Harry Breuer
|

Harry Breuer

by Frederick D. Fairchild Harry Breuer, one of the great mallet players and composer of highly original xylophone solos such as “Back Talk,” “On the Woodpile” and “Bit O’ Rhythm,” achieved fame in the 1920s when he was a soloist in the big United States movie houses. He broadcasted from New York’s Roxy Theater, played…

Edgard Varese
|

Edgard Varèse

by Frederick D. Fairchild Edgard Varèse is recognized as an important innovator in percussion composition and orchestration. Dissatisfied with the conservative bent of his early musical training, he finally found encouragement in Berlin from people such as Richard Strauss, only to have his composing and conducting career interrupted by World War I. He moved to…