COMPOSER OF MANY SONGS

Paul Pierre McNeely, Pianist and Teacher, Welcome Addition to Seattle's Musicians

The composer of half a hundred songs, various numbers for piano and several orchestral works, as well as a pianist and teacher who not only has studied with some of the best known musicians of the day, but has himself presented artist pupils in recitals hat have gained him wide recognition, Paul Pierre McNeely has found a warm welcome in Seattle music circles, to which he is a recent addition. His appearance before the convention of the Washington State Music Teachers' Association in Spokane resulted in hearty praise from the press and from the assembled musicians regarding his own pianistic gifts. He comes to Seattle from New York.

Mr. McNeely's most recent study has been with Rudolph Ganz, with whom he has worked for three years. Previously he was in Berlin and studied with Arthur Lhevinne. Further back he was a piano student under Alf Klingenberg, the well-known Norwegian teacher, dean of the Rochester Conservatory of Music. He studied orchestration with Dean Archibald Clarke, of the University of Pennsylvania, received a master's degree in music from this institution, and spent three years at Columbia University as a student of advanced composition and orchestration under Dean Cornelius Rybner. He holds an A. B. degree from the University of Kansas and there he received also a Mus. B. degree in piano and composition.

Mr. McNeely was at the School of Music for the University of Montana for five years, of which he was the director, and where he taught advanced piano classes. While there his classes were attended by artist students from Montana and other Northwest states, and each season saw a number of highly gifted pupils presented in recitals.

The following are typical of recent press notices he has received:

"A rising star in the musical firmament is Paul Pierre McNeely. His playing * * * showed that he has gained those points which go to make a pianist superior, viz.: delicacy, ease, speed and power."—Topeka (Kans.) Capital.

"In his piano recital Mr. McNeely showed his mastery and control of the keyboard, which enables him to give the artistic touches and tone-colors with which he paints a variety of musical pictures from that of ethereal delicacy to effects powerful and convincing. His interpretation is poetic and appealing."—Anaconda Standard.

"Paul Pierre McNeely played the Beethoven Sonata, Op. 110, with expression and much technical facility. He was even better in his second group—the eccentric 'General Lavine,' by Debussy being greatly enjoyed. * * * His third group, two elaborate Liszt numbers, were executed brilliantly."—Spokesman Review (Spokane).

Source: "Music and Musicians: Devoted Principally to the Interests of the Northwest, Volume 5" ⁹⁷³⁶