David Randolph

From Philosopedia

David Randolph (21 December 1914 - )

Randolph, the son of Morris and Elsie (Goodman) Randolph, was born in New York City.

He received his B.S. in 1936 from the College of the City of New York, where he planned to be a physicist, then changed his major to music. He earned his M.A. in 1941 at Teachers College, Columbia University.

From 1943 to 1947 he was an assistant director for the United States Office of War Information. In 1947 he became the music annotator for the Columbia Broadcasting System, writing the broadcast scripts for concerts by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and other of the network presentations.

According to the St. Cecilia Chorus and Orchestra website:

In 1946, he began a series of weekly broadcasts called "Music for the Connoisseur," later known as "The David Randolph Concerts," on New York City's radio station WNYC. For his fourth broadcast, on July 23, 1946, he surveyed the subject of "Humor in Music," thus "inventing" the type of radio broadcast devoted to a single musical subject with commentary. The broadcasts were later heard nationwide on the 72-station network of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters. These broadcasts, which won four Ohio State University Awards as "The best programs of music and commentary in the nation," continued for 33 years and resulted in invitations from 23 publishers to write a book. His book, This Is Music, was described by The New York Times as "One of the Best of the Year." He also edited The David Randolph Madrigal Series.

In 1943 David Randolph organised his own five-voiced madrigal group, The Randolph Singers, which he conducted until 1972. They toured, gave concerts in Town Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Carnegie Recital Hall, made many recordings, and was the subject of a full two-hour "Today" show on NBC-TV. In 1948, Randolph married the contralto of the group, Mildred Greenberg, who can be seen in the center box at all of his Carnegie Hall concerts. He was the host of the program "Lincoln Center Spotlight," heard weekly on radio station WQXR; host for "Young Audiences," a series of 39 programs on the CBS Television network; and appeared as a guest on the Metropolitan Opera Intermission broadcasts. He has been a regular guest critic on WQXR's "First Hearing."David Randolph was the conductor of the original Masterwork Chorus & Orchestra from its founding in 1955 until his resignation on January 1, 1993. With them, he developed a specialty as a conductor of Georg Frideric Handel's Messiah. His much-acclaimed interpretation of that beloved masterpiece became a seasonal tradition in New York City, eventually resulting in as many as seven sold-out performances a season and a world record. Since 1965 he has been the conductor of The St. Cecilia Chorus and Orchestra. From 1981 he also led the Masterwork Chamber Orchestra. His 1997 Carnegie Hall performances with The St. Cecilia Chorus and Orchestra brought that record number to 170 performances.

David Randolph taught conducting at the Dalcroze School (1947-1950), was professor of music at the State University of New York College at New Paltz (1970-1972), at Fordham University (1972-1973), and at Montclair State College (from 1973).

AIM (Artists International Management) adds that

For many years, Mr. Randolph conducted his own five-voiced madrigal group, The Randolph Singers, which toured, gave concerts in Town Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Carnegie Recital Hall, made many recordings, and was the subject of a full two-hour "Today" show on NBC-TV. In 1948, Mr. Randolph married the contralto of the group, Mildred Greenberg, who can be seen in the center box at all of his Carnegie Hall concerts.

He was the host of the program "Lincoln Center Spotlight," heard weekly on radio station WQXR; host for "Young Audiences," a series of 39 programs on the CBS Television network; and appeared as a guest on the Metropolitan Opera Intermission broadcasts. He has been a regular guest critic on WQXR's "First Hearing."

David Randolph was the original conductor of the Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra from its founding in 1955 until his resignation on January 1, 1993. With them, Mr. Randolph developed a specialty as a conductor of Handel's "Messiah." His much-acclaimed interpretation of that beloved masterpiece became a seasonal tradition in New York City and the metropolitan area, eventually resulting in as many as seven sold-out performances a season and a world record for performances of the piece.

Randolph, a life member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, lives in New York City.