A few years ago I blind-bought a box of LPs branded "Educational Record Reference Library", which turned out to be a set of late 60's/early 70's recordings of compositions for concert band/wind band rather than anything library. A few library composers are featured throughout, however, with information and photos listed on the rear sleeves. The biographies of some of these composers (for instance Louis J. Brunelli) are not that well-documented, so I thought I'd transcribe them here for future reference.
I might add more to this thread later, I have a few music books touching on library composers that I think contains info not readily available online.
Riccardo Allorto (pseud. "Torallo"):
ALLORTO RICCARDO. Mosso S. Maria (Vercelli), 31.1.'21. Musicologo. Laureato in lettere, dipl. in musica, insegnante di St. delle musica nei Conservatorio di Bolzano, Parma e Milano. Redattore di riviste.
Ha pubbl. dizionari; libri didattici, st. della musica per i Conservatorio; ha rev. musica di Banchieri, Boccherini, Carissimi, Salieri, Sarti, Gli anni milanesi di G.C. Bach; ecc.
Aurelio Arcidiacono (pseud. "Eliaron":
ARCIDIACONO AURELIO. 1915. Violinista. Insegnante al Conservatorio di Torino.
Autore di Due movimenti per viola d'amore e viola; Invito al violino.
Guido Baggiani (pseud. "Ruscigan"):
BAGGIANI GUIDO. Napoli '32.
Autore di Profili, '83, per 8 clarinetti; Profili 2 per 8 legni; Monologo per 2 percussioni; Gongora per soprano, pianoforte e orchestra; Musiche per pianoforte, 85; Anabasi, '86, per voce femminili e 5 strumenti; Danza, '86, per 4 strumenti; Specchi per pianoforte; Studi per 2 pianoforti; Mimesi oer flauto, clarinetto, fagotto, viola, violoncello; Metafora per 11 arci; Contr-azione per 2 orchestre; Accordo presunto per 2 tam-tam, 2 pianoforti, 4 piatti, elabrazione elettronica; Dialogo per 2 percussioni.
Robert Russell Bennett:
ROBERT RUSSELL BENNETT, born in Kansas City, Kansas on June 15th, 1894, studied piano with his mother and violin and trumpet with his father. At age 15, he studied composition with Carl Busch, conductor of the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra. Following high school, he worked as a copyist-arranger in New York City, and after World War I, became an orchestrator for theater and dance bands. He is most famous for his orchestrations of countless Broadway musicals. Several of his original compositions for band and orchestra have earned wide acclaim in music education.
Guglielmo Bertolotti:
BERTOLOTTI GUGLIELMO. Brescia, '09 - Roma, '79. Ha studiato al Conservatorio di Parma e a Roma (Dobici e Jachino). Insegnante di violino al Conservatorio di S. Cecilia.
MUSICA DA CAMERA - Trio per achi; Quartetto per flauto, oboe, clarinetto e fagotto; Liriche per voce, flauto e arpa; Quartetto per archi, '56; Divertimento per ottavino, violino, viola, contrabbasso e arpa; pezzi d concerto per vari strumenti; Sonata per violoncello e arpa; Danza per flauto e arpa; Le tristezze ignote per voce, flauto e arpa.
MUSICA SINFONICA - Rapsodia per violino; Notturno per archi; Concerto per violoncello; Tre liriche dannunziane.
Carey Blyton (pseud. "A. P. C. Rutter", "Gavain Snipe", "Mark Stevens", "Roy Green"):
BLYTON CAREY. 1932.
Autore di Two pensive songs op. 10 per clarinetto e pianoforte; Brani per chitarra; Three moods op. 13 per violino e pianoforte; Six epigrams per saxofono e pianoforte; Pastiches per 3 chitarre; Trio op. 18 per flauto, clarinetto e fagotto; Pasticheries op. 82 per 2 trombe, corno, trombone e tuba; Weet e sour rar, op. 85, per 2 trombe, corno, trombone e tuba; For the delight of Sciva op. 94 per vibrafono; Nimblefingers, op. 96, per 2 clarinetti; Pasticheries per pianoforte a 4 mani; A little trio per flauto, clarinetto e fagotto.
