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{{Short description|American composer (1907–1980)}}
{{Moresources|date=October 2019}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Alec Wilder
| name = Alec Wilder
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}}
}}


'''Alexander Lafayette Chew "Alec" Wilder ''' (February 16, 1907 – December 24, 1980) was an [[United States|American]] [[composer]].
'''Alexander Lafayette Chew Wilder ''' (February 16, 1907 – December 24, 1980)<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=2684}}</ref> was an American composer and author.


==Biography==
==Biography==
Wilder was born in [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]], [[New York (state)|New York]] to a prominent family; the [[Wilder Building]] downtown (at the "Four Corners") bears the family's name. As a young boy, he traveled to [[New York City]] with his mother and stayed at the [[Algonquin Hotel]]. It would later be his home for the last 40 or so years of his life. He attended several [[University-preparatory school|prep school]]s, unhappily, as a teenager. Around this time, he hired a lawyer and essentially "divorced" himself from his family, gaining for himself some portion of the family fortune.
Wilder was born in [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> to a prominent family; the [[Wilder Building]] downtown (at the "Four Corners") bears the family's name and his maternal grandfather, and namesake, was prominent banker [[Alexander Lafayette Chew]]. As a young boy, he traveled to [[New York City]] with his mother and stayed at the [[Algonquin Hotel]]. It would later be his home for the last 40 or so years of his life.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He attended several [[University-preparatory school|prep school]]s, unhappily, as a teenager. Around this time, he hired a lawyer and essentially "divorced" himself from his family, gaining for himself some portion of the family fortune.


He was largely self-taught as a composer; he studied privately with the composers Herman Inch and Edward Royce, who taught at the [[Eastman School of Music]] in the 1920s, but never registered for classes and never received his degree.<ref>Bowen, Glenn Hamel. "The Clarinet in the Chamber Music of Alec Wilder". (D.M.A. diss., Eastman School of Music, 1968), 2-3.</ref> While there, he edited a humor magazine and scored music for short films directed by [[James Sibley Watson]]. Wilder was eventually awarded an honorary degree in 1973.
He was largely self-taught as a composer; he studied privately with the composers Herman Inch and Edward Royce, who taught at the [[Eastman School of Music]] in the 1920s, but never registered for classes and never received his degree.<ref>Bowen, Glenn Hamel. "The Clarinet in the Chamber Music of Alec Wilder". (D.M.A. diss., Eastman School of Music, 1968), 2-3.</ref> While there, he edited a humor magazine and scored music for short films directed by [[James Sibley Watson]]. Wilder was eventually awarded an honorary degree in 1973.


He was good friends with [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Peggy Lee]], [[Tony Bennett]] and others who helped develop the [[American popular music]] canon. Among the popular songs he wrote or co-wrote were "[[I'll Be Around (1942 song)|I'll Be Around]]" (a hit for the [[Mills Brothers]]), "While We're Young" (recorded by Peggy Lee and many others), "Blackberry Winter", "Where Do You Go?" (recorded by Sinatra) and "It's So Peaceful in the Country". He also wrote many songs for the [[cabaret]] artist [[Mabel Mercer]], including one of her signature pieces, "Did You Ever Cross Over to Sneden's?".<ref>{{cite news| last = Teachout| first = Terry| title = Mabel Mercer: The Subtle Truth | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date = January 6, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/06/arts/music-mabel-mercer-the-subtle-truth.html?pagewanted=1 | access-date = 2010-01-23 }}</ref> Wilder also occasionally wrote his own lyrics, including for his most famous song "I'll Be Around". Other lyricists he worked with included [[Loonis McGlohon]], [[William Engvick]], [[Johnny Mercer]] and [[Fran Landesman]].
He was good friends with [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Peggy Lee]], [[Tony Bennett]] and others who helped develop the [[American popular music]] canon. Among the popular songs he wrote or co-wrote were "[[I'll Be Around (1942 song)|I'll Be Around]]" (a hit for the [[Mills Brothers]]), "While We're Young" (recorded by Peggy Lee and many others), "Blackberry Winter", "Where Do You Go?" (recorded by Sinatra) and "It's So Peaceful in the Country".<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He also wrote many songs for the [[cabaret]] artist [[Mabel Mercer]], including one of her signature pieces, "Did You Ever Cross Over to Sneden's?".<ref>{{cite news| last = Teachout| first = Terry| title = Mabel Mercer: The Subtle Truth | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] | date = January 6, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/06/arts/music-mabel-mercer-the-subtle-truth.html?pagewanted=1 | access-date = 2010-01-23 }}</ref> Wilder occasionally wrote his own lyrics, including for his most famous song "I'll Be Around".<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Other lyricists he worked with included [[Loonis McGlohon]], [[William Engvick]], [[Johnny Mercer]] and [[Fran Landesman]].


