178:
in 1926, and thereafter toured as a recitalist, often in duo performances with his wife since 1932, harpist Flora
Greenwood. They had two children, Alexander "Sandy" McCurdy III (a prominent minister and psychoanalyst) and Xandra McCurdy Schultz (whose son produced a televised mini-documentary about
187:
McCurdy was organist and choirmaster at St. Luke's
Episcopal Church in San Francisco from 1921 until 1924. He became organist and choirmaster at Philadelphia's Second Presbyterian Church in 1927, where he greatly enlarged the pipe organ. After a 1949 merger, this was the
206:) from 1940 to 1965, where he received an honorary doctorate at the conclusion of his tenure. He taught hundreds of organ students over the years, with many becoming prominent concert performers, composers and educators. These included Walter Baker,
374:
Dr. McCurdy, when he was nine years old, was playing at church services. At the age of 15, he became organist in the largest church in
Oakland, Calif., and the same year was selected over several older men for organist at St. Luke's Church in San
305:
and
Westminster’s Bristol Chapel, including featured performances by Weaver, Lippincott, Tuttle, and Stairs. For many years, Westminster held the annual "Alexander McCurdy Competition in Organ Performance" among its students.
269:
McCurdy's students generally manifested a sublime lyricism in playing, and more than a few shared his affinity for the
Symphonic school of pipe-organ design. This affinity has helped preserve several important
174:. In 1931, McCurdy became one of the Institute's earliest graduates, and received his diploma at the first official commencement ceremony in 1934. He had already made his professional concert debut at
30:
512:
894:
684:
854:
849:
538:
859:
884:
499:
189:
869:
29:
432:
411:
864:
444:
301:
On May 13, 2005, Westminster Choir
College celebrated McCurdy’s centennial year with a daylong series of concerts and remembrances at the
603:
844:
889:
734:
310:
748:
516:
839:
302:
688:
295:
219:
151:
87:
388:
199:
171:
35:
635:
251:
542:
565:
368:
255:
231:
215:
166:. Dr. Noble was unable to take any more students and so suggested that McCurdy study instead with the great
462:
259:
196:
481:
247:
879:
874:
819:
239:
195:
McCurdy headed the organ department at
Philadelphia's Curtis Institute from 1935 to 1972 and also at
175:
805:
162:
After overcoming early struggles with infantile paralysis, McCurdy moved east to study organ with
575:
147:
71:
448:
154:) was an organist and educator who taught a generation of America's most-prominent performers.
742:
428:
407:
401:
291:
111:
363:
571:
223:
211:
203:
163:
275:
271:
243:
167:
97:
790:
656:
610:
283:
235:
207:
833:
122:
287:
279:
227:
720:
263:
604:"Chiff Chat - Springfield Massachusetts Chapter - American Guild of Organists"
477:
422:
170:, first in New York (1924–1927) and then in Philadelphia's newly established
687:. St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Sarasota. January 6, 2013. Archived from
589:
324:
775:
496:
The Mother of Us All: First
Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, 1698–1998
761:
737:. Vermont Organ Academy. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013.
406:, Don Michael Randel, editor. Harvard University Press, 1996, p.530–531.
107:
702:
670:
806:"Bagaduce Music Lending Library: A National Music Library Resource -"
777:
The Life and Legacy of
Alexander McCurdy, Jr. (1905–1983): audio CD
763:
The Life and Legacy of
Alexander McCurdy, Jr. (1905–1983): booklet
657:"Sowerby Symphony in G Major, by William Whitehead, Order Online"
424:
Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Centennial Edition
342:, September 1954 (including cover photo with his wife).
780:, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, 2005.
766:, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, 2005.
427:, Nicolas Slonimsky, editor emeritus. Schirmer, 2001.
486:, New Jersey Network Public Television, May 21, 2005.
364:"Noted Virtuoso of Organ to Give Public Concert Here"
671:"Cherry Rhodes | USC Thornton School of Music"
128:
118:
103:
93:
77:
58:
48:
43:
20:
386:"Alexander McCurdy Jr., Organist", Burr Van Atta.
