2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music

[Modernistfan]

The 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music has gone to Tania León for her work "Stride," premiered by the New York Philharmonic. The other finalists were "Place" by Ted Hearne and "Data Lords" by Maria Schneider (Schneider is perhaps better known as a jazz musician but also has worked in classical idioms and had an album a few years ago performed by Dawn Upshaw and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.) We can hope for a recording soon. It seems that, with the award going to Anthony Davis last year and Ms. León this year, they are trying to rectify that fiasco of 2018 when they gave it to the (c)rapper Kendrick Lamar.

[barney]

The 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music has gone to Tania León for her work "Stride," premiered by the New York Philharmonic. The other finalists were "Place" by Ted Hearne and "Data Lords" by Maria Schneider (Schneider is perhaps better known as a jazz musician but also has worked in classical idioms and had an album a few years ago performed by Dawn Upshaw and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.) We can hope for a recording soon. It seems that, with the award going to Anthony Davis last year and Ms. León this year, they are trying to rectify that fiasco of 2018 when they gave it to the (c)rapper Kendrick Lamar.

Love that extra c. I'll ask my children why they like (c)rap music. Mind you, not sure they do anymore now they are in their 30s.

[maestrob]

The 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music has gone to Tania León for her work "Stride," premiered by the New York Philharmonic. The other finalists were "Place" by Ted Hearne and "Data Lords" by Maria Schneider (Schneider is perhaps better known as a jazz musician but also has worked in classical idioms and had an album a few years ago performed by Dawn Upshaw and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.) We can hope for a recording soon. It seems that, with the award going to Anthony Davis last year and Ms. León this year, they are trying to rectify that fiasco of 2018 when they gave it to the (c)rapper Kendrick Lamar.

Love that extra c. I'll ask my children why they like (c)rap music. Mind you, not sure they do anymore now they are in their 30s.

Yes, I got a kick out of that also!

(C)rap music is really been a quite dated genre for some time, hasn't it? I do wonder, in this age of siloed music-making where we are quite insulated from the bombardment of popular tunes on the radio that used to be everywhere in previous generations, whatever will take its place, if anything can at this point?

I have a personal memory about Tania Leon to recount here.

When I was quite young and first taking myself seriously as a musician, I was studying with Vincent La Selva, and he invited me to sing in the chorus for a production of Verdi's magnificent Requiem (La Selva's first of three presentations in Carnegie Hall). I readily agreed. One of Tania Leon's first engagements in New York after she finished her Masters from NYU in 1975 (I suppose, being a Cuban immigrant, she couldn't afford Juilliard) was as La Selva's assistant conductor for that performance. In rehearsal, although there was only a short section for the bass soloist, I sang the solo line from my seat as she continued to conduct, then brought in the chorus. She was very kind to me afterwards and complimented me on my solo. We never met again, but that moment stayed with me all these years and I have followed her career with much interest ever since, even though her music is sometimes over my pay grade.

I should also note that I have several of Maria Schneider's privately produced albums as well. I find her interesting but uneven in appeal, but at her best she can write very interesting and appealing music. Glad to see her win this award.