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Peter Mennin
Peter Mennin
Birth name	Peter Mennini
Born	May 17, 1923; Erie, Pennsylvania, United States
Died	June 17, 1983 (aged 60); New York, New York, United States
Occupations	Composer, teacher

Peter Mennin (born Mennini) (May 17, 1923, Erie, Pennsylvania – June 17, 1983, New York City) was an American composer and teacher. He directed the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, then for many years ran the Juilliard School, succeeding William Schuman in this role. He began composing at an early age, and wrote nine symphonies, several concertos, and numerous works for wind band, chorus, and other ensembles. His style became more chromatic and astringent with time, but was always essentially tonal, relying heavily on polyphony.

Mennin's fifth symphony of 1950, which is tonal, energetic and suspenseful, was recorded by Howard Hanson and the Eastman Rochester Orchestra in the Mercury series of American classical works -- the original LP also included the "New England Triptych" of William Schuman -- and for years was the only widely-available recording of Mennin's work, though its reissue on CD prompted several other recordings of Mennin compositions.

Juilliard awards a Peter Mennin prize, for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music.

His notable students include Jacob Druckman, Richard Danielpour, Karl Korte, Charles L. Bestor, and Claire Polin.

[edit] Principal works

Symphonies
- Symphony No. 1 (1942)^[1] withdrawn
- Symphony No. 2 (1944) (Gershwin Memorial Award, 1945)^[2] withdrawn
- Symphony No. 3 (completed May 17 1946, his doctoral dissertation ^[3]. Premiered February 1947 by the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Walter Hendl.^[4])
- Symphony No. 4 The Cycle (1947–8) (Chorus & orchestra)
- Symphony No. 5 (1950) (commissioned and premiered by the Dallas Symphony and Walter Hendl)^[1]
- Symphony No. 6 (1953)
- Symphony No. 7 Variation-symphony (1964, pub. 1967)^[1]
- Symphony No. 8 (1973)
- Symphony No. 9 (1981)

Other orchestral works
- Folk Overture (1945)
- Fantasia for String Orchestra (1947)
- Concertato Moby Dick (1952)
- Cello concerto (1956)
- Piano concerto (1958) (Premiered by Eunice Podis, piano, with George Szell conducting the Cleveland Orchestra)
- Canto (pub. 1965)
- Flute concerto (1983)

Concert Band works
- Canzona for band (1951)

Piano
- Five pieces (1950)
- Piano sonata (1963)

Choral Works
- A Song of the Palace (1948)
- Christmas Story (1949)

Chamber works
- String quartet #1
- String quartet #2 (1951)
- Sonata concertante, for violin and piano (1956)

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Mennin List of Works at Carl Fischer". http://www.carlfischer.com/Fischer/menninworks.html. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
^ Chase, Gilbert (1992). America's Music: From the Pilgrims to the Present at Google Book Search. Ed. 3. University of Illinois Press. p. 573. ISBN 0252062752.
^ Olmstead, Andrea (2002 reprint). Juilliard: A History at Google Book Search. University of Illinois Press. p. 243. ISBN 0252071069.
^ Olmstead (2002), p. 243.

[edit] External links

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[Fischer-0] "Mennin List of Works at Carl Fischer". http://www.carlfischer.com/Fischer/menninworks.html. Retrieved 21 February 2009.

[1] Chase, Gilbert (1992). America's Music: From the Pilgrims to the Present at Google Book Search. Ed. 3. University of Illinois Press. p. 573. ISBN 0252062752.

[2] Olmstead, Andrea (2002 reprint). Juilliard: A History at Google Book Search. University of Illinois Press. p. 243. ISBN 0252071069.

[3] Olmstead (2002), p. 243.

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