Alonzo Elliot
Encyclopedia
Alonzo Elliot (May 25, 1891 – June 25, 1964) was an American
composer
and songwriter
.
, New Hampshire
, Elliot was educated at St. Paul’s School
in Concord
, New Hampshire, Phillips Academy
(Andover
, Massachusetts), Yale University
, Cambridge University, and Columbia Law School
. He also studied music privately with Nadia Boulanger
and Leonard Bernstein
, among others.
", a popular song from the era of World War I
. Elliott wrote the music, and Stoddard King (1889-1933), Elliot's chief song collaborator, wrote the lyrics, when they were seniors at Yale
. The song was published in London in 1914 (no U.S. publisher would gamble on it), but a December 1913 copyright for the music is claimed by Zo Elliot.
[In Elliot's own words told to me shortly before his death in 1964, he created the music as an idle pursuit one day in his dorm room at Yale in 1913. King walked in, liked the music and suggested a first line. Elliot sang out the second, and so they went through the lyrics. And they performed it -- with trepidation -- before the fraternity that evening. The interview was published as an article in the New Haven Register and later reprinted in Yankee Magazine. It then appeared on page 103 of "The Best of Yankee Magazine" [ISBN 0-89909-079-6] In the interview he recalled the day and the odd circumstances that led to the creation of this historic song. I'm so pleased to have caught the details for history. — Marc Drogin]
and the Eighth Army
and was copyrighted in 1943 for publishing in 1944.
He also composed as an opera entitled Top Sergeant. In addition, he wrote an article on the background of the American Civil War
song "John Brown's Body
" (“John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in his grave,” sung to a melody later to become more famous as the melody to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic
"); the article purported to show that the John Brown of the song was a soldier in Boston, not the famous abolitionist of the same name.
Elliot died age 73 at the Gaylord Farm Hospital in allingford, Connecticut|] on June 25, 1964. He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Manchester, Connecticut
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Elliot&GSfn=Alonzo&GSby=1891&GSbyrel=in&GSdy=1964&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=67671447&df=all&
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Early life
Born in ManchesterManchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Elliot was educated at St. Paul’s School
St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire)
St. Paul's School is a highly selective college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The school is one of only six remaining 100% residential boarding schools in the U.S. The New Hampshire campus currently serves 533 students,...
in Concord
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
, New Hampshire, Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
(Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, Massachusetts), Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Cambridge University, and Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
. He also studied music privately with Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
and Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, among others.
"There's a Long, Long Trail"
His best-known composition is "There's a Long Long Trail A-WindingThere's A Long Long Trail A-Winding
"There's a Long, Long Trail" is a popular song of World War I. The lyrics were by Stoddard King and the music by Alonzo "Zo" Elliott, both seniors at Yale....
", a popular song from the era of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Elliott wrote the music, and Stoddard King (1889-1933), Elliot's chief song collaborator, wrote the lyrics, when they were seniors at Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
. The song was published in London in 1914 (no U.S. publisher would gamble on it), but a December 1913 copyright for the music is claimed by Zo Elliot.
[In Elliot's own words told to me shortly before his death in 1964, he created the music as an idle pursuit one day in his dorm room at Yale in 1913. King walked in, liked the music and suggested a first line. Elliot sang out the second, and so they went through the lyrics. And they performed it -- with trepidation -- before the fraternity that evening. The interview was published as an article in the New Haven Register and later reprinted in Yankee Magazine. It then appeared on page 103 of "The Best of Yankee Magazine" [ISBN 0-89909-079-6] In the interview he recalled the day and the odd circumstances that led to the creation of this historic song. I'm so pleased to have caught the details for history. — Marc Drogin]
Other works
Elliot composed the well-known march “British Eighth”. It was written in tribute to General Bernard MontgomeryBernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
and the Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
and was copyrighted in 1943 for publishing in 1944.
He also composed as an opera entitled Top Sergeant. In addition, he wrote an article on the background of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
song "John Brown's Body
John Brown's Body
"John Brown's Body" is an American marching song about the abolitionist John Brown. The song was popular in the Union during the American Civil War. The tune arose out of the folk hymn tradition of the American camp meeting movement of the 19th century...
" (“John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in his grave,” sung to a melody later to become more famous as the melody to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is a hymn by American writer Julia Ward Howe using the music from the song "John Brown's Body". Howe's more famous lyrics were written in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862. It became popular during the American Civil War...
"); the article purported to show that the John Brown of the song was a soldier in Boston, not the famous abolitionist of the same name.
Elliot died age 73 at the Gaylord Farm Hospital in allingford, Connecticut|] on June 25, 1964. He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Elliot&GSfn=Alonzo&GSby=1891&GSbyrel=in&GSdy=1964&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=67671447&df=all&
External Links
- Zo Elliot Papers at the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library, Yale University; includes photograph of Elliot
- Sheet music for "There's a Long, Long Trail", M. Witmark & Sons, 1914.