Skyscraper Lullaby: The Life and Music of John Alden Carpenter

Howard Pollack, Author Smithsonian Books $65 (544p) ISBN 978-1-56098-400-9

Though not well known today, Carpenter (1876-1951), who was born in Chicago and lived there most of his life, was a highly regarded composer during the early 20th century. In this comprehensive, scholarly study, first-time author Pollack, an associate professor of music at the University of Houston, covers Carpenter's career and discusses at length each of his works, analyzing his compositional process and style and including details of performance history and critical reception. He shows that Carpenter, who wrote concert pieces, numerous songs and three ballets, was one of our first composers to be considered uniquely American, for although influenced by Europeans such as Stravinsky and Debussy, he incorporated many American idioms in his work-popular music, spirituals, vaudeville, ragtime and, above all, jazz. Illustrations. (Nov.)

Reviewed on: 11/28/1994

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