Wikipedia

Anthony Tommasini

Anthony Carl Tommasini(born April 14, 1948) is an Americanmusic criticand author who specializes inclassical music.[1]Described as "a discerning critic, whose taste, knowledge and judgment have made him a must-read",[2]Tommasini was thechief classical music criticforThe New York Timesfrom 2000 to 2021. Also a pianist, he has released two CDS and two books on the music of his colleague and mentor, the composer and criticVirgil Thomson.

Anthony Tommasini
Born
Anthony Carl Tommasini

(1948-04-14)April 14, 1948(age 76)
Brooklyn,New York, U.S.
Alma mater
Occupations
Notable credits

A classical music enthusiast since his youth, Tommasini attended bothYale UniversityandBoston Universityto study piano, and then taught music atEmerson College.In 1986 he left academia to write music criticism forThe Boston Globe.Tommasini joined theTimesin 1996 and became their chief classical music critic in 2000 for over two decades. He traveled to cover important premieres ofcontemporary classical music,encouraged diversity in both classical repertoire and ensembles, and wrote books covering influentialoperasandcomposers.

Early life and education

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Anthony Carl Tommasini was born inBrooklyn,New York, on April 14, 1948.[1][a]He grew up in a family of five inMalverneonLong Island,New York.[3][4]Though his parents were not musically inclined, Tommasini was interested inclassical musicfrom a young age.[5]Beginning piano lessons in his youth, at 16 years of age he won a piano competition atThe Town HallinManhattan,performing aMozartconcerto.[6]From age 15 on, he regularly attended theMetropolitan Opera,with operas byPuccinibeing particular favorites.[4]Other impressionable performances includedJoan Sutherlandas Lucia in Donizetti'sLucia di Lammermoor;Birgit Nilssonas the title role of Puccini'sTurandot;Renata Tebaldias Mimì in Puccini'sLa bohème;andLeontyne Priceas the title role of Verdi'sAida.[6]From his teens, Tommasini also cites a performance ofLeonard Bernsteinconducting theNew York Philharmonicin Beethoven'sSymphony No. 3and Stravinsky'sThe Rite of Springas particularly inspirational.[7]He was a fan of the pianistRudolf Serkin,whose recitals he frequently attended, and was overwhelmed by Stravinsky conducting hisSymphony of Psalmsat theLincoln Center.[8]A graduate ofSaint Paul's SchoolinGarden City, New York,[9]Tommasini studied piano with Donald Currier atYale University,receiving aBachelor of Arts(1970) and aMaster of Music(1972).[1]He subsequently earned aDoctor of Musical Arts(1982) fromBoston University,during which he studied with the pianistLeonard Shure.[1]A decade later, he won the 1998 Boston University School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award.[6]

Career

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Based in Boston, Tommasini taught music atEmerson Collegefrom 1978 to 1986, and also lednon-fictionwriting workshops atWesleyan UniversityandBrandeis University.[1]In 1985 at Emerson, he met the composerVirgil Thomson,who became both a friend and mentor.[10]Tommasini published a survey of Thomson's piano music,Virgil Thomson's Musical Portraits(1986),[11]which was a revision and expansion of his 1982 DMA dissertation.[12]He was denied tenure at Emerson College, as the college eliminated his position; Tommasini later noted that although disappointing, "the best thing that ever happened to me was not getting tenure at Emerson, or I might still be there, and none of [my future career] would've happened".[10] In response, Tommasini turned to music criticism.[10]He was afreelancer,and wrote forThe Boston Globefor a decade, beginning in 1986.[6]

