The composition of art song in America began slowly in the Colonial and Federal periods, expanded greatly in the 19th century, and has become a distinguished and highly regarded addition to the classical music repertoire in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Francis Hopkinson (1737–1791), Philadelphia native and signer of the Declaration of Independence, is usually considered the first important American song composer. His most famous song is "My Days Have been so Wondrous Free", and his Seven Songs for the Harpsichord were composed in 1788 and dedicated to George Washington.
Other 18th-century American song composers
Peter Von Hagen (1750–1803), Dutch born
Alexander Reinagle (1756–1809)
Benjamin Carr (1768–1831), English born
Gottlieb Graupner (1767–1836), German born, arrived in the U.S. in 1795
Oliver Shaw (1779–1848)
In the 19th century, many Americans composed songs for amateur musicians to sing at home (usually called parlor songs). In the middle of the century Stephen Foster (1826–1864) emerged as one of the best known American composers of songs. While many of his vocal pieces were written for minstrel shows, the simple but effective melodies of his "songs for the hearth and home" are widely popular, often mistaken for American folksongs.
By the end of the 19th century, serious American composers were travelling to European countries to study, especially with German and French composition teachers, and they gained a thorough understanding of Romantic style, including an understanding of the Lieder tradition. American songs written between 1870 and 1910 are often dismissed as sounding too "derivative", although the compositional craft shown in these works is quite high.
Other 19th-century American song composers
John Hill Hewitt (1801–1890), composed songs about the Civil War
Francis Boott (1813–1904)
Daniel Decatur Emmett (1815–1904), composed the song "Dixie"
George Frederick Root (1820–1895), composed popular Civil War songs
Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829–1869), piano virtuoso, also composed songs
Philip Bliss (1838–1876)
Alfred Humphreys Pease (1838–1882)
Dudley Buck (1839–1909), organist and composer of sacred songs
John Knowles Paine (1839–1906)
Arthur Foote (1853–1937)
George Whitefield Chadwick (1854–1931)
Arthur Bird (1856–1923)
George Templeton Strong (1856–1948)
Edgar Stillman Kelley (1857–1944)
Reginald De Koven (1859–1920), composed over 400 songs, known for "Oh promise me"
Charles Martin Loeffler (1861–1935)
Edward MacDowell (1861–1908)
Carrie Jacobs-Bond (1861–1946), wrote the wedding song "I love you truly"
Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin (1862–1901)
Horatio Parker (1863–1919)
Charles Edward Ives (1874–1954)
American composers began to break from European traditions in the early part of the 20th century. Charles Ives (1874–1954) composed songs in a variety of styles, including both traditional and experimental sounds, and self-published his important collection 114 Songs. Other publications of American song, such as those in The Wa-Wan Press editions presented works by less-known American composers.
By the end of the 20th century, several composers emerged as the leaders of American art song composition, especially Aaron Copland (1900–1990), Samuel Barber (1910–1981), and Ned Rorem (born 1923).
Other 20th-century American art song composers
Sidney Homer (1864–1953), husband of Louise Homer and uncle of Samuel Barber
Jean Paul Kürsteiner (1864–1943), sacred and dramatic songs
Harry Burleigh (1866–1949), student of Dvořák, spiritual arrangements and other songs
Amy Beach (Mrs. H. H. A.) (1867–1944)
Howard Brockway (1870–1951), wrote folksong arrangements with Loarine Wyman
Arthur Farwell (1872–1952)
Oley Speaks (1874–1948), famous for his setting of Kipling's "On the Road to Mandalay"
Henry Clough-Leighter (1874–1956)
Pearl G. Curran (1875–1941), 40 songs
Frederic Ayres (1876–1926)
John Alden Carpenter (1876–1951)
Louis Campbell-Tipton (1877–1921)
John Prindle Scott (1877–1932)
Frank La Forge (1879–1953)
