Lanier, Sidney (Clopton)
Lanier, Sidney (Clopton)
Lanier, Sidney (Clopton), American poet, writer, flutist, and composer; b. Macon, Ga., Feb. 3, 1842; d. Lynn, N.C., Sept. 7, 1881. He received training in piano, flute, guitar, violin, and organ in his youth. After graduating from Oglethorpe Coll. in 1860, he served in the Confederate Army from 1861 until his capture by the Union Army in 1863. In 1865 he gained his freedom. In 1873 he became first flutist of the Peabody Sym. Orch. in Baltimore. He also lectured on literature at the Peabody Inst. and was lecturer in English literature at Johns Hopkins Univ. (from 1879). He discussed aspects of music in such books as The Science of English Verse (N.Y, 1880) and Music and Poetry (N.Y., 1899); see C. Anderson, ed., The Centennial Edition of the Works of Sidney Lanier (10 vols., Baltimore, 1945). He composed songs and flute pieces.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire