Houston Bright
Encyclopedia
Houston Bright was an American music
composer. While he never received wide public acclaim, Houston Bright was, among his peers, well known and respected as a composer, choral director
, and professor. He spent essentially his entire career in the Music Department of West Texas State
College (now West Texas A&M University).
Bright was born January 21, 1916, in Midland, Texas
. He was the son of a Methodist minister. He attended high school in Shamrock, in the Texas Panhandle
(although the 1938 WT yearbook showed his hometown to be Plainview). After graduating high school in 1932, he attended West Texas State. He organized a dance band, the “Kampus Katz,” in the 1935-6 school year
; the band played locally and also toured Texas, New Mexico
, and Colorado during the following summer.
Bright received his Bachelor of Science
degree in music in 1938. Afterward he was the first student to be designated as a “graduate assistant.” He received his Master of Arts
degree in music education
in 1940 and took a full-time faculty appointment at that time. He served as an infantry officer in Europe 1942–1945 and then returned to WTSC. Through summer study and a leave of absence
, he completed his work for a PhD degree in musicology in 1952 at the University of Southern California
. His dissertation was titled, “The Early Tudor Part-song from Newarke to Cornyshe.”
Bright held the rank of Professor; he taught music composition
and music theory
. He also directed the University Chorale, with which he frequently toured the Texas Panhandle. In 1965 WTSC President James Cornette
granted him the additional title of Composer-in-Residence, in honor of his twenty-five years of service to the college.
Throughout his time at WT, Bright was surrounded by musical genius. His colleagues included Royal Brantley, the original musical director
and eventual artistic director
of the musical drama, “Texas,” band director Gary Garner, the 1987 Texas “Bandmaster of the Year,” and Hugh Sanders, who ultimately gained great acclaim as choral director at Baylor University.
Bright’s professional memberships included the American Choral Directors Association
, the Choral Conductors Guild of America, the Texas Composers Guild, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
(ASCAP). He also conducted numerous workshops, including two for the Texas Choral Directors Association.
Bright continued his work until his death in December, 1970. He donated his original works to the West Texas State Music Library
.
Numerous and diverse groups have recorded his music. They include the Mormon Tabernacle
Choir, the male chorus Chanson, and the Choir of the Kameralny Medical Academy of Warsaw.
Bright’s best-known piece, a spiritual, was “I Hear a Voice A-Prayin'” (1955). Other well-known and widely performed compositions include “The Vision of Isaiah
,” “Never Tell Thy Love,” “Three Quatrains from the Rubaiyat,” “Rainsong,” and “Prelude and Fugue in F Minor
.” Several pieces were put to poems of Percy Shelley
, including “Lament of the Enchantress” and “Clouds that Veil the Midnight Moon.” Most of his musical work was completely original, although he did some new arrangements of folk songs.
Bright was, as were others at the time, writing largely for younger singers and amateurs—numerous pieces were sung by high school choruses and All-State Choir groups in several states. But, according to Nick Strimple, Bright “created several little pieces that have stood the test of time—the musical content making them still appropriate for university and community choirs as well…”
Floyd Slotterback, the Marquette Choral Society’s director, said, “I really enjoyed those Houston Bright pieces; the pieces sing well; he treats the voice very nicely.” As further perspective, Forrest Daniel, director of the Sisters, Oregon, Community Chorus, stated, “Houston Bright didn’t really get his due. He lived in this little town in Texas and he had this magnificent talent.”
Music of the United States
The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Among the country's most internationally-renowned genres are hip hop, blues, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, barbershop, pop, techno, and rock and roll. The United States has the...
composer. While he never received wide public acclaim, Houston Bright was, among his peers, well known and respected as a composer, choral director
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...
, and professor. He spent essentially his entire career in the Music Department of West Texas State
West Texas A&M University
West Texas A&M University , part of the Texas A&M University System, is a public university located in Canyon, Texas, a small city south of Amarillo. West Texas A&M opened on September 20, 1910...
College (now West Texas A&M University).
Bright was born January 21, 1916, in Midland, Texas
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
. He was the son of a Methodist minister. He attended high school in Shamrock, in the Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
(although the 1938 WT yearbook showed his hometown to be Plainview). After graduating high school in 1932, he attended West Texas State. He organized a dance band, the “Kampus Katz,” in the 1935-6 school year
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
; the band played locally and also toured Texas, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and Colorado during the following summer.
Bright received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in music in 1938. Afterward he was the first student to be designated as a “graduate assistant.” He received his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in music education
Music education
Music education is a field of study associated with the teaching and learning of music. It touches on all domains of learning, including the psychomotor domain , the cognitive domain , and, in particular and significant ways,the affective domain, including music appreciation and sensitivity...
in 1940 and took a full-time faculty appointment at that time. He served as an infantry officer in Europe 1942–1945 and then returned to WTSC. Through summer study and a leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
, he completed his work for a PhD degree in musicology in 1952 at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. His dissertation was titled, “The Early Tudor Part-song from Newarke to Cornyshe.”