Ernest Bloch (1880–1959), Swiss-American
Clara Edwards (1880–1974), composed over 100 songs, many in anthologies
Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881–1946), Songs of the American Indian
Richard Hageman (1881–1966)
Mary Howe (1882–1964)
Bainbridge Crist (1883–1969)
Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884–1920)
Wintter Watts (1884–1962), settings of Sara Teasdale
Deems Taylor (1885–1966)
Henry Cowell (1887–1965)
Hall Johnson (1887–1970) concert arrangements of spirituals
Florence Price (1887-1953)
David W. Guion (1892–1981), collected folk songs; composed sacred songs
John Jacob Niles (1892–1980), arranged folk songs and composed original settings of Thomas Merton poems
Katherine K. Davis (1892–1980)
Douglas Moore (1893–1969) opera composer, some songs
Ernest Charles (1895–1984) a few songs still in the repertoire
Albert Hay Malotte (1895–1964) famous setting of "Lord's Prayer"
Leo Sowerby (1895–1968)
William Grant Still (1895–1978) the "Dean" of African-American composers
Roger Sessions (1896–1985)
Virgil Thomson (1896–1987)
Henry Cowell (1897–1965)
Ernst Bacon (1898–1990)
Roy Harris (1898–1979)
John Woods Duke (1899–1984)
Sven Lekberg (1899–1984)
Randall Thompson (1899–1984)
Otto Luening (1900–1996)
Elinor Remick Warren (1900–1991)
Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901–1953)
Theodore Chanler (1902–1961)
Celius Dougherty (1902–1986)
Vittorio Giannini (1903–1966)
Vernon Duke (1903–1969)
Undine Smith Moore (1904–1989)
Marc Blitzstein (1905–1964)
Louise Talma (1906–1996)
Paul Creston (1906–1985)
Ross Lee Finney (1906–1997)
Howard Swanson (1907–1978)
Elliott Carter (born 1908), composed a few songs, from 1938 to 1943 and the 1970s
Sergius Kagen (1908–1964)
Jean Berger (1909–2002)
Charles Naginski (1909–1940)
Paul Nordoff (1909–1977)
Elie Siegmeister (1909–1991)
Paul Bowles (1910–1999)
Sam Raphling (1910–1988)
Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000)
Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007)
John Cage (1912–1992), songs include "The Wonderful Widow of 18 Springs"
Hugo Weisgall (1912–1997)
Margaret Bonds (1913–1972)
Norman Dello Joio (born 1913)
John Edmunds (1913–1986)
Vivian Fine (1913–2000)
Gardner Read (1913–2005)
Irving Fine (1914–1962)
David Diamond (1915–2005)
George Perle (born 1915)
Vincent Persichetti (1915–1987)
Gordon Binkerd (1916–2003)
Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)
George Rochberg (1918–2005)
John La Montaine (1920–2013)
Jack Beeson (1921–2010)
Seymour Barab (1921–2014)
William Bergsma (1921–1994)
Ernest Gold (1921–1999) film music, cycle Songs of Love and Parting
Lloyd Pfautsch (1921–2003) much sacred music, some songs
Lukas Foss (born 1922)
Robert Kreutz (1922–1996)
Richard Owen (born 1922) lawyer, judge, and composer
Jean Eichelberger Ivey (1923–2010)
Daniel Pinkham (1923–2006)
Lee Hoiby (1926–2011)
Dominick Argento (born 1927)
Richard Hundley (born 1931)
H. Leslie Adams (born 1932)
Luigi Zaninelli (born 1932)
Kenneth Benshoof (born 1933)
American art song composition continues to be lively and strong in the early 21st century. Commissions from well-known singers have added a number of new works to the repertoire, and composers such as Tom Cipullo, Ricky Ian Gordon, Daron Hagen, Jake Heggie, and John Musto are establishing themselves as the current generation of leading American art song composers.
Active American art song composers
André Previn (born 1929)
Robert Baksa (born 1938)
William Bolcom (born 1938)
John Corigliano (born 1938)
John Harbison (born 1938)
Thomas Pasatieri (born 1945)
Judith Lang Zaimont (born 1945)
Stephen Paulus (1949–2014)
Libby Larsen (born 1950)
Daniel Brewbaker (born 1951)
Scott Wheeler (born 1952)
John Musto (born 1954)
Robert Beaser (born 1954)
Lori Laitman (born 1955)
Larry Alan Smith (born 1955)
Richard Danielpour (born 1956)
Ricky Ian Gordon (born 1956)
James Primosch (born 1956)
Juliana Hall (born 1958)
Tom Cipullo (born 1960)
Ben Moore (born 1960)
Daron Hagen (born 1961)
Jake Heggie (born 1961)
Scott Gendel (born 1977)