Tommasini became a staff writer forThe New York Timesin 1996, and was promoted to chief classical music critic in 2000.[6]In addition to Thomson, his mentors includeRichard Dyer,who was chief classical music critic ofThe Boston Globefor 33 years.[6]At theTimes,Tommasini traveled for important premieres ofcontemporary classical music,includingSaariaho'sL'Amour de loin(2000),Adès'sThe Tempest(2004) andTurnage'sAnna Nicole(2011).[2]He covered certain musicians particularly often, such asPeter Serkin,Leif Ove Andsnes,Michael Tilson ThomasandEsa-Pekka Salonen.[2]Tommasini often advocated for increased diversity in the classical music world;[2]his comment that "American orchestras should think a little less about how they play and a little more about what they play and why they play it" is often quoted.[7]In this regard, his colleagues at theTimesdescribed him as "something of a provocateur: challenging the field to take more risks, embrace new music and rethink old, hidebound habits".[2]Tommasini's 2020 article which suggestedblind auditionsbe abandoned so race can be considered to assist in diversifying ensembles was met with "intense debate";[2][13]InNew Music USA,Maia Jasper White noted that the idea received "heavy backlash".[14]Tommasini stepped down from his post in 2021; with a 21 year tenure he has been chief classical music critic ofThe New York Timesfor the longest period sinceOlin Downes.[2][b]In April 2022, music criticZachary Woolfewas named Tommasini's successor as chief classical music critic for theTimes.[16]

Tommasini is the author ofVirgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisle,[17]which received the 1998ASCAP-Deems TaylorAward, andOpera: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Works and the Best Recordings.[18][12]Also a pianist, Tommasini made two recordings of music by Virgil Thomson forNortheastern Records,Portraits and Self-PortraitsandMostly About Love: Songs and Vocal Works.[12]Both were funded through grants from theNational Endowment for the Arts.[12]

In 2011, after soliciting comments from readers, Tommasini published a list of the ten greatest classical composers. They were, in order: 1.Johann Sebastian Bach2.Ludwig van Beethoven3.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart4.Franz Schubert5.Claude Debussy6.Igor Stravinsky7.Johannes Brahms8.Giuseppe Verdi9.Richard Wagner10.Béla Bartók.[19]The project was not without controversy, and Tommasini conceded that readers who argued forClaudio Monteverdiwere "probably right".[19]He added: "Would that I could include my belovedPuccini."[19]He discussed these composers, and others, in his bookThe Indispensable Composers(2018).[20]

Tommasini lives onCentral Park WestinManhattan,New York City with his husband Ben McCommon, who is a psychiatrist.[6][8]After his leave from theTimesat the end of 2021, Tommasini said he might return to teaching, and that he has two further book ideas.[7]In 2022 he took up a teaching position at theJuilliard School's Extension Division, launching a new course, "Critical Listening with Anthony Tommasini".[21]

Selected writings

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Books

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  • Tommasini, Anthony (1986).Virgil Thomson's Musical Portraits.New York:Pendragon Press.[22][23]
  • —— (1997).Virgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisle.New York:W. W. Norton & Company.[24][25]
  • —— (2004).The New York Times Essential Library: Opera: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Works and the Best Recordings.New York:Times Books.[26]
  • —— (2018).The Indispensable Composers: A Personal Guide.New York:Penguin Press.[27][28]

Articles

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For other articles by Anthony Tommasini, see§ External links.

Discography

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Recordings by Anthony Tommasini[12]
Year Album Performers Label
1990 Portraits and Self Portraits
Works byVirgil Thomson 		Anthony Tommasini,piano;and Sharan Leventhalviolin Northeastern Records[29][30]
1994 Mostly about Love: Songs and Vocal Works
Works byVirgil Thomson 		Anthony Tommasini,piano;various others[c] Northeastern Records[31][32]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^See Tommasini's full name, Anthony Carl Tommasini, inTommasini (1984,p. 234)
  2. ^Olin Downeswaschief classical music criticfor 31 years, from 1924 to 1955.[15]
  3. ^Nancy Armstrong,soprano;D'Anna Fortunato,mezzo-soprano;Frank Kelley and Paul Kirbytenor;Sanford Sylvan,baritone;David Ripley,bass;James Russell Smith,percussion.[31]