Bright held the rank of Professor; he taught music composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
and music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
. He also directed the University Chorale, with which he frequently toured the Texas Panhandle. In 1965 WTSC President James Cornette
Jim Cornette
James Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. As a manager, he has worked for Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation and from 1991 to 1995, was the owner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling...
granted him the additional title of Composer-in-Residence, in honor of his twenty-five years of service to the college.
Throughout his time at WT, Bright was surrounded by musical genius. His colleagues included Royal Brantley, the original musical director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
and eventual artistic director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of the musical drama, “Texas,” band director Gary Garner, the 1987 Texas “Bandmaster of the Year,” and Hugh Sanders, who ultimately gained great acclaim as choral director at Baylor University.
Bright’s professional memberships included the American Choral Directors Association
American Choral Directors Association
The American Choral Directors Association , headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music...
, the Choral Conductors Guild of America, the Texas Composers Guild, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them...
(ASCAP). He also conducted numerous workshops, including two for the Texas Choral Directors Association.
Bright continued his work until his death in December, 1970. He donated his original works to the West Texas State Music Library
Music library
A music library contains music-related materials for patron use. Collections may also include non-print materials, such as digitized music scores or audio recordings. Use of such materials may be limited to specific patron groups, especially in private academic institutions...
.
Books
- Elementary counterpoint in two parts: A modified species method
- West Texas State College Press (1958)
- Modern tonal counterpoint in two points: Strict and linear styles : an elementary manual for music education majors
- West Texas State University (1965)
Musical Works
The works of Houston Bright comprise more than 100 original works, including pieces for band, vocal-choral, piano, and instrumental chamber ensembles. In addition to articles in professional journals, he published one textbook, “Modern Tonal Counterpoint in Two Parts,” published by WTSU in 1965.Numerous and diverse groups have recorded his music. They include the Mormon Tabernacle
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
Choir, the male chorus Chanson, and the Choir of the Kameralny Medical Academy of Warsaw.
Bright’s best-known piece, a spiritual, was “I Hear a Voice A-Prayin'” (1955). Other well-known and widely performed compositions include “The Vision of Isaiah
Ascension of Isaiah
The book Ascension of Isaiah is one of the Pseudepigrapha. Theories as to the date of its composition place it in a range from the late 1st century AD to the second half of the 2nd century AD...
,” “Never Tell Thy Love,” “Three Quatrains from the Rubaiyat,” “Rainsong,” and “Prelude and Fugue in F Minor
F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. The harmonic minor raises the E to E. Its key signature has four flats ....
.” Several pieces were put to poems of Percy Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the major English Romantic poets and is critically regarded as among the finest lyric poets in the English language. Shelley was famous for his association with John Keats and Lord Byron...
, including “Lament of the Enchantress” and “Clouds that Veil the Midnight Moon.” Most of his musical work was completely original, although he did some new arrangements of folk songs.
Bright was, as were others at the time, writing largely for younger singers and amateurs—numerous pieces were sung by high school choruses and All-State Choir groups in several states. But, according to Nick Strimple, Bright “created several little pieces that have stood the test of time—the musical content making them still appropriate for university and community choirs as well…”
Floyd Slotterback, the Marquette Choral Society’s director, said, “I really enjoyed those Houston Bright pieces; the pieces sing well; he treats the voice very nicely.” As further perspective, Forrest Daniel, director of the Sisters, Oregon, Community Chorus, stated, “Houston Bright didn’t really get his due. He lived in this little town in Texas and he had this magnificent talent.”
Wind Band
- Concerto GrossoConcerto grossoThe concerto grosso is a form of baroque music in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists and full orchestra...
Mvts 1,2,3 - Marche de Concert
- Prelude and Fugue in F Minor
- Passacaglia in G MinorG minorG minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
- Sketches for the West
Piano
- Four for Piano: Notion, Invention on a Ground, Quick Dance and Finale
- Ironic Dance for Piano. 1949
Choral
- Antiphonal Gloria
- August Noon
- Benedictus and Hosanna
- Childs Garden of Verses
- Clouds That Veil the Midnight Moon
- Four Sacred Songs
- High Tide
- House That Jack Built
- I Hear a Voice A-Prayin'
- Jabberwocky
- Lament of the Enchantress
- Never Tell Thy Love
- Now Deck Thyself With Majest
- People That Walked in Darkne
- Premonition
- Rainsong
- Reflection
- Same Train
- Softly Flow the Midnight
- Soliloquy
- Song In the Wind
- Song of the Meadow Lark
- Stars Are With the Voyager
- Star Moon and Wind
- Sunrise Alleluia
- Te Deum Laudamus
- Tale Untold
- Thy Lovely Saints
- Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect
- Told My Captain
- Trilogy for Women's Vocies
- Walk With Peter and Paul
- Watchman What of the Night
- We'll Sing a Glory