(Joseph Deems Taylor), 1885–1966, American composer and music critic, b. New York City, grad. New York Univ., 1906. After other journalistic posts he was music critic (1921–25) of the New York
World and editor (1927–29) of the magazine
Musical America. In 1933 he was appointed music consultant for the Columbia Broadcasting System and later was a commentator (1936–43) for the radio broadcasts of the New York Philharmonic. His first widely recognized composition was the orchestral suite
Through the Looking Glass (1919, rev. 1922). Two of his operas were commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera Company—
The King's Henchman (1927), with libretto by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and
Peter Ibbetson (1931), based on George Du Maurier's novel. Taylor composed several other orchestral works and incidental music for a number of plays. He also appeared as the master of ceremonies in Walt Disney's motion picture
Fantasia (1940). His books include
Of Men and Music (1937),
The Well-Tempered Listener (1940), and
Some Enchanted Evenings (1953).
Bibliography
See biography by J. A. Pegolotti (2003)
