Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

April 21, 1899 in New York City, NY

Death

:

July 9, 1984 in Boston, MA

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

Randall Thompson was an American composer who was born on April 21, 1899, in New York City. He was the youngest of three children born to a wealthy family. His father was a prominent physician, and his mother was a talented pianist. Thompson showed an early interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of five. Thompson attended Harvard University, where he studied music with Edward Burlingame Hill. He graduated in 1920 and went on to study at the American Academy in Rome. While in Rome, he studied with Gian Francesco Malipiero and became interested in Italian Renaissance music. After returning to the United States, Thompson taught at Wellesley College and the University of California, Berkeley. In 1927, he became the director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he remained until 1939. During his time at Curtis, Thompson became known for his choral compositions and his work as a conductor. Thompson's most famous work is his choral setting of Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken." The piece was commissioned by the Harvard Glee Club in 1951 and has since become a staple of the choral repertoire. Thompson's other choral works include "Alleluia," "The Peaceable Kingdom," and "Frostiana," a collection of settings of Frost's poetry. Thompson also composed orchestral works, including three symphonies and a suite for orchestra. His first symphony, which premiered in 1931, was well-received and established him as a composer to watch. His second symphony, which premiered in 1932, was less successful and led Thompson to take a break from composing for several years. In addition to his work as a composer, Thompson was a respected conductor. He conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, among others. He was also a professor of music at the University of Virginia from 1941 to 1965. Thompson's music is characterized by its clarity and simplicity. He was influenced by the music of Bach, Handel, and Mozart, as well as by the Italian Renaissance composers he studied in Rome. His choral works are known for their beautiful melodies and lush harmonies, while his orchestral works are marked by their rhythmic energy and colorful orchestration. Thompson died on July 9, 1984, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was 85 years old. Today, he is remembered as one of America's most important composers of choral music. His works continue to be performed and recorded by choirs and orchestras around the world.

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