Harl McDonald

Harl McDonald (July 27, 1899 - March 30, 1955) was an American composer, conductor, pianist and teacher. McDonald was born in Boulder, Colorado, and studied at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Redlands, and the Leipzig Conservatory. He was appointed a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in 1927 and enjoyed other appointments at the University including the Director of the Music Department and Director of the University's Choral Society and the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club. Among his students there was Ann Wyeth McCoy. In addition to his administrative duties with the University, McDonald composed numerous musical works and served on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Orchestra Association. He died in Princeton, New Jersey due to a stroke at the age of 55 while helping to direct the production of a motion picture film on orchestral music.

His four symphonies are subtitled "The Santa Fe Trail" (#1 - 1933), "The Rhumba" (#2 - 1934), "Lamentations of Fu Hsuan" (#3 - 1935) and "Festival of the Workers" (#4 - 1937). His other works include a concerto for two pianos, two piano trios, and choral music. His 1938 Lament for the Stolen, for women's chorus and orchestra, was written in commemoration of the Lindbergh kidnapping.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 27, 1899 (Boulder), Died March 30, 1955 (Princeton)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1935 - 1940

Roles Represented in DAHR: choral director, composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 31 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CS-94619 12-in. 11/25/1935 Rhumba Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra composer  
Victor CS-94620 12-in. 11/25/1935 Dance of the workers Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra composer  
Victor CS-03153 12-in. 12/13/1936 Missa pro defunctis Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-03154 12-in. 12/13/1936 Missa pro defunctis Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-03155 12-in. 12/13/1936 Missa pro defunctis Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-03156 12-in. 12/13/1936 Missa pro defunctis Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor BS-03157 10-in. 12/13/1936 Lament from Dido and Aeneas Elsie MacFarlane ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus and contralto vocal solo arranger, choral director  
Victor BS-03158 10-in. 12/13/1936 Adoramus te University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-04003 12-in. 1/9/1937 Two Hebraic poems Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor CS-07566 12-in. 4/5/1937 Magnificat Harl McDonald ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Orchestra and mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-07567 12-in. 4/5/1937 Magnificat Harl McDonald ; Elsie McFarlane ; Philadelphia Orchestra Orchestra and contralto vocal solo choral director  
Victor CS-07568 12-in. 4/5/1937 Magnificat Harl McDonald ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Orchestra and mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-07569 12-in. 4/5/1937 Magnificat—concluded Harl McDonald ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Orchestra and mixed vocal chorus choral director  
Victor CS-07570 12-in. 4/5/1937 Quaerite primum Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied choral director  
Victor CS-07571 12-in. 4/5/1937 O bone Jesu Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied choral director  
Victor CS-07572 12-in. 4/5/1937 Two Hebraic poems Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor CS-07596 12-in. 4/19/1937 Concerto for two pianos and orchestra Jeanne Behrend ; Alexander Kelberine ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra and 2 pianos composer  
Victor CS-07597 12-in. 4/19/1937 Concerto for two pianos and orchestra Jeanne Behrend ; Alexander Kelberine ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra and 2 pianos composer  
Victor CS-07598 12-in. 4/19/1937 Concerto for two pianos and orchestra Jeanne Behrend ; Alexander Kelberine ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra and 2 pianos composer  
Victor CS-07599 12-in. 4/19/1937 Concerto for two pianos and orchestra Jeanne Behrend ; Alexander Kelberine ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra and 2 pianos composer  
Victor CS-07600 12-in. 4/19/1937 Concerto for two pianos and orchestra Jeanne Behrend ; Alexander Kelberine ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra and 2 pianos composer  
Victor CS-07601 12-in. 4/19/1937 Concerto for two pianos and orchestra Jeanne Behrend ; Alexander Kelberine ; Philadelphia Orchestra ; Leopold Stokowski Orchestra and 2 pianos composer  
Victor CS-022376 12-in. 5/9/1938 Cakewalk (Scherzo) Eugene Ormandy ; Philadelphia Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BS-022381 10-in. 5/9/1938 Battle mass : Kyrie Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied choral director  
Victor BS-022382 10-in. 5/9/1938 Battle mass : Sanctus Harl McDonald ; University of Pennsylvania Choral Society Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied choral director  
(Results 1-25 of 31 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McDonald, Harl," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106313.

McDonald, Harl. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106313.

"McDonald, Harl." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106313

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