539:"Walter Baker: American Romantic Organ Virtuoso"
322:"Notable Organs of America," Alexander McCurdy,
338:"Music for Harp and Organ," Alexander McCurdy,
309:McCurdy bequeathed his music collection to the
567:Owen, Barbara : Oxford Music Online - oi
331:"Keeping Up Mendelssohn," Alexander McCurdy,
8:
403:The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music
447:. Curtis Institute of Music. Archived from
789:"Alexander McCurdy as Legendary Teacher,"
685:"Who is the man giving Alex Dilan a rest?"
576:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2088689
28:
17:
564:Alcorn, Allison A. (September 16, 2010).
190:First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia
820:"September, 1954 - "The Etude" Magazine"
795:, American Public Media, April 23, 2007.
513:"Speakers, Charges and Honorary Degrees"
500:First Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia)
352:
246:, William S. Wrenn, William Whitehead,
740:
358:
356:
483:State of the Arts: American Originals
266:, Karl Watson, and Charles Callahan.
7:
895:20th-century American male musicians
703:"Artistic Director - Michael Stairs"
467:. Curtis Institute of Music. 1934.
274:in Philadelphia, particularly the
14:
855:Westminster Choir College faculty
850:Curtis Institute of Music faculty
721:"Karl Watson | the Diapason"
515:. August 27, 2010. Archived from
238:, Robert Carwithen, Hedley Yost,
192:, from which he retired in 1971.
860:Curtis Institute of Music alumni
645:. February 18, 1971. p. 14.
636:"Religious Schedules and Events"
250:, Cherry Rhodes, John Binsfeld,
885:20th-century American musicians
609:. November 2002. Archived from
870:People from Eureka, California
311:Bagaduce Music Lending Library
1:
792:Pipedreams: The Weaver’s Tale
865:Musicians from Philadelphia
570:. Oxford University Press.
303:Princeton University Chapel
179:his organist grandfather).
911:
296:University of Pennsylvania
152:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
88:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
747:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
389:The Philadelphia Inquirer
200:Westminster Choir College
183:Career and musical legacy
172:Curtis Institute of Music
36:Curtis Institute of Music
27:
478:"In Search of Alexander"
845:American male organists
392:, June 3, 1983, p.12-D.
369:Wilmington Morning News
890:20th-century organists
707:Stentor Music Services
498:, Donald Roth Kocher.
44:Background information
735:"Faculty & Staff"
451:on December 24, 2013.
445:"Full Alumni Listing"
144:Alexander McCurdy Jr.
54:Alexander McCurdy Jr.
38:, Philadelphia, 1940s
22:Alexander McCurdy Jr.
723:. December 30, 2013.
691:on February 3, 2014.
616:on November 26, 2018
372:. October 23, 1941.
244:Joan Hult Lippincott
176:New York's Town Hall
158:Education and family
146:(August 18, 1905 in
464:Overtones 1933–1934
840:American organists
673:. October 6, 2006.
545:on January 2, 2015
262:, Michael Stairs,
150:– June 1, 1983 in
148:Eureka, California
72:Eureka, California
519:on April 13, 2014
433:978-0-028-65525-3
412:978-0-674-37299-3
292:Irvine Auditorium
138:
137:
902:
824:
823:
816:
810:
809:
802:
796:
787:
781:
773:
767:
759:
753:
752:
746:
738:
731:
725:
724:
717:
711:
710:
699:
693:
692:
681:
675:
674:
667:
661:
660:
653:
647:
646:
640:
632:
626:
625:
623:
621:
615:
608:
600:
594:
593:
586:
580:
579:
561:
555:
554:
552:
550:
541:. Archived from
535:
529:
528:
526:
524:
509:
503:
493:
487:
475:
469:
468:
459:
453:
452:
441:
435:
420:
414:
399:
393:
384:
378:
377:
360:
335:, February 1948.