In addition to writing popular songs, Wilder also composed [[Classical music|classical]] pieces for unique combinations of orchestral instruments. The Alec Wilder Octet, including Eastman classmate [[Mitch Miller]] on oboe, recorded several of his originals for [[Brunswick Records]] in 1938-40. His classical numbers, which often had off-beat, humorous titles ("The Hotel Detective Registers"), were strongly influenced by [[jazz]]. He wrote eleven [[operas]]; one of which, ''Miss Chicken Little'' (1953), was commissioned for television by [[CBS]]. Wilder also arranged a series of [[Christmas carol]]s for [[Tubachristmas]].
In addition to writing popular songs, Wilder also composed [[Classical music|classical]] pieces for unique combinations of orchestral instruments.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> The Alec Wilder Octet, including Eastman classmate [[Mitch Miller]] on oboe, recorded several of his originals for [[Brunswick Records]] in 1938-40. His classical numbers, which often had off-beat, humorous titles ("The Hotel Detective Registers"), were strongly influenced by [[jazz]]. He wrote eleven [[operas]]; one of which, ''Miss Chicken Little'' (1953), was commissioned for television by [[CBS]]. Wilder also arranged a series of [[Christmas carol]]s for [[Tubachristmas]].


Sinatra [[Conductor (music)|conducted]] the Columbia String Orchestra on "[[Frank Sinatra Conducts the Music of Alec Wilder]]", an album of Wilder's classical music (1946). Wilder also contributed two tone poems, "Grey" and "Blue", to the 1956 album "[[Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color]]".
Sinatra [[Conductor (music)|conducted]] the Columbia String Orchestra on ''[[Frank Sinatra Conducts the Music of Alec Wilder]]'', an album of Wilder's classical music (1946). Wilder also contributed two tone poems, "Grey" and "Blue", to the 1956 album, ''[[Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color]]''.


Wilder wrote the definitive book ''American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900–1950'' (1972). He was also featured in a radio series based on the book, broadcast in the middle to late 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2009/04/10/102941429/billy-taylor-on-piano-jazzs-debut-episode|title=Billy Taylor On Piano Jazz's Debut Episode|website=Npr.org}}</ref> With lyricist [[Loonis McGlohon]] (his cohost on the radio series) he composed songs for the [[Land of Oz (theme park)|Land of Oz]] [[theme park]] in [[Banner Elk, North Carolina]].
Wilder wrote the definitive book ''American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900–1950'' (1972).<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He was also featured in a radio series based on the book, broadcast in the middle to late 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2009/04/10/102941429/billy-taylor-on-piano-jazzs-debut-episode|title=Billy Taylor On Piano Jazz's Debut Episode|website=Npr.org}}</ref> With lyricist [[Loonis McGlohon]] (his co-host on the radio series) he composed songs for the [[Land of Oz (theme park)|Land of Oz]] [[theme park]] in [[Banner Elk, North Carolina]].<ref>Stone. p.&nbsp;[https://archive.org/details/alecwilderinspit00ston/page/146/mode/2up?q=%22Land+of+Oz%22 146].</ref>


Wilder loved puzzles: he created his own cryptic crosswords, and could spend hours with a [[jigsaw puzzle]]. He also loved to talk (he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the world) and most of all, laugh. Displeased with how Peggy Lee improvised the ending of ''While We're Young'', he wrote her a note: "The next time you come to the bridge [of the song], jump!" Pianist Marian McPartland told the story of this "alleged" comment to Tony Bennett on her "Piano Jazz" radio show in 2004.
Wilder loved puzzles: he created his own cryptic crosswords, and could spend hours with a [[jigsaw puzzle]].<ref>Stone. pp.&nbsp;[https://archive.org/details/alecwilderinspit00ston/page/48/mode/2up?q=crossword+puzzles 166, 185, 207, 208, 251].</ref> He also loved to talk (he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the world) and most of all, laugh. Displeased with how Peggy Lee improvised the ending of "While We're Young", he wrote her a note: "The next time you come to the bridge [of the song], jump!" Pianist [[Marian McPartland]] told the story of this "alleged" comment to [[Tony Bennett]], on her "Piano Jazz" radio show in 2004.


