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Robert Stevenson: A Tribute Lester D. Brothers
Erudite and brilliant
American musicologist, Thus the inimitable Nicholas Slonimsky defies lexicographical convention in his Baker's Biographical Dictionary encomium for surely the most esteemed as well as extraordinary member of our International Hispanic Music Study Group. Consider the enormity of his output: nearly 30 books. a vast quantity of journal articles. not to mention encyclopedia entries--coordinator of American entries for the Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart supplement and over 300 articles for the New Grove Dictionary of Music alone. Since 1978 he has produced his own journal as outlet mainly for his own publications, InterAmerican Music Review; now in its thirteenth volume, it is regarded by many as the finest periodical in the field. So prodigious continue to be his contributions to our field they cannot escape notice. In the last decade alone he won the highest cultural award of the Organization of American States (1985), which then created a Prize in his name for Latin American musicology (1988). Three universities have conferred honorary doctorates--The Catholic University (1991), Illinois Wesleyan (1992), and Universidade Nova de Lisboa the leading Portuguese university (1993). The Spanish Ministry of Culture bestowed its highest medal (1991), the Venezuelan Ministry of Culture did likewise (1992), and most recently the Real Conservatorio Superior at Madrid awarded him only the second gold medal ever in its more-than-century-old history (1994). As remarkable as is his achievement in the field of Hispanic and Latin-American music it is his versatility too that impresses. After all, his credentials in musicology are surprisingly slim. In fact, he is somewhat of a late-comer to our field. His doctorate is in composition from The Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Howard Hansen. This was preceded by private lessons with Stravinsky and piano instruction from Schnabel among others. Next, he qualified himself in theology with divinity degrees from Harvard and Princeton and served as chaplain in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Finally, he qualified himself for yet another career direction with a B. Litt. degree from Oxford University (1954) studying musicology with Sir Jack Westrup. After teaching at the University of Texas (Austin, 1941-43, 1949) and in a staff position at Westminster Choir College (1946-49) he settled in 1949 at the University of California, Los Angeles, where his tenure now is in its 46th year. When considering the multifaceted nature of his interests and talents as composer, pianist, musicologist, and teacher, I cannot resist invoking the quote he placed at the outset of his acclaimed book, Shakespeare's Religious Frontier (1958). Incidentally, he taught in both English and Music departments in his early days at UCLA. Robert Parsons said this in 1594; it is pretty close to the mark for our honoree four hundred years later: Some do think him to be of al [sic] three religions. and others of none... This opinion of him may do him good, for that al [sic] sides hereby may (perhaps) conceive hope of him. We are here to celebrate the fulfillment of the hope in musicology. But there is more for us to appreciate about this veritable Renaissance man. His accomplishment as a composer cannot be dismissed lightly. I quote Slonimsky: [His] compositions are marked by kinetic energy and set in vigorous and often acrid dissonant counterpoint. His symphonic 2 Peruvian Preludes were performed by Stokowski with the Philadelphia Orchestra on June 28, 1962; the score was later expanded into 3 preludias peruanos, and first performed in Mexico City on July 20, 1963, with Luis Herrera de la Fuente conducting. Other works include Nocturne in Ebony and Texas Suite for orchestra; Sonata for Clarinet and Piano; 3 piano sonatas: A Cambridge Sonata, A Manhattan Sonata. and A New Haven Sonata. He also wrote a Coronation Concerto for Organ and A Sandburg Cantata for chorus. I am personally familiar with his continuing career as a pianist. From his early study with Ernest Hutchinson at Juilliard in the late thirties and continuing work with Artur Schnabel--and while he yet pursued various academic degrees--he pursued an active career as a concert pianist, giving his New York debut on January 5, 1942, which included his own compositions. During my student days at UCLA I remember vividly his frequent recitals. I would happen to pass by the foyer of the Schoenberg Hall auditorium and overhear the sound of familiar piano repertory. Curious, I wandered into the auditorium, noticed programs placed on a chair at the entrance, took one and entered. There I beheld the artist on stage intently absorbed with, say, the Chopin B minor Sonata, and not at soul in the audience! These to US inexplicably unannounced recitals were a sensation among his adoring musicology students. Given his enormous scholarly activity, I wondered how does he do it? In class he would cite the specific bars--and play them--when discussing piano repertoire. One night after midnight I had finished in the practice rooms deep in the bowels of old Schoenberg Hall, when as I left I noticed him through a practice room window, deep into rehearsal of the Liszt B minor Sonata. He stopped on a particular problematic passage, worked it over and over, then put it back into the broader context of the composition. What astounded me was the fact that all the while nowhere was a score to be found. I believe he has most of the standard concert piano literature committed to memory! Nor has his concertizing ceased. Two weeks ago he gave the first of his planned Fall recitals, with a program that included among smaller pieces by Mendelssohn, Liszt, and Schumann, two Scherzos, the Barcarole, and a Polonaise of Chopin. Finally there is his career as teacher. Since he began at UCLA forty-six years ago, literally thousands of students have been touched by his instruction. Ever alert to curricular needs, he initiated courses on Music of Mexico and the Caribbean, Brazilian Music, Music of Spanish- speaking South America, Popular Music in the USA, Women in Music, and the Development of Rock. He has also taught Afro-American Music. Continuing in this tradition, he has just secured approval from the UCLA Committee on Educational Development to teach a new course this Spring, Nineteenth-Century Jewish Composers. His courses for general students are legendary--the enrollments in which have oscillated between 300 and 600 students--which he has taught steadily up until this last summer. Incidentally, long retired, he continues to teach gratis in return for use of office space and support. He is also into his twenty-second year as Dormitory Resident for 900 students in Sproul Hall in return for room and board. Some seventeen of us have been touched most personally and profoundly by him as mentor for doctoral dissertations. Surprisingly, up to 1972 he had guided not one. Finally he consented with Luis Merino, myself, and Malena Kuss in rapid succession. I believe I speak for all seventeen of us--three actually from The Catholic University of America, where he has been Adjunct Professor since 1990--in claiming this experience has fostered a lifelong zeal for learning. For me, he was ideal: infinitely patient, enthusiastic, and generously as well as instantaneously giving of himself. I had finished transcription of five Masses when he asked to see them. The very next morning he returned transcriptions and microfilms to me, the scores profusely annotated throughout. We have all wondered: does this man sleep? His students in particular have been touched by the experience of a great mentor. To paraphrase Robert Parsons, "we have conceived hope of ourselves" because he has invested faith in us and demonstrated its potential. Erudite and brilliant
American musicologist, educator, composer and pianist... Let us salute this extraordinary man for his many years of fulfillment, and celebrate with him as on July 3 he joins the ranks of octogenarians, that we may continue to "conceive hope of him." With a great deal of admiration and affection, may I paraphrase Robert Schumann: Hats off, gentlemen [and ladies]- ROBERT STEVENSON.
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