Citations

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  1. ^abcdeCeriani 2016,para. 1.
  2. ^abcdefgCruz, Gilbert; Cooper, Michael (November 15, 2021)."A Coda, and Many Bravos, for Anthony Tommasini".The New York Times Company.Archivedfrom the original on December 3, 2021.RetrievedDecember 4,2021.
  3. ^Peterson, Tyler (October 4, 2013)."NY Times'Anthony Tommasini, Director Tony Palmer Set for CCM's Richard Wagner Celebration this Month ".BroadwayWorld.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 1,2022.
  4. ^abSeligson 2011,p. 22.
  5. ^Seligson 2011,pp. 22–24.
  6. ^abcdefgSeligson 2011,p. 24.
  7. ^abcTommasini, Anthony (December 18, 2021)."Anthony Tommasini, classical critic for theTimes,looks back ahead of retirement "(Interview). Interviewed byScott Simon.National Public Radio.Archivedfrom the original on January 25, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 25,2022.
  8. ^ab"Talk to the Newsroom: Chief Classical Music Critic".The New York Times.February 8, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on February 2, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 2,2022.
  9. ^Seligson 2011,p. 25.
  10. ^abcSeligson 2011,p. 26.
  11. ^Tommasini 1986.
  12. ^abcdeCeriani 2016,para. 2.
  13. ^Tommasini 2020.
  14. ^White, Maia Jasper (September 10, 2020)."Eyes Wide Shut—The Case Against Blind Auditions".New Music USA.RetrievedAugust 2,2023.
  15. ^Newsom, Jon (2001). "Downes, (Edwin) Olin".Grove Music Online(8th ed.).Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.08109.ISBN978-1-56159-263-0.(subscription required)
  16. ^Cruz, Gilbert;Michel, Sia(April 5, 2022)."Zachary Woolfe Named Classical Music Critic".The New York Times Company.Archivedfrom the original on April 8, 2022.RetrievedApril 5,2022.
  17. ^Tommasini 1997.
  18. ^Tommasini 2004.
  19. ^abcTommasini 2011.
  20. ^Tommasini 2018.
  21. ^"Tommasini Joins Extension Faculty".Juilliard School.RetrievedDecember 30,2023.
  22. ^McCarthy, S. Margaret William (Spring 1988). "Reviewed Works: Virgil Thomson's Musical Portraits by Anthony Tommasini; Virgil Thomson: A Bio-Bibliography by Michael Meckna".American Music.6(1): 106–108.doi:10.2307/3448356.JSTOR3448356.
  23. ^Meckna, Michael (1989). "Reviewed Work: Virgil Thomson's Musical Portraits by Anthony Tommasini".The Musical Quarterly.73(1): 144–146.doi:10.1093/mq/73.1.144.JSTOR741863.
  24. ^Dickinson, Peter(August 1999). "Reviewed Work:Virgil Thomson: Composer on the Aisleby Anthony Tommasini ".Music & Letters.80(3).JSTOR855054.
  25. ^Croan, Robert (October 5, 1997)."'Virgil Thomson: Composer On The Aisle' by Anthony Tommasini ".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Archivedfrom the original on December 5, 2004.RetrievedDecember 7,2021.
  26. ^Kaufman, Thomas G. (Summer 2005)."Opera: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Works and the Best Recordings (review)".The Opera Quarterly.21(3): 528–530.doi:10.1093/oq/kbi043.
  27. ^Lopate, Phillip(November 29, 2018)."The Greatest Composers Ever".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on December 7, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 4,2024.
  28. ^Croan, Robert (January 13, 2019)."'Indispensable Composers': Anthony Tommasini's opinionated guide to classical composers ".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Archivedfrom the original on December 9, 2021.RetrievedDecember 7,2021.
  29. ^Portraits and Self Portraits.Northeastern Records. 1990.OCLC1042279888.
  30. ^Virgil Thomson:Portraits and Self PortraitsatAllMusic.Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  31. ^abMostly about Love: Songs and Vocal Works.Northeastern Records. 1994.OCLC1006453264.
  32. ^Mostly about Love: Songs and Vocal WorksatAllMusic.Retrieved 6 September 2022.

Sources

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Library resources
By Anthony Tommasini
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