Wilder died in [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]], [[Florida]] and is buried in a Catholic cemetery in [[Avon, New York]], outside Rochester.
Wilder died in [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]], [[Florida]], from lung cancer in December 1980,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> and is buried in a Catholic cemetery in [[Avon, New York]], outside Rochester.


==Selected works==
==Selected works==
;Opera
;Opera
*3 children's operas: ''[[The Churkendoose]]''; ''Rachetty Pachetty House'', ''Herman Ermine in Rabbit Town'' (1942)<ref>Slominsky, Nicolas (1988). ''[https://archive.org/details/concisebakersbio0000slon/page/1360/mode/2up?q=%223+children%27s+operas%22+1942 The Concise Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians]''. New York: Schirmer Books. p.&nbsp;1360. {{ISBN|0-02-872411-9}}.</ref>
*''The Lowland Sea'' (1952)
*''The Lowland Sea'' (1952)
*''Miss Chicken Little'' (1953)
*''Miss Chicken Little'' (1953)
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*''The Tattooed Countess'' (1974)
*''The Tattooed Countess'' (1974)
*''The Opening'' (1975)
*''The Opening'' (1975)
;Musical
*''[[The Churkendoose]]'' (1947)
*''Rachetty Pachetty House'' (?)
*''Herman Ermine in Rabbit Town'' (?)

;Musicals
*''Pinocchio'' (1957)
*''Pinocchio'' (1957)
*''Hansel and Gretel'' (1958)
*''Hansel and Gretel'' (1958)
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*''Nobody’s Earnest'' (1978).
*''Nobody’s Earnest'' (1978).


;Film Music
;Film music
*''[[The Fall of the House of Usher (1928 American film)|The Fall of the House of Usher]]'' (1928)
*''[[The Fall of the House of Usher (1928 American film)|The Fall of the House of Usher]]'' (1928)
*''[[Lot in Sodom]]'' (1933)
*''[[Lot in Sodom]]'' (1933)
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*''Open the Door and See All the People'' (1964), directed by Jerome Hill
*''Open the Door and See All the People'' (1964), directed by Jerome Hill


;Large Ensemble
;Large ensemble
*''A Child’s Introduction to the Orchestra'' (1954). Text by Marshall Barer. A musical primer. Eighteen movements featuring individual instruments of the orchestra. [Ludlow]
*''A Child’s Introduction to the Orchestra'' (1954). Text by Marshall Barer. A musical primer. Eighteen movements featuring individual instruments of the orchestra. [Ludlow]
*''[[Names from the War]]'' (1961), for narrator, chorus, brass quintet, and woodwind quintet
*''[[Names from the War]]'' (1961), for narrator, chorus, brass quintet, and woodwind quintet
*''Children’s Plea for Peace'' (1968). Children's SSAA chorus, narrator and wind ensemble. Text by Wilder, adapted from writings of Avon, New York schoolchildren. Dedicated to Rev. Henry Atwell. [Margun]
*''Children’s Plea for Peace'' (1968). Children's SSAA chorus, narrator and wind ensemble. Text by Wilder, adapted from writings of Avon, New York schoolchildren. Dedicated to Rev. Henry Atwell. [Margun]



;Songs (selected list)
;Songs (selected list)
*[[A Child Is Born (jazz standard)|A Child Is Born]] (lyrics only)
*"[[A Child Is Born (jazz standard)|A Child Is Born]]" (lyrics only)
*A long night
*"A Long Night"
*Be a Child
*"Be a Child"
*Blackberry Winter
*"Blackberry Winter"
*Ellen
*"Ellen"
*Give Me Time
*"Give Me Time"
*[[I'll Be Around (1942 song)|I'll Be Around]]
*"[[I'll Be Around (1942 song)|I'll Be Around]]"
*It's So Peaceful In The Country
*"It's So Peaceful in the Country"
*Lovers And Losers
*"Lovers and Losers"
*Mimosa And Me
*"Mimosa and Me"
*Moon And Sand
*"Moon and Sand"
*Rain Rain
*"Rain Rain"
*That's My Girl
*"That's My Girl"
*The April Age
*"The April Age"
*The Rose On The Wind
*"The Rose on the Wind"
*The Starlighter
*"The Starlighter"
*The Winter Of My Discontent
*"The Winter of My Discontent"
*Trouble Is A Man
*"Trouble Is a Man"
*Walk Pretty
*"Walk Pretty"
*Where Do You Go
*"Where Do You Go"
*While We're Young
*"While We're Young"
*Who Can I Turn To
*"Who Can I Turn To"


