Peter Mennin, born Peter Mennini, was a leading American symphonic composer who began musical studies at age seven and earned bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees from the Eastman School of Music.
Performer Biography
Gerard Schwarz has received numerous honors, including two Emmy Awards, 13 GRAMMY® nominations, and was the first American named Conductor of the Year by Musical America.
Performer Biography
Gerard Schwarz, the conductor on this album, served as Music Director of the Seattle Symphony for 26 years and has an extensive discography of over 350 releases.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Nearly all of Peter Mennin's orchestral pieces are 'pure' or 'abstract' music, without programmatic or literary references, with the exception of his Concertato for Orchestra, subtitled 'Moby Dick'.
Composer Biography
Peter Mennin had a distinguished career as an educator, teaching at The Juilliard School and serving as Director of the Peabody Conservatory before becoming President of Juilliard until his death.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Peter Mennin's musical rhetoric was sober and intense, evolving into a complex and austere tonal language that strengthened the emotional impact of his compositions.
Composition History
Peter Mennin's 'Moby Dick' Concertato for Orchestra was inspired by Herman Melville's novel, but the composer insisted it depicted the novel's emotional impact rather than a musical narrative of isolated incidents.
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