Short bio David Diamond
Birthday:
1915 in Rochester, NY
Died:
2005 in Brighton, NY
Active:
1930s - 1990s
Genre:
Classical
Period:
20th Century, Contemporary, Modern
Full biography David Diamond
David Diamond was an American composer born on July 9, 1915, in Rochester, New York. He displayed a keen interest in music from a young age and began playing the violin at the age of seven. By the time he was a teenager, Diamond had started writing his own original compositions.
During his early career, Diamond studied under the tutelage of several well-known composers, including Roger Sessions and Nadia Boulanger. He later became an assistant to Aaron Copland, who had a profound influence on Diamond's musical style and approach.
Diamond's music often featured a keen sense of structure and form, and he was particularly skilled at writing fugues and sets of variations. He composed a wide range of music in diverse genres, including symphonies, concertos, and chamber music. Some of his most notable works include the String Quartet No. 2 (1943), the Two Solo Piano Concerto (1942), and the Chaconne for Violin (1947), among others.
During his lifetime , Diamond received numerous honors and awards for his compositions, including the prestigious BMI Award, which he won eleven times. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
David Diamond passed away on June 13, 2005, at the age of 89, leaving behind a rich legacy of beautiful music. Today, he is remembered as one of America's great composers, who created a compelling body of work that showcased his unique style and musical vision.
Compositions featuring David Diamond
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duo for violin & clarinet | 6:30 min | Chamber Music | 1999 |
| 2 | A Gala celebration, for orchestra | Orchestral | 1996 | |
| 3 | Ode for orchestra | Orchestral | 1994 | |
| 4 | Concert Piece for Flute and harp | 13:20 min | Chamber Music | 1990 |
| 5 | Kaddish for cello and orchestra | 11:21 min | Orchestral | 1989 |
| 6 | Tantivy, for band | 9:32 min | Band Music | 1988 |
| 7 | Sonata for cello & piano No. 2 | 16:29 min | Chamber Music | 1987 |
| 8 | Sonata for alto saxophone & piano | 11:46 min | Chamber Music | 1984 |
| 9 | Don't Cry, for voice & piano | 1:03 min | Vocal Music | 1983 |
| 10 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 2 | 13:15 min | Chamber Music | 1981 |
| 11 | Concert Piece for horn & string trio | 8:56 min | Chamber Music | 1978 |
| 12 | Homage to Paul Klee, for voice & piano | 2:01 min | Vocal Music | 1973 |
| 13 | I Am Rose, for voice & piano | 1:21 min | Vocal Music | 1973 |
| 14 | Hebrew Melodies (4) for voice & piano | 18:01 min | Vocal Music | 1968 |
| 15 | String Quartet No. 9 | 16:19 min | Chamber Music | 1968 |
| 16 | String Quartet No. 10 | 17:39 min | Chamber Music | 1966 |
| 17 | My Papa's Waltz, for voice & piano | 1:07 min | Vocal Music | 1964 |
| 18 | String Quartet No. 8 | 17:56 min | Chamber Music | 1964 |
| 19 | Symphony No. 5 | 20:45 min | Symphony | 1964 |
| 20 | String Quartet No. 7 | 23:21 min | Chamber Music | 1963 |
| 21 | String Quartet No. 6 | 22:46 min | Chamber Music | 1962 |
| 22 | This Sacred Ground, for choir, soloists & orchestra | 15:32 min | Choral | 1962 |
| 23 | Symphony No. 8 | 30:06 min | Symphony | 1958 |
| 24 | Woodwind Quintet | 17:42 min | Chamber Music | 1958 |
| 25 | The World of Paul Klee, for orchestra | 11:56 min | Orchestral | 1957 |
| 26 | AHAVA - Brotherhood, for narrator & orchestra | 30:58 min | Orchestral | 1954 |
| 27 | Piano Trio | 26:30 min | Chamber Music | 1951 |
| 28 | String Quartet No. 4 | 38:43 min | Chamber Music | 1951 |
| 29 | Ceremonial Fanfare | 1:42 min | Orchestral | 1950 |
| 30 | Chatterton, for voice & piano | 3:01 min | Vocal Music | 1950 |
| 31 | Love Is More, for voice & piano | 2:33 min | Vocal Music | 1950 |
| 32 | Be Music, Night, for voice & piano | 2:17 min | Vocal Music | 1948 |
| 33 | Chaconne for violin & piano | 14:07 min | Chamber Music | 1948 |
| 34 | Piano Sonata No. 1 | 32:21 min | Keyboard | 1947 |
