Richard Hundley

Full biography Richard Hundley

Richard Albert Hundley was an American pianist and composer, born on September 1, 1931, and passed away on February 25, 2018. He was best known for his art songs for voice and piano and was a prolific composer in this genre. Hundley enrolled at the Mannes School of Music in New York City in 1950 and later studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Throughout his career, Hundley received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the National Institute of Arts and Letters Music Award in 1975 and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award in 1986.

In his music, Hundley aimed to "crystallize emotion" and his art songs were often characterized by their melodic beauty and sensitivity to text. Many of his songs are set to texts by poets such as W.H. Auden, James Joyce, and William Shakespeare. Some of his notable works include "Come Ready and See Me," "Astronomers," "Waterbird," and "Moonlight's Watermelon."

Apart from being a composer, Hundley was also a pianist and often performed his own compositions. He collaborated with various singers and musicians throughout his career and his works have been performed by notable artists such as Renée Fleming, Frederica von Stade, and Marilyn Horne.

Overall, Richard Hundley was a highly regarded composer in his field and his art songs remain popular among classical singers and audiences alike.