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."
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>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
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