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{{short description|American pianist, composer and arranger}}
{{about|the musician and bandleader|the college football coach|Claude E. Thornhill}} {{about|the musician and bandleader|the college football coach|Claude E. Thornhill}}
{{Infobox musical artist {{Infobox musical artist
| name = Claude Thornhill | name = Claude Thornhill
| image = Claude Thornhill (Gottlieb 08531).jpg | image = Claude Thornhill (Gottlieb 08531).jpg
| caption = Claude Thornill, ca. 1947.<br/>Photography by ] | caption = Thornhill, ca. 1947
| image_size = 225 | birth_date = {{birth date|1908|8|10}}
| birth_place = ], U.S.
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name = Claude Thornhill | death_date = {{death date and age|1965|7|1|1908|8|10}}
| alias = | death_place = ], U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|8|10}} | genre = ], ]
| birth_place = ], U.S. | occupation = Musician, bandleader, arranger, composer
| instrument = Piano
| death_date = {{death date and age|1965|7|2|1909|8|10}}
| years_active = 1924–1965
| death_place = ], U.S.
| origin = | spouse = {{marriage |Ruth Thornhill |1952}}
| associated_acts = ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
| instrument = Piano
| genre = ]<br />]
| occupation = Musician, bandleader, arranger, composer
| years_active = 1924–1965
| label =
| associated_acts = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]
| website =
| notable_instruments =
}} }}


'''Claude Thornhill''' (August 10, 1909 at ] – July 1, 1965, ]) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He composed the jazz and pop standards "Snowfall" and "I Wish I Had You", the latter recorded by ]. '''Claude Thornhill''' (August 10, 1908 – July 1, 1965)<ref name="LarkinJazz">{{cite book|title=]|editor=]|publisher=]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-580-8|pages=395/6}}</ref> was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He composed the jazz and pop standards "Snowfall" and "I Wish I Had You".

==Early years==
Thornhill was the son of J. Chester Thornhill and his wife, Maude. When he was 11 years old, he played piano professionally. While still a youth, he played with two local combos.<ref name="ah">{{cite book |last1=Roznowski |first1=Tom |title=An American Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana, 1927 |date=2009 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-00503-8 |pages=226–227 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LKKHkdXpD58C&q=%22Claude+Thornhill%22&pg=PA227 |access-date=March 9, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> As a student at Garfield High School in Terre Haute, he played with several theater bands. Thornhill studied at the ]<ref name="Schiedt">{{cite book |last1=Schiedt |first1=Duncan |title=The Jazz State of Indiana |date=1977 |publisher=Duncan Schiedt |page=230}}</ref> and the ] in Philadelphia.<ref name="lse">{{cite book |last1=McClellan |first1=Lawrence |title=The Later Swing Era, 1942 to 1955 |date=2004 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-30157-5 |pages=76–79 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oit7y0bS4MUC&q=%22Claude+Thornhill%22&pg=PA76 |access-date=March 9, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>


==Career== ==Career==
As a youth, he was recognized as an extraordinary talent and formed a traveling duo with ], a musical prodigy on the clarinet and trumpet from nearby ]. As a student at Garfield High School in Terre Haute, he played with several theater bands. As a youth, he was recognized as an extraordinary talent and formed a traveling duo with ], a musical prodigy on the clarinet and trumpet from nearby ].


He and clarinetist ] started their careers at the Golden Pheasant in ], ], with the ] Orchestra. Thornhill and Shaw went to New York together in 1931. Thornhill went to the West Coast in the late 1930s with the ] Radio Show and arranged for ] in '']''. In 1935, he played on sessions with ], including "]", which was released on ]. He also played with ], ], ], and ]. He arranged "]" and "]" for ].<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=claude-thornhill-mn0000143405 |tab=biography |pure_url=yes}} |title=Claude Thornhill Biography |first=Scott |last=Yanow |author-link=Scott Yanow |publisher=] |website=] |access-date=April 2, 2018}}</ref>
Thornhill entered the ] at age 16. That same year he and clarinetist ] started their careers at the Golden Pheasant in Cleveland, Ohio with the Austin Wiley Orchestra. Thornhill and Shaw went to New York together in 1931.


During the mid-1930s, Thornhill arranged and played piano for ].<ref name="lse" />
Claude went to the West Coast in the late 1930s with the ] Radio Show, and arranged for ] in '']''.


In 1939, he founded the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. Polo was his lead clarinet player. Although the Thornhill band was a sophisticated dance band, it became known for its superior ] musicians and for Thornhill's and ]'s arrangements.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianapublicmedia.org/nightlights/claude-thornhill-godfather-cool/ |title=The Godfather Of Cool |first=David |last=Johnson |website=] |date=August 3, 2009}}</ref> The band played without ], so that the timbres of the instruments could be better appreciated.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> Thornhill encouraged the musicians to develop cool-sounding tones. The band was popular with both musicians and the public. ]'s '']'' nonet was modeled in part on Thornhill's sound and unconventional instrumentation. The band's most successful records were "Snowfall", "]", and "Love for Love".
In 1935, he played on sessions for ]'s first recordings under his own name, as Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. He played on Glenn Miller's composition "]", which was released on Columbia Records.


Thornhill was playing at the Paramount Theater in New York for $10,000 a week{{Citation needed |date=March 2020}} when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an apprentice seaman on October 26, 1942.<ref name=lse/> As chief musician, he performed shows across the Pacific Theater with ] as his drummer and ] as his vocalist.
After playing for ], ], ], ], and ], and arranging "Loch Lomond" and "Annie Laurie" for ], in 1939 he founded his Claude Thornhill Orchestra. ] was his lead clarinet player. Although the Thornhill band was originally a sophisticated dance band, it became known for its many superior ] musicians and for Thornhill's and ]' innovative arrangements; its "Portrait of a Guinea Farm" has become a classic jazz recording.


In 1946, he was discharged from the Navy and reunited his ensemble. Polo, ], and ] returned with new members, ], ], ], and ].{{Citation needed |date=March 2020}} Thornhill and his orchestra played for the ''Judy, Jill and Johnny'' variety program on radio on the ] in 1946–1947.<ref name="rp">{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows|date=1999|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|isbn=978-0-7864-4513-4|page=183}}</ref>
The band played without ] so that the timbres of the instruments could be better appreciated, and Thornhill encouraged the musicians to develop cool-sounding tones. The band was popular with both musicians and the public; the ] ] was modeled in part on Thornhill's cool sound and use of unconventional instrumentation. The band's most successful records were "Snowfall", "A Sunday Kind of Love" and "Love for Love".


In 1957, Thornhill became ]'s musical director.<ref name=ah/> He offered his big band library to ] when Mulligan formed the Concert Jazz Band, but Mulligan declined the gift, since his instrumentation was different. A large portion of his extensive library of music is currently held by ] in ].{{Citation needed |date=March 2020}}
His most famous recording, "Snowfall", was released in 1941 as Columbia 36268. He released the song also as a V-Disc recording, as V-Disc 271A1.
], ], ], Louis Mucci, ], ] c. 1947. Photo by ]]]


Thornhill died of a ] in Caldwell, New Jersey, at the age of 56.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/07/02/archives/claude-thornhill-is-dead-at-56-pianist-led-band-in-swing-era.html |title=Claude Thornhill Is Dead at 56 |newspaper=] |page=29 |date=July 2, 1965 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1984, he was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
Playing at the Paramount Theater in New York for $10,000 a week in 1942, Thornhill dropped everything to enlist in the US Navy to support the war effort. As chief musician, he played shows across the Pacific Theater with ] as his drummer and ] as his vocalist.

In 1946, he was discharged from the Navy. Then in April, he reformed his ensemble. He kept his same stylistic lines, but added some Bop lines to it. He got his old members of ], ], and ] back together, but also added new members like ], ], ] and ]. Barber, a tuba player, was considered as a "soft brass" player rather than a bass so as to not interfere with (Joe) Shulman on the bass. Their creative and immaculately clean and delicate interpretation of Evans's arrangement of ]'s fast bop theme "Anthropology" (1947) provides a particularly noteworthy example of Thornhill's style, which influenced Miles Davis's recordings in 1949 for Capitol and many musicians who followed
.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last= |first= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |encyclopedia=The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz |title=Thornhill, Claude |url= |accessdate=2010-02-16 |edition= |date=2010-02-10 |publisher= |volume= |location= |id= |doi= |pages= |quote= }}</ref>

In the mid 1950s, Thornhill was briefly ]'s musical director.

