Why am I passionate about this?
I am Frederick L. McKay, the youngest son of the composer and author George Frederick McKay (1899-1970), and I have re-issued and edited Professor McKay’s theory books and also authored his biography titled McKay’s Music: The Composer Chronicles. George Frederick McKay hoped to have more American music performed in the concert halls of our country and also involved cultural elements from around the world in his musical works, including poetry and whimsical pieces for young people studying music. His other works include Creative Harmony, How Music Begins and Grows, and Workbook for Creative Orchestration.
George's book list on the life of a Master 20th Century Composer
Why did George love this book?
McKay had great respect and love for Frost’s artistry and his contribution to American culture. He composed choral music related to Frost’s poetry, along with other works related to Whitman, Poe, Sandburg, and others.
These works still exist in libraries worldwide and are recorded in some cases. McKay specifically put to music Frost's poem A Prayer in Spring, published by J. Fischer, New York 1950.
Several other Frost poems are utilized in McKay's compositions, which exist in manuscript form and have had live performances in various parts of the US over several decades.
1 author picked The Poetry of Robert Frost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
This is the only comprehensive volume of Robert Frost's published verse; in it are the contents of all eleven of his individual books of poetry-from A Boy's Will (1913) to In the Clearing (1962). The editor, Edward Connery Lathem, has scrupulously annotated the more than 350 poems in this book.