Hawley Ades
Encyclopedia
Hawley Ades was an American
, choral arranger
, born in Wichita, Kansas
in 1908. He died March 26, 2008, at the age of 99, three months shy of his 100th birthday. He was the son of two professional musicians; choral director Lucius Ades, and concert pianist
and teacher
Mary Findley Ades.
Hawley Ades graduated from Rutgers College in 1929. He was hired as a staff arranger for Irving Berlin's
publishing company, where from 1932 to 1936 he made hundreds of stock arrangements for the leading dance bands of the day, including special arrangements for Raymond Scott
and Paul Whiteman
.
In 1937, he was hired as a choral arranger for Fred Waring
's very popular group, The Pennsylvanians, and was a mainstay for the next 38 years. Fred Waring
often introduced Ades on concert tours by saying that "more people play and sing his arrangements than those of any other arranger in history.”
He became one of the most prolific choral arrangers of the 20th Century. His arrangements - published by Waring's
Shawnee Press
- are still very popular throughout the USA, especially with high school and community choirs.
In 1966, Ades authored the textbook “Choral Arranging” - a standard in the field. He retired from the Waring organization in 1975, but continued to write and analyze music almost to his death.
One of his last known arrangements was for lifelong family friend and professional musician and composer Roger Rossi
. Mr. Rossi remembers, “Hawley Ades and I were friends for fifty-five years. We both took piano lessons from his mother, Mary Findley Ades. I’ve had a warm and lasting friendship with his entire family. Naturally, upon completing my Ave Maria, I sent it to Hawley." Rossi went on to say that Ades' quickly replied, "the piece is absolutely beautiful, and I’d like to write an SATB
arrangement for it." To that Rossi stated, "I was shocked he’d do that. While still mentally sharp, he was 95 years old, and half blind! He had to use a magnifying aid to see his notes while scoring. Gradually, note-by-note he plodded away until it was done. It was a chore that exemplified the man’s great work ethics, congeniality, and talents all the way through to his later years. He did it for me, and I’m so proud of him. Unfortunately, he never heard his own arrangement. I’m sure he would’ve been thrilled like I was. The world is a better place now, because Hawley Ades was here.”
Hawley Ades nephew, author Tom Moreland, a lawyer in New York City, wrote two printed articles in The Mississippi Rag
titled "Hawley Ades: Musical Memories - I and II" (August and September 2008).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, choral arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, born in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
in 1908. He died March 26, 2008, at the age of 99, three months shy of his 100th birthday. He was the son of two professional musicians; choral director Lucius Ades, and concert pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
Mary Findley Ades.
Hawley Ades graduated from Rutgers College in 1929. He was hired as a staff arranger for Irving Berlin's
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
publishing company, where from 1932 to 1936 he made hundreds of stock arrangements for the leading dance bands of the day, including special arrangements for Raymond Scott
Raymond Scott
Raymond Scott was an American composer, band leader, pianist, engineer, recording studio maverick, and electronic instrument inventor....
and Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
.
In 1937, he was hired as a choral arranger for Fred Waring
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
's very popular group, The Pennsylvanians, and was a mainstay for the next 38 years. Fred Waring
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
often introduced Ades on concert tours by saying that "more people play and sing his arrangements than those of any other arranger in history.”
He became one of the most prolific choral arrangers of the 20th Century. His arrangements - published by Waring's
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
Shawnee Press
Shawnee Press
Shawnee Press, Inc., is a music publisher and one of the largest publishers of printed music and recordings in the world. The Company publishes several music types including choral, vocal and instrumental in a variety of styles....
- are still very popular throughout the USA, especially with high school and community choirs.
In 1966, Ades authored the textbook “Choral Arranging” - a standard in the field. He retired from the Waring organization in 1975, but continued to write and analyze music almost to his death.
One of his last known arrangements was for lifelong family friend and professional musician and composer Roger Rossi
Roger Rossi
Roger Rossi is an American pianist, accompanist, vocalist, bandleader, published author and composer born Roger Rossitto, in Brooklyn, New York...
. Mr. Rossi remembers, “Hawley Ades and I were friends for fifty-five years. We both took piano lessons from his mother, Mary Findley Ades. I’ve had a warm and lasting friendship with his entire family. Naturally, upon completing my Ave Maria, I sent it to Hawley." Rossi went on to say that Ades' quickly replied, "the piece is absolutely beautiful, and I’d like to write an SATB
SATB
In music, SATB is an initialism for soprano, alto, tenor, bass, defining the voices required by a chorus or choir to perform a particular musical work...
arrangement for it." To that Rossi stated, "I was shocked he’d do that. While still mentally sharp, he was 95 years old, and half blind! He had to use a magnifying aid to see his notes while scoring. Gradually, note-by-note he plodded away until it was done. It was a chore that exemplified the man’s great work ethics, congeniality, and talents all the way through to his later years. He did it for me, and I’m so proud of him. Unfortunately, he never heard his own arrangement. I’m sure he would’ve been thrilled like I was. The world is a better place now, because Hawley Ades was here.”
Hawley Ades nephew, author Tom Moreland, a lawyer in New York City, wrote two printed articles in The Mississippi Rag
The Mississippi Rag
The Mississippi Rag was an internationally influential monthly newspaper about traditional jazz and ragtime music published by Leslie Johnson since 1973....
titled "Hawley Ades: Musical Memories - I and II" (August and September 2008).