W. Francis McBeth
Encyclopedia
William Francis McBeth was born March 9, 1933, in Ropesville, Texas
(near Lubbock
).
McBeth is a prolific composer
, whose wind band works are highly respected. His primary musical influences include Clifton Williams
, Bernard Rogers
, and Howard Hanson
. The popularity of his works in the United States during the last half of the twentieth century led to many invitations and appearances as a guest conductor, where he often conducted the premiere performances of some of his compositions, the majority of which were commissioned. His conducting activities have taken him to forty-eight states, three Canadian provinces, Japan, and Australia. His "Double Pyramid Balance System" is a widely used pedagogical tool in the concert band world.
From 1957 until his retirement in 1996, McBeth taught at Ouachita Baptist University
in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
. While an undergraduate at H-SU, McBeth played in the university band. From December 1952 to January 1953, the band traveled with U.S. Camp Shows to Europe. He also played string bass in a jazz combo, which was unusual for the time period due to widespread segregation throughout the South. He served in the military from 1954 to 1956 with the 101st Airborne Band at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and the 98th Army Band at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was initiated into the University of Texas Alpha Iota Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
in 1957.
In 1962, McBeth conducted the Arkansas All-State Band, with future president Bill Clinton
playing in the tenor saxophone section. McBeth received the ASCAP Special Award every year since 1965. He served as the third conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra from 1970 until 1973. In 1975, he was named Composer Laureate of Arkansas
, the first Composer Laureate named in the United States. In 1988, he was awarded Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
's Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award
for his achievement and continued contribution to American music.
Ropesville, Texas
Ropesville is a city in Hockley County, Texas, United States. The population was 517 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ropesville is located at ....
(near Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
).
McBeth is a prolific composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, whose wind band works are highly respected. His primary musical influences include Clifton Williams
Clifton Williams (composer)
James Clifton Williams Jr. was born in Traskwood, Arkansas, United States. He began playing French horn, piano, and mellophone early on and played in the band at Little Rock High School...
, Bernard Rogers
Bernard Rogers
Bernard Rogers was an American composer.Rogers was born in New York City. He studied with Arthur Farwell, Ernest Bloch, Percy Goetschius, and Nadia Boulanger. He taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Hartt School, and the Eastman School of Music...
, and Howard Hanson
Howard Hanson
Howard Harold Hanson was an American composer, conductor, educator, music theorist, and champion of American classical music. As director for 40 years of the Eastman School of Music, he built a high-quality school and provided opportunities for commissioning and performing American music...
. The popularity of his works in the United States during the last half of the twentieth century led to many invitations and appearances as a guest conductor, where he often conducted the premiere performances of some of his compositions, the majority of which were commissioned. His conducting activities have taken him to forty-eight states, three Canadian provinces, Japan, and Australia. His "Double Pyramid Balance System" is a widely used pedagogical tool in the concert band world.
From 1957 until his retirement in 1996, McBeth taught at Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University is a private, liberal arts, undergraduate institution located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, which is about 65 miles southwest of Little Rock. The university's name is taken from the Ouachita River, which forms the eastern campus boundary. It is affiliated with the Arkansas...
in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
Career
McBeth had an early start to his musical training, studying piano with his mother and taking up the trumpet in the second grade. He attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TexasAbilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
. While an undergraduate at H-SU, McBeth played in the university band. From December 1952 to January 1953, the band traveled with U.S. Camp Shows to Europe. He also played string bass in a jazz combo, which was unusual for the time period due to widespread segregation throughout the South. He served in the military from 1954 to 1956 with the 101st Airborne Band at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and the 98th Army Band at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was initiated into the University of Texas Alpha Iota Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
in 1957.
In 1962, McBeth conducted the Arkansas All-State Band, with future president Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
playing in the tenor saxophone section. McBeth received the ASCAP Special Award every year since 1965. He served as the third conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra from 1970 until 1973. In 1975, he was named Composer Laureate of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, the first Composer Laureate named in the United States. In 1988, he was awarded Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
's Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award
Charles E. Lutton Man Of Music Award
The Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award is one of the highest honors awarded to members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity for a lifelong achievement in uplifting the world through art and music. Its recipients include musical legends such as Aaron Copland, W. Francis McBeth, James Levine,...
for his achievement and continued contribution to American music.