He offered his big band library to ] when Gerry formed the Concert Jazz Band, but Gerry regretfully declined the gift, since his instrumentation was different. A large portion of his extensive library of music is currently held by ] in Springfield, Missouri.

After his discharge from the Navy he continued to perform with his orchestra until his death of a heart attack at 1:30&nbsp;a.m., July 2, 1965, at his home in ].<ref>Staff. , '']'', July 2, 1965. Accessed July 3, 2011. "CALDWELL, N. J., July 1 - Claude Thornhill, whose big band was one of the most popular in the swing era, died today at his home here after having suffered two heart attacks. He was 56 years old."</ref> Thornhill was booked at the Steel Pier in ], at the time; the engagement was kept in his memory with his music director in his place.
He was survived by his wife, actress Ruth Thornhill, and his mother, Maude Thornhill (81 at the time), of Terre Haute, Indiana, who was still active at the time conducting choirs.

In 1984, Claude Thornhill was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.


==Compositions == ==Compositions ==
], ], ], Louis Mucci, ], ], and ], ca. 1947.]]
Claude Thornhill's compositions included the standard "Snowfall", "I Wish I Had You", recorded by ] and ], "Let's Go", "Shore Road", "Portrait of a Guinea Farm", "Lodge Podge", "Rustle of Spring", "It's Time for Us to Part", "It Was a Lover and His Lass", "The Little Red Man", "Memory of an Island", and "Where Has My Little Dog Gone?"
Thornhill's compositions included the standard "Snowfall", "I Wish I Had You", recorded by ] and ], "Let's Go", "Shore Road", "Portrait of a Guinea Farm", "Lodge Podge", "Rustle of Spring", "It's Time for Us to Part", "It Was a Lover and His Lass", "The Little Red Man", "Memory of an Island", and a big band arrangement of the folk song "Where Has My Little Dog Gone?"


===Cover versions of "Snowfall''=== ===Cover versions of "Snowfall"===
The 1941 Claude Thornhill piano composition "Snowfall" has been recorded and performed by the following artists: Thornhill's 1941 piano composition "Snowfall", later had lyrics written by his wife, Ruth Thornhill. It has been recorded in vocal and non-vocal versions by the following artists:


{{div col}}
* ]
* ] and ]
* ]
* ]{{clarify|date=May 2023|reason=The Avalanches?}}
* ]
* ] * ]
* Cafe Accordion Orchestra
* ]
* ] with ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* Kenny Poole and ]
* ]
* ]
* ] with ]
* ]
* ] and His Orchestra
* ] and the ]
* ] and the Light Brigade
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] and the ]
* ] and ]
* ]
* Michael Fortunato * Michael Fortunato
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ] and the ]
* Steve Hall
* ] * ]
* ] and ]
* Mike Horsfall * Mike Horsfall
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] and the Light Brigade
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] and His Orchestra
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* Kenny Poole and ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* Steve Hall
* ]
* ]
* ]
* Cafe Accordion Orchestra
* ]
* ] and ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] and the ]
* ] * ]
{{div col end}}


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
* * biography by Christopher Popa
*{{Discogs artist|313126-Claude-Thornhill}}
*
*{{IMDb name|1033127}}
*{{Find a Grave|7520632}}


{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Thornhill, Claude}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Thornhill, Claude}}
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Latest revision as of 22:30, 31 May 2024

American pianist, composer and arranger This article is about the musician and bandleader. For the college football coach, see Claude E. Thornhill.
Claude Thornhill
Thornhill, ca. 1947Thornhill, ca. 1947
Background information
Born(1908-08-10)August 10, 1908
Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJuly 1, 1965(1965-07-01) (aged 56)
Caldwell, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresJazz, cool jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, bandleader, arranger, composer
InstrumentPiano
Years active1924–1965
Spouse Ruth Thornhill ​(m. 1952)​
Musical artist

Claude Thornhill (August 10, 1908 – July 1, 1965) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He composed the jazz and pop standards "Snowfall" and "I Wish I Had You".

