Marion Bauer's "Completely Musical Life" (1882-1955): An American Composer's Essential Creative Works and Contributions to Twentieth-Century Music

Abstract

Marion Bauer was a major creative force in early-twentieth-century American music--a vital composer, influential educator, erudite writer, and tireless advocate. Her contributions to American music are legendary. Bauer wrote over 160 compositions ranging from pedagogical piano works to full orchestral scores, including twenty piano solos or sets, over sixty art songs, and an acclaimed body of chamber music. While regularly described as impressionist, Bauer's style transcends simple labels and is the product of a unique, personal voice. In addition to her compositional career, Bauer co-founded and/or held leadership positions in every major composers' group--often the only woman among men--and made it her personal mission to aid and advance as many young composers as possible. She was a full-time music critic and a popular lecturer, known for her ability to explain the intricacies of modern music in a way that the layperson could understand and the expert could appreciate. During her twenty-five-year tenure at New York University, Bauer taught hundreds of future performers, conductors, composers, and critics, including Milton Babbitt, Louise Talma, and Pulitzer prize-winning critic Harold Schonberg. She also wrote five full-length books, including the ground-breaking work, Twentieth Century Music (1933). For many years, Bauer's legacy as a teacher, writer, and advocate has overshadowed her contributions as a creator of music, but a resurgence of interest in American women composers has begun to bring Bauer's music the critical attention it deserves. This study will examine Bauer--first as a composer, but also in her other roles--through the lens of her most important personal and professional relationships. Doing so will provide insight into her character and demonstrate that she was--and is--an essential voice of American musical modernism.