Louis Brunelli (Louis Jean Brunelli):
LOUIS BRUNELLI was born in New York City, June 24, 1925. After completing his studies for a Certificate from the Guildhall School of Music in London, he received a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, and a Master of Music in Composition from Manhattan School of Music, under Vittorio Giannini. Private studies include piano with Myra Hess and Harold Bauer. Mr. Brunelli was musical arranger and assistant conductor for Longines Symphonette under Michel Piastro from 1949 through 1954. In 1960, he was the recipient of the Recording Repertoire Award rom the American Symphony League. In 1964, he assisted Morton Gould in the C.B.S. documentary, "World War I", and in many of Mr. Gould's RCA recordings. Currently with Chappell & Company, Mr. Brunelli is Director of Theatrical and Symphonic Rental Library, arranging and composing for Concert Band, and is teaching courses in the Extension Division of the Manhattan School of Music. He is also Program Coordinator for the Festival Musicale di Salerno, in Italy.
LOUIS JEAN BRUNELLI was born in New York City on June 24, 1925. After completing studies for a Certificate from the Guildhall School of Music in London, he received a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, and a Master of Music in Composition from Manhattan School of Music, under Vittorio Giannini. Private studies include piano with Myra Hess and Harold Bauer. Mr. Brunelli was musical arranger and assistant conductor for the Longines Symphonette under Michel Piastro from 1949 to 1954. In 1960, he was the recipient of the recording Repertoire Award from the American Symphony League. In 1964, he assisted Morton Gould in the CBS documentary, "WORLD WAR I", and in many of Mr. Gould's RCA recordings. Currently with Chappell & Company, Inc., as Director of Theatrical and Symphonic Rental Library, arranging and composing for the Concert Band, he is on the Theory Faculty of Manhattan School of Music, teaching courses in instrumentation for orchestra and band. His most recent appeareances as guest clinician, were at the Wingert-Jones Band Clinic on August 21, 1971, and with Dr. James Neilsen at the Schmitt Music Band Clinic. He was head clinician for the Malecki Music Band Clinic on November 6, 1970, and for the Hospe Music Band Clinic in November of 1970 featuring the S.A.C. Band. He appeared as guest clinician for Stanton Music at Ohio State University and for the Northwest Band Clinic at Morehead, Minnesota during February of 1971, and returned as orchestra and band clinician for the Northwest Band Clinic in August of 1971 at Schmitt Music Company.
Sergio Cafaro:
CAFARO SERGIO. Roma, '24. Allievo di R. Caporali e G. Petrassi al Conservatorio di Roma dove si č diplomato e insegna.
MUSICA PER PIANOFORTE - Colloqui, Fogli d'album; Omaggio a Bartok, a Jgor, a Skrjiabin; Omaggio a Bach, a Hindemith per pianoforte a 4 mani; Improvviso, Interludio; 3 Evocazioni; Figure; Papillons; Interludio romantico;
MUSICA DA CAMERA - Quintetto d'archi; Quartetto d'archi; Musica per 4 archi e 4 saxofono; Dialogo per flauto e chitarra.
MUSICA SINFONICA - 2 Concerti; 2 Concerti per pianoforte.
Fiorenzo Carpi (Fiorenzo Carpi De Resmini, pseud. "Biondello"):
CARPI FIORENZO. Milano, 19.10.'18. Ha frequentato il Conservatorio di Milano (A. Pedrollo, Ghedini e Lupi).
MUSICA DA CAMERA - Trio '45; Concertino per violino e pianoforte; Sonata per viola e pianoforte.
MUSICA SINFONICA - Sonata notturna per flauto, violino e archi; Inni vidici; Concerto per flauto; Varianti.
TEATRO - La metamorfosi (Milano '57); La porta divisoria, '61; musica di scena per drammi e commedie ei Calderon, Goldoni, Pirandello, Shakespeare, Sofocle per Venezia, Firenze, Siracusa, Milano; musica per films.