Early years

Thornhill was the son of J. Chester Thornhill and his wife, Maude. When he was 11 years old, he played piano professionally. While still a youth, he played with two local combos. As a student at Garfield High School in Terre Haute, he played with several theater bands. Thornhill studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Career

As a youth, he was recognized as an extraordinary talent and formed a traveling duo with Danny Polo, a musical prodigy on the clarinet and trumpet from nearby Clinton, Indiana.

He and clarinetist Artie Shaw started their careers at the Golden Pheasant in Cleveland, Ohio, with the Austin Wylie Orchestra. Thornhill and Shaw went to New York together in 1931. Thornhill went to the West Coast in the late 1930s with the Bob Hope Radio Show and arranged for Judy Garland in Babes in Arms. In 1935, he played on sessions with Glenn Miller, including "Solo Hop", which was released on Columbia Records. He also played with Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman, Ray Noble, and Billie Holiday. He arranged "Loch Lomond" and "Annie Laurie" for Maxine Sullivan.

During the mid-1930s, Thornhill arranged and played piano for Andre Kostelanetz.

In 1939, he founded the Claude Thornhill Orchestra. Polo was his lead clarinet player. Although the Thornhill band was a sophisticated dance band, it became known for its superior jazz musicians and for Thornhill's and Gil Evans's arrangements. The band played without vibrato, so that the timbres of the instruments could be better appreciated. Thornhill encouraged the musicians to develop cool-sounding tones. The band was popular with both musicians and the public. Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool nonet was modeled in part on Thornhill's sound and unconventional instrumentation. The band's most successful records were "Snowfall", "A Sunday Kind of Love", and "Love for Love".

Thornhill was playing at the Paramount Theater in New York for $10,000 a week when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an apprentice seaman on October 26, 1942. As chief musician, he performed shows across the Pacific Theater with Jackie Cooper as his drummer and Dennis Day as his vocalist.

In 1946, he was discharged from the Navy and reunited his ensemble. Polo, Gerry Mulligan, and Barry Galbraith returned with new members, Red Rodney, Lee Konitz, Joe Shulman, and Bill Barber. Thornhill and his orchestra played for the Judy, Jill and Johnny variety program on radio on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1946–1947.

In 1957, Thornhill became Tony Bennett's musical director. He offered his big band library to Gerry Mulligan when Mulligan formed the Concert Jazz Band, but Mulligan declined the gift, since his instrumentation was different. A large portion of his extensive library of music is currently held by Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.

Thornhill died of a heart attack in Caldwell, New Jersey, at the age of 56. In 1984, he was posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.

Compositions

Claude Thornill Orchestra with Joe Shulman, Danny Polo, Lee Konitz, Louis Mucci, Barry Galbraith, Bill Barber, and Billy Exiner, ca. 1947.

Thornhill's compositions included the standard "Snowfall", "I Wish I Had You", recorded by Billie Holiday and Fats Waller, "Let's Go", "Shore Road", "Portrait of a Guinea Farm", "Lodge Podge", "Rustle of Spring", "It's Time for Us to Part", "It Was a Lover and His Lass", "The Little Red Man", "Memory of an Island", and a big band arrangement of the folk song "Where Has My Little Dog Gone?"

Cover versions of "Snowfall"

Thornhill's 1941 piano composition "Snowfall", later had lyrics written by his wife, Ruth Thornhill. It has been recorded in vocal and non-vocal versions by the following artists:

References

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 395/6. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
  2. ^ Roznowski, Tom (2009). An American Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana, 1927. Indiana University Press. pp. 226–227. ISBN 978-0-253-00503-8. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  3. Schiedt, Duncan (1977). The Jazz State of Indiana. Duncan Schiedt. p. 230.
  4. ^ McClellan, Lawrence (2004). The Later Swing Era, 1942 to 1955. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 76–79. ISBN 978-0-313-30157-5. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  5. Yanow, Scott. "Claude Thornhill Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  6. Johnson, David (August 3, 2009). "The Godfather Of Cool". WFIU.
  7. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  8. "Claude Thornhill Is Dead at 56". The New York Times. July 2, 1965. p. 29.

External links

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