;Chamber music and Solo Instruments
;Chamber music and solo instruments
*Air for Bassoon and Strings (1945). For Harold Goltzer
*Air for Bassoon and Strings (1945). For Harold Goltzer
*Air for Flute and Strings (1945). For Julius Baker.
*Air for Flute and Strings (1945). For Julius Baker
*Air for Oboe and Strings (1945). For Mitch Miller.
*Air for Oboe and Strings (1945). For Mitch Miller
*Brass Quintets:
*Brass Quintets: No 1 (1959) For the New York Brass Quintet; No 2 (1961); No. 3 (1970); No. 4 (1973) For Harvey Phillips; No. 5 (1975) For the Tidewater Brass Quintet; No. 6 (1977) For the Tidewater Brass Quintet; No. 7 (1978) For Frances Miller; No. 8 (1980) For Frances Miller.
**No 1 (1959) For the New York Brass Quintet
⚫
*Concerto No. 1 for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble (1967). For Doc Severinson.
**No 2 (1961)
**No. 3 (1970)
**No. 4 (1973) For Harvey Phillips
**No. 5 (1975) For the Tidewater Brass Quintet
**No. 6 (1977) For the Tidewater Brass Quintet
**No. 7 (1978) For Frances Miller
**No. 8 (1980) For Frances Miller
⚫
*Concerto No. 1 for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble (1967). For Doc Severinson
*Concerto for Euphonium and Wind Orchestra (1981; written in 1971). For Barry Kilpatrick
*Concerto for Euphonium and Wind Orchestra (1981; written in 1971). For Barry Kilpatrick
*Effie Suite (1960) for Tuba, Vibraphone, Piano and Drums. For Harvey Phillips
*Effie Suite (1960) for Tuba, Vibraphone, Piano and Drums. For Harvey Phillips
*Fantasy for Piano and Wind Ensemble (1974). For Marian McPartland
*Fantasy for Piano and Wind Ensemble (1974). For Marian McPartland
*Hardy Suite for Piano
*Jazz Suite for Four Horns (1951). Four horns with harpsichord, guitar, bass, drums.
*Jazz Suite for Four Horns (1951). Four horns with harpsichord, guitar, bass, drums.
*Octets (1939–41) Flute/Clarinet 2, oboe/English horn/, clarinet 1, bass clarinet, bassoon, harpsichord, bass, drums: Bull Fiddle In A China Shop; The Children Met the Train; Concerning Etchings; Dance Man Buys A Farm; A Debutante's Diary; Her Old Man Was Suspicious; His First Long Pants; House Detective Registers; It's Silk, Feel It!; Kindergarten Flower Pageant; Little Girl Grows Up; Neurotic Goldfish; She'll Be Seven In May; Such A Tender Night; Walking Home In Spring.
*Octets (1939–41) Flute/Clarinet 2, oboe/English horn/, clarinet 1, bass clarinet, bassoon, harpsichord, bass, drums:
**Bull Fiddle in a China Shop
**The Children Met the Train
**Concerning Etchings
**Dance Man Buys a Farm
**A Debutante's Diary
**Her Old Man Was Suspicious
**His First Long Pants
**House Detective Registers
**It's Silk, Feel It!
**Jack, This Is My Husband
⚫
*Seven Duets for Horn and Bassoon.
**Kindergarten Flower Pageant
⚫
*Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1960). For Donald Sinta.
