Elie Siegmeister, American Composer

Elie Siegmeister, American Composer: A Bio-Bibliography is the first book-length treatment of the life and work of one of America's most vital and prolific composers, Elie Siegmeister. Leonard Lehrman, Siegmeister's protégé, and pianist Kenneth Boulton have carefully amassed Siegmeister's entire oeuvre and collected it in this comprehensive listing of his works, which includes 20 stage, 41 orchestral, 14 band, 37 choral, 34 chamber, and 40 piano solo works, 159 songs, and hundreds of choral arrangements that were performed internationally and conducted by such greats as Toscanini, Stokowski, Mitropoulos, and Maazel.The volume begins with a biographical essay on the composer based on his Siegmeister's recorded oral history and his correspondence with publishers, colleagues, and Lehrman himself, whom he designated as his "continuator." The essay also contains analyses and critical summaries. The bibliographical section is an annotated list of several hundred entries, incorporating every known composition, publication, CD, LP, 78, authorized or private recording, performance, review, and thesis by or about Siegmeister. This comprehensive volume concludes with several previously unpublished photos and indexes that allow for greater accessibility of the works.

Lehrman and Boulton have done a great service here for the study of American music. Their tireless research finally brings into sharp focus the career and output of one of America's most distinctive and prolific composers. Siegmeister's multiple commitments—to social progress, to American folk music, and, in his own works, to balancing depth with accessibility—sing out from this (not short but) sweet book., Composers work in the medium of time, but time is not always a good friend of composers, especially after their death. Memories of performances and works can fade and important legacies can be forgotten. For this reason alone, a bio-bibliography of the distinguished American composer Elie Siegmeister by Leonard Lehrman and Kenneth Boulton is especially valued. This is not a definitive or personalized biography but, instead, a factual compendium of virtually every salient aspect of Siegmeister's life and work. Of particular interest is a very detailed "Biographical Essay" which includes many little-known facts about the composer's life. Adding to this, though, is the great utility of lists of every known Siegmeister composition, performance, recording, video and article on the composer. Surely this important reference will be a good place to start for an Elie Siegmeister revival and new performances and recordings of his exceptional works., Clearly a labor of love on behalf of Elie Siegmeister and his work, this splendid volume is just as clearly a labor of intelligence and service. Its broad and detailed scholarship and its brilliantly clear organization offer the reader both ease of use and the stimulation of one discovery after another. Siegmeister's vast creativity has never been so fully or so enticingly revealed., A landmark in American music scholarship, a significant book, and one that deserves to be a part of any serious music library’s collection., Researchers and performers will find this a useful guide to this composer.

Leonard J. Lehrman is a conductor, pianist, and composer of more than 190 works, including 10 operas and 6 musicals. He studied composition with Elie Siegmeister, is the co-founder of the Elie Siegmeister Society, and has performed his music in over 100 concerts and on 5 CDs for Capstone and Original Cast Records. He is author of Marc Blitzstein: A Bio-Bibliography (2005) and editor of The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1-3 (1999, 2001, 2003).Kenneth O. Boulton is associate professor of piano at Southeastern Louisiana University and has performed extensively as piano soloist and chamber musician in the United States and Europe. His most recent album, Louisiana - A Pianist's Journey, was nominated for a classical solo instrumental GRAMMY Award in 2007 and his recordings of Elie Siegmeister's solo piano music garnered international critical acclaim.