View source for Alfred Reed

{{short description|American composer, arranger and conductor (1921–2005)}}
{{for multi|the New Zealand writer and publisher|Alfred Hamish Reed|the American folk, country, and old-time musician|Blind Alfred Reed}}
{{infobox person
| name               = Alfred Reed
| image              = Alfred Reed portrait.jpg
| birth_name         = Alfred Friedman
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1921|1|25}}
| birth_place        = [[Manhattan]], New York City, New York
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2005|9|17|1921|1|25}}
| death_place        = [[Miami, Florida]]
| education          = {{ubl|[[Juilliard School of Music]] (attended)|[[Baylor University]] ([[B.Mus.]]) (1955), ([[M.Mus.]]) (1956)}}
| awards             = [[Distinguished Service to Music Medal]]
}}
'''Alfred Reed''' (born as '''Alfred Friedman''') (January 25, 1921 &ndash; September 17, 2005) was an American [[Neoclassicism (music)|neoclassical]] composer, with more than two hundred published works for [[concert band]], orchestra, [[choir|chorus]], and [[chamber ensemble]] to his name. He also traveled extensively as a guest conductor (most notably for the [[Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra]] after the retirement of [[Frederick Fennell]]) and served as a professor at the [[University of Miami School of Music]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Camus |first=Raoul F. |title=The Grove Dictionary of American Music |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2013 |editor-last=Garrett |editor-first=Charles H. |edition=2nd |chapter=Reed [Friedman], Alfred |doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.47057}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=A Composer's Insight: Thoughts, Analysis, and Commentary on Contemporary Masterpieces for Wind Bands |publisher=[[Meredith Music]] |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-6340-5827-1 |editor-last=Salzman |editor-first=Timothy |volume=1 |pages=119–130 |chapter=Alfred Reed |oclc=52398921}}</ref>

==Life==
Alfred Friedman was born on January 25, 1921, in [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]], to Austrian immigrants Carl Friedemann von Mark and Elizabeth Strasser. Because of anti-German sentiment during [[World War I]], Carl changed the family surname to Friedman shortly before having Alfred.{{Sfn|Jordan|1999|p=2}} Alfred began his formal music training at the age of ten studying cornet at the New York Schools of Music. In 1938, he started working in the Radio Workshop in New York as a staff arranger and assistant conductor. 

In the early 1930s, Reed hired an agent to help market himself around the New York circles. The agent suggested changing his original surname to something less Jewish- and German-sounding to help avoid discrimination. The agent took a syllable from "Friedman", shortening it to "Reed". Reed used this surname for the remainder of his life, legally changing it in 1955.{{Sfn|Jordan|1999|p=14}} 

In 1944 during [[World War II]], he enlisted with the 529th US Army Air Force Corps in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey]] as their radio production director and associate conductor producing over 150 weekly broadcasts, and writing scores for over 100 original compositions and arrangements.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Vander Wiel |first=Logan |title=The eleven days of Christmas: an analysis of and conductor's guide to Alfred Reed's Russian Christmas Music |date=2018 |degree=Master of Music |publisher=University of Northern Iowa |url=https://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1328&context=grp}}</ref> Following his military service, he attended the [[Juilliard School of Music]], studying under [[Vittorio Giannini]] but left without completing in 1948 to instead pursue a career composing music for film and television as a staff composer and arranger first for [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] and then for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. 

In 1953, he became the conductor of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra at [[Baylor University]], where he received his Bachelor of Music in 1955 and his Master of Music in 1956. His master's thesis, ''Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra'', was awarded the [[Luria Prize]] in 1959.{{Sfn|Jordan|1999|p=35}}

From 1955 to 1966, he was the executive editor of [[Hansen Publications]], a music publisher. Afterward, he was appointed professor of music at the [[University of Miami School of Music]], where he worked with composer [[Clifton Williams (composer)|Clifton Williams]] from 1966 until the latter died in 1976. Reed was the director of the Music Industry Program at the time of his retirement in 1993. During his tenure, he established the Bachelor of Music and Music Merchandising (B.M.M.M) degree and the first college-level music business curriculum in the country.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lane |first=Sarah |date=December 18, 1971 |title=Music Merchandising Degree Helps Create New Execs. |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |pages=28, 44 |volume=83 |issue=51}}</ref>