| 35 | Romeo and Juliet, incidental score | 22:40 min | Orchestral | 1947 |
| 36 | Brigid's Song, for voice & piano | 1:13 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 37 | Canticle for violin & piano | 5:56 min | Chamber Music | 1946 |
| 38 | David Mourns for Absalom, song for voice & piano | 3:00 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 39 | Epitaph, for voice & piano | 1:59 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 40 | Even Though the World Keeps Changing, for voice & piano | 2:27 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 41 | My Spirit Will Not Haunt the Mound, for voice & piano | 2:45 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 42 | Perpetual Motion No. 6 for violin & piano | 5:18 min | Chamber Music | 1946 |
| 43 | Somewhere, for voice & piano | 2:32 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 44 | String Quartet No. 3 | 25:57 min | Chamber Music | 1946 |
| 45 | The Shepherd Boy Sings in the Valley of Humiliation, for voice & piano | 2:05 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 46 | This World Is Not My Home, for voice & piano | 1:30 min | Vocal Music | 1946 |
| 47 | Symphony No. 3 | 31:01 min | Symphony | 1945 |
| 48 | Symphony No. 4 | 17:43 min | Symphony | 1945 |
| 49 | I Have Longed to Move Away, for voice & piano | 2:35 min | Vocal Music | 1944 |
| 50 | Music, When Soft Voices Die, for voice & piano | 1:02 min | Vocal Music | 1944 |
| 51 | Rounds, for string orchestra | 14:37 min | Orchestral | 1944 |
| 52 | My Little Mother, for voice & piano | 1:48 min | Vocal Music | 1943 |
| 53 | Sister Jane, for voice & piano | 0:53 min | Vocal Music | 1943 |
| 54 | Sonata for violin & piano No.1 | 22:08 min | Chamber Music | 1943 |
| 55 | Souvent j'ai dit à mon mari (I Have Often Said to My Husband), for voice & piano | 1:04 min | Vocal Music | 1943 |
| 56 | String Quartet No. 2 | 19:54 min | Chamber Music | 1943 |
| 57 | Symphony No. 2 | 42:42 min | Symphony | 1943 |
| 58 | Anniversary in a Country Cemetery, for voice & piano | 2:44 min | Vocal Music | 1942 |
| 59 | Concerto for Two Solo Pianos | 15:39 min | Concerto | 1942 |
| 60 | As Life What Is So Sweet, for voice & piano | 1:44 min | Vocal Music | 1941 |
| 61 | Concerto for small orchestra | 13:45 min | Concerto | 1940 |
| 62 | String Quartet No. 1 | 16:44 min | Chamber Music | 1940 |
| 63 | Preludes and Fugues for piano | Keyboard | 1939 | |
| 64 | Elegy in Memory of Maurice Ravel, for brass, strings & percussion (or strings & percussion) | 7:18 min | Orchestral | 1938 |
| 65 | Quintet for flute, string trio & piano in B minor | 13:02 min | Chamber Music | 1937 |
| 66 | Concerto for String Quartet | 16:35 min | Chamber Music | 1936 |
| 67 | Psalm for orchestra | 8:47 min | Orchestral | 1936 |
| 68 | Partita for oboe, bassoon & piano | 9:17 min | Chamber Music | 1935 |
| 69 | Vocalises for soprano & viola | 5:16 min | Vocal Music | 1935 |
| 70 | Quintet for clarinet, 2 violas & 2 cellos | 20:31 min | Chamber Music | 1931 |
| 71 | A Flower Given to My Daughter, for voice & piano | 1:22 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 72 | A Portrait, for voice & piano | 1:13 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 73 | Barcarolle for piano No. 2 | 2:28 min | Keyboard | - |
| 74 | Barcarolle for piano, No. 1 | 1:59 min | Keyboard | - |
| 75 | Billy in the Darbies, for voice & piano | 3:24 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 76 | Chorale, for tenor & chorus | 9:36 min | Choral | - |
| 77 | Concert Piece | 13:17 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 78 | Concert Piece for orchestra | 12:34 min | Orchestral | - |
| 79 | Concert Piece, for cello | 8:47 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 80 | Concerto for flute & orchestra | 27:45 min | Concerto | - |
| 81 | For an Old Man, for voice & piano | 1:02 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 82 | Full Fathom Five, for voice & piano | 1:37 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 83 | Hearts Music | 4:49 min | Orchestral | - |
