North, Alex

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North was born on Dec. 4, 1910, in Chester, PA; attended the Curtis Institute, Juilliard School, and Moscow Conservatory; became music director of the German Theater Group and the Latvian State Theater, and the only American member of the Union of Soviet Composers; returned to the US in 1935; studied with Ernst Toch and Aaron Copland in NY, and composed ballet scores for Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, and Agnes de Mille; composed for the NY stage, including scores for Life and death of an American (1939), Of V we sing (1942), and Death of a salesman (1949); wrote music for some 50 documentary shorts between 1937-50; in 1939 went to Mexico as music director for the Anna Sokolow dance troupe and studied with Silvestre Revueltas; served as a captain in the US Army in World War II; his Revue for clarinet and orchestra was performed by Benny Goodman and the NY Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein in 1946; began scoring feature films in the early 1950s, becoming a leading Hollywood composer; his musical language encompasses dissonance and lyricism, and ranges from chamber to symphonic proportions; he was nominated for 15 Academy Awards but did not win one until 1986, when the Motion Picture Academy presented him with an honorary life-achievement award; died in 1991.

From the description of Motion picture music collection, 1951-1969. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 39929153

Biography

North was born on Dec. 4, 1910, in Chester, PA; attended the Curtis Institute, Juilliard School, and Moscow Conservatory; became music director of the German Theater Group and the Latvian State Theater, and the only American member of the Union of Soviet Composers; returned to the US in 1935; studied with Ernst Toch and Aaron Copland in NY, and composed ballet scores for Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, and Agnes de Mille; composed for the NY stage, including scores for Life and death of an American (1939), Of V we sing (1942), and Death of a salesman (1949); wrote music for some 50 documentary shorts between 1937-50; in 1939 went to Mexico as music director for the Anna Sokolow dance troupe and studied with Silvestre Revueltas; served as a captain in the US Army in World War II; his Revue for clarinet and orchestra was performed by Benny Goodman and the NY Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein in 1946; began scoring feature films in the early 1950s, becoming a leading Hollywood composer; his musical language encompasses dissonance and lyricism, and ranges from chamber to symphonic proportions; he was nominated for 15 Academy Awards but did not win one until 1986, when the Motion Picture Academy presented him with an honorary life-achievement award; died in 1991.

From the guide to the Alex North Collection of Motion Picture Music, 1951-1969, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf NDWT Archives (University of Guelph). The Hither and Thither of Danny Dither / book and lyrics by Jeremy Gury, music by Alex North, additional lyrics and music by Joseph Raposo - unproduced reading script. University of Guelph. McLaughlin Library
referencedIn J. B. Matthews Papers, 1862-1986 and undated David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf Adamic, Louis, 1899-1951,. Letters to Alfred Kreymborg [manuscript], 1921-1956. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn American Ballet Theatre records, 1936-ca. 1967 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
referencedIn Bookspan, Martin. WQXR great artists series, 1949-1983 (inclusive). Yale University Library
creatorOf Powell, Edward B. Collection of motion picture music, 1935-1977. University of California, Los Angeles
creatorOf Frings, Ketti. Look homeward, angel : a new play, 1957 Oct. 2 / by Ketti Frings ; adapted from the novel by Thomas Wolfe. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf North, Alex. Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 1966 Aug. 5. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf North, Alex. Correspondence. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf North, Alex, 1910-. A streetcar named Desire : ballet / music by Alex North. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Joint Army and Navy Committee on Welfare and Recreation, Sub-Committee on Music Papers, 1941-1946 Library of Congress. Music Division
referencedIn Stephen, Inc. Stephen, Inc. musical scores, 1958-1964. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
creatorOf Alex North Collection of Motion Picture Music, 1951-1969 University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections.
creatorOf North, Alex. Motion picture music collection, 1951-1969. University of California, Los Angeles
creatorOf North, Alex. Little Indian drum / by Alex North. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith American Ballet Theatre corporateBody
associatedWith Bettis, Valerie. person
associatedWith Frings, Ketti. person
associatedWith Matthews, J. B. (Joseph Brown), 1894-1966 person
associatedWith NDWT Archives (University of Guelph) corporateBody
associatedWith Powell, Edward B. person
correspondedWith Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995 person
associatedWith Stephen, Inc. corporateBody
correspondedWith United States. Joint Army and Navy Committee on Welfare and Recreation. Sub-Committee on Music corporateBody
associatedWith Williams, Tennessee, 1911-1983. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Ballets
Composers
Composers
Monologues with music (Orchestra)
Motion picture music
Music
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1910-12-04

Death 1991-09-08

Americans

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