Background
Thompson, Randall was born on April 21, 1899 in New York City. Son of Daniel Varney and Grace Brightman (Randall) Thompson.
Thompson, Randall was born on April 21, 1899 in New York City. Son of Daniel Varney and Grace Brightman (Randall) Thompson.
Graduate (Walter Damrosch fellow in music composition), American Studied composition under, Ernest Bloch, New York City, 1920-1921.
Assistant professor music, organist, choir director Wellesley College, 1927-1929, appointed lecturer music, 1936. Lecturer music Harvard, 1929. Guggenheim fellow, 1929-1931.
Director college music study, investigation Association American Colleges, 1932-1935.
Professor music, director chorus University of California, Berkeley, 1937-1939. Director Curtis Institute Music, 1939-1941.
Professor music, head department University of Virginia, 1941-1945. Professor music Princeton, 1945-1948.
Professor music Harvard, 1948-1965, now Walter Bigelow Rosen professor music emeritus, department chairman, 1952-1957.
Director United States section International Society for Contemporary Music, 1934-1935. Member Executive Board League Composers, 1939-1941, director, 1945-1948. Wrote: music for The Straw Hat, 1926, Grand Street Follies, 1926.
Guest conductor, Dessoff Choirs, New York City, 1931-1932.
Conductor: Madrigal Choir and Suprs. Chorus, Juilliard School Music, 1931-1932.
Composer symphonies, choral works, string quartets, opera and other forms of music works. Composition include The Last Words of David, commissioned by Boston Symphony Orchestra for Voice of America film, Tanglewood, 1949, A Trip to Nahant, Fantasy-Rondo for Orch, commissioned by Koussevitzky Foundation, 1954, Mass of the Holy Spirit, 1955, Ode to the Virginian Voyage, 1956, Requiem, commissioned by University of California, 1958, Frostiana, commissioned by 200th Anniversary of Amherst, Massachusetts, 1959, The Nativity according to Saint Luke, commissioned by Christ Church, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1961.
Cantata A Feast of Praise, commissioned by Stanford University music department, 1963.
Oratorio The Passion According to Saint Luke, commissioned by Handel and Haydn Society, 1965, String Quartet Northern 2, commissioned by Harvard Museum Association, 1967, The Place of the Blest, commissioned by Saint Thomas Church, New York City, 1969. Author: oratorio College Music, 1935. Contributor articles to music reviews.
Member National Institute Arts and Letters, American Academy Arts and Sciences, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Phi Beta Kappa. Clubs: Century (New York City).
Married Margaret Quayle Whitney, February 26, 1927. Children: Varney, Edward Samuel Whitney, Rosemary, Randall.