Stanley Leonard

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Stanley Sprenger Leonard (born September 26, 1931 [1] ) is a timpanist, composer and educator. He was Principal Timpanist for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1956-1994. [2] As a solo artist, he premiered several major new works for solo timpani and orchestra with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. [3] When William Steinberg retired as Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of May 21, 1976 quoted Steinberg in an article as saying ".....Stanley Leonard, Pittsburgh's first timpanist. He is such a fabulous figure, the number one man in the orchestra. He is not just a tympanist, he is the embodiment of tympanum playing." In 2010, he was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame. [4]

Contents

He has composed more than 206 pieces for percussion instruments. His compositions for percussion, voice, choral, piano, violin, and handbells are listed in "An Annotated Bibliography of Percussion Works by Stanley Leonard." [5] He also wrote method books, including Pedal Technique for the Timpani. [6]

Leonard taught percussion at Carnegie Mellon University from 1958-1978, and then at Duquesne University from 1989-2001.

His music and recordings are cataloged and archived at the Sibley Music Library of the Eastman School of Music. (See External Links below).

Career timeline

1943–1949

Studied snare drum and marimba with Vera McNary Daehlin of the Kansas City Philharmonic

1945-1950

Performed timpani with the Independence Little Symphony

1946-1949

Studied timpani with Ben Udell of the Kansas City Philharmonic

1948–1950

Performed as percussionist with the Kansas City Philharmonic, Hans Schwieger, Music Director

1950–1951

Studied timpani with Edward Metzinger of the Chicago Symphony and Northwestern University

1951-1954

Studied percussion and timpani with William Street of the Eastman School of Music. Graduated 1954, Bachelor of Music, Performers Certificate in Percussion

1953-1954

Performed as percussionist with the Rochester Philharmonic, Erich Leinsdorf, Music Director

1952–1954

Charter member of Eastman Wind Ensemble, percussionist then timpanist; made first two recordings of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Frederick Fennell, Conductor

1955–1956

Timpanist with the 19th Army Band; performed on ABC network series Soldier Parade [7] with Arlene Francis and twice on the Ed Sullivan Show

1956-1994

Principal Timpanist Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Music Directors: 1956-1976 William Steinberg, 1976-1984 Andre Previn, 1985-1994 Lorin Maazel
  • Made national and international tours
  • Made over fifty recordings for Capitol, Columbia, Philips, Angel, Command, Everest, and Sony; one received a Grammy Award (Maazel) and one a Gramophone Award, UK, (Previn)
  • Appeared in the television series on PBS: Previn and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
  • Made five solo appearances:
DateComposerTitle of compositionConductor
1958 Milhaud "Concerto for Percussion and Small Orchestra"Steinberg
1964Tharichen"Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra" (American premier)Steinberg
1973McCulloh"Symphony Concertante for Timpanist and Orchestra" (world premier) Johanos
1981 Panufnik "Concertino for Timpani, Percussion, and Strings" (American premier)Previn
1984Premru"Celebrations" (world premier)Previn

Discography

On the CDs Canticle, Collage, Acclamation, and Reunion, Leonard directs and performs his compositions for percussion. Retrospections features his music and music by Brett W. Dietz. All CDs are available through the Sibley Music Library. Also directly from Stanley Leonard at www.StanleyLeonard.com

Compositions for percussion music

Etude and method books

Unaccompanied timpani solos

Timpani solo with other instruments

Timpani duos

Timpani and organ and other instruments

Percussion solos unaccompanied

Percussion with other instruments

Two percussionists

Keyboard percussion ensemble

Percussion ensemble

Three players

  • "Three Spaces" (1969) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Trilogy" (2019) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Trioso" (2003) C. Alan Publications

Four players

  • "Bachiana for percussion" (1974) Boosey and Hawkes
  • "Cycle for Percussion" (1969) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Dance Suite" (1969) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Four to Seven" (2023) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Housemusic for Percussion" (1968) Stanley S. Leonard.
  • "Kiwi" (2022) with optional fifth player Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Reflections" (2023) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Telin-Ting" (1974) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Time and Space" (2019) Stanley S. Leonard

Five players

  • "Beachwalk" (1997) LudwigMasters Publications
  • "Circus" (1972) LudwigMasters Publications
  • "Closing Piece" (1969) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Low Bridge" (2023) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Presenting Percussion" (2007) PerMus Publications
  • "The Advancing Gong" (1971) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Three Rivers" (2012) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Tupinam" (2022) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Winged Chariot" (2003) C. Alan Publications
  • "Word Games II" (1973) Stanley S. Leonard

Six players

  • "Descant" (2023) C. Alan Publications
  • "Danza Bamboo" (2016) C. Alan Publications
  • "Four Images" (1978) LudwigMasters Publications
  • "Marche" (2001) RowLoff productions
  • "Promenade" (1997) LudwigMasters Publications
  • "The Gathering" (2021) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Zanza" (2003) Stanley S. Leonard

Seven players

  • "Heptades" (2024) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Interiors" (2017) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Journeys" (2022) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Metalliques" (2022) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Refractions" (2025) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Sacred Stones" (2004) C. Alan Publications

Eight players

  • "Antiphonies" (2000) RowLoff Productions
  • "Encounters" (2019) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Ex Machina" (2000) RowLoff productions
  • "Etowah" (2020) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Fanfare, Meditation, and Dance" (1982) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Main Street" (2017) LudwigMasters Publications
  • "Rituals" (2023) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Pickerington" (2022) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Six Bagatelles" (2011) C. Alan Publications
  • "Stickometry"(2023) Stanley S. Leonard

Nine players

  • "Dream" (2020) Stanley S. Leonard
  • "Kymbalon" (2006) C. Alan Publications
  • "Symphony for Percussion" (2009) RowLoff Productions.

Ten players

  • "Skies" (2000) RowLoff Productions
  • "Traveling Music" (2013) LudwigMasters Publications
  • "Voices" (2011) Stanley S. Leonard

Eleven Players

  • "Palindrome" (2023) Stanley S. Leonard

Twelve players

  • "Festival Fanfare" (2001) Stanley S. Leonard

Thirteen Players

  • "Drum Celebration" (2022) Alfred Music

Fourteen players

  • "Hurricane" (2006) C. Alan Publications
  • "Janissary Band" (2011) C. Alan Publications
  • "Retrospections Fanfare" (2013) Stanley S. Leonard

Percussion ensemble with other instruments or voice

References

[8]

  1. ↑ Congress, The Library of. "LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies (Library of Congress)". id.loc.gov. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "Pittsburgh Symphony Archives" . Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  3. ↑ Croan, Robert (14 May 1984). "Celebrations—An Overture for Timpani and Orchestra". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 21.
  4. ↑ Lauren Vogel Weiss (12 November 2010). "PAS Hall of Fame Stanley Leonard". Percussive Arts Society. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  5. ↑ Kyle Douglas Cherwinski (3 April 2018). "An Annotated Bibliography of Percussion Works by Stanley Leonard". LSU Digital Commons. doi: 10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.4555 . S2CID   165199082 . Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  6. ↑ Stanley Leonard (3 April 2018). "Pedal Technique for the Timpani". JW Pepper. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "Paley Center for Media" . Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  8. ↑ Croan, Robert (10 April 1964). "Thaerichen—Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra". The Christian Science Monitor.
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