With its proximity to the cultural hub of New York City and its quieter suburban and rural landscapes, Connecticut was fertile ground for artists and writers in the period of Modernist movements between 1913 and 1979. Many of these cultural figures are well known through biographical and critical studies. Creative Places seeks to show how place played a significant role in creative work, and how in turn the artists and writers influenced communities in Connecticut.
Leroy Anderson
Music
1908 – 1975
A composer of light orchestral pieces, often performed and indeed introduced by the Boston Pops, Leroy Anderson had a gift for creating catchy melodies and novel musical effects.
- Biography/Description of Work
Anderson began studying at the New England Conservatory of Music while still in grammar school, and earned B.A .and M.A. degrees in music from Harvard, where he directed the university band. He played several instruments but preferred to arrange and compose music. In 1936 he came to the attention of Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler, who commissioned original works from him and with who he collaborated over the course of their careers. After a desk job at the Pentagon during World War II, Anderson moved to Woodbury, where he composed ‘Sleigh Ride’ in 1947. His popularity was such that Decca Records recorded him and his orchestra live during premiere performances of his compositions over the course of a dozen years. He also composed for television, game shows and Broadway. With the royalties from a successful 1951 composition, ‘Blue Tango,’ Anderson hired architect Joseph Stein to design a modern home.
- Sources view
- http://www.leroyanderson.com/, http://www.pbs.org/sleighride/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leroy_Anderson, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1180163/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm, http://www.pbs.org/sleighride/Biography/Bio.htm
http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20130111.htm
http://www.leroyandersonfoundation.org/woodbury.php
Carley, Rachel; Leroy Anderson House National Register Nomination, Nomination No. 12000361, National Park Service, 2012. - Associated Resource(s)