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Ml 48106 18 BEDFORD ROW, LONDON WC1R 4EJ, ENGLAND 8008780 NISBETT, ROBERT FRANKLIN LOUIS GRUENBERG: HIS LIFE AND WORK The Ohio State University PH.D. 1979 University Microfiims International 300 N -Z^bR oul, Ana Arbor, m i 48106 IS Bodftntl Row. London W ClR4£I,Esglaad Copyright 197g by NISBETT, ROBERT FRANKLIN All Rights Reserved PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a check mark . 1. Glossy photographs 2. Colored illustrations 3. Photographs with dark background 4. Illustrations are poor copy ___ 5. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page ______ 6. Indistinct, broken or small print on several pages \ / ^ throughout 7. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine 8. Computer printout pages with indistinct print 9. Page(s) _ lacking when material received, and not available from school or author \ i \ 10. Page(s)______ seem to be missing in numbering only as text follows ______ 11. Poor carbon copy ______ 12. Not original copy, several pages with blurred type 13. Appendix pages are poor copy ______ 14. Original copy with light type ______ 15. Curling and wrinkled pages ______ 16. Other U niversiN Micrailms Intemationcü 300 N. ZEES mo.. AN N ARBOR. Ml J8106 '3131 761-4700 LOUIS GRUENBERG: HIS LIFE AND WORK DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Robert Franklin Nisbett, B.S., M.A. The Ohio State University 1979 Reading Committee: Approved By Dr. Peter W. Gano Dr. Herbert S. Livingston Dr. Keith E. Mixter Advisor School of Music To Ellen, Tamara and Heath for their understanding and encouragement. 11 ACKNO' LEDGMENTS I am grateful to many people for the successful completion of this study. Most important was Irma Gruenberg. Her generosity in sharing her husband's manuscripts was done with the joy that others might know this music. My advisor, Dr. Herbert Livingston, gave unselfishly of his time and provided criticism and advice when it was needed. Dr. Keith Mixter and Dr. Peter Gano gave helpful suggestions in the last stages of the study. Special gratitude is given to the Sinfonia Foundation which awarded me the Foundation's 1976 Research Assistance Grant in American music. The stipend was especially useful for acquiring the material for the thematic catalogue. Ill VITA August 12, 1937 ............... Born - Niles, Ohio 1960 ......................... B.S.- Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 1963.. ......................... M. A. - Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 1964-1965 ..................... Teaching Associate, School of Music, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1965-1968 ..................... Instructor, Department of Music, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 1968-1979 ..................... Assistant Professor, Department of Music, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado PUBLICATIONS "Louis Gruenberg: A Forgotten Figure of American Music." Current Musicology, No. 18, 1974, pp. 90-95. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Music History Studies in Music History. Professor Richard H. Hoppin Professor Herbert S. Livingston Professor Keith E. Mixter IV LIST OF PLATES Plate Page I. Photograph of Louis Gruenberg ca. 1940 ............... 5 II. Busoni's Master-Class at Vienna, 1908 16 III. An Early Solo Piano Program in Which Gruenberg Included Three of His Own Compositions.............. 17 IV. An Early Program of Arnold Schoenberg's Music in Which Gruenberg Participated ......................... 18 V. A Program Given Entirely of Gruenberg's Music .... 19 VI. A Sketch of Gruenberg Made by Enrico Caruso During Their Concert Tour Together in 1920 24 VII. Cover of a Program Given by the American Music G u i l d ................................................ 27 VIII. Program on Which the Four Indiscretions was Given its First Performance ................................... 33 IX. Lawrence Tibbett as He Appeared in the Role of Emperor Jones ........................................ 47 X. Copy of a Rough Draft of a Letter Gruenberg Wrote in Request for Information About the Americana Suite . 88 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................. iii VITA .......................................................... iv LIST OF PLATES .................................................. v CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ........................................... 1 II. HIS LIFE ............................................... 10 III. THE MUSICAL STYLE ...................................... 79 IV. FOUR INDISCRETIONS, OP. 2 0 ............................ 97 V. THE DANIEL JAZZ, OP. 2 1 ................................ 122 VI. ANIMALS AND INSECTS, OP. 2 2 ............................. l45 VII. JAZZBERRIES, OP. 2 5 .................................... 164 VIII. JAZZ-SUITE, OP. 2 8 .................................... 189 IX. EMPEROR JONES, OP. 36 .................................. 221 X. THE FIGHT FOR L I F E .................................... 262 XI. VIOLIN CONCERTO, OP. 47 ................................ 289 XII. C O N C L U S I O N ............................................. 324 APPENDIX A Thematic Catalogue ........................................ 330 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................... 426 VI CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Throughout the twentieth century nationalism is especially significant in those countries which lack a long musical tradition. This movement manifested itself in much of the music written in the early decades of the twentieth century in the United States and became one of the dominant forces in that country. Two important sources which were utilized in developing nationalistic traits in American music dur­ ing this period were the Negro spiritual and jazz. The use of the Negro spiritual in attaining an American nationalistic music was advocated by Antonin Dvorak during his tenure as director of the National Conservatory of music in New York in the years 1892-1894. Dvorak's feelings for the Negro spiritual were expressed in an article which he wrote in Harper's New Monthly Magazine. In appraising the current situation of American music Dvorak advocated that the American composer should seek a music which would be national­ istic in character. Dvorak writes: A while ago 1 suggested that inspiration for truly national music might be derived from the Negro melodies or Indian chants. 1 was led to take this view partly by the fact that the so-called plantation songs are indeed thn most striking and appealing melo­ dies that have been found on this side of the water, but largely by the observation that this seems to be recognized, though often unconsciously, by most Americans.% ^Antonin Dvorak, "Music in America," Harper's New Monthly Magazine 90 (February 1895), p. 432. 2 Dvorak was influential on many young American composers and important works were written in the early twentieth century which made use of Negro spirituals. Among these compositions were Henry F. Gilbert's Comedy Overture on Negro Themes (1911), John Powell's Negro Rhapsody (1919) and Daniel Gregory Mason's String Quartet (1919). At this same time jazz became of interest to not only American composers but to composers throughout Europe even though jazz was recognized as an American phenomenon. Despite endless discussion on the nature of jazz there is still no consensus as to what kind of music actually constitutes jazz. David Baskerville in his study on jazz and its relationship to serious art music offers