**Little Girl Grows Up
**Little White Samba
**Neurotic Goldfish
**She'll Be Seven in May
**Such a Tender Night
**Walking Home in Spring
⚫
*Seven Duets for Horn and Bassoon
⚫
*Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1960). For Donald Sinta
*Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano (1969). For George Roberts
*Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano (1969). For George Roberts
*Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1963). For Glenn Bowen.
*Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1963). For Glenn Bower
*Sonata for Euphonium and Piano (1968)
*Sonata for Euphonium and Piano (1968)
*Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (1963). For Joe Wilder.
*Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (1963). For Joe Wilder
*Sonata for Viola and Piano (1965)
*Sonata for Viola and Piano (1965)
*Sonata-Fantasy for Piano
⚫
*Suite for Unaccompanied Flute (1975). For Virginia Nanzetta.
*Suite for Flute and Marimba (1977)
*Suite for String Bass and Guitar (1980)
⚫
*Suite for Unaccompanied Flute (1975). For Virginia Nanzetta
*Suites for Piano, Nos. 1 to 4
*Suite No. 2 for Tenor Saxophone and Strings (1966). For [[Zoot Sims]]. [Margun]
*Suite No. 2 for Tenor Saxophone and Strings (1966). For [[Zoot Sims]]. [Margun]
*Suites for Tuba and Piano: Suite No. 1 (1960) for Harvey Phillips; Suite No. 2 (Jesse Suite), *Suite No. 3 (Suite for Little Harvey) and Suite No. 4 (Thomas Suite)
*Suites for Tuba and Piano:
**Suite No. 1 (1960) for Harvey Phillips
**Suite No. 2 (Jesse Suite)
**Suite No. 3 (Suite for Little Harvey)
**Suite No. 4 (Thomas Suite)
*Three Ballads for Stan [also exists in Wilder's piano reduction as Suite No. 1 for Tenor Saxophone and Piano] (1963). For Stan Getz. [Margun]
*Three Ballads for Stan [also exists in Wilder's piano reduction as Suite No. 1 for Tenor Saxophone and Piano] (1963). For Stan Getz. [Margun]
*Twelve Duets for Horn and Bassoon.
*Twelve Duets for Horn and Bassoon
*Twelve Mosaics for Piano
*Woodwind Quintets: No. 1 (1954) For the [[New York Woodwind Quintet]]; No. 2 (1956); No. 3 (1958); No. 4 (1959) For Bernard Garfield; No. 5 (1959); No. 6 (1960); No. 7 (1964); No. 8 (1966) [also known as Suite For Non-Voting Quintet; No. 9 (1969); No. 10 (ca. 1968); No. 11 (1971) For John Barrows; No. 12 (1975) For the Wingra Quintet; No. 13
*Un deuxième essai for Piano
*Woodwind Quintets:
**No. 1 (1954) For the [[New York Woodwind Quintet]]
**No. 2 (1956)
**No. 3 (1958)
**No. 4 (1959) For Bernard Garfield;
**No. 5 (1959)
**No. 6 (1960)
**No. 7 (1964)
**No. 8 (1966) [also known as 'Suite For Non-Voting Quintet']
**No. 9 (1969)
**No. 10 (ca. 1968)
**No. 11 (1971) For John Barrows
**No. 12 (1975) For the Wingra Quintet
**No. 13


