Born On This Day- October 23rd... Ned Rorem

I am not a real fan of symphonic or “serious” music, & although I appreciate the craft of his work, it is his literary accomplishments that have had me in his orbit for 40+ years. The American composer Ned Rorem has achieved literary prominence by publishing a series of diaries that include candid descriptions of same sex love affairs & relationships.

Words & music are intricately linked for Ned Rorem. Time Magazine has called him "the world's best composer of art songs," yet his musical & literary ventures extend far beyond this specialized field. Rorem has composed symphonies, piano concertos, & other orchestral works, Chamber works, 10 operas, choral works of every description, ballets & other music for the theater, & literally 100s of songs .He has won the Pulitzer Prize for music. He is the author of 17 books, including 5 volumes of diaries & collections of lectures & criticism.


In 1969, at age 14, I came across his Paris Diary, & like his later diaries, he brought with him some degree of notoriety, as he was honest about his & others' sexuality, describing his relationships with Leonard Bernstein, Noel Coward, Samuel Barber & Virgil Thomson, along with outing at least a few famous people.


I have several volumes of his memoirs & they make for a fascinating read. Over the years Rorem has had published very readable self-examinations in his 6 elegant & moving diaries that span 8 decades. Besides the publication of his correspondence between himself & Paul Bowles, he has also published remembrances of the time he shared with a sublime mix of people: Leontyne Price, Virgil Thomson, Angela Lansbury, Judy Collins, & Gore Vidal. In Wings of Friendship, Rorem’s letters to these friends & to more than 40 others are assembled in chronological order & reveal the range of his interests & the depth of his passions.

In 1999, Rorem’s partner of 32 years- James Holmes, died after a long battle with AIDS-related illnesses. Rorem chronicled Holmes’ long decline & his own mortality, as well as his everyday ups & downs, in Lies: A Diary 1986-1999. Released in 2000, it is Rorem’s 6th published diary & his most poignant. Rorem: “The frustration of being nonexistent keeps us awake.”