An Analytical and Educational Survey of Howard Hanson's Dies ...

10InfluencesIn an interview with David Russell Williams, Hanson identified influences on hiscompositional style. He shared that Palestrina, whose works he studied while in Rome,"was probably the biggest single influence in my life" on "letting the lines flow throughthe harmonies" (Williams, 1988, p.13). He admitted to being influenced by Grieg, urgedon him by his teachers, while he counted Hoist and Beethoven as influences on hiscomposition. Hanson disclosed in the interview that he did not receive very muchinfluence from his teachers, though he did state that he learned counterpoint from PercyGoetschius, and that Peter Christian Lutkin had an impact on his continuation of musicallines and of leading to and away from climaxes in his music (1988). Additionally,Hanson stated that he was influenced in the matter of orchestration through his study andfriendship with Ottorino Respighi in Italy.Hanson influenced many students as a composition teacher at Eastman, includingWayne Barlow, Jack Beeson, William Bergsma, David Borden, Donald O. Johnston,Ulysses S. Kay, Homer Keller, Kent Kennan, Martin Mailman, Peter Mennin, GardnerRead, H. Owen Reed, Gloria Wilson Swisher, and Robert Washburn. Three of hiscomposition students won Pulitzer Prizes in music: Dominick Argento, John LaMontaine, and Robert Ward (Cohen, 2004). Hanson's influence extended beyond theEastman School of Music to American composers throughout the country, especiallythrough the promotion of American music at Eastman.