From 1955-1957 he was an army officer in Korea. He was promoted there and commanded his own detached operation. After military duty he reentered the education system in electrical engineering with the thought of automating the production and performance of scores and studying the deeper workings of music via computer probing. Perhaps understandibly these goals were not very popular in the 1950-60s time frame; however, composing at a computer, simulating a performance at a computer, and in some cases, even true end-quality performance (movie, television) has become commonplace today. On the other hand, unforseen was the fact that he would graduate cum laude in general electrical engineering at Purdue University. The job market for such engineers was very attractive in the 1960s so he worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories during this period in the research of data transmission via modems. A necessary ancillary to this work was the constant employment of computers to exercise, collect, and analyse data from modem testing. Ultimately, for him coding for computers became as ordinary as writing English.
In the mid-1960s he obtained his masters degree in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, a campus of NYU. However, music still occupied his mind much of the time. During the period 1966-1976 he composed many pieces for piano, voice, chamber groups, and orchestra. He founded the Elysium Chorale in 1976 and served as its conductor until 1984.
In 1976 he was commissioned by the Battleground Arts Center of Freehold, New Jersey to write an opera to celebrate the Bicentennial of the Revolutionary War. His subject, suggested by Ralph Brown who ultimately played the central role in the premier of the opera, was the story of Benedict Arnold's descent into treason. A Twist of Treason was first produced in early spring of 1977 by the Battleground Art Center. Ralph Brown starred in the central role of Arnold, Ruth Brown as his wife, Peggy Shippen, and IU graduate, Robert Spencer as the unfortunate spy, John Andre'. Curiously, Charles Hill, then the main arts reviewer for Central Jersey's most significant newspaper, decided to review the piece in the Asbury Park Press which is made available [_H_E_R_E_] .
Benedict Arnold looks on as Peggy Shippen (by then Peggy Arnold, Benedict's wife) offers John Andre'
a cup of tea in the Morning Room at West Point.
The opera received outstanding reviews and
later received more performances at Brookdale Community College
in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
In 1983 Livingston again was commissioned, this time to write a musical to celebrate the second century anniversary of winning the Battle of Monmouth. For this musical, Molly, he chose the subject, Molly Pitcher, the legendary local NJ heroine of that battle. The musical was produced at the Battleground State Park in New Jersey during the 1983 bicentennial of that Revolutionary War battle.
Although on assignment to American Bell he served as the conductor of the Bell Laboratories Chorus from 1982 until 1984. The AT&T Company presented the Distinguished Member of Technical Staff award to Livingston in 1985 for scientific advances in the field of data transmission. He was listed in the International Who's Who in Music in 1988. Since retirement from Bell Laboratories in 1988, Livingston has been involved with programming of business applications, designing, building and managing Internet Web Sites dealing with historical subjects, has been on the board of the Monroe County Historical Society serving over time as Vice President, Chair of the Archive Committee, Director of the Genealogical Library, and President. Following two years in the presidency Livingston received the Society's Gayle Cook award. He currently lives in Bloomington, Indiana and continues to write books and music.
Livingston's work in the graphic arts include an oil painting, "Ruined City," which took BEST IN SHOW at the Manalapan Art Fair in 1964, and a light-hearted construction, "I'm Tired," which was curiously awarded MOST ORIGINAL and BEST IN SHOW at a Bell Laboratories in-house exhibit in 1977. "I'm Tired" was destroyed by unknown and outraged members of the Bell Laboratories Art Club following the 1977 in-house exhibit {grin}. The club determined at that point to have no more expert/outside referees deciding their awards. Other oil paintings have taken first place in various exhibits as well.
From 1994 through 1996 he studied creative writing under the tutelage of Deborah Bushfield of Indiana University. His novel, The Anonymous North American Tour of Franz Liszt, has been published by Xlibris. It concerns the adventures of P. T. Barnum's special agent, Henry Feder, in a quest to hire the brilliant pianist, Franz Liszt to tour North America. It may be ordered (at an excellent price) from Xlibris' secure server [_H_E_R_E_] and other major on-line booksellers. Recently, a sequel - once again Henry Feder sets forth to bring an amazing violinist to Barnum's concert stage; namely Paganini, the Vampire Career tells how this unlikely event was accomplished, incidentally revealing dark secrets of Paganini's amazing success. This book was published by AuthorHouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and likewise has an excellent on-line price. However, it can be ordered at major bookstores everywhere.
In addition to works and events already cited, his musical pieces have been performed by the duo-piano team of Lillian Livingston and Ingrid Clarefield, Paleophony by the New Jersey State Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Murray Glass, Ann Rutledge by the Women's Chorus of Monmouth Conservatory under the direction of Felix Molzer, various piano works by Evelyn Malouf-Binz, the Chicago pianist, several song cycles by his daughter, Diana Livingston, soprano, and an orchestral work, Concerto for Small Orchestra, has been read by the Bloomington Camerata Orchestra.
Significantly, Ms. Malouf-Binz premiered his Sonata No.1 for Piano at her Lincoln Center debut. The Ancient Spake, a new song cycle based on a poem of that name by his father, Clifford Archer Livingston, was premiered in February of 1997 at Rutgers University by Diana Livingston. The opera Twist of Treason was revived in Bloomington in July of 2005.
"The Anonymous North American Tour of Franz Liszt"
Link to the publisher's page for Livingston's novel
about famous musicians recast as adventurers:
If you have already read the Liszt novel and are ready for more, try this sequel, more of P. T. Barnum's special agent, HENRY FEDER. This time it is deeper into the supernatural as Henry's taste for the artistic and the exotic lead him into danger in the world of the dark angels - the vampire cloaked guardians of ancient secrets of musical talent.
Troubadors and Trobaritzas link across time from the crusades of the middle ages to the 19th century, to world famous Paganini, and his extraordinary powers as a violinist. Henry may have gone too far this time in his efforts to hire outlandish and exotic talent for Barnum's touring shows. Read a summary and an excerpt, then order Paganini, the Vampire Career on-line through AuthorHouse's (best price) encrypted secure server. Again, available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, & Amazon.com!! Just copy and paste.
Also, both available in Bloomington at Books, Crooks, and Spacemen. Call 1-812-330-8610.
Cued up and ready to play - 19th century legendary pianist Alkan joins the equally famous Franz Liszt in a performance of the dual piano work, Armageddon by Arrangement (hopefully a millenial fantasy). At your pleasure just press the arrow to start the music.
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