Deems Taylor
Deems Taylor (born Joseph Taylor) (22 December 1885 - July 3, 1966) was a U.S. composer and music critic.
Taylor was born in New York City and educated at New York University (NYU). He initially planned to become an architect; however, despite minimal musical training he soon took to music composition. The result was a series of works for orchestra and/or voices. In 1916 he wrote the cantata The Chambered Nautilus, followed by Through the Looking-Glass (for orchestra) in 1918, earning him public praise and recognition.
Taylor was also a friend of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of writers, actors and critics that met almost daily from 1919-1929 at Manhattan's Algonquin Hotel. He briefly dated Dorothy Parker.
In 1921 he secured a job as music critic for the New York World, a post he held when approached by the Metropolitan Opera to suggest a composer to write a new opera. He put forth his own name, and was accepted, the result being The King's Henchman, with the libretto by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Peter Ibbetson followed in 1929.
Taylor was a promoter of classical music throughout his life, working in broadcasting, and as intermission commentator for the New York Philharmonic. He provided the commentary of the technical story behind the recording of actual cannon fire and carillon for the famous recording (by Mercury, in 1954) of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture - still one of the most highly regarded recordings of that piece. He also appeared in Walt Disney's 1940 film Fantasia as the film's master of ceremonies. He was also a frequent guest on the radio quiz program Information Please.
Taylor also served as the president of ASCAP for six years.
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Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Deems Taylor". Image Credit.
