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Douglas S. Moore
August 10, 1893 - July 25, 1969
born in Cutchogue, NY, composed during the Modern period
Biography
Moore was born into a family who traced their ancestors back to the first settlers in the north fork of Long Island in 1640. Thoroughly imbued with a love of rural and pioneer life, his works celebrate those subjects in a rich tonal harmonic language.

Moore began writing popular songs at an early age, collaborating with classmate playwright Archibald MacLeish, and at Yale wrote tunes such as "Goodnight Harvard" and "Naomi, my Restaurant Queen," while undertaking composition studies with Horatio Parker. He graduated in 1917, served in the Navy until 1919, and continued writing pop tunes with John Jacob Niles, later collected as Songs My Mother Never Taught Me.

In Paris, Moore's studies with Vincent d'Indy influenced his harmonic style. In 1921, he joined the Cleveland Museum, organizing a concert series and playing the organ, and studied with Ernest Bloch.

He began writing for orchestra such works as Four Museum Pieces (1923) and The Pageant of P.T. Barnum (1924), a picturesque and tuneful set of five portraits describing events and people in the life of the (in)famous showman. In 1926, Moore became a teacher at Barnard College at Columbia University, then in 1940 was made head of the music department, where he remained until retiring in 1962.
Selected Discography