286:Chapel, and the
272:symphonic organs
248:George W. Decker
224:Thomas Schippers
212:David N. Johnson
204:Rider University
164:T. Tertius Noble
131:
84:
68:
66:
51:
32:
18:
910:
909:
905:
904:
903:
901:
900:
899:
830:
829:
828:
827:
818:
817:
813:
804:
803:
799:
788:
784:
774:
770:
760:
756:
739:
733:
732:
728:
719:
718:
714:
701:
700:
696:
683:
682:
678:
669:
668:
664:
655:
654:
650:
638:
634:
633:
629:
619:
617:
613:
606:
602:
601:
597:
588:
587:
583:
563:
562:
558:
548:
546:
537:
536:
532:
522:
520:
511:
510:
506:
494:
490:
476:
472:
461:
460:
456:
443:
442:
438:
421:
417:
400:
396:
385:
381:
362:
361:
354:
349:
319:
276:Wanamaker Organ
220:David Craighead
202:(later part of
185:
168:Lynnwood Farnam
160:
141:
129:
98:classical music
86:
82:
70:
69:August 18, 1905
64:
62:
49:
39:
23:
12:
11:
5:
908:
906:
898:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
832:
831:
826:
825:
811:
797:
782:
768:
754:
726:
712:
694:
676:
662:
648:
627:
595:
581:
556:
530:
504:
488:
470:
454:
436:
415:
394:
379:
351:
350:
348:
345:
344:
343:
336:
329:
318:
317:Selected works
315:
284:Girard College
236:Temple Painter
208:Richard Purvis
184:
181:
159:
156:
140:Musical artist
139:
136:
135:
132:
126:
125:
120:
116:
115:
105:
101:
100:
95:
91:
90:
85:(aged 77)
79:
75:
74:
60:
56:
55:
52:
46:
45:
41:
40:
33:
25:
24:
21:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
907:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
821:
815:
812:
807:
801:
798:
794:
793:
786:
783:
779:
778:
772:
769:
765:
764:
758:
755:
750:
744:
736:
730:
727:
722:
716:
713:
708:
704:
698:
695:
690:
686:
680:
677:
672:
666:
663:
658:
652:
649:
644:
637:
631:
628:
612:
605:
599:
596:
591:
585:
582:
577:
573:
569:
568:
560:
557:
544:
540:
534:
531:
518:
514:
508:
505:
501:
497:
492:
489:
485:
484:
479:
474:
471:
466:
465:
458:
455:
450:
446:
440:
437:
434:
430:
426:
425:
419:
416:
413:
409:
405:
404:
398:
395:
391:
390:
383:
380:
376:
371:
370:
365:
359:
357:
353:
346:
341:
337:
334:
330:
327:
326:
321:
320:
316:
314:
312:
307:
304:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
267:
265:
261:
257:
253:
252:Keith Chapman
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
198:
193:
191:
182:
180:
177:
173:
169:
165:
157:
155:
153:
149:
145:
133:
127:
124:
121:
117:
113:
109:
106:
104:Occupation(s)
102:
99:
96:
92:
89:
80:
76:
73:
61:
57:
53:
47:
42:
37:
31:
26:
19:
16:
814:
800:
791:
785:
776:
771:
762:
757:
729:
715:
706:
697:
689:the original
679:
665:
651:
642:
630:
620:February 16,
618:. Retrieved
611:the original
598:
584:
566:
559:
549:December 22,
547:. Retrieved
543:the original
533:
521:. Retrieved
517:the original
507:
495:
491:
482:
473:
463:
457:
449:the original
439:
423:
418:
402:
397:
387:
382:
373:
367:
339:
332:
328:, June 1947.
323:
308:
300:
288:Curtis Organ
280:E.M. Skinner
268:
256:David Spicer
232:Barbara Owen
228:James Litton
216:Gordon Young
194:
186:
161:
143:
142:
130:Years active
83:(1983-06-01)
81:June 1, 1983
15:
880:1983 deaths
875:1905 births
590:"Biography"
264:Gordon Turk
260:John Tuttle
240:John Weaver
197:Princeton's
134:c.1915–1972
112:choirmaster
34:McCurdy at
834:Categories
375:Francisco.
347:References
119:Instrument
114:, educator
65:1905-08-18
50:Birth name
643:The Times
523:April 11,
340:The Etude
333:The Etude
325:The Etude
282:organ at
743:cite web
108:organist
502:, 1998.
431:
410:
278:, the
94:Genres
639:(PDF)
614:(PDF)
607:(PDF)
123:organ
749:link
622:2022
551:2013
525:2014
429:ISBN
408:ISBN
78:Died
59:Born
572:doi
298:).
290:at
836::
745:}}
741:{{
705:.
641:.
480:,
366:.
355:^
313:.
258:,
254:,
242:,
234:,
230:,
226:,
222:,
218:,
214:,
210:,
110:,
822:.
808:.
751:)
709:.
659:.
624:.
592:.
578:.
574::
553:.
527:.
294:(
67:)
63:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
