Richard Cumming

Richard Cumming (1928–2009) was a composer of rare charm, lyrical wit, and deeply personal expressiveness. Whether working in theater, vocal music, or especially solo piano, he crafted works that shimmer with intelligence, subtle humor, and an intimate understanding of American sensibility. While never a household name, Cumming's music continues to reward those who discover it—especially pianists and listeners drawn to storytelling, nuance, and style over spectacle.

Early Life and Musical Formation

Born in Missoula, Montana, in 1928, Richard Cumming came of age in a part of the country better known for its landscapes than for its concert halls. Yet that distance from the artistic mainstream may have helped him develop the clarity and independence that would define his musical voice.

Cumming studied at the University of Montana before continuing his education at the Juilliard School in New York, where he was immersed in the contemporary musical currents of the 1950s. Though trained among modernists, Cumming always followed his own aesthetic compass—favoring lyricism, tonal nuance, and emotional directness over intellectual abstraction.

The Piano Works: Personal, Playful, Profound

At the core of Cumming’s output is a deep affinity for the piano. While his music for theater and voice received consistent praise during his lifetime, it is his work for solo piano—often overlooked in broader surveys of American music—that may prove his most enduring legacy.

24 Preludes for Piano (1966–1969)

Cumming’s 24 Preludes for Piano are arguably his masterpiece. Written over a span of three years and premiered by the renowned pianist John Browning in 1969, the Preludes are kaleidoscopic in tone and texture—each one a compact narrative or character study. Spanning the full range of key signatures, the Preludes do not follow a strict tonal system but instead move freely between styles, from jazz-tinged syncopation to haunting minimalism and driving modernism.

These Preludes are short—some barely a minute long—but within their brevity lies enormous expressive variety. Some are humorous and sly; others are harmonically adventurous or introspective. Cumming himself said that Browning had asked him to “make them hard,” and many of the Preludes are virtuosic in their demands. But they never sacrifice substance for flash. These are not mere études—they are musical short stories, crafted with elegance and restraint.

Other Piano Works

In addition to the Preludes, Cumming wrote several other piano collections that deserve greater attention:

Holidays: A charming suite of piano miniatures, each inspired by a different celebration or time of year. These pieces combine wit and accessibility with moments of real emotional depth. Perfectly suited for recitals, they are compact yet expressive, each telling its own seasonal tale.

Silhouettes: These character pieces are subtle, lyrical portraits, written with a painter’s touch. There’s a quiet elegance to them, with restrained melodies and soft harmonic surprises that linger in the listener’s memory.

His piano writing is always idiomatic, always tasteful, and often unexpectedly profound.

Theatrical and Vocal Contributions

Beyond the piano, Cumming was active as a composer and music director in the theater world. He worked closely with actors, poets, and playwrights, especially during his time at the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island. His theatrical instincts gave his music a natural sense of pacing and character, whether he was writing for the stage or the concert hall.

He also composed numerous art songs, with texts drawn from contemporary poets and classic literature. His vocal music shares the same economy of gesture and depth of feeling found in his piano works.

Later Years and Death

Cumming spent the latter part of his life in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was a central figure in the city’s cultural life. He passed away in 2009 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. Though his final years were marked by declining physical health, his creative spirit never diminished.

Legacy: Quiet Genius, Lasting Impact

Richard Cumming was not a self-promoter. He didn’t chase academic prestige or major recording deals. Instead, he cultivated a small but devoted circle of collaborators, students, and admirers who understood the richness of what he had to offer. Today, his works—particularly his 24 Preludes for Piano—are beginning to gain wider recognition among performers looking for something off the beaten path: music that is refined, evocative, and quietly profound.

Cumming’s legacy lives on in recordings, in the students and actors he mentored, and in the continued life of his music—played not because it is fashionable, but because it speaks.

If you are a pianist looking to connect with an audience through music that is intelligent, intimate, and full of personality, start with Cumming. Begin with the Preludes. Or Holidays. Or Postcards from Italy. Wherever you begin, you'll find yourself welcomed into a quietly dazzling world—one you’ll want to return to again and again.

Selected Performances

Prelude #8 - One of the quiet gems of Richard Cumming’s 24 Preludes for Piano, Prelude No. 8, written in 1967, is a study in restraint and refinement. Marked Andante, ma con poco moto—“at a walking pace, but with a little motion”—it moves with gentle forward momentum, like a solitary figure on a shaded path, never in a hurry, yet never static.

The music unfolds in a single page, but within its modest frame lies a complete mood. Harmonies are voiced with care—neither lush nor sparse, but delicately balanced. The left hand often provides quiet motion, while the right hand sings understated, almost conversational lines. There’s an emotional ambiguity to the piece: neither clearly joyful nor mournful, it occupies a middle space—thoughtful, perhaps lightly introspective.

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Silhouettes: I. Allegro Giocoso - The first movement of Silhouettes by American composer Richard Cumming (1928–2009) introduces the set with a concise character piece that reflects Cumming’s gift for nuance, clarity, and theatrical atmosphere. Likely composed during the 1950s or early 1960s, this movement was part of a suite of short piano works, each titled to evoke a fleeting impression or mood—true to the name Silhouettes. Though not widely published, the suite circulated among pianists familiar with Cumming’s work in theater and chamber music circles.

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Prelude #24 - Richard Cumming wraps up his set of 24 piano preludes with a lightning bolt of energy. Clocking in at under a minute, this final piece may be short, but it’s anything but quiet. Packed with rhythmic punch and a flair for drama, Prelude No. 24 charges ahead with the confidence of a performer taking one last bow—bold, stylish, and unapologetically virtuosic.

Locating The Music

Cumming's 24 preludes can be purchased from Sheet Music Plus. His other piano works, the piano sonata, Silhouettes and Holidays, unfortunately all seem to be out of print.

Compositions for Piano

Piano Sonata - 1951

Holidays (1953)

Twenty-Four Preludes - 1969

Silhouettes (5 solo-piano pieces) - 1953-1993