Luigi Ceccarelli:
CECCARELLI LUIGI. Rimini '53.
Autore di Musica verticale; Musica per fiati, per nastro magnetico, per clarinetto e pianoforte preparato; Nessuno pensiero, nessuna analisi, nessuna intenzione per violoncello e nastro magnetico; Musica per strumenti vari, per percussione, per contrabbasso e elaborazioni elettronica; Opzioni per nastro magneto '90; Köan per clarinetto e pianoforte; La naturale condizione del moto per 9 fiati; Anima di metallo per 3 percussioni e live electronica, '91.
Giancarlo Chiaramello (pseud. "Mells", "Ollamar"):
CHIARAMELLO GIANCARLO. Bra (Cuneo), 18.2.'39. Allievo di Carando, Perracchio e Quaglia al Conservatorio di Torino. Pianista.
Autore di musica di scena; Concerto da camera per. violoncello e strumenti; 3 Movimenti per orchestra; 4 Invenzioni per archi, ottoni, timpani 2 pianoforti; musica vocale e str.
Gian Paolo Chiti:
CHITI GIAN PAOLO. Roma, '39. Ha studiato pianoforte, composizione e dir. d'orch.
Autore di Concerto per archi, '63; Y Ara dire per 2 chitarre, '69; 2 Quartetti per archi; In mind per orchestra; Replay per 8 fiati; Persefone per flauto; Spleen per flauto, violoncello e pianoforte; Arion per chitarra '83; Nacht musik per archi; Konzertstück, '84; Trio concertante per archi; Retour per trio d'archi e archi; W lyng vj the sea sond per soprano e pianoforte; Ipodion per rapa, '85; Folksongs per voce e pianoforte; Fogli d'album per chitarra; Salve Regina per mezzo soprano e orchestra, '91; Ground per pianoforte a 4 mani; Serenata per contrabbasso e archi; brani per pianoforte e archi; Labenslauf per violin, viola e violoncello, clarinetto e pianoforte.
Marius Constant (pseud. "Constant Ivoire"):
CONSTANT MARIUS. Bucarest '25, di genitori francesi. Ha studiato al Conservatorio di Parigi (T. Audin e O. Messiaen).
TEATRO - Pygmalione, '54; Imagerie St.-Michel (Venezia '55); Balletto La paura per pianoforte e 19 strumenti; Cyrano di Bergerac; Ponant; Rain; Le violon; Éloge de la folie; Paradis perdu; Nanŕ, balletto '76.; Tocador de flauto; Masacre des Amazones.
Una decina di balletti Le Joueur de flüte (Premio Italia, '52); Musiche di scena.
MUSICA SINFONICA - Preludi; Conerti; 5 canti per soprano; Ponant per pianoforte e 19 strumenti.
MUSICA DA CAMERA - Psyche per 2 pianoforti e 2 percussioni; Trio per oboe, clarinetto, e fagotto; Trois complexes per pianoforte e oboe; Musica da concerto per saxofonoe 11 strumenti, '60; brani per pianoforte.
Aaron Copland:
AARON COPLAND was born in 1900 in Brooklyn, New York, and received his education there. In 1921 he went to Paris for three years, during which time he studied composition and orchestration with Nadia Boulanger. This prominent composer is involved in many musical activities; among them are the League of Composers, the Koussevitzky Foundation and the International Society for Contemporary Music. Mr. Copland has appeared as lecturer, pianist and conductor in many areas of the U.S., Europe and Latin America. He was recipient of the Pulitzer prize in 1945, and the Guggenheim Fellowship, 1925 to 1927, among other awards. Many of his compositions evoke historic or characteristic American scenes.
COPLAND AARON. New York, 14.11.1900 + 2.12.'90. Allievo di N. Boulanger a Parigi.
Autore di due op. teatrale; 4 balletti; musica di scena; musica per films; 4 Sinfonie; Sinfonia con organo; Concerto per pianoforte; Concerto per clarinetto; Ritratto di Lincoln per voce e orchestra; Cortčge macabre per orchestra; musica corale; brani per violino e pianoforte; Sonate; Vocalizzi; Episodio per organo; Quiet City per tromba e corno inglese; Quartetti.
