John Tasker Howard

John Tasker Howard was an American musicologist and composer who made significant contributions to the field of American music. He was born in New York City and spent most of his life in the New York metropolitan area, where he was influenced by the works of Charles Ives, George Gershwin, and Duke Ellington. Howard's work was also shaped by his interactions with other notable figures, including Ferde Grofé, Roy Harris, and Virgil Thomson. His compositions often reflected his interest in American folklore and the music of Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, and Elliott Carter.

● Early Life and Education

John Tasker Howard was born in 1890 in New York City to a family of music lovers. He began his musical training at a young age, studying piano with private tutors and later enrolling in the Institute of Musical Art (now known as the Juilliard School) in Manhattan. During his time at the Institute of Musical Art, Howard was exposed to the works of European composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms, as well as American composers like Edward MacDowell and Charles Griffes. He also developed an interest in American folk music, which would later influence his compositions, similar to the works of Ruth Crawford Seeger and Percy Grainger.

● Career

Howard's career as a musicologist and composer spanned several decades, during which he worked with various music organizations and institutions, including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Library of Congress. He was also a member of the American Musicological Society and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, where he interacted with other notable figures, such as Otto Kinkeldey, Archibald Davison, and William Schuman. Howard's work as a music critic for The New York Times and The Musical Quarterly allowed him to share his expertise with a wider audience, discussing the works of Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Dmitri Shostakovich.

● Notable Works

John Tasker Howard's notable works include his books on American music history, such as "Our American Music" and "Stephen Foster: America's Troubadour", which showcased his expertise on American composers like George M. Cohan, Jerome Kern, and Irving Berlin. His compositions, including symphonies, concertos, and chamber music, often incorporated elements of American folk music and jazz, reflecting the influence of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman. Howard's music was performed by various orchestras and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra, under the direction of conductors like Arturo Toscanini, Serge Koussevitzky, and George Szell.

● Awards and Recognition

Throughout his career, John Tasker Howard received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to American music. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in music in 1936 for his work on American music history, and he also received the National Medal of Arts in 1963, an honor also bestowed upon Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, and Elliott Carter. Howard was also recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and the Music Teachers National Association, organizations that also honored Leonard Bernstein, Virgil Thomson, and William Schuman.

● Personal Life

John Tasker Howard lived a relatively private life, but his interactions with other notable figures in the music world are well-documented. He was friends with composers like Roy Harris, Virgil Thomson, and William Schuman, and he also knew conductors like Arturo Toscanini and Serge Koussevitzky. Howard's love of American music and American folklore was reflected in his personal life, as he often attended folk music festivals and concerts featuring American musicians, such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and Lead Belly. Despite his passing in 1964, John Tasker Howard's legacy continues to be celebrated by music scholars and enthusiasts of American music, including those at the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and the Smithsonian Institution. Category:American composers