Elliott Carter

Recently I wrote about musicians who had had a long career.

I did not mention Elliott Carter.

I was introducing my students to his music by playing his piece, Shard. This is a guitar piece unlike any guitar piece you have heard.

 



Performer: Aaron Larget-Caplan

Seully Hall, Boston Conservatory

 

Carter studied with Nadia Boulanger, quite possibly the most influential professor of music theory during the early 20th century, while in Paris. He studied with Walter Piston and Gustav Holst at Harvard.

He could be listed in the book (if there was one) of Who's Who Among College Music Professors for he taught at Peabody Conservatory, Columbia University, Yale, Cornell, and Juilliard.

He was awarded two Pulitzer Prizes for two of his five string quartets. These are just a couple of his awards and honors.

His life as a composer is one for the record books.

He lived until he was 104 years old.

From the age of 90-100 he wrote 40 pieces of music.

During the last four years of his life he wrote 14 pieces of music.

His last pieces of music was written in August of 2012.

He died in November of 2012.

The point of this post is to emphasize not only the career of Elliott Carter, but to also draw attention to the longevity that is possible in the field of music.

Music really does transcend the continuum of life.