| 84 | Hommage à Satie | 4:49 min | Orchestral | - |
| 85 | Lift Not the Painted Veil, for voice & piano | 3:47 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 86 | Madrigals (3), for chorus | 3:14 min | Choral | - |
| 87 | Mizmor L'David, for cantor, chorus & organ | 12:13 min | Choral | - |
| 88 | Night Music for accordion & string quartet | 5:52 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 89 | No More Dams, for voice & piano | 1:52 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 90 | On Death, for voice & piano | 3:38 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 91 | Quartet for Piano and String Trio | 26:46 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 92 | Serenata for Orchestra | 11:54 min | Orchestral | - |
| 93 | Sonatina for piano No. 1 | 4:42 min | Keyboard | - |
| 94 | Sonatina for piano No. 2, dedicated to Mirian | 2:46 min | Keyboard | - |
| 95 | String Quartet No. 5 | 26:47 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 96 | Suite from the ballet TOM, for orchestra | 23:09 min | Orchestral | - |
| 97 | Symphony No. 1 | 22:07 min | Symphony | - |
| 98 | Symphony No. 11 | Symphony | - | |
| 99 | The Enormous Room, for orchestra | 15:30 min | Orchestral | - |
| 100 | To Lucasta, for voice & piano | 2:01 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 101 | Trio for clarinet, violin & piano | 28:02 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 102 | Trio for violin, viola & cello in G major | 17:50 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 103 | Violin Concerto No. 2 | 33:23 min | Concerto | - |
| 104 | While You Here Do Snoring Lie (for Aaron Copland), for voice & piano | 0:49 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 105 | Young Joseph, for chorus | 6:10 min | Choral | - |
Albums featuring David Diamond
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
David Diamond (2), Indiana University Chamber Orchestra, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, Arthur Fagen – Symphony No. 6; Rounds; Romeo And Juliet | 2018 | Naxos |
| 2 |  |
Bernstein, Barber, Diamond, Jane Bunnell, Dale Duesing, Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz – Arias and Barcarolles - Overture to 'School For Scandal" - Elegy In Memory For Maurice Ravel | 2012 | Naxos |
| 3 |  |
Johannes Brahms / Carlos Chávez / David Diamond (2) - New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein – Symphony No. 4 In E Minor / Sinfonía India / Symphony No. 4(CD, Compilation) | 2010 | Sony Classical |
| 4 |  |
Diamond, Hartley, Murray, Colgrass, Nelson – Cincinnati Wind Symphony, Eugene Migliaro Corporon – Hearts Music(CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered) | 2006 | Klavier Records |
| 5 |  |
David Diamond (2), Potomac String Quartet – Volume Four - String Quartets 4 & 7 - Night Music For Accordion & String Quartet (Final Volume Of The Series)(CD, ) | 2004 | Albany Records |
| 6 |  |
David Diamond (2) / Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony Orchestra – Symphonies Nos. 2 And 4 | 2004 | Naxos |
| 7 |  |
David Diamond (2) / Janos Starker, Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony – Symphony No. 3 / Psalm / Kaddish | 2003 | Naxos |
| 8 |  |
David Diamond (2), Potomac String Quartet – Volume Three - String Quartets 1, 5 & 6(CD, ) | 2003 | Albany Records |
| 9 |  |
Georgia & Louise Mangos, Barber, Persichetti, Diamond, Joseph Fennimore – American Works For Piano Duo(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2003 | Cedille Records |
| 10 |  |
Ernst Bacon, David Diamond (2), James Greening-Valenzuela – Sonata, Chaconne(CD, Reissue) | 2003 | Con Brio Recordings |
| 11 |  |
Verdehr Trio, Paul Chihara, David Diamond (2), Marc Satterwhite, Jonathan D. Kramer, John Biggs (4), Donald Erb – American Images(CD, Album) | 2002 | Crystal Records (5) |
| 12 |  |
Druckman, Wilson, Kurka, Diamond – Cincinnati College-Conservatory Of Music Wind Symphony, Eugene Migliaro Corporon – Made In America(CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered) | 2002 | Klavier Records |
