Miriam Gideon
Encyclopedia
Miriam Gideon was an American composer
.
with her uncle Henry Gideon and piano
with Felix Fox
. She also studied with Martin Bernstein, Marion Bauer
, Charles Haubiel
, and Jacques Pillois. She studied harmony
, counterpoint
, and composition
with Lazare Saminsky
and at his suggestion also composition with Roger Sessions
after which she abandoned tonality
and wrote in a freely atonal or extended post-tonal style (Hisama 2001, pp. 6–7).
She moved to New York City where she taught at Brooklyn College
, City University of New York (CUNY) from 1944 to 1954 and City College
, CUNY from 1947 to 1955. She then taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
at the invitation of Hugo Weisgall
in 1955, and at the Manhattan School of Music
from 1967 to 1991. She was rehired by City College in 1971 as full professor and retired in 1976. (ibid)
In 1949 she married Frederic Ewen
. Both political leftists, they became victims of McCarthyism
, Ewen resigning from Brooklyn College to avoid naming names, Gideon being fired from the same and resigning from City College to also avoid naming leftist colleagues (ibid.).
Gideon composed much vocal music, setting texts by Francis Thompson
, Christian Morgenstern
, Anne Bradstreet
, Norman Rosten
, Serafin and Joaquín Quintero and others (ibid.).
She was the second woman inducted into American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1975, Louise Talma
being the first in 1974 (ibid.).
Compositions include Lyric Piece for Strings (1942), Mixco (1957), Adon Olom, Fortunato, Sabbath Morning Service, Friday Evening Service, and Of Shadows Numberless (1966).
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...
.
Life
She studied organOrgan (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
with her uncle Henry Gideon and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
with Felix Fox
Felix Fox
Felix Fox was a German-born concert pianist and educator.Mr. Fox studied piano with Carl Reinecke in Leipzig, and Hungarian-French pianist Isidor Philipp in Paris, and studied music theory with Salomon Jadassohn. Fox graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Leipzig where he made his debut...
. She also studied with Martin Bernstein, Marion Bauer
Marion Bauer
Marion Eugénie Bauer was an American composer, teacher, writer, and music critic. A contemporary of Aaron Copland, Bauer played an active role in shaping American musical identity in the early half of the twentieth century....
, Charles Haubiel
Charles Haubiel
Charles Trowbridge Haubiel was an American composer. He studied in New York City, and spent eight years teaching piano at the Institute of Musical Art in that city before moving on to New York University. His music has been described as a combination of Johannes Brahms and Claude Debussy...
, and Jacques Pillois. She studied harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
, and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
with Lazare Saminsky
Lazare Saminsky
Lazare Saminsky, born Lazar Iosifovich Saminsky, was a performer, conductor and composer, especially of Jewish music.-Life:...
and at his suggestion also composition with Roger Sessions
Roger Sessions
Roger Huntington Sessions was an American composer, critic, and teacher of music.-Life:Sessions was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a family that could trace its roots back to the American revolution. His mother, Ruth Huntington Sessions, was a direct descendent of Samuel Huntington, a signer of...
after which she abandoned tonality
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
and wrote in a freely atonal or extended post-tonal style (Hisama 2001, pp. 6–7).
She moved to New York City where she taught at Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
, City University of New York (CUNY) from 1944 to 1954 and City College
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, CUNY from 1947 to 1955. She then taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
at the invitation of Hugo Weisgall
Hugo Weisgall
Hugo David Weisgall was an American composer and conductor, known chiefly for his opera and vocal music compositions...
in 1955, and at the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
from 1967 to 1991. She was rehired by City College in 1971 as full professor and retired in 1976. (ibid)
In 1949 she married Frederic Ewen
Frederic Ewen
Frederic Ewen was an English professor at Brooklyn College from 1930 to 1952. During the height of the McCarthy period Ewen was forced to resign his teaching position after refusing to cooperate with a Senate Internal Security Committee investigation of communism and higher education.-Early...
. Both political leftists, they became victims of McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
, Ewen resigning from Brooklyn College to avoid naming names, Gideon being fired from the same and resigning from City College to also avoid naming leftist colleagues (ibid.).
Gideon composed much vocal music, setting texts by Francis Thompson
Francis Thompson
Francis Thompson was an English poet and ascetic. After attending college, he moved to London to become a writer, but in menial work, became addicted to opium, and was a street vagrant for years. A married couple read his poetry and rescued him, publishing his first book, Poems in 1893...
, Christian Morgenstern
Christian Morgenstern
Christian Otto Josef Wolfgang Morgenstern was a German author and poet from Munich. Morgenstern married Margareta Gosebruch von Liechtenstern on March 7, 1910...
, Anne Bradstreet
Anne Bradstreet
Anne Dudley Bradstreet was New England's first published poet. Her work met with a positive reception in both the Old World and the New World.-Biography:...
, Norman Rosten
Norman Rosten
Norman Rosten was an American poet, playwright, and novelist.-Life:He grew up in Hurleyville, New York and was graduated from Brooklyn College and New York University, and the University of Michigan, where he met Arthur Miller...
, Serafin and Joaquín Quintero and others (ibid.).
She was the second woman inducted into American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1975, Louise Talma
Louise Talma
Louise Talma was a composer. She was raised in New York City and studied at the Institute of Musical Arts , 1922–1930, and received her bachelor of music degree from New York University and masters of arts degree from Columbia University...
being the first in 1974 (ibid.).
Compositions include Lyric Piece for Strings (1942), Mixco (1957), Adon Olom, Fortunato, Sabbath Morning Service, Friday Evening Service, and Of Shadows Numberless (1966).
External links
- Miriam Gideon Papers, 1905-1992 Music Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
- Art of the States: Miriam Gideon
- [ Miriam Gideon at AllMusicGuide]
Interviews
- Miriam Gideon interview by Bruce Duffie, June 18, 1986