==Discography==
==Discography==
''Alec Wilder Octet'' (Columbia, 1951)
''Alec Wilder Octet'' (Columbia, 1951)


===Albums as Composer===
===Albums as composer===
'''By [[Bob Brookmeyer]]'''
'''By [[Bob Brookmeyer]]'''
*''[[7 x Wilder]]'' (Verve, 1961)
*''[[7 x Wilder]]'' (Verve, 1961)
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*''Songs of Alec Wilder'' (Troy)
*''Songs of Alec Wilder'' (Troy)
'''By [[Eileen Farrell]]'''
'''By [[Eileen Farrell]]'''
*''Eileen Farrell Sings Alec Wilder'' (Reference)
*''Eileen Farrell Sings Alec Wilder'' (Reference)<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
''' By [[Ghost Train Orchestra]]'''
''' By [[Ghost Train Orchestra]]'''
*''Book of Rhapsodies'' (Accurate, 2013)
*''Book of Rhapsodies'' (Accurate, 2013)
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'''By [[Marian McPartland]]'''
'''By [[Marian McPartland]]'''
*''Marian McPartland Plays the Music of Alec Wilder'' (Jazz Alliance)
*''Marian McPartland Plays the Music of Alec Wilder'' (Jazz Alliance)
'''By John Noel Roberts'''
*''Alec Wilder: Music for Piano'' (Albany TROY1294, 2024)
'''By Diana Robinson'''
'''By Diana Robinson'''
*''Music of Alec Wilder'' (Multi Media Library)
*''Music of Alec Wilder'' (Multi Media Library)
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*[http://www.artofsong.net/songs/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=157:alec-wilder&catid=36:art-of-song-database-&Itemid=59#mce_temp_url%23 Alec Wilder at Art of Song]
*[http://www.artofsong.net/songs/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=157:alec-wilder&catid=36:art-of-song-database-&Itemid=59#mce_temp_url%23 Alec Wilder at Art of Song]
*[http://archives.nypl.org/mus/23065 Alec Wilder papers, 1909-2000] Music Division, The New York Public Library.
*[http://archives.nypl.org/mus/23065 Alec Wilder papers, 1909-2000] Music Division, The New York Public Library.
* {{discogs artist|Alec Wilder}}
* {{IMDb name|0928546}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:Chew family]]
[[Category:Musicians from Rochester, New York]]
[[Category:Musicians from Rochester, New York]]
[[Category:American male classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American classical composers]]
[[Category:American classical composers]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in Florida]]
[[Category:20th-century classical composers]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]]
[[Category:American opera composers]]
[[Category:American opera composers]]
[[Category:Male opera composers]]
[[Category:American male opera composers]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Florida]]
[[Category:Eastman School of Music alumni]]
[[Category:Eastman School of Music alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American composers]]
[[Category:Classical musicians from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Classical musicians from New York (state)]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]

Latest revision as of 11:50, 10 November 2024

Alec Wilder
Background information
Birth nameAlexander Lafayette Chew Wilder
Born(1907-02-16)February 16, 1907
OriginRochester, New York, United States
DiedDecember 24, 1980(1980-12-24) (aged 73)
Gainesville, Florida, United States
GenresClassical music, popular music
OccupationComposer

Alexander Lafayette Chew Wilder (February 16, 1907 – December 24, 1980)[1] was an American composer and author.

Biography

[edit]

Wilder was born in Rochester, New York, United States,[1] to a prominent family; the Wilder Building downtown (at the "Four Corners") bears the family's name and his maternal grandfather, and namesake, was prominent banker Alexander Lafayette Chew. As a young boy, he traveled to New York City with his mother and stayed at the Algonquin Hotel. It would later be his home for the last 40 or so years of his life.[1] He attended several prep schools, unhappily, as a teenager. Around this time, he hired a lawyer and essentially "divorced" himself from his family, gaining for himself some portion of the family fortune.

He was largely self-taught as a composer; he studied privately with the composers Herman Inch and Edward Royce, who taught at the Eastman School of Music in the 1920s, but never registered for classes and never received his degree.[2] While there, he edited a humor magazine and scored music for short films directed by James Sibley Watson. Wilder was eventually awarded an honorary degree in 1973.

He was good friends with Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett and others who helped develop the American popular music canon. Among the popular songs he wrote or co-wrote were "I'll Be Around" (a hit for the Mills Brothers), "While We're Young" (recorded by Peggy Lee and many others), "Blackberry Winter", "Where Do You Go?" (recorded by Sinatra) and "It's So Peaceful in the Country".[1] He also wrote many songs for the cabaret artist Mabel Mercer, including one of her signature pieces, "Did You Ever Cross Over to Sneden's?".[3] Wilder occasionally wrote his own lyrics, including for his most famous song "I'll Be Around".[1] Other lyricists he worked with included Loonis McGlohon, William Engvick, Johnny Mercer and Fran Landesman.

In addition to writing popular songs, Wilder also composed classical pieces for unique combinations of orchestral instruments.[1] The Alec Wilder Octet, including Eastman classmate Mitch Miller on oboe, recorded several of his originals for Brunswick Records in 1938-40. His classical numbers, which often had off-beat, humorous titles ("The Hotel Detective Registers"), were strongly influenced by jazz. He wrote eleven operas; one of which, Miss Chicken Little (1953), was commissioned for television by CBS. Wilder also arranged a series of Christmas carols for Tubachristmas.

Sinatra conducted the Columbia String Orchestra on Frank Sinatra Conducts the Music of Alec Wilder, an album of Wilder's classical music (1946). Wilder also contributed two tone poems, "Grey" and "Blue", to the 1956 album, Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color.