PUBBLICAZIONI - Come ascoltare la musica.
Frank Erickson (Frank W. Erickson):
FRANK ERICKSON was born in Spokane, Washington, on September 1, 1923. He first studied composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and later with Halsey Stevens at the University of Southern California. Most of his professional life has been associated with school bands and he has over sixty original published works for band. He has held editorial positions with the firms of Belwin, Bourne and G. Schirmer, and has recently formed his own publishing form known as Summit Publications.
Don Gillis (Donald E. Gillis, Jr.):
DON GILLIS, born in Cameron, Missouri in 1912, graduated from the Christian University in Texas, and later became band director there. In 1944 he was appointed program arranger by NBC in New York. Mr. Gillis has composed eight scores for orchestra, six string quartets, a cantata and piano music. His orchestral works have been performed by every major symphony in the United States and Europe.
Caesar Giovannini:
CAESAR GIOVANNINI was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 26, 1925, and began piano studies at the age of five at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. In 1938, he was the winner of the Chicago Conservatory Silver Medal in its annual piano competition. He joined the Navy in 1943 where he was a soloist for the Official United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C. Mr. Giovannini resumed his studies at the Chicago Conservatory after discharge from the Navy in 1946, and graduated with a Master's degree in Composition in 1948. He joined the National Broadcasting Company Staff Orchestra as pianist n 1949, appearing as soloist in various radio and television shows. During the years of 1956 and 1957, he was the Music Director of the "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" television show, after which he joined the American Broadcasting Company Staff Orchestra in 1958. Mr. Giovannini then moved to Los Angeles, Californina, in 1959, and is currently active as a free-lance pianist and composer for motion picture and television films.
Charles Gross (Charles Henry Gross):
CHARLES GROSS is a graduate of Harvard University and was a teaching fellow at Mills College in Oakland, California where he was a student of Darius Milhaud and Leon Kirchner. During his military service he served as an arranger for the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. He has been active as a composer of music for films and television. Among his screen credits are "The Group," and "Robert Frost," a feature film documentary.
Gustav Holst (Gustav Theodore Holst né Gustavus Theodore von Holst):
GUSTAV THEODORE HOLST, whose name was actually Gustavus Theodore von Holst, was born in Cheltenham, England on September 21st, 1874 and died in London on May 25th, 1934. At the age of 19 he entered the Royal College of Music where he studied composition and trombone. In 1905 he became music master of St. Paul's Girls' School and in 1907, music director at Morley College, retaining both positions until his death. His last years were devoted entirely to composition. Holst received his inspiration from exotic subjects, oriental themes, and English folklore.
Gordon Jacob:
GORDON JACOB, English composer and pedagogue, was born in London, July 5th, 1895. He studied with Stanford at the Royal College of Music, where he taught from 1926. Later, he served as examiner of music schools and was active as a music editor. Among his works are 2 symphonies, 3 symphonic suites, several concerts and arrangements for ballet performances and films.
GORDON JACOB, English composer and pedagogue, was born in London on July 5, 1895. He studied at Dulwich College and with Stanford at the Royal College of Music where he has been teaching since 1926. His early orchestra and band transcriptions of Elizabethan music aroused his interest in the individual qualities of instruments. Subsequently, he became a specialist in instrumentation and wrote a textbook on scoring and transcriptions. Among his works are two symphonies, three symphonic suites, several concerti, and arrangements for ballet performances and films.
Laurie Johnson (Laurence Reginald Ward Johnson, pseud. "J. Laurenz"):
LAURIE JOHNSON was born in London in 1927 and studied at the Royal College of Music. He has composed symphonic works as well as music for television and motion pictures, including the musical "Lock Up Your Daughters" which won the Novello prize in 1959.
Vaclav Nelhybel:
VACLAV NELHYBEL, born in Czechoslovakia in 1919 and now an American citizen, studied composition and conducting at the Prague Conservatory of Music and musicology at the Universities of Prague and Freiburg. He has held important conducting posts with major European orchestras and, as composer, has won awards in Copenhagen, Prague, Munich, New York and Los Angeles.
