Elinor Remick Warren (February 23, 1900,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

– April 27, 1991, Los Angeles) was an American composer of

contemporary classical music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included se ...

and pianist. Her mother had been a student of a pupil of Franz Liszt, and introduced her daughter to art music. Warren's father was considered a fine amateur singer who had once considered singing professionally. Warren trained as a pianist with Kathryn Cocke through high school and took composition lessons from Gertrude Ross starting her second year in high school. She sent an early composition to the Schirmer music publishing company and received her first contract to publish with them before she graduated from high school. Between high school and college, Warren studied piano with

Harold Bauer Harold Victor Bauer (28 April 1873 – 12 March 1951) was a noted pianist of Jewish heritage who began his musical career as a violinist. Biography Harold Bauer was born in Kingston upon Thames; his father was a German violinist and his mot ...

and

Leopold Godowsky Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a Lithuanian-born American virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher. He was one of the most highly regarded performers of his time, known for his theories concernin ...

. After attending

Mills College Mills College at Northeastern University is a private college in Oakland, California and part of Northeastern University's global university system. Mills College was founded as the Young Ladies Seminary in 1852 in Benicia, California; it was r ...

for a year, she moved to New York, where she studied privately with composers

Frank La Forge Frank La Forge (October 22, 1879 – May 5, 1953) was an American pianist, vocal coach, teacher, composer and arranger of art songs. Biography He was born on October 22, 1879 in Rockford, Illinois. La Forge was a boy soprano. He first s ...

and

Clarence Dickinson Clarence Dickinson (May 7, 1873 in Lafayette, Indiana – August 2, 1969 in New York City) was an American composer and organist. Early Life and Studies Dickinson grew up in a religious family. His grandfather was minister Baxter Dickinson. H ...

, both of whom were known for their art songs. Warren supported herself as an accompanist for singers and went on tour with contralto

Margaret Matzenauer Margaret Matzenauer (sometimes spelled Margarete Matzenauer or Margarethe Matzenaur) (1 June 1881 – 19 May 1963) was an Austria-Hungary-born, later resident in the United States, mezzo-soprano. She had an opulent timbre and wide range. S ...

. Warren composed in a predominantly neo-Romantic style. In demand as both a pianist and a composer, she was a soloist twice with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and made several recordings as a collaborator with various singers. In the 1930s, Warren began working on larger-scale compositions including her piece ''The Harp Weaver'', a work for women's chorus, orchestra, and baritone soloist; and the symphonic ''The Passing of King Arthur'' (later re-titled ''The Legend of King Arthur''). In 1940, with the success of ''King Arthur'', she stopped performing to focus on composition. She actively composed on themes of nature, especially as seen in the American West, and mysticism. Warren spent most of her composition career in Los Angeles, which was considered an unusual choice at the time, given that New York was thought to be the center of new American music. Nonetheless, her works were widely performed during her lifetime. Her composition instructors included

Olga Steeb Olga Steeb (born 1890 – December 29, 1941) was an American pianist and music educator, based in Los Angeles, California. Early life Olga Steeb was the daughter of Carl Egon Steeb and Sophie S. Steeb, both German immigrants living in Los Angeles ...

Paolo Gallico Paolo is both a given name and a surname, the Italian form of the name Paul. Notable people with the name include: People with the given name Paolo Art *Paolo Alboni (1671–1734), Italian painter *Paolo Abbate (1884–1973), Italian-American ...

, and

Nadia Boulanger Juliette Nadia Boulanger (; 16 September 188722 October 1979) was a French music teacher and conductor. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organist. From a ...

. During her lifetime she wrote over 200 compositions. Many of these have been recorded by artists and ensembles such as the

Roger Wagner Chorale The Roger Wagner Chorale is an American choir founded by choral musician and educator Roger Wagner in 1946. History In 1937, Roger Wagner joined the MGM chorus in Hollywood and was subsequently appointed Music Director of St. Joseph's Chur ...

, baritone

Thomas Hampson Thomas Walter Hampson (born June 28, 1955) is an American lyric baritone, a classical singer who has appeared world-wide in major opera houses and concert halls and made over 170 musical recordings. Hampson's operatic repertoire spans a rang ...

, the Oslo Philharmonic, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the BBC Orchestra. Warren herself recorded a number of her piano and piano-vocal works. Her manuscripts and other materials are held by the Library of Congress in the Elinor Remick Warren Collection. On June 17, 1925, she married Dr. Raymond Huntsberger in Los Angeles; they divorced four years later. In 1936 she married the film producer

Z. Wayne Griffin Z is the 26th and last letter of the Latin alphabet. Z may also refer to: Film and television * ''Z'' (1969 film), a 1969 Algerian-French thriller film based on the murder of a Greek politician. * ''Z'' (1999 film), a 1999 Kannada mystery-th ...

(1907–1981), with whom she had two daughters and a son. She died at her home at the age of 91.

Principal works

*''The Fountain'', symphonic sketch (orig. for piano, 1934 ; orch. 1939). 4'30 *''The Legend of King Arthur'', A Choral Symphony, for Baritone, Tenor, choir and orchestra (includes an orchestral ''Intermezzo'') (1939–40 ; rev. 1974). 69' *''The Crystal Lake'', symphonic poem (1946). 9'30 *''Scherzo'' for orchestra (orig. for piano, 1937 ; orch. 1950). 3' *''Along the Western Shore'', symphonic suite in three movements (orig. for piano, 1946–47 ; orch. 1954). 12' *''Suite for Orchestra'' in four movements (1954 ; rev. 1960). 21' *''Symphony in One Movement'' (1970). 18' Much of Warren's output consists of large-scale choral and orchestral works.

Bibliography

* Bortin, Virginia (1987). ''Elinor Remick Warren: Her Life and Her Music''. Composers of North America, no. 5. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. * Bortin, Virginia (1993). ''Elinor Remick Warren: A Bio-Bibliography''. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. * Elinor Remick Warren Society
http://www.elinorremickwarren.com/

References

External links

Official site

February 28, 1987 {{DEFAULTSORT:Warren, Elinor Remick 20th-century classical composers American women classical composers American classical composers 1900 births 1991 deaths American women classical pianists American classical pianists Musicians from Los Angeles 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century American women pianists 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American composers Classical musicians from California 20th-century American women composers