Virgil Thomson

Virgil Thomson 1896-1989, American composer, critic, and organist, b. Kansas City, Mo. Thomson studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger . Until about 1926 he wrote in a dissonant, neoclassic style, but after his 16-minute quintet Sonata da chiesa (1926) he began to employ a highly simplified style that shows the influence of Erik Satie . He wrote two operas, Four Saints in Three Acts (1928) and The Mother of Us All (1947), for librettos by Gertrude Stein ; music for films including The River (1937) and Louisiana Story (1948); the ballet Filling Station (1937); an opera, Lord Byron (1972); and numerous works for voice, organ, piano, and chamber ensembles. Thomson was music critic for the New York Herald Tribune from 1940 until 1954. His books include The State of Music (1939), The Musical Scene (1945), The Art of Judging Music (1948), and American Music since 1910 (1971).

Bibliography: See his autobiography (1966); biography by A. Tommasini (1997).

Thomson, Virgil (1896–1989) US critic and composer. He was music critic for the New York Herald Tribune (1940–54). Much influenced by Erik Satie, his works include the operas Four Saints in Three Acts (1928, first production 1934) and The Mother of Us All (1947).