W. Spencer Huffman: Piano Quintet (1970)

Piano Quintet in D major (1970)
00:00 - Intro
00:07 - I. Allegro
13:40 - II. Poco Adagio
23:20 - III. Scherzo Allegro
32:04 - IV. Allegretto Grazioso

Clipper Mill String Quartet:
Ivan Stefanovic, violin
Kevin Smith, violin
Karen Brown, viola
Daniel Levitov, cello

with Hai Jin, piano

Andrew Bohman, recording, mixing, editing, & video
Alec Green, recording & video
Priscilla Huffman, producer
Junwen Liang, page turner

Recorded July 27, 2022 at Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, MD.
___________________

Spencer Huffman (1921-2005) showed early signs of remarkable musical gifts. At a young age, he taught himself to read music, and began composing orchestral pieces. He received a scholarship in composition to the then Peabody Conservatory in 1939.

In 1940 he was awarded the Boise Memorial composition fellowship and also studied at Tanglewood under Aaron Copland and Bohuslav Martinu. According to a 1946 article in the Baltimore Sun, "Copland thought so well of Huffman's talents that he gave him a letter to Nadia Boulanger, teacher of many leading composers. Miss Boulanger promptly gave the young man his third fellowship in less than two years -- a course of study under her own instruction."

After service in WWII, Huffman resumed his studies at Peabody, graduating in 1947 with the coveted Artist's Diploma in harmony and composition. Huffman was a member of the Peabody composition faculty from 1949 to 1956. Following his tenure, he continued to write music and teach composition privately until his death in 2005. Revered by his students, Huffman's knowledge of the great musical literature of the 18th and 19th centuries was legendary.

Over the more than 60 years that he actively composed, Huffman produced an extraordinary library, including 10 symphonies, an opera, works for chorus and orchestra, piano concertos, songs, and many chamber music pieces. Hailed as "one of the country's leading young composers" (The Baltimore Sun, 1958) his earlier works reflect influences of Stravinsky. Later compositions reflect his great admiration for the musical legacy and great harmonic beauty of Brahms.

The collection of Huffman’s scores and recordings is currently housed in the Arthur Friedheim Library at Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and can be accessed and downloaded at: