Blair Fairchild
Encyclopedia
Blair Fairchild was an American
composer and diplomat
. Along with Charles Wakefield Cadman
, Charles Sanford Skilton
, Arthur Nevin
, and Arthur Farwell
, among others, he is sometimes grouped among the Indianist
s, although he had only a marginal association with their work.
Fairchild was a native of Massachusetts
, the son of Boston investor Charles Fairchild. He studied at Harvard College
and in Florence
before embarking, after a stint in business, on a career in the diplomatic corps. He first saw service in Constantinople
before being transferred to Tehran
; in 1903 he settled in Paris
, where he pursued further studies in music before becoming a composer. He died in 1933.
Fairchild had studied music while at Harvard, attending classes taught by both John Knowles Paine
and Walter Spalding. Upon his arrival in Paris he sought further study with Charles-Marie Widor
. His musical style was based on music he had heard during his diplomatic travels, and among his early works were two tone poems upon Persian legends, Zal and Shah Feridoun. He also wrote much in smaller forms, including many pieces for chamber groups
. He also wrote songs and choruses. Fairchild's music has been described as derived from the same influences as the work of Claude Debussy
, Maurice Ravel
, and Igor Stravinsky
.
Little of Fairchild's music appears to have been recorded. Some of his piano pieces may be found on a compilation of Indianist music released by Naxos Records
on the Marco Polo label.
Fairchild was the brother of miniaturist Lucia Fairchild Fuller; their grandfather, Jairus C. Fairchild
, was the first mayor of Madison, Wisconsin
, while their uncle Lucius
served three terms as the governor of the state
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. Along with Charles Wakefield Cadman
Charles Wakefield Cadman
Charles Wakefield Cadman was an American composer.Cadman’s musical education, unlike that of most of his American contemporaries, was completely American. Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, he began piano lessons at 13...
, Charles Sanford Skilton
Charles Sanford Skilton
Charles Sanford Skilton was an American composer, teacher and musicologist. Along with Charles Wakefield Cadman, Blair Fairchild, Arthur Nevin, and Arthur Farwell, among others, he was one of the leading Indianist composers of the early twentieth century.-Life:Skilton was born in Northampton,...
, Arthur Nevin
Arthur Nevin
Arthur Nevin was an American composer, conductor, teacher and musicologist. Along with Charles Wakefield Cadman, Blair Fairchild, Charles Sanford Skilton, and Arthur Farwell, among others, he was one of the leading Indianist composers of the early twentieth century.-Biography:Born in Edgeworth,...
, and Arthur Farwell
Arthur Farwell
Arthur Farwell was an American composer, conductor, educationalist, lithographer, esoteric savant, and music publisher.- Biography :Farwell was born in St Paul, Minnesota...
, among others, he is sometimes grouped among the Indianist
Indianist movement
The Indianist movement was a movement in American classical music that flourished from the 1880s until the 1920s. It was based on attempts to synthesize American Indian musical ideas with some of the basic principles of Western music...
s, although he had only a marginal association with their work.
Fairchild was a native of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, the son of Boston investor Charles Fairchild. He studied at Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
and in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
before embarking, after a stint in business, on a career in the diplomatic corps. He first saw service in Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
before being transferred to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
; in 1903 he settled in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he pursued further studies in music before becoming a composer. He died in 1933.
Fairchild had studied music while at Harvard, attending classes taught by both John Knowles Paine
John Knowles Paine
John Knowles Paine , was the first American-born composer to achieve fame for large-scale orchestral music.-Life:He studied organ, orchestration, and composition in Germany and toured in Europe for three years...
and Walter Spalding. Upon his arrival in Paris he sought further study with Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
. His musical style was based on music he had heard during his diplomatic travels, and among his early works were two tone poems upon Persian legends, Zal and Shah Feridoun. He also wrote much in smaller forms, including many pieces for chamber groups
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. He also wrote songs and choruses. Fairchild's music has been described as derived from the same influences as the work of Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
, Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
, and Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
.
Little of Fairchild's music appears to have been recorded. Some of his piano pieces may be found on a compilation of Indianist music released by Naxos Records
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
on the Marco Polo label.
Fairchild was the brother of miniaturist Lucia Fairchild Fuller; their grandfather, Jairus C. Fairchild
Jairus C. Fairchild
Jairus Cassius Fairchild was an American politician and businessman.Born in Granville, New York, he moved to Hudson, Ohio, where he was a merchant. Later he would move to Franklin Mills, Ohio for a brief time where he operated a tannery before relocating to Cleveland around 1834...
, was the first mayor of Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, while their uncle Lucius
Lucius Fairchild
Lucius Fairchild was an American politician, army general, and diplomat. He served as the tenth Governor of Wisconsin and as U.S. Minister to Spain.-Military career:...
served three terms as the governor of the state
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
.