How many composers can you recognize by sight? Now, how many of those composers are still living and working today?
It's a little hard to imagine now, but just a few decades ago, there were a handful of American composers whose faces were as well known as their music. One of those composers, believe it or not, was William Schuman.
If you're of a certain generation, you may remember "What's My Line?" — the CBS TV game show where celebrity panelists questioned contestants in order to determine their occupations. On September 30, 1962, William Schuman was a contestant on "What's My Line?," and since he was so well known, in order to maintain the mystery of the game, panelists had to be blindfolded.
By then, he was a superstar. But at first, he wasn't even sure if classical music was something he wanted to pursue. Schuman was born in New York City in 1910, and, as a teenager, he was more interested in baseball than music, even though his dance band was the rage of Washington High School. It was with some reluctance that 19-year-old Schuman was dragged to a New York Philharmonic concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini. The program included a symphony by someone named Robert Schumann (no relation), and young William was quite impressed.
He wrote his first piece -- a tango -- at age 16. Popular music and songs gave way to concert works as his studies progressed at Columbia University Teachers College and later with composer Roy Harris, who became a strong influence. Serge Koussevitzky conducted the first performances of the of Schuman’s American Festival Overture. The Symphony No. 3, which established Schuman as a major American composer, won the first New York Music Critics’ Circle Award.
While continuing to compose, Schuman embarked on a teaching and administrative career of similar stature. Named president of the Juilliard School in 1945, he was responsible for, among other things, the founding of the Juilliard String Quartet.
So in 1962, when he appeared on "What's My Line?," he was about as well-known as a composer and musician could get. The panel members had to be blindfolded, or they would have recognized him at first sight.
Panelists narrowed in on music pretty quickly. When they asked if Schuman ever sang for the Metropolitan Opera, he joked, "Often desired to, never invited." And then they got a little closer: they asked if he was composer Leonard Bernstein, to which Schuman quipped, "I'm his friend."
Even though he was so well-known, Schuman still managed to outfox the panelists. After many, many questions, however, they landed on it: "Are you Mr. Schuman?"
You can watch William Schuman's episode of "What's My Line?" here:
Today, Schuman isn't exactly the celebrity figure he was in the 1960s, but his music is well worth getting to know. A good place to start is with his New England Triptych:
Also worth checking out: George Washington Bridge, American Festival Overture, and perhaps his opera The Mighty Casey (I did tell you his first love was baseball!):