Harold Morris

Harold Morris (b. March 17, 1890, San Antonio, Texas – d. May 6, 1964, New York City) was an American pianist, composer and educator. ["New York Times" obituary, "Harold Morris, A Composer, 74", May 7, 1964, page 37]

Morris graduated from the the University of Texas in 1910 and received his master's degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1922. He married Cosby Dansby, August 20, 1914; the couple had one daughter. Morris moved from his native San Antonio, Texas to New York in 1916. ["New York Times" obituary, "Harold Morris, A Composer, 74", May 7, 1964, page 37]

Performances and compositions

Morris toured extensively as a recitalist and soloist and his compositions were performed frequently during his lifetime. He made his New York concert debut in recital on January 13, 1921 at Aeolian Hall, with a program of his own compositions, including his Opus No. 3 (1915). On November 21, 1931, Morris was the piano soloist for a performance of his Piano Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Morris' composition, "Poem" was performed by violinist and conductor Eugène Ysaÿe in Cincinnati, Ohio with the Cincinnati Orchestra in November, 1918. ["New York Times" obituary, "Harold Morris, A Composer, 74", May 7, 1964, page 37] Violinist Josef Stransky performed the work at Carnegie Hall with the Philadelphia Orchestra three months later. ["New York Times" article, "Orchestras End Season", March 23, 1919, page 48]

Teaching

Morris taught at the Juilliard School of Music from 1922 to 1939, at Columbia University from 1939 to 1946, and at The Castle School in Tarrytown, New York. Morris also taught at his studio in Manhattan, at Rice Institute (1933), Duke University (1939-40), and the University of Texas. ["New York Times" obituary, "Harold Morris, A Composer, 74", May 7, 1964, page 37] [ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians", Seventh Edition, Revised by Nicolas Slonimsky, Schirmer Books, New York, 1984]

Leadership and Affiliations

Morris was one of the principal founders of the American Music Guild in New York in 1921. He served as United States director of the International Society for Contemporary Music from 1936 to 1940. He also served as Vice President of the National Association of American Composers and Conductors. [The International Piano Archives at The University of Maryland, biographical description with collection]

elected Compositions ["The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Vol. 12, Edited by Stanley Sadie, MacMillan Publishers, London, 1980] [ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians", Seventh Edition, Revised by Nicolas Slonimsky, Schirmer Books, New York, 1984]

For Orchestra

* "Poem", after Tagore's "Gitanjali" (1918)
* "Dum-a-Lum", variations on a Negro spiritual (1925)
* Piano Concerto on Two Negro Themes (1931)
* Symphony No. 1, after Browning's "Prospice" (1934)
* Violin Concerto (1939)
* Passacaglia and Fugue (1939)
* "Suite" (1941)
* American Epic (1942)
* Heroic Overture (1943)
* Symphony No. 2, "Victory" (1943)
* Symphony No. 3, "Amaranth" (1948)

Chamber music

* Opus No. 3 (1915) (solo piano)
* Violin Sonata
* "Prologue and Scherzo" (flute, violin, cello and piano)
* "Rhapsody" (flute, cello, and piano)

Footnotes