Philip James
Encyclopedia
Philip James was an American composer, conductor and music educator.
Note: Composer and shakuhachi player Phil James (his son) is listed as Phil Nyokai James
.
. At an early age he began piano, violin and theory lessons, and served as choirboy in several New Jersey churches. From 1904 to 1909 he studied organ with J. Warren Andrews and in 1907 began advanced harmony and counterpoint lessons with Homer Norris. He also studied composition with Rubin Goldmark
, Elliott Schenck, and Rosario Scalero
, as well as organ with Joseph Bonnet
and Alexandre Guilmant
in Paris.
In World War I
James played in and subsequently became bandleader of the American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band. Victor Herbert
heard his work with the band and upon James' discharge from the Army hired him as musical director for his musical comedy My Golden Girl. James conducted the Victor Herbert Opera Company from 1919 to 1922.
In 1922 James co-founded and became the first conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
. From 1929 to 1936 James was conductor of the Bamberger Little Symphony, broadcast weekly over radio station WOR
in New York.
In 1923 James began a long teaching career at New York University
, serving as head of the music department from 1934-1956. His students at NYU included Milton Babbitt
, Bernard Herrmann
, and Marvin David Levy.
From 1929 to 1936 James was conductor of the Bamberger Little Symphony, broadcast weekly over radio station WOR
in New York. In 1932 he won a $5000 prize from NBC for his satirical composition Station WGZBX, which subsequently received performances by many major orchestras. Other prize-winning compositions from the 1930s include his Bret Harte Overture, Suite for String Orcehstra, and Song of the Night.
Though he remained active as a composer until his death in 1975, James' larger-scale compositions were infrequently played after the mid-twentieth century. However several of his early sacred compositions, including Meditation a Ste. Clotilde for organ and the anthem By the Waters of Babylon remain in the sacred repertoire.
Note: Composer and shakuhachi player Phil James (his son) is listed as Phil Nyokai James
Phil Nyokai James
Phil Nyokai James is a professional shakuhachi teacher and performer as well as avant-garde composer. Born in New York in 1954, James studied shakuhachi with Ronnie Nyogetsu Reishin Seldin and Yoshio Kurahashi. After receiving his master's license , he began teaching and performing throughout the...
.
Life
James was born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. At an early age he began piano, violin and theory lessons, and served as choirboy in several New Jersey churches. From 1904 to 1909 he studied organ with J. Warren Andrews and in 1907 began advanced harmony and counterpoint lessons with Homer Norris. He also studied composition with Rubin Goldmark
Rubin Goldmark
Rubin Goldmark was an American composer, pianist, and educator. Although in his time he was an often performed American nationalist composer, his works are seldom played – instead he is known as the teacher of Aaron Copland and George Gershwin...
, Elliott Schenck, and Rosario Scalero
Rosario Scalero
Natale Rosario Scalero was an Italian violinist, music teacher and composer.By the age of six, Scalero was under the tutelage of Pietro Bertazzi, a violinist, musical instrument maker and instructor at the Conservatorio St. Cecilia in Torino. In 1881, Scalero entered the Liceo Musicale di Torino...
, as well as organ with Joseph Bonnet
Joseph Bonnet
Joseph Bonnet was a French composer and organist.One of the major French pipe organ players, Joseph Bonnet was born in Bordeaux. He first studied with his father, an organist at St. Eulalie. At the age of 14, he became official organist, first at St. Nicholas and almost immediately at St. Michael...
and Alexandre Guilmant
Alexandre Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer.- Short biography :Guilmant was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer...
in Paris.
In 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...
James played in and subsequently became bandleader of the American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band. Victor Herbert
Victor Herbert
Victor August Herbert was an Irish-born, German-raised American composer, cellist and conductor. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is best known for composing many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway from the 1890s to World War I...
heard his work with the band and upon James' discharge from the Army hired him as musical director for his musical comedy My Golden Girl. James conducted the Victor Herbert Opera Company from 1919 to 1922.
In 1922 James co-founded and became the first conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra located in the state of New Jersey, United States. Philip James founded the orchestra in 1922. The orchestra is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey. Neeme Järvi, the NJSO's music director from 2005 to 2009, is currently the orchestra's...
. From 1929 to 1936 James was conductor of the Bamberger Little Symphony, broadcast weekly over radio station WOR
WOR
WOR or Wor may refer to:* WOR , a radio station licensed to New York, New York, United States* WRKS, a radio station licensed to New York, New York, United States, which used the call sign WOR-FM from 1948 to October 1972...
in New York.
In 1923 James began a long teaching career at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, serving as head of the music department from 1934-1956. His students at NYU included Milton Babbitt
Milton Babbitt
Milton Byron Babbitt was an American composer, music theorist, and teacher. He is particularly noted for his serial and electronic music.-Biography:...
, Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann
Bernard Herrmann was an American composer noted for his work in motion pictures.An Academy Award-winner , Herrmann is particularly known for his collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock, most famously Psycho, North by Northwest, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and Vertigo...
, and Marvin David Levy.
From 1929 to 1936 James was conductor of the Bamberger Little Symphony, broadcast weekly over radio station WOR
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...
in New York. In 1932 he won a $5000 prize from NBC for his satirical composition Station WGZBX, which subsequently received performances by many major orchestras. Other prize-winning compositions from the 1930s include his Bret Harte Overture, Suite for String Orcehstra, and Song of the Night.
Though he remained active as a composer until his death in 1975, James' larger-scale compositions were infrequently played after the mid-twentieth century. However several of his early sacred compositions, including Meditation a Ste. Clotilde for organ and the anthem By the Waters of Babylon remain in the sacred repertoire.
Orchestra
- Song of the Night (1931)
- Station WGZBX (1932)
- Bret Harte Overture (1934)
- Sinfonietta (1938)
- Brennan on the Moor (1940)
- Symphony #1 (1943)
- Symphony #2 (1946)
- Miniver Cheevy (1947)
- Richard Cory (1947)
- Overture to a Greek Play (1952)
Band
- Colonel Averill March (1917)
- Festal March "Perstare et Praestare" (1942)
- E.F.G. Overture (1944)
- Fanfare and Ceremonial (1955)
Chamber/Small Orcehstra
- String Quartet (1924)
- Kammersymphonie (1926)
- Suite for String Orchestra (1933)
- Suite for Woodwind Quintet (1936)
- Piano Quartet (1937)
Organ Solo
- Meditation a Sainte Clotilde (1916)
- First Organ Sonata (1929)
- Pantomime (1941)
- Galarnad (1946)
- Alleluia-Toccata (1949)
- Pastorale (1949)
Choral
- By the Waters of Babylon (1920)
- General William Booth Enters into Heaven (1932)
- Psalm 150 (1940)
- Psalm 149 (1959)
- Chorus of Shepherds and Angels (1956)
- To Cecilia (1966)