Wilder wrote the definitive book American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900–1950 (1972).[1] He was also featured in a radio series based on the book, broadcast in the middle to late 1970s.[4] With lyricist Loonis McGlohon (his co-host on the radio series) he composed songs for the Land of Oz theme park in Banner Elk, North Carolina.[5]

Wilder loved puzzles: he created his own cryptic crosswords, and could spend hours with a jigsaw puzzle.[6] He also loved to talk (he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the world) and most of all, laugh. Displeased with how Peggy Lee improvised the ending of "While We're Young", he wrote her a note: "The next time you come to the bridge [of the song], jump!" Pianist Marian McPartland told the story of this "alleged" comment to Tony Bennett, on her "Piano Jazz" radio show in 2004.

Wilder died in Gainesville, Florida, from lung cancer in December 1980,[1] and is buried in a Catholic cemetery in Avon, New York, outside Rochester.

Selected works

[edit]
Opera
  • 3 children's operas: The Churkendoose; Rachetty Pachetty House, Herman Ermine in Rabbit Town (1942)[7]
  • The Lowland Sea (1952)
  • Miss Chicken Little (1953)
  • Sunday Excursion (1953)
  • Kittiwake Island (1954)
  • The Long Way (1955)
  • The Impossible Forest (1958)
  • The Truth about Windmills (1973)
  • The Tattooed Countess (1974)
  • The Opening (1975)
Musical
  • Pinocchio (1957)
  • Hansel and Gretel (1958)
  • Miss Chicken Little (1953).
  • Nobody’s Earnest (1978).
Film music
Large ensemble
  • A Child’s Introduction to the Orchestra (1954). Text by Marshall Barer. A musical primer. Eighteen movements featuring individual instruments of the orchestra. [Ludlow]
  • Names from the War (1961), for narrator, chorus, brass quintet, and woodwind quintet
  • Children’s Plea for Peace (1968). Children's SSAA chorus, narrator and wind ensemble. Text by Wilder, adapted from writings of Avon, New York schoolchildren. Dedicated to Rev. Henry Atwell. [Margun]
Songs (selected list)
  • "A Child Is Born" (lyrics only)
  • "A Long Night"
  • "Be a Child"
  • "Blackberry Winter"
  • "Ellen"
  • "Give Me Time"
  • "I'll Be Around"
  • "It's So Peaceful in the Country"
  • "Lovers and Losers"
  • "Mimosa and Me"
  • "Moon and Sand"
  • "Rain Rain"
  • "That's My Girl"
  • "The April Age"
  • "The Rose on the Wind"
  • "The Starlighter"
  • "The Winter of My Discontent"
  • "Trouble Is a Man"
  • "Walk Pretty"
  • "Where Do You Go"
  • "While We're Young"
  • "Who Can I Turn To"
Chamber music and solo instruments
  • Air for Bassoon and Strings (1945). For Harold Goltzer
  • Air for Flute and Strings (1945). For Julius Baker
  • Air for Oboe and Strings (1945). For Mitch Miller
  • Brass Quintets:
    • No 1 (1959) For the New York Brass Quintet
    • No 2 (1961)
    • No. 3 (1970)
    • No. 4 (1973) For Harvey Phillips
    • No. 5 (1975) For the Tidewater Brass Quintet
    • No. 6 (1977) For the Tidewater Brass Quintet
    • No. 7 (1978) For Frances Miller
    • No. 8 (1980) For Frances Miller
  • Concerto No. 1 for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble (1967). For Doc Severinson
  • Concerto for Euphonium and Wind Orchestra (1981; written in 1971). For Barry Kilpatrick
  • Effie Suite (1960) for Tuba, Vibraphone, Piano and Drums. For Harvey Phillips
  • Fantasy for Piano and Wind Ensemble (1974). For Marian McPartland
  • Hardy Suite for Piano
  • Jazz Suite for Four Horns (1951). Four horns with harpsichord, guitar, bass, drums.
  • Octets (1939–41) Flute/Clarinet 2, oboe/English horn/, clarinet 1, bass clarinet, bassoon, harpsichord, bass, drums:
    • Bull Fiddle in a China Shop
    • The Children Met the Train
    • Concerning Etchings
    • Dance Man Buys a Farm
    • A Debutante's Diary
    • Her Old Man Was Suspicious
    • His First Long Pants
    • House Detective Registers
    • It's Silk, Feel It!
    • Jack, This Is My Husband
    • Kindergarten Flower Pageant
    • Little Girl Grows Up
    • Little White Samba
    • Neurotic Goldfish
    • She'll Be Seven in May
    • Such a Tender Night
    • Walking Home in Spring
  • Seven Duets for Horn and Bassoon
  • Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano (1960). For Donald Sinta
  • Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano (1969). For George Roberts
  • Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1963). For Glenn Bower
  • Sonata for Euphonium and Piano (1968)
  • Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (1963). For Joe Wilder
  • Sonata for Viola and Piano (1965)
  • Sonata-Fantasy for Piano
  • Suite for Flute and Marimba (1977)
  • Suite for String Bass and Guitar (1980)
  • Suite for Unaccompanied Flute (1975). For Virginia Nanzetta
  • Suites for Piano, Nos. 1 to 4
  • Suite No. 2 for Tenor Saxophone and Strings (1966). For Zoot Sims. [Margun]
  • Suites for Tuba and Piano:
    • Suite No. 1 (1960) for Harvey Phillips
    • Suite No. 2 (Jesse Suite)
    • Suite No. 3 (Suite for Little Harvey)
    • Suite No. 4 (Thomas Suite)
  • Three Ballads for Stan [also exists in Wilder's piano reduction as Suite No. 1 for Tenor Saxophone and Piano] (1963). For Stan Getz. [Margun]
  • Twelve Duets for Horn and Bassoon
  • Twelve Mosaics for Piano
  • Un deuxième essai for Piano
  • Woodwind Quintets:
    • No. 1 (1954) For the New York Woodwind Quintet
    • No. 2 (1956)
    • No. 3 (1958)
    • No. 4 (1959) For Bernard Garfield;
    • No. 5 (1959)
    • No. 6 (1960)
    • No. 7 (1964)
    • No. 8 (1966) [also known as 'Suite For Non-Voting Quintet']
    • No. 9 (1969)
    • No. 10 (ca. 1968)
    • No. 11 (1971) For John Barrows
    • No. 12 (1975) For the Wingra Quintet
    • No. 13