VACLAV NELHYBEL, born in Czechoslovakia in 1919, had studied composition and conducting at the Prague Conservatory of Music, and musicology at the Universities of Prague and Freibourg (Switzerland). While still a student in Prague, he was affiliated with Radio Prague as composer and conductor. By 1948, he had become active with the Swiss National Radio as composer-conductor. Since 1957, has lived in this country, become a United States citizen, and is now active as composer, conductor, and lecturer. He has conducted his music and lectured at the invitation of universities in more than thirty states. Among his many awards are the Ravitch Music Foundation Prize (1954) and the International Festival of Music and Dance Prize (1947), the former of which was awarded in New York, and the latter of which was awarded in Copenhagen. His works have been introduced by such outstanding organizations as the Prague Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra de la Suisse Romande in Geneva. Other works by Mr. Nelhybel were given first performance by the symphony orchestras and chamber groups of Radio Hilversum in Holland, Radio Lugano in Switzerland, and Radio Vienna in Austria. Vaclav Nelhybel is an accomplished musician possessing diverse virtuoso skills in traditional, as well as contemporary, musical techniques. As a composer, he strives for and achieves his own unique blend of certain traditional and contemporary practices.
Hale Smith:
HALE SMITH, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, studied with Ward Lewis and Marcel Dick at the Cleveland Institute of Music from which he graduated with an M.M. Degree in composition in 1952. He has composed and arranged for various media including chamber ensemble, piano, voice and orchestra. Mr. Smith was the winner of BMI's first "Student Composers Award" in 1952.
Alfred Reed (pseud. "Fred Nelson", "Martin Deley"):
ALFRED REED was born in New York City on January 25th, 1921. He began his musical training at the age of ten, and was playing trumpet professionally in high school. He studied theory and composition with John Sacco and Paul Yartin. After three years at the Radio Workshop in New York, Mr. Reed served in the Air Force for nearly four years, during which time he compoed almost 100 works for band. He then enrolled at the Julliard School of Music as a student of Vittorio Giannini. In 1953 has became conductor of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he completed his academic work. In 1966 he joined the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Miami in Florida, as Associate Professor of Music.
ALFRED REED is a native New Yorker, born in Manhattan on January 25, 1921. He began formal music training at the age of ten, studying trumpet, and was playing professionally while still in high school. He worked on theory and harmony with John Sacco, and continued later as a scholarship student of Paul Yartin. After three years at the Radio Workshop in New York, he enlisted in the Air Force during World War II, and was assigned to the 529th Army Air Force Band. During his three and a half years with this organization, Alfred Reed became deeply interested in the Concert Band and its music. He produced nearly one hundred works for band before leaving the service. Following his release, he enrolled at the Julliard School of Music as a student of Vittorio Giannini. In 1948 he became staff composer and arranger with NBC and, subsequently, ABC in New York, where he wrote and arranged music for radio and television, as well as for record albums and films. In 1953 Mr. Reed became conductor of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, at the same time completing his interrupted academic work. During the two years at Baylor he also became interested in the problems of educational music at all levels, especially in the development of repertoire material for band, orchestra and chorus. This led, in 1955, to his accepting the post of editor in a major publishing firm. He left this position in September, 1966, to join the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Miami, as Associate Professor Music, holding a joint appointment in the Theory-Composition and Music Education Departments. With over two hundred published works for band and orchestra and chorus to his credit, many of which have been on required performance lists for the past ten years, Alfred Reed is one of the nation's most prolific and frequently performed composers. His work as a clinician and guest conductor has taken him to nearly every part of the country.
Ralph Vaughan Williams:
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS was born in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, England on October 12th, 1872 and died in London on August 26th, 1958. He studied at the Charterhouse School in London, Trinity College in Cambridge and the Royal College of Music in London. He developed a profound interest in English folk music and, embracing the Tudor period with an advanced harmonic technique, displays a distinctive personal, yet English, style. There is evidence of a parallel to Sibelius, for whom Williams professed great admiration.