| 13 |  |
David Diamond (2), Potomac String Quartet – Volume Two - String Quartets 2, 9 & 10(CD, ) | 2002 | Albany Records |
| 14 |  |
David Diamond (2), Potomac String Quartet – Volume One - String Quartets 3 & 8 / Concerto For String Quartet(CD, ) | 2002 | Albany Records |
| 15 |  |
David Diamond (2), Notre Dame String Trio, Ralph Votapek – Piano Trio; Piano Quartet; String Trio(CD, ) | 1999 | Centaur Records |
| 16 |  |
Harris / Thompson / Diamond / New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein – American Masters: Harris / Thompson / Diamond | 1998 | Sony Classical |
| 17 |  |
Diamond, Moore, Koussevitzky, Porter – Music For Shakespeare's "Romeo And Juliet" / In Memoriam / Concerto For Double Bass And Orchestra / Concerto For Harpsichord And Orchestra(CD, Album) | 1998 | Citadel (3) |
| 18 |  |
Olivier Messiaen, David Diamond (2), Paul Ben-Haim, Józef Koffler, Szymon Laks, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco – Darkness & Light, Volume 2(CD, Album) | 1997 | Albany Records |
| 19 |  |
David Diamond (2), Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz – Vol. Five - Rounds(CD, ) | 1996 | Delos |
| 20 |  |
Chamber Works(CD, Album) | 1996 | New World Records |
| 21 |  |
David Diamond (2) - The Chicago Chamber Musicians – Chamber Music(CD, Album) | 1995 | Cedille Records |
| 22 |  |
Diamond, Tull, Washburn, Stamp, Tower, The Keystone Wind Ensemble Conducted By Jack Stamp – Divertimento (Wind Music Of Diamond, Tull Washburn, Stamp, Tower)(CD, ) | 1995 | Citadel (3) |
| 23 |  |
Rosalyn Tureck - David Diamond (2), Luigi Dallapiccola, William Schuman – Première Performances(CD, Compilation, Remastered) | 1995 | VAI Audio |
| 24 |  |
David Diamond (2) - Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony And Seattle Symphony Chorale – Vol. IV (Symphony No. 8 / Suite From Tom / This Sacred Ground) | 1994 | Delos |
| 25 |  |
David Diamond (2), Seattle Symphony, Ilkka Talvi, Gerard Schwarz – Symphony No. 1 / Violin Concerto No. 2 / The Enormous Room (Vol. III) | 1993 | Delos |
| 26 |  |
William Bergsma, Benjamin Lees, David Diamond (2), Ernest Bloch -- Portland Youth Philharmonic / Jacob Avshalomov – Music By Bergsma ∗ Bloch ∗ Diamond ∗ Lees(CD, Album, Remastered) | 1992 | Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) |
| 27 |  |
David Diamond (2) / Janos Starker, Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony, New York Chamber Symphony – Symphony No. 3 / Romeo & Juliet / Psalm / Kaddish | 1991 | Delos |
| 28 |  |
Ravel / Diamond / Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony And Chorale – Daphnis And Chloë (Complete Ballet) · Elegy (In Memory Of Maurice Ravel)(CD, ) | 1991 | Delos |
| 29 |  |
Chamber Music Northwest, David Shifrin / Bernard Herrmann, David Diamond (2), Quincy Porter, Charles Ives – American Chamber Music(CD, Album) | 1991 | Delos |
| 30 |  |
David Diamond (2) - Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony, New York Chamber Symphony – Symphony No. 2 / Symphony No. 4 / Concerto For Small Orchestra(CD, ) | 1990 | Delos |
| 31 |  |
John Corigliano / David Diamond (2) / Peter Mennin / Benjamin Lees – Sonata No. 1 For Violin & Piano And American Violin Sonatas(CD, Album) | 1990 | Bay Cities |
| 32 |  |
Milton Babbitt, David Diamond (2), Vincent Persichetti, Juilliard Orchestra, Christopher Keene, Paul Zukofsky, James DePreist – Babbitt / Diamond / Persichetti(CD, ) | 1990 | New World Records |
| 33 |  |
Virgil Thomson, David Diamond (2), Lee Hoiby – Symphony No. 3 / Romeo And Juliet / Piano Concerto(CD, Compilation, Remastered, Stereo) | 1989 | Bay Cities |
| 34 |  |
Samuel Barber / Irving Fine / Elliott Carter / David Diamond (2), The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz – American Music For Strings | 1980 | Nonesuch |
| 35 |  |
The Long Island Chamber Ensemble Of New York, Lawrence Sobol - Husa / Dahl / Diamond – Sonata No. 2 For Piano / Sonata Da Camera For Clarinet & Piano / Vocalises For Soprano & Viola(LP) | 1978 | Grenadilla Records |
