ÿþ<HTML> <TITLE>John R. Cowell</title> <HEAD> <META name="description" content="John R. Cowell"> <META name="keywords" content="John R. Cowell, John Cowell, classical pianist, composer, concert pianist, pianist, organist, Aaron Copland, Manuel Rosenthal, Olga Samaroff, Olga Stokowski, Paul Hindemith, Paul Nordoff"> </head> <style type="text/css"> body {background-color: #000043;} a:active {color: #ff0000; } a:link {font-family:Arial; color: #ff0000; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none} a:visited {font-family:Arial; color: #77aadd; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none} blockquote {font-size:12px; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:12px;} h1 {font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 6px;} h2 {font-family: Arial; font-size:14px; margin-bottom:6px; margin-top:30px} h3 {font-family: Arial; font-size:12px; margin:12px 0px 0px 0px} h4 {font-family: Arial; font-size:12px; margin:0px} p {font-family: Arial; font-size:12px; margin-bottom:12px} p.close {font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 0px} p.image {font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-color: 000043; margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 18px; text-align: center;} p.maintext {font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-color: 000043; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; text-align: left;} p.nav {font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-color: 000043; margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 12px; text-align: center;} p.title {font-family: Times New Roman; font-size:36px; font-variant:small-caps; text-align: center; margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px;} p.subtitle {font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 22px; font-variant:small-caps; text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px;} td {font-family:Arial; font-size:16px; background-color: #ffffff; vertical-align: top;} td.nav {font-family:Arial; font-size:16px; color: #ffffff; background-color: #000043; vertical-align: top; border="0"; } td.small {font-family:Arial; font-size:10px; color: #000043; background-color: #ffffff; vertical-align: top; border="0";} td.photo {font-family:Arial; font-size:16px; background-color: #ffffff; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;} </style> <table align="center" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <!--BODY--> <table align="center" width="80%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td class="small" colspan="4">&nbsp; </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="nav" colspan="4"> <p class="nav"> <a href="http://www.johnrcowell.com/bio.htm">BIOGRAPHY</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://www.johnrcowell.com/media.htm">MEDIA</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://www.johnrcowell.com/news.htm">NEWS</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://users3.smartgb.com/g/g.php?a=s&i=g35-04395-ee">GUESTBOOK</a> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4"> <p class="title">John R. Cowell</p> <hr width="60%"> <p class="subtitle">Composer/Pianist <br>1920&#8211;2007 </p> <p class="image"><img src="http://www.johnrcowell.com/assets/images/pressopt.jpg"> </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="10%"> <p class="maintext">&nbsp; </p> </td> <td width="80%"> <p class="maintext">John R. Cowell, DMA, was an unusual man, one of high intelligence, vibrant creativity and exceptional musical talent. In addition to being a world-class concert pianist, a fine organist and a talented composer, he was an extraordinary teacher, still held in high esteem by his former students, who speak of him in tones of wonder and joy to this day.</p> <p class="maintext"> What was clear was his total commitment to music, to sharing it and to creating it, and his insistence on following the path of creativity, instilling in his students the drive to listen to the musician within, to play music with authenticity. His style of teaching was unusual in that he never stifled the creative impulse in the student, instead coaxing it gently, and exulting when the result was realized (his excitement was contagious!). As a result, his students have the common ground of having experienced being coached and inspired into their best playing, a rare event in the music pedagogical world. Perhaps this was due to his early training by Olga Samaroff-Stokowski, known for her unique teaching style, although it is likely just as much due to who he was as a musician.</p> <p class="maintext"> Although he never lacked for confidence, there was at the same time a complete lack of ego, which the listener can experience through his music. Listen, for example, to his playing of the Grieg Lyric Pieces (at age 80+!); you will hear a composer completely appreciating and savoring another composer's work, rather than the playing of a pianist intent on displaying their abilities.</p> <p class="maintext"> It was important to him that his work as a composer live on; he often said that his compositions were his legacy for his children. His compositions exhibit not only a high level of skill (no wonder there, since he studied composition with Paul Hindemith, Aaron Copland and Manuel Rosenthal), but you will find an enormous breadth to his work, and in all of it an abandonment to the muse, rather than an intellectual display.</p> <p class="maintext"> Many of his compositions are available for download on this website, and recordings of his playing can be found here, as well. More scores and recordings will be added monthly. It is hoped that many will enjoy and perform his music. You are welcome to use the sheet music. We ask only that you inform Dr.&nbsp;Cowell's daughter, Edna&nbsp;Cowell&nbsp;Martin, before you perform them publicly. You can reach her through the Guestbook on this site. <br><br> </p> </td> <td width="10%"> <p class="maintext">&nbsp; </p> </td> </tr> </table> <tr> <td> <p class="close"><hr size="1" color="#ff0000" width="155"> <center><font size="1" color="#FF0000"><em>Webwork by</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:computerworks@elenagreco.com"><font color="#FF0000">Elena Greco</a></font></center> </p> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </HTML>