Family
McBeth's parents are Joseph Phinis McBeth, a Baptist minister, and Lillie May Carpenter McBeth. McBeth has a brother and a sister. McBeth married Mary Sue White in 1953. They had two children.Symphonies
- 1955 Symphony No. 1, opus 7
- 1956 Symphony No. 2, opus 10
- 1963 Symphony No. 3, opus 27
- 1969 Symphony No. 4, opus 49A
Other Orchestral Works
- 1956 Suite on a Biblical Event, opus 8
- 1956 Overture for Orchestra, opus 9
- 1957 Pastorale, for woodwinds and strings, opus 11
- 1960 Pastorale and Allegro, opus 21
- 1961 Allegro Agitato, opus 24
- 1963 Quanah, opus 29
- 1974 Grace, Praeludium and Response, opus 53
- 1974 The Badlands, opus 54A
- 1975 Kaddish, opus 57A
Works for Winds
- 1954 Orfadh, opus 3
- 1954 Divertimento for Band, opus 4
- 1959 Cavata, opus 17
- 1960 Second Suite for Band, opus 20
- 1961 Narrative, opus 23
- 1961 Chant and Jubilo, opus 25
- 1963 Mosaic, opus 29A
- 1964 Reflections Past, opus 30
- 1964 Joyant Narrative, opus 34
- Two Fanfares
- 1959 Thaxton Fanfare, opus 16
- 1964 Cooper Fanfare, opus 32
- 1965 Battaglia, opus 36
- Two Symphonic Fanfares
- 1965 Jenkins Fanfare, opus 35
- 1966 TCU Fanfare, opus 38
- 1966 Cantique and Faranade, opus 39
- 1967 Texas Tech Fanfare, for two wind orchestras, opus 43
- Symphonic Sounds for the Field
- 1967 Bowie Fanfare, opus 41
- 1968 Fredericksburg Fanfare, opus 45
- 1967 Masque, opus 44
- Big Sounds for young bands
- 1967 Weiss Fanfare, opus 42
- 1968 Jayton Fanfare, opus 46
- 1969 Drammatico, opus 48
- 1969 Divergents, opus 49
- 1971 The Seventh Seal, opus 50
- 1973 Festive Centennial, opus 51
- 1973 To be Fed by Ravens, opus 52
- 1974 Capriccio Concertant', opus 54
- 1975 Kaddish for Symphonic Band, opus 57
- 1976 New Canaan, opus 58
- 1977 Canto, opus 61
- 1979 Caccia, opus 62
- 1979 Cavata, opus 63
- 1981 The Feast of Trumpets, opus 64
- 1981 Grace Praeludium, opus 65
- 1982 Flourishes, opus 66
- 1983 Praises, opus 70
- 1984 Beowulf – An Heroic Trilogy, opus 71
- 1986 To the Unknowns, opus 73
- 1986 With Sounding Trumpets, opus 74
- 1987 The Fifth Trumpeter, opus 75
- 1988 They Hung Their Harps in the Willows, opus 77
- 1990 Of Sailors and Whales, opus 78
- Ishmael
- Queequeg
- Father Mapple
- Ahab
- The White Whale
- 1991 Drayton Hall Esprit, opus 79
- 1992 Daniel in the Lion's Den, opus 80
- 1992 This Land Of El Dorado, opus 81
- 1993 Wine From These Grapes, opus 83
- 1993 Through Countless Halls of Air, opus 84
- First Flight – Daedalus And Icarus,
- Kitty Hawk – Orville And Wilbur,
- High Flight – BeeGee and the Blackbird
- 1997 The Sea Treaders
- Come Wandering Shepherds
- Eulogies by the Bard of Great Falls
- Fanfare „The Lions of North Bridge“
- Lauds And Tropes
- Laud I, II.
- Trope I, III.
- Laud II, IV.
- Trope II, V.
- Laud III
- Tenebrae
- The Gathering of the Waters
- When Honor Whispers And Shouts
- When Rossi Strikes
- The Dream Catcher
- Scaramouche
- Estampie