Discography

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Alec Wilder Octet (Columbia, 1951)

Albums as composer

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By Bob Brookmeyer

By Jackie Cain and Roy Kral

  • An Alec Wilder Collection (Audiophile, 1990)

By Meredith D’Ambrosio

  • Another Time (Palo Alto, 1981)

By Valerie Errante and Robert Wason

  • Songs of Alec Wilder (Troy)

By Eileen Farrell

  • Eileen Farrell Sings Alec Wilder (Reference)[1]

By Ghost Train Orchestra

  • Book of Rhapsodies (Accurate, 2013)
  • Book of Rhapsodies Vol. II (Accurate, 2017)

By Roland Hanna

  • Roland Hanna Plays the Music of Alec Wilder (Tokuma [Japan], 1978)

By Vic Juris

  • Music of Alec Wilder (Double Time, 1996)

By Bob Levy

  • Blackberry Winter: Songs by Alec Wilder (Mark)

By Dave Liebman

  • Lieb Plays Wilder (Daybreak, 2003)

By Mundell Lowe

By Marian McPartland

  • Marian McPartland Plays the Music of Alec Wilder (Jazz Alliance)

By John Noel Roberts

  • Alec Wilder: Music for Piano (Albany TROY1294, 2024)

By Diana Robinson

  • Music of Alec Wilder (Multi Media Library)

By Bob Rockwell

  • Bob’s Wilder (Stunt, 2003)

By Ben Sidran

  • Walk Pretty: The Songs of Alec Wilder (Go Jazz, 2002)

By Frank Sinatra

By Marlene VerPlanck

  • Marlene VerPlanck Sings Alec Wilder (Audiophile)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2684. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ Bowen, Glenn Hamel. "The Clarinet in the Chamber Music of Alec Wilder". (D.M.A. diss., Eastman School of Music, 1968), 2-3.
  3. ^ Teachout, Terry (January 6, 2002). "Mabel Mercer: The Subtle Truth". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  4. ^ "Billy Taylor On Piano Jazz's Debut Episode". Npr.org.
  5. ^ Stone. p. 146.
  6. ^ Stone. pp. 166, 185, 207, 208, 251.
  7. ^ Slominsky, Nicolas (1988). The Concise Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. New York: Schirmer Books. p. 1360. ISBN 0-02-872411-9.

Sources

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