Smith, David Stanley

Smith, David Stanley , American conductor, music educator, and composer; b. Toledo, Ohio, July 6, 1877; d. New Haven, Conn., Dec. 17, 1949. He studied with Horatio Parker at Yale Univ., graduating in 1900. He then took courses in composition with Thuille in Munich and Widor in Paris. Upon his return to the U.S., he obtained a Mus.B. degree at Yale (1903) and was appointed an instructor at the Yale Univ. School of Music; in 1916 he became a prof. there; in 1920 was appointed dean of the School of Music, retiring in 1946. He was conductor of the New Haven Sym. Orch. from 1920 to 1946. In 1910 he was elected a member of the National Inst. of Arts and Letters. His compositions were cast in a conservative mold.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera : Merrymount (1914). ORCH .: 4 syms.: No. 1 (1910), No. 2 (1917), No. 3 (1928; Cleveland, Jan. 8, 1931, composer conducting), and No. 4 (1937; Boston, April 14, 1939, composer conducting); Prince Hal, overture (New Haven, Dec. 1912); Impressions, suite (1916); Fête galante, fantasy for Flute and Orch. (N.Y., Dec. 11, 1921); Epic Poem (1926; Boston, April 12, 1935, composer conducting); Sinfonietta for Strings (1931); 1929: A Satire (1932; N.Y., Nov. 15, 1933); Requiem for Violin and Orch. (1939); Credo, symphonic poem (1941); 4 Pieces for Strings (1943); The Apostle, symphonic poem (1944). CHAMBER : 10 string quartets (1899–1938); Sonata Pastorale for Oboe and Piano (1918); Violin Sonata (1923); Flowers for 10 Instruments (1924); Piano Quintet (1927); String Sextet (1931); piano pieces, including a Sonata (1929). VOCAL : Rhapsody of St. Bernard for Solo Voices, Chorus, and Orch. (1915); The Vision of Isaiah for Soprano, Tenor, Chorus, and Orch. (1927); The Ocean for Bass, Chorus, and Orch. (1945); song cycles.

Bibliography

E. Goode, D.S. S. and his Music (diss., Univ. of Cincinnati, 1978).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire