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Donald Macleod follows Rorem’s rise to prominence, including an invitation to the White House.

Ned Rorem was an American composer and writer, and was hailed by some as the greatest art song composer of his time. Writing over 500 songs, his music has been described as neo-romantic, leaning at times towards a more lyrical nature. Early musical influences upon Rorem were Margaret Bonds, Virgil Thomson, Aaron Copland and also Arthur Honegger. After a period of living in Paris where he associated with members of Les Six, as well as frequent trips to Morocco, Rorem eventually settled back in the USA for the rest of his life. He went on to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for his orchestral work, Air Music.

Rorem also wrote seventeen books, six of which were intimate diaries. These earned him a certain reputation from the 1960s onwards, particularly for his openness about his regular sexual encounters with men. During this period, Rorem also had issues with alcohol and drugs, but his life steadily settled when he entered into a long-term relationship with the composer and choral director James Holmes. They purchased a house together in Nantucket, and Rorem often relied upon Holmes for feedback concerning his own music.
Ned Rorem was interviewed by Donald Macleod for Composer of the Week back in 2003. There will be excerpts from this interview throughout the week.

During the 1960s Ned Rorem was establishing himself as a composer back on his home turf in New York, after a period away experiencing life in France. He rose to prominence rapidly, and received an invitation to the White House from President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. His published diaries from the time, however, demonstrate another side to Rorem’s life, including drug and alcohol abuse. In these diaries he also kept an often explicit account of his casual sexual encounters with men. By 1967 Rorem’s life was to change significantly, when he met the composer, choral director and organist James Holmes. They entered into a long-term relationship, which had a steadying effect upon Rorem.

For Poulenc
Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano
Malcolm Martineau, piano

Two Psalms and A Proverb (excerpt)
Choir of St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Indianapolis
Indianapolis Pro Musica
Frank W. Boles, conductor

Lions
Branford Marsalis Quartet
North Carolina Symphony Orchestra
Grant Llewellyn, conductor

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Choir of St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Indianapolis
Frank W. Boles, conductor

I will always love you
Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano
Malcolm Martineau, piano

Book of Hours
Fibonacci Sequence

Produced by Luke Whitlock

Knowing When to Stop, published by Simon and Schuster; The Paris Diary and The New York Diary, published by Da Capo Press; The Later Diaries, published by Da Capo Press; The Nantucket Diary, published by North Point Press; Facing the Night, published by Shoemaker & Hoard; Lies, published by Counterpoint; Settling the score, published by Doubleday.