An American Organist in Paris: The Letters of Lee Orville Erwin, 1930-1931

Growing up in Huntsville, Alabama, during the first quarter of the 20th century, Alabama—born organist and composer Lee Orville Erwin, like many of the 20th century’s great American composers, spent time studying in Paris. From 1930 until 1931 Erwin studied in France with organist André Marchal and the harmony teachers Jean Verd and Nadia Boulanger. This formative experience greatly shaped his compositional style and aesthetic. Upon returning to the United States, Erwin began his lengthy ca...