Ed Zubrow writes of his discovery of American composer David Diamond:

>I've just finished listening for the third time to a very enjoyable disc
>of David Diamond's music that I grabbed out of the used CD bin earlier
this
>week.  It is the Schwartz/Seattle Symphony recordng of the Third
Symphony,
>Kaddish for Cello and Orchestra, Psalm, and Music for "Romeo and Juliet."

{stuff deleted}

>I was unprepared for what Diamond might sound like.  I feared it would be
>an ordeal to listen to, but one that would "improve" me as a consumer of
>modern music.  Of course, there was nothing to fear: the music was
tonal,
>rational and, in places, quite moving.  I was impressed by its forward
>motion; whether agitated, or slow and reflective, I felt that there was a
>strong sense of what I would call "narrative momentum" at work.  This
seems
>particulary impressive for music with strong vertical, harmonic interest
as
>well.  Dashes of notable and memorable orchestral color stand out against
>the canvas and remind me of moments in Mahler symphonies.  For example, I
>loved the use of piano in some of the works and of bells in others.

That's about how the music strikes me as well.

>And Steve Schwartz made a tantilizing speculation about possible
>mental illness manifesting itself in tirades about seemingly unimportant
>matters.  (This seems at odds with the tenor of a composer interview in
the
>disc's notes, where he comes across as a rather avuncular, elderly man.)

Well, I certainly hope he's settled  down.  There are several documented
anecdotes in bios and writings of Sessions, Copland, Rorem, and Bernstein.
 To me, he seemed manic-depressive - based solely on what I've read and, of
course, I'm no shrink, nor do I play one on TV.  He  could be wonderful to
people; he could be horrid.  He could fly into rages for no apparent
reason.  Paul Moor, late of this list, has first-hand stories.

Diamond's homosexuality also caused him psychic grief.  He was, until
somewhat late  in his life, conflicted about it.  But then gay activism
began late in his life.  I believe it may have provided him with a key to
understanding that the social hatred he felt very keenly had little  to do
with him and much to do with the society.

>The music itself strikes me as quite reflective.  In particular of course
>the lovely, ruminative Kaddish but, also, elements of the other works.
>It does not strike me as particularly American however--whatever that
>means.  I don't hear the openess of a Copland or Harris.  Nor do I hear
>the hurly-burly, urbanized feel of Gershwin or Bernstein.  (The scherzo
>of Symphony 3 being an exception to this comment.) If anything, I think
he
>might belong more closely linked to Bloch: a European who moved to
America
>if I'm not mistaken.

True of Bloch.  I think less true of Diamond.  Although he didn't - except
in a few works like the ballet TOM (based on Uncle Tom's Cabin) - cultivate
American elements, he seems  to me as American as Piston and fairly close
to Piston in his symphonic output.  However, he also was an on-again
off-again student of Sessions, who was decidedly Europe-oriented (and who
studied with Bloch, by the way).  So you may have heard stuff in the music
I haven't yet.  Thanks for the hints.

>So, I am left eager to explore more, and would love to know where to turn
>next.  Also, I'm surprised I can't find anything about Diamond in the
three
>or four standard music history books I consulted.  Is he a "lesser"
>composer in the conventional wisdom?

No, he's just not as famous as Gershwin, Barber, Bernstein, or Copland.

Steve Schwartz