Carl Denton
Encyclopedia
James Carlyle "Carl" Denton (November 21, 1874 – November 14, 1955) was a British
-born American
conductor
. He was the first permanent conductor of the Oregon Symphony
, then known as the Portland Symphony Orchestra.
, Yorkshire
, England
to James Carl and Agnes Denton née
Smith. Denton studied piano from age six, and added to this with study of the organ and violin. According to census records he immigrated to the United States in 1885. He returned to England since we also know that he studied at the Royal Academy of Music
for three years, where he was a medalist. Then he became a staff member of the orchestra at Covent Garden
where he played for the conductor composers Granville Bantock
, Edward Elgar
, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
, and Hubert Parry
.
Denton was invited to Portland, Oregon
to be organist at Trinity Episcopal Church, where he served 1901-1910. He resigned that post in 1910 to become the organist and choirmaster at St. Stephens’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, a post he held for 45 years. He was considered an organ virtuoso. He also taught orchestra and music theory at Lincoln High School and other Portland schools for 25 years; and was the representative of the Royal Academy of Music in Portland.
In 1910 Denton helped form the Portland Symphony Society, and in 1911 the orchestra elected Denton as one of four rotating conductors. He lifted his baton at the second concert of the season at the newly opened Heilig Theater on 17 December 1911 and on 18 August 1918, the symphony board appointed him from a field of three candidates as the Portland Symphony’s first permanent conductor. After the appointment, he traveled to the east to choose new scores and hear new musical works. He also attended fourteen symphony concerts in San Francisco and Los Angeles
. He submitted his resignation as conductor on January 17, 1925 and his final conducting engagement was on May 20, 1925 at the Municipal Auditorium; a concert which included Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
’s cantata A Tale of Old Japan. At his request, he retained the post of conductor of the Portland Symphony Chorus, which was largely of his making.
The next permanent appointed conductor was Theodore Spiering
, one of Denton's suggested rotation of three conductors to complete his symphony season. Spiering was able to serve only a short time before he died.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. He was the first permanent conductor of the Oregon Symphony
Oregon Symphony
The Oregon Symphony is an American orchestra based in Portland, Oregon. Founded as the Portland Symphony Society in 1896, it is the sixth oldest orchestra in the United States, and oldest in the Western United States...
, then known as the Portland Symphony Orchestra.
Biography
Denton was born at BatleyBatley
Batley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies southeast of Bradford, southwest of Leeds and north of Dewsbury, near the M62 motorway. It has a population of 49,448 . Other nearby towns include Morley to the northeast, Ossett to the southeast...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to James Carl and Agnes Denton née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Smith. Denton studied piano from age six, and added to this with study of the organ and violin. According to census records he immigrated to the United States in 1885. He returned to England since we also know that he studied at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
for three years, where he was a medalist. Then he became a staff member of the orchestra at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
where he played for the conductor composers Granville Bantock
Granville Bantock
Sir Granville Bantock was a British composer of classical music.-Biography:Granville Ransome Bantock was born in London. His father was a Scottish doctor. He was intended by his parents for the Indian Civil Service but was drawn into the musical world. His first teacher was Dr Gordon Saunders at...
, Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was an English composer who achieved such success that he was once called the "African Mahler".-Early life and education:...
, and Hubert Parry
Hubert Parry
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet was an English composer, teacher and historian of music.Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is best known for the choral song "Jerusalem", the coronation anthem "I was glad" and the hymn tune "Repton", which sets the words...
.
Denton was invited to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
to be organist at Trinity Episcopal Church, where he served 1901-1910. He resigned that post in 1910 to become the organist and choirmaster at St. Stephens’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, a post he held for 45 years. He was considered an organ virtuoso. He also taught orchestra and music theory at Lincoln High School and other Portland schools for 25 years; and was the representative of the Royal Academy of Music in Portland.
In 1910 Denton helped form the Portland Symphony Society, and in 1911 the orchestra elected Denton as one of four rotating conductors. He lifted his baton at the second concert of the season at the newly opened Heilig Theater on 17 December 1911 and on 18 August 1918, the symphony board appointed him from a field of three candidates as the Portland Symphony’s first permanent conductor. After the appointment, he traveled to the east to choose new scores and hear new musical works. He also attended fourteen symphony concerts in San Francisco and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He submitted his resignation as conductor on January 17, 1925 and his final conducting engagement was on May 20, 1925 at the Municipal Auditorium; a concert which included Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was an English composer who achieved such success that he was once called the "African Mahler".-Early life and education:...
’s cantata A Tale of Old Japan. At his request, he retained the post of conductor of the Portland Symphony Chorus, which was largely of his making.
The next permanent appointed conductor was Theodore Spiering
Theodore Spiering
Theodore Bernays Spiering was an American violinist, conductor and teacher.Spiering was born in Old North St. Louis, Missouri, where at age five he took his first lessons in violin from his father, concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He made his first public appearance at age seven...
, one of Denton's suggested rotation of three conductors to complete his symphony season. Spiering was able to serve only a short time before he died.