| 36 |  |
Barber / Diamond / Wilson / Green – Modern American Music Vol. 1(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1977 | PETERS INTERNATIONAL |
| 37 |  |
Roy Harris / David Diamond (2) - The Long Island Chamber Ensemble Of New York, Lawrence Sobol – Concerto For Piano, Clarinet & String Quartet, Op. 2 / Quintet For Clarinet, Two Violas & Two Cellos(LP) | 1977 | Grenadilla Records |
| 38 |  |
David Diamond (2), Peter Mennin – Symphony No. 4, Symphony No. 7(LP) | 1976 | New World Records |
| 39 |  |
David Diamond (2) / Virgil Thomson / Robert Palmer (6) – Quintet In B Minor For Flute, String Trio & Piano / Serenade For Flute & Violin / Quintet For A-Clarinet, String Trio & Piano | 1972 | Turnabout |
| 40 |  |
David Diamond (2) / David Del Tredici – Nonet / String Quartet No. 9 / I Hear An Army / Scherzo(LP) | 1972 | Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) |
| 41 |  |
David Diamond (2) / Samuel Barber, The Beaux-Arts String Quartet – String Quartet No. 4 / String Quartet Op. 11 | 1965 | Epic |
| 42 |  |
Paul Hindemith, Claude Almand, David Diamond (2) - The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Louisville Orchestra Commisions(LP, Album, Mono) | 1960 | First Edition Records |
| 43 |  |
Paul Hindemith, Claude Almand, David Diamond (2), The Louisville Orchestra, Robert Whitney – Louisville Orchestra Commisions(LP, Album, Mono) | 1960 | First Edition Records |
| 44 |  |
Roy Harris, David Diamond (2), William Bergsma, Benjamin Lees / Portland Junior Symphony / Jacob Avshalomov – Elegy And Dance / The World Of Paul Klee / Chameleon Variations / Prologue, Capriccio And Epilogue | 1960 | Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) |
| 45 |  |
Barber, Diamond, Copland, Creston, Vladimir Golschmann Conducting The Concert Arts Orchestra – Contemporary American Music | 1954 | Capitol Records |
| 46 |  |
Norman Dello Joio / David Diamond (2) – Concerto For Harp And Orchestra / Music For Shakespeare's "Romeo And Juliet" (1947)(LP, Mono) | 1950 | Columbia Masterworks |
| 47 |  |
Music For Shakespeare's "Romeo And Juliet"(3×Shellac, 10", 78 RPM, Album) | 1948 | Columbia Masterworks |
| 48 |  |
David Diamond (2) / Francis Thorne – Music For Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet / Burlesque Overture / Rhapsodic Variations For Piano & Orchestra(LP, Stereo) | - | Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI) |
| 49 |  |
The Clark-Schuldmann Duo - Samuel Barber / David Diamond (2) – Sonata For Cello And Piano(LP) | - | Musical Heritage Society |
| 50 |  |
Charles Ives, Robert McBride, David Diamond (2), Howard Swanson, American Recording Society Orchestra – Three Places In New England / Concerto For Violin And Orchestra / Rounds For String Orchestra / Short Symphony(LP, Album, Mono) | - | American Recording Society |
| 51 |  |
Samuel Barber / David Diamond (2) - The Guilet String Quartet, Louis Kaufman, The Concert Hall Symphony Orchestra – Concerto For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 14 / String Quartet No. 3(LP, Limited Edition, Numbered, Mono) | - | Concert Hall |
| 52 |  |
Darius Milhaud, Leonard Bernstein, David Diamond (2), Ernst Toch – 4 Horah Dances(2×Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album) | - | ALCO Records (3) |
Videos featuring David Diamond
Quiet City, Aaron Copland
In 1939 Aaron Copland wrote incidental music for the Irwin Shaw play Quiet City. Commissioned for the Group Theater by Harold Clurman and directed by Elia Kazan, the play closed after only two try-out performances. Copland later used some of the music for
Copland: Quiet City
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Copland: Quiet City · Philip Smith · Thomas Stacy · New York Philharmonic Orchestra · Leonard Bernstein
Copland: Symphony No. 3; Quiet City
℗ 1986 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin
Released on: 1986-01
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