==Works and arrangements==

=== Works for concert band ===
{{colbegin}}
* 1944  ''[[Russian Christmas Music]]''
*# Carol of the Little Russian Children
*# Antiphonal Chant
*# Village Song
*# Cathedral Chorus
* 1952 ''Symphony for Brass and Percussion''
* 1955 ''Lumberjack Overture''
* 1956 ''Ballade'' for Solo E♭ Alto Saxophone & Band
* 1956 ''The Crowning Glory''
* 1956 ''Ode for Trumpet'' for Solo Trumpet & Band
* 1958 ''Might and Majesty''  (A Biblical Suite)
* 1959 ''Music Man'' (Music from the [[Meredith Willson]] Musical) (arr.)
*# The Wells Fargo Wagon
*# Till There Was You
*# Seventy-Six Trombones
* 1962 ''A Festival Prelude''
* 1962 ''Seascape'' for Solo Baritone or Trombone & Band
* 1962 ''A Sacred Suite''
* 1963 ''A Festive Overture''
* 1963 ''A Symphonic Prelude''
* 1965 ''Poetry and Power''
* 1966 ''Rahoon'' for Solo Clarinet & Band
* 1966 ''Serenade'' for Solo Clarinet & Band
* 1966 ''Choral Prelude In E Minor''
* 1967 ''The Music-Makers''
* 1967 ''Passacaglia''
* 1968 ''Intrada Drammatica''
* 1968 ''Wapawekka - White Sands''
* 1970 ''A Jubilant Overture''
* 1970 ''The Pledge of Allegiance''
* 1971 ''A Ceremonial Fanfare''
* 1972 ''A Northern Legend''
* 1972 ''[[Armenian Dances]], Part I''
*# Tzirani Tzar - The Apricot Tree
*# Gakavi Yerk - The Partridge's Song
*# Hoy, Nazan Eem - Hoy, My Nazan
*# Alagyaz
*# Gna, Gna - Go, Go!
* 1972 ''Imperatrix''
* 1972 ''In Memoriam, an Elegy for the Fallen''
* 1973 ''Punchinello, Overture''
* 1973 ''Alleluia! Laudamus Te''
* 1973 ''Music for Hamlet''
* 1976 ''Sine Nomine'' (Ceremonial March in English Style)
* 1976 ''First Suite for Band''
*# March
*# Melody
*# Rag
*# Gallop
* 1977 ''[[Armenian Dances]], Part II''
*# Hov Arek
*# Khoomar
*# Lorva Horovel
* 1977 ''Othello'' (A Symphonic Portrait for Symphonic Band in Five Scenes (after [[William Shakespeare]]))
*# Prelude (Venice) - ''The tyrant custom hath made the flinty and steel couch of war my thrice-driven bed.''
*# Aubade (Cyprus) - ''Good Morning, General''
*# Othello and Desdemona - ''She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them.''
*# Entrance of the Court - ''Behold, the Lion of Venice!''
*# The Death of Desdemona; Epilogue - ''I kissed thee ere I killed thee: no way but this....''
* 1977 ''Siciliana Notturno'' for Solo Alto Saxophone & Band
* 1978 ''Prelude and Capriccio''
* 1978 ''Second Suite for Band'' ("Latino Mexicana")
*# Son Montuno
*# Tango ("Sargasso Serenade")
*# Guaracha
*# Paso Double ("A la Corrida!")
* 1979 ''Second Symphony for Band''
*# Lento (ma ritmico)
*# Allegro con fuoco
*# Molto moderato e sostenuto
* 1980 ''A Christmas Intrada''
* 1980 ''The Enchanted Island''
* 1981 ''[[The Hounds of Spring]]''
* 1981 ''Rushmore''
* 1981 ''[[Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring]]'' (arr.)
* 1982 ''Queenston Overture''
* 1982 ''The Garden of Proserpine'' Symphonic Pastorale
* 1982 ''Viva Musica''
* 1982 ''Third Suite for Band'' ("Scenes De Ballet")
*# Fanfare and Intrada
*# Pas de deux
*# Polka excentrique
*# Danse generale
* 1983 ''Three Revelations from the Lotus Sutra''
*# To Awaken in the Light of the Universe
*# To Contemplate the Depths of the Soul
*# To Rejoice in the Beauty of Peace
* 1983 ''Two Bagatelles''
* 1984 ''Pro Texana''
* 1984 ''[[Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140|Sleepers, Awake!]]'' (arr.)
* 1984 ''A Little Concert Suite''
*# Intrada
*# Siciliana
*# Scherzo
*# Gigue
* 1985 ''El Camino Real''
* 1985 ''Ramparts of Courage''
* 1986 ''Second Century''
* 1986 ''Danza Caribe''
* 1987 ''A Christmas Celebration''
* 1987 ''Golden Jubilee''
* 1988 ''Praise Jerusalem!''
* 1988 ''Third Symphony for Band''
*# Pesante e molto sostenuto Allegro agitado
*# Variations on the "Porazzi" Theme of [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]]
*# Allegro deciso
* 1990 ''Mr. Music''
* 1991 ''A Springtime Celebration''
* 1991 ''Curtain Up!'' (A Theater Overture for Winds)
* 1992 ''With Trumpets and Drums''
* 1992 ''Fourth Symphony for Band''
*# Elegy
*# Intermezzo
*# Tarantella
* 1992 ''Hymn Variants''
* 1993 ''Fourth Suite for Band'' (City of Music)
*# Intrada
*# Arie
*# Marsch
* 1993 ''Concertino for Marimba and Winds''
* 1993 ''[[Greensleeves]]'' (arr.)
* 1993 ''Evolutions''
* 1994 ''Fifth Symphony for Band'' ("Sakura")
*# Moderately and sustained
*# Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
*# Allegro molto, con fuoco
*# Hoe Down (America)
*# Sarabande (France)
*# Yamabushi Kagura (Japan)
*# Hora (Israel and Rumania)
* 1995 ''Fifth Suite for Band'' ("International Dances")
*# Hoe Down (America)
*# Sarabande (France)
*# Yamabushi Kagura (Japan)
*# Hora (Israel and Rumania)
* 1995 ''[[The King of Love My Shepherd Is]]''
* 1995 ''Concerto for Trumpet and Winds''
*# Sonata
*# Slow Blues
*# Jazz Waltz
*# Song
*# Samba
* 1997 ''Canto E Camdombe''
* 1997 ''The Big East March''
* 1997 ''The Golden Year''
* 1997 ''Sixth Suite for Band'' 
*# March Miniature
*# Summer Stroll
*# Halloween Hobgoblin
*# Awa Odori (Japanese Dance)
* 1998 ''Prism''
* 1999 ''Millennium III'' 
* 1999 ''Silver Shadow''
* 2000 ''Children's Suite'' for Solo Alto Saxophone & Band
*# Kiyoko's Lullaby
*# Kiyoko's Playtime
* 2001 ''Acclamation!'' (A Global Greeting for Winds)
* ''Jidai - Year Of Years!''
* 2000 ''Giligia'' (A Song of Remembrance)
* 2000 ''Music in the Air!''
* 2002 ''Exhortation and Praise''
* 2003 ''East And West (The Kohoku New Town March)''
* 2003 ''Twelfth Night'' (A Musical Masque after [[William Shakespeare]])
*# Prelude: Illyria
*# Viola and Orsino
*# The Merry Conspirators
*# Malvolio's Lament in "Prison"
*# A Double Wedding and All's Well!
* 2003 ''Seventh Suite for Band''  ("A Century of Flight")
*# Prologue: Look to the Skies!
*# Intermezzo: The Winds and Waves of Wajima
*# March: To Fly With the Wings of Eagles
* 2004 ''Ebo Signation''
* 2005 ''Victory!''
* 2005 ''Rosalind in the Forest of Arden''
{{colend}}

