Schuman's Influence On American Youth And Choral Music

Schuman wrote many popular songs in his youth but favored orchestral and choral music, as is evident by his impressive compositional output that includes orchestral works, music for band, and Choral works as he continued the strong American symphonic tradition. Recognized for his mastery of orchestration, Schuman favored distinct blocks of color with a vital rhythmic style full of variety and intensity. He was able to take old styles and forms and infused his own methods to achieve coherence in a piece. In works based on pre-existing music, he absorbs elements of the source into his own style while still maintaining the integrity of the original work. Schuman was also a choral master of cantatas, short pieces, a capella, and accompanied styles and in the 70’s he began adding more vocal works to his catalogue. There seems to be a lack of influence from other composers in Schuman’s works which …show more content…
Billings is considered the first true American composer whose hymns and songs were popular during the American Revolution. New England Triptych was commissioned in 1954for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra by the well-known Pops conductor Andre Kostelanetz who wanted “something with an American background”. Schuman had previously written an overture based on Billings whose works, according to Schuman, “capture the sinewy ruggedness, deep religiosity, and patriotic fervor that we associate with the American Revolutionary Period. Despite the undeniable crudities and technical short comings of his music, it’s appeal, even today, is forceful and moving. I am not alone among American composers who feel an identity with Billings, and it’s in this sense of identity that accounts for my use of his music as a point of departure”. The overture, having never been published, was later used to provide material for New England