Walter Piston’s Sinfonietta: American Mid-Century Neoclassicism
It can be argued that, far from being restrictive and stifling, rules and parameters create conditions for the ultimate creativity. Such is the case with the music of American composer Walter Piston (1894-1976), with its sublime contrapuntal lines and adherence to neoclassical structure and form. Born in Rockland, Maine, Piston taught for many years at Harvard University, and contributed three significant text books on the technical building blocks of music: Harmony (1941), Counterpoint (1947), …
