author

Paul Rosenfeld

1890–1946

A lively voice in American modernism, this journalist and critic wrote passionately about music, literature, and art at a moment when the country’s cultural identity was taking shape. His work helped introduce readers to new ideas and new artists with warmth, conviction, and curiosity.

1 Audiobook

Musical Portraits : Interpretations of Twenty Modern Composers

Musical Portraits : Interpretations of Twenty Modern Composers

by Paul Rosenfeld

About the author

Born in New York City on May 4, 1890, Paul Rosenfeld was an American journalist, author, and critic best known for his writing on music. He studied at Yale, then at the Columbia School of Journalism, and after a short period as a reporter turned to literary and cultural criticism.

Rosenfeld became an important presence in early 20th-century American letters. He wrote for magazines including The New Republic, Vanity Fair, The Nation, The Dial, and Modern Music, and he was associated with the modernist circle around Seven Arts. His writing ranged across music, literature, and visual art, and he was known for championing new American culture and taking contemporary artists seriously.

He also wrote books, including the autobiographical novel The Boy in the Sun (1928). Rosenfeld died on July 21, 1946, but his work remains part of the story of how modern American criticism found its voice.