Gilman Lawrence, *5 July 1878 Flushing, New York, †8 September 1939 Franconia, New Hampshire, American music critic. A musical autodidact; from 1901 he worked as a music critic, as well as a literary and theatre critic, collaborating with various periodicals, including “The North American Review” (1913–23) and “New York Herald-Tribune” (1923–39). In the years 1919–39 he wrote program notes for concerts of the New York National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and from 1921–39 also for concerts of the Philadelphia Orchestra; he also collaborated with The International Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians.
Gilman belonged to the leading American music critics in the first decades of the 20th century. Most of his books consist of collections of articles and reviews or publications of a concert-guide character (Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande”, Strauss’ “Salome”, Orchestral Music). Gilman was keenly interested in contemporary music and promoted in the United States the works of Debussy and Wagner; in his writings he sought connections between music and philosophical ideas.
Phases of Modern Music, 1904, repr. Freeport (New York) 1968
E. Mac-Dowell, 1906, expanded and revised ed. 1908, 3rd ed. 1969
The Music of Tomorrow and other Studies, London 1907
Debussy’s “Pellèas et Mèlisande”, 1907
Strauss’ “Salome”, London 1907
Stories of Symphonic Music, 1907, 2nd ed. 1937
Aspects of Modern Opera, 1909, repr. 1969
Nature in Music and other Studies, 1914, repr. Freeport (New York) 1966
A Christmas Meditation, 1916
Music and the Cultivated Man, 1929
Wagner’s Operas, 1937
Toscanini and Great Music, 1938
Orchestral Music. An Armchair Guide, ed. E. Cushing, 1951
