American Art Song - 20th-century American Art Song

20th-century American Art Song

American composers began to break from European traditions in the early part of the 20th century. Charles Ives (1874–1954) composed songs in a variety of styles, including both traditional and experimental sounds, and self-published his important collection 114 Songs. Other publications of American song, such as those in the The Wa-Wan Press editions presented works by less-known American composers.

By the end of the 20th century, several composers emerged as the leaders of American art song composition, especially Aaron Copland (1900–1990), Samuel Barber (1910–1981), and Ned Rorem (born 1923).

Other 20th-century American art song composers

• Sidney Homer (1864–1953), husband of Louise Homer and uncle of Samuel Barber
• Jean Paul Kürsteiner (1864–1943), sacred and dramatic songs
• Harry Burleigh (1866–1949), student of Dvorák, spiritual arrangements and other songs
• Amy Beach (Mrs. H. H. A.) (1867–1944)
• Howard Brockway (1870–1951), wrote folksong arrangements with Loarine Wyman
• Arthur Farwell (1872–1952)
• Oley Speaks (1874–1948), famous for his setting of Kipling's "On the Road to Mandalay"
• Henry Clough-Leighter (1874–1956)
• Pearl G. Curran (1875–1941), 40 songs
• Frederic Ayres (1876–1926)
• John Alden Carpenter (1876–1951)
• Louis Campbell-Tipton (1877–1921)
• John Prindle Scott (1877–1932)
• Frank La Forge (1879–1953)
• Ernest Bloch (1880–1959), Swiss-American
• Clara Edwards (1880–1974), composed over 100 songs, many in anthologies
• Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881–1946), Songs of the American Indian
• Richard Hageman (1882–1970)
• Mary Howe (1882–1964)
• Bainbridge Crist (1883–1969)
• Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884–1920)
• Wintter Watts (1884–1962), settings of Sara Teasdale
• Deems Taylor (1885–1966)
• Henry Cowell (1887–1965)
• Hall Johnson (1887–1970) concert arrangements of spirituals
• David W. Guion (1892–1981), collected folk songs; composed sacred songs
• John Jacob Niles (1892–1980), arranged folk songs and composed original settings of Thomas Merton poems
• Katherine K. Davis (1892–1980)
• Douglas Moore (1893–1969) opera composer, some songs
• Ernest Charles (1895–1984) a few songs still in the repertoire
• Albert Hay Malotte (1895–1964) famous setting of "Lord's Prayer"
• Leo Sowerby (1895–1968)

• William Grant Still (1895–1978) the "Dean" of African-American composers
• Roger Sessions (1896–1985)
• Virgil Thomson (1896–1987)
• Henry Cowell (1897–1965)
• Ernst Bacon (1898–1990)
• Roy Harris (1898–1979)
• John Woods Duke (1899–1984)
• Sven Lekberg (1899–1984)
• Randall Thompson (1899–1984)
• Otto Luening (1900–1996)
• Elinor Remick Warren (1900–1991)
• Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901–1953)
• Thodore Chanler (1902–1961)
• Celius Dougherty (1902–1986)
• Vittorio Giannini (1903–1966)
• Vernon Duke (1903–1969)
• Undine Smith Moore (1904–1989)
• Marc Blitzstein (1905–1964)
• Louise Talma (1906–1996)
• Paul Creston (1906–1985)
• Ross Lee Finney (1906–1997)
• Howard Swanson (1907–1978)
• Elliot Carter (born 1908), composed a few songs, from 1938 to 1943 and the 1970s
• Sergius Kagen (1908–1964)
• Jean Berger (1909–2002)
• Charles Naginski (1909–1940)
• Paul Nordoff (1909–1977)
• Elie Siegmeister (1909–1991)
• Paul Bowles (1910–1999)
• Sam Raphling (1910–1988)
• Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000)
• Gian-Carlo Menotti (1911–2007)
• John Cage (1912–1992), songs include "The Wonderful Widow of 18 Springs"
• Hugo Weisgall (1912–1997)
• Margaret Bonds (1913–1972)
• Norman Dello Joio (born 1913)
• John Edmunds (1913–1986)
• Vivian Fine (1913–2000)
• Gardner Read (1913–2005)
• Irving Fine (1914–1962)
• David Diamond (1915–2005)
• George Perle (born 1915)
• Vincent Persichetti (1915–1987)
• Gordon Binkerd (1916–2003)
• Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)
• George Rochberg (1918–2005)
• John La Montaine (born 1920)
• Jack Beeson (1921–2010)
• Seymour Barab (born 1921)
• William Bergsma (1921–1994)
• Ernest Gold (1921–1999) film music, cycle Songs of Love and Parting
• Lloyd Pfautsch (1921–2003) much sacred music, some songs
• Lukas Foss (born 1922)
• Robert Kreutz (1922–1996)
• Richard Owen (born 1922) lawyer, judge, and composer
• Jean Eichelberger Ivey (1923–2010)
• Daniel Pinkham (1923–2006)
• Lee Hoiby (1926–2011)
• Dominick Argento (born 1927)
• William Roy (1928–2003), art songs and theater music
• Richard Hundley (born 1931)
• H. Leslie Adams (born 1932)
• Luigi Zaninelli (born 1932)
• Kenneth Benshoof (born 1933)