=== Works for orchestra ===
* 1988 ''American Sketches'' 
*# No. 1 ("Strings 'n Things")
*# No. 2 ("Fashion Show")
*# No. 3 ("Country Night")
*# No. 4 ("By the Lagoon")
*# No. 5 ("The Mechanical Doll")

=== Works for choir and orchestra ===
* 1970 ''The Pledge of Allegiance'' for mixed choir and orchestra
* 1979 ''All Hall to the Days!'' for harp, piano or guitar, strings, and mixed choir

=== Chamber music ===
* 1954 ''Organ Meditations'' for solo organ
* 1955 ''Havana Moon'' for clarinet choir (3 B{{Flat}}, alto, bass, contrabass), percussion, string bass
* 1966 ''Scherzo Fantastique'' for B{{Flat}} or E{{Flat}} contrabass clarinet and piano
* 1966 ''Pastorale'' for clarinet and piano
* 1966 ''Five Dances for Five Clarinets'' for solo clarinet and accompaniment  
* 1970 ''Suite Concertante'' for eight celli, bass, and harp
* 1975 ''Double Wind Quintet''
* 1977 ''Siciliana Notturno'' for solo alto saxophone and piano
* 1977 ''Trilogue'' for solo string bass, vibraphone, percussion
* 1983 ''Two Bagatelles'' for trombone quartet

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
*{{Cite book |last=Jordan |first=Douglas M. |title=Alfred Reed: a Bio-bibliography |date= |publisher=[[Greenwood Press]] |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-313-30333-3 |series= |location= |oclc=469472370}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
* {{Cite interview |last=Reed |first=Alfred |interviewer=Bruce Duffie |title=Composer/Conductor Alfred Reed: A Conversation with Bruce Duffie |url=https://www.kcstudio.com/reed3.html |date=December 16, 1986}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, Alfred}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:American male classical composers]]
[[Category:Baylor University alumni]]
[[Category:Classical musicians from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Concert band composers]]
[[Category:Distinguished Service to Music Medal recipients]]
[[Category:Composers from New York City]]
[[Category:University of Miami faculty]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II]]