Elliott Carter (1908–2012) was a renowned American composer who composed almost until his death at 103. Carter studied English as an undergraduate at Harvard before deciding to pursue composition. He received his master's degree from Harvard, studying with Walter Piston, Edward Burlingame Hill, Archibald T. Davison, and Gustav Holst. He had become friends with Charles Ives before attending Harvard and received advice from him. In 1932, Carter went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger; he stayed until 1935. After returning to New York, he took a position as music director of Lincoln Kirstein's American Ballet Caravan and wrote for the journal Modern Music. He taught at a number of conservatories and universities during his career, with his longest tenure at Juilliard (1964–84). He won two Pulitzer Prizes (1960 and 1973) and numerous other awards during his lifetime. RK knew Carter at Harvard, and they also spent time together in Paris when both men were studying there. They maintained a friendship throughout their lives, and Carter and his wife visited RK at his home. RK had apparently suggested to Carter sometime in the mid-1950s that he write a piece for piano and harpsichord. Carter had other obligations at the time, but in the late 1950s he began composing a concerto for harpsichord and piano. The Double Concerto for Harpsichord and Piano with Two Chamber Orchestras was premiered in 1961 with RK, for whom it had been written, playing harp-sichord and Charles Rosen the piano. This concerto is considered one of Carter's masterpieces and continues to be widely performed.

May 4, 1956

Dear Ralph,

We have been phoning occasionally in the past months in the hope of arranging a dinner date—and now all is explained. It must be [a] pleasure to be living in Munich if it is in a nice part—although when we were there a few years ago, it was very depressing to us. Especially with all the footloose GI's.