responsible for the oral style in the early plays of his close friend Edward Albee".[1]

In his book Music and People, Ned Rorem described Flanagan's musical style: "Flanagan yearns...for the more easy communicative style that ripened in America nearly twenty years ago (in the 1940s) .... Flanagan's musical 'birth' is of that time, and in growing he has remained faithful to its premise, if not to the specific mannerisms of the period".[7]

Grants and Commissions edit

Further reading edit

Albee, E. "William Flanagan." ACA Bulletin, ix/4 (1961), pp. 12–13.[1]

Compositores de América/Composers of the Americas, xii, ed. Pan American Union (Washington, DC, 1966).[1]

Flanagan, W. Songs and Cycles by William Flanagan. Program notes. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Destro Records, 1968.

Rorem, N. "Bill Flanagan: an epitaph." Critical affairs: a composer's journal. New York, 1970, pp. 119–122.[1]

Rorem, N. "Flanagan." Music and People. pp. 89–98. New York, 1968.[1]

Rorem, N. "Flanagan, William." New Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2d ed. Macmillan, 2001.

Trimble, L. "William Flanagan (1923-1969): an appreciation." Stereo Review, xxiii (1969), p. 118.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rorem, N. "Flanagan, William." New Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2d ed. Macmillan, 2001
  2. ^ a b c Gussow, Mel. Edward Albee: A Singular Journey. Applause Books, 2000. ISBN 1-55783-447-4
  3. ^ [3] Albee, Edward. The Collected Plays of Edward Albee, 1958–1965. New York: Overlook Duckworth, 2007, pp. 85, 315, 551.
  4. ^ [4] Gussow, Mel. Edward Albee: A Singular Journey, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999, p. 184.
  5. ^ New York Library for the Performing Arts. Music Division. William Flanagan Papers. JPB 82-79
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Flanagan, W. Program notes from Songs and Cycles by William Flanagan. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Destro Records, 1968.
  7. ^ a b c Rorem, N. "Flanagan." Music and People. pp. 89-98. New York, 1968

External links edit

  • Allmusic Entry

April 12, 2024
william, flanagan, composer, this, article, about, american, composer, american, football, player, william, flanagan, american, football, william, flanagan, august, 1923, september, 1969, american, composer, twentieth, century, william, flanagan, 1961, content. This article is about the American composer For the American football player see William Flanagan American football William Flanagan August 14 1923 September 1 1969 was an American composer of the mid twentieth century William Flanagan 1961 Contents 1 Biography 2 Musical style 3 Grants and Commissions 4 Further reading 5 References 6 External linksBiography editFlanagan was a great admirer of Maurice Ravel David Diamond 1 and Aaron Copland who became something of a mentor to Flanagan His best work was in the realm of vocal music Although little known today as well as unsuccessful and undervalued in his time 2 a number of his brief vocal compositions including Horror Movie and The Upside Down Man have been recorded He is best known today as having been the long time lover of playwright Edward Albee with whom he wrote an opera after Bartleby the Scrivener He composed music for the 1960 premiere of Albee s play The Sandbox as well as Albee s adaptations The Ballad of the Sad Cafe 1963 from the Carson McCullers and Malcolm 1966 from the James Purdy novel 3 In 1963 Albee wrote one act of The Ice Age a libretto for Flanagan but the opera was never completed 4 Flanagan committed suicide in 1969 after which Copland eulogized him in a memorial concert given by Albee and Ned Rorem 2 At the concert Albee announced that he was planning to open a writers colony in Montauk to be called the William Flanagan Memorial Creative Persons Center 2 Some of Flanagan s scores and papers are in the William Flanagan Papers collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 5 Musical style editFlanagan was an unappreciated conservative in a time of artistic upheaval 1 His compositional technique and musical preferences were molded in the 1930s and 1940s he did not make the fashionable transition to serialism 6 He said in his program notes Since I d spent the Forties being brainwashed in the historically inevitable musical direction of Stravinsky s neoclassicism I had agonized over my apparently glandular inability to Go In The Right Direction He went on to express relief that when Neo classicism suddenly gave way to dodecaphony that he had done neither and was not trapped within the trends 6 His warm music and cool intellect were influenced most by Copland and Diamond 7 Flanagan was best known for songs Rorem describes Flanagan s compositional style thus Today with a volume of symphonic and chamber works to his credit Flanagan still thinks of music as sung 7 Flanagan himself considered his songwriting style to be not just prosodized sic declamation but a bona fide lyric utterance 6 Flanagan was passionately concerned with language and felt that American composers would never fully realize themselves until they came to grips with native inflection 1 Ned Rorem in his New Grove s article on Flanagan says that Flanagan was directly responsible for the oral style in the early plays of his close friend Edward Albee 1 In his book Music and People Ned Rorem described Flanagan s musical style Flanagan yearns for the more easy communicative style that ripened in America nearly twenty years ago in the 1940s Flanagan s musical birth is of that time and in growing he has remained faithful to its premise if not to the specific mannerisms of the period 7 Grants and Commissions edit2 Grants from the Ford Foundation 6 Grant and commission from the New York City Opera for The Ice Age 6 Commission from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for a work celebrating its 50th anniversary Narrative for Orchestra 1963 6 Commission from the Clarion Music Society 6 Commission from the Thorne Foundation for a piece for voice and orchestra performed at a festival celebrating the move of the Juilliard School to its new location 1963 6 Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Music 1968 6 Grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters 1968 6 Further reading editAlbee E William Flanagan ACA Bulletin ix 4 1961 pp 12 13 1 Compositores de America Composers of the Americas xii ed Pan American Union Washington DC 1966 1 Flanagan W Songs and Cycles by William Flanagan Program notes Franklin Lakes NJ Destro Records 1968 Rorem N Bill Flanagan an epitaph Critical affairs a composer s journal New York 1970 pp 119 122 1 Rorem N Flanagan Music and People pp 89 98 New York 1968 1 Rorem N Flanagan William New Grove s Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2d ed Macmillan 2001 Trimble L William Flanagan 1923 1969 an appreciation Stereo Review xxiii 1969 p 118 1 References edit a b c d e f g h i Rorem N Flanagan William New Grove s Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2d ed Macmillan 2001 a b c Gussow Mel Edward Albee A Singular Journey Applause Books 2000 ISBN 1 55783 447 4 3 Albee Edward The Collected Plays of Edward Albee 1958 1965 New York Overlook Duckworth 2007 pp 85 315 551 4 Gussow Mel Edward Albee A Singular Journey New York Simon and Schuster 1999 p 184 New York Library for the Performing Arts Music Division William Flanagan Papers JPB 82 79 a b c d e f g h i j Flanagan W Program notes from Songs and Cycles by William Flanagan Franklin Lakes NJ Destro Records 1968 a b c Rorem N Flanagan Music and People pp 89 98 New York 1968External links editAllmusic Entry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Flanagan composer amp oldid 1167706775, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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