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A Birth of Classical 7

A VF History of Music & Recording

Modern: Composers Born 1900 to 1950

Group & Last Name Index to Full History:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Composers are listed chronologically. Tracks are listed alphabetically.

Not on this page? See history tree below.

 

 

Alphabetical

Claudio Abbado    John Adams    Alejandro Núñez Allauca
 
Milton Babbitt     Luciano Berio    Elmer Bernstein    Leonard Bernstein    Victor Borge    Pierre Boulez    Benjamin Britten    Earle Brown    Gavin Bryars
 
John Cage    Van Cliburn    Aaron Copland    George Crumb
 
Luigi Dallapiccola
 
Péter Eötvös
 
Brian Ferneyhough   Elena Firsova
 
Vittorio Giannini   Philip Glass    Glenn Gould
 
John Harbison    Lou Harrison    Hans Werner Henze    Vladimir Horowitz
 
Aram Khachaturian    Tikhon Khrennikov    Ernst Krenek     Otomar Kvech
 
René Leibowitz    Valentino Liberace    György Ligeti    Theo Loevendie
 
Bruno Maderna    Tomás Marco    Olivier Messiaen
 
Luigi Nono    Michael Nyman
 
Arvo Pärt    Stephen Paulus    George Perle    Henri Pousseur
 
Steve Reich    Terry Riley    Joaquin Rodrigo    Christopher Rouse
 
Alfred Schnittke    Gunther Schuller    William Schuman    Joseph Schwantner    Humphrey Searle    Ravi Shankar    Vissarion Shebalin    Dmitri Shostakovich    Alan Silvestri     Dmitri Smirnov    Isaac Stern    Karlheinz Stockhausen    Steven Stucky
 
Third Stream    David Tudor
 
Claude Vivier
 
William Walton    Kurt Weill    John Towner Williams   Stefan Wolpe
 
La Monte Young
 
Bernd Alois Zimmermann    Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

 

Chronological

Featured on this page in order of the composer's birth date.

 

1900 Kurt Weill    Ernst Krenek    Aaron Copland
   
1901 Joaquin Rodrigo
   
1902 William Walton   Vissarion Shebalin    Stefan Wolpe
   
1903 Aram Khachaturian    Vladimir Horowitz    Vittorio Giannini
   
1904 Luigi Dallapiccola
   
1906 Dmitri Shostakovich
   
1908 Olivier Messiaen
   
1909 Victor Borge
   
1910 William Schuman
   
1912 John Cage
   
1913 René Leibowitz    Tikhon Khrennikov    Benjamin Britten
   
1915 George Perle    Humphrey Searle
   
1916 Milton Babbitt
   
1917 Lou Harrison
   
1918 Bernd Alois Zimmermann    Leonard Bernstein
   
1919 Valentino Liberace
   
1920 Ravi Shankar    Bruno Maderna    Isaac Stern
   
1922 Elmer Bernstein
   
1923 György Ligeti
   
1924 Luigi Nono
   
1925 Pierre Boulez    Luciano Berio    Gunther Schuller
   
1926 David Tudor    Hans Werner Henze    Earle Brown   
   
1928 Karlheinz Stockhausen
   
1929 Henri Pousseur    George Crumb
   
1930 Theo Loevendie
   
1932 John Towner Williams    Glenn Gould
   
1933 Claudio Abbado
   
1934 Van Cliburn    Alfred Schnittke
   
1935 Terry Riley    La Monte Young    Arvo Pärt
   
1936 Steve Reich
   
1937 Philip Glass
   
1938 John Harbison
   
1939 Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
   
1942 Tomás Marco
   
1943 Gavin Bryars    Brian Ferneyhough    Joseph Schwantner    Alejandro Núñez Allauca
   
1944 Péter Eötvös    Michael Nyman
1947 John Adams
   
1948 Claude Vivier    Dmitri Smirnov
1949 Christopher Rouse    Stephen Paulus    Steven Stucky
1950 Jay Reise    Michael Schelle    Elena Firsova    Alan Silvestri     Otomar Kvech    Libby Larsen

 

  This page concerns modern classical composers born after 1900 to 1940. The 20th century witnessed the decline of the popularity of classical music and opera in the face of other genres such as folk, jazz and rock, with the exception of popular music in film scores. Such is particularly the case with modernistic composing as compared to recordings of earlier baroque, romantic or traditional classical music which yet pulled a bountiful audience, though was hard put to compete overall with other genres. This chapter continues with twelve-tone composing begun in the last section (Chapter 6) with such as Schoenberg et al. It is also strong in aleatory (chance), open form, electronic and minimalist composing. Older golden classical floats atop like a head on a brew. If the composer you're seeking isn't on this page s/he may be in Modern 1. Composers on this page who were at one time or another described as minimalist are Arvo Pärt, Terry Riley, La Monte Young, Steve Reich and Philip Glass. The classical pages are structured differently from the other YouTube histories. Due that specific dates are largely impossible with early classical music we keep the convention of indexing works on this page by alphabetical order only. That is, they are not in chronological order. Dates are noted by appendage and refer to the year of copyright, publication or premiere if not composition. (Exceptions occur, such as Ravi Shankar listed chronologically by record release.) Brackets (: [Part 1]) indicate sections made by YouTube channels. As the history of classical music is largely European until its later arrival to the United States in the 19th century, helpful in the use of this account may be chronological maps of Europe and its monarchs mentioned throughout [1, 2, 3, 4]. The earliest major European temporal power to which this history refers throughout is the Roman Catholic Church and the Papal States. Much of the history of Europe is likewise that of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) from the 9th to the 19th centuries [1, 2, 3; HMEA]. France was a major player alongside the Church in medieval music prior to the Renaissance and became the major European check to the HRE. Venice didn't acquire a lot of territory but became a major cultural center during the Renaissance alike Italy of which it became a part in 1866. Other European nations important to these accounts include in alphabetical order Austria, England [GB UK: 1, 2], Germany, Poland [1, 2], Prussia [1, 2], Russia and Spain. Also much affecting European music was northern Europe or, Scandinavia [1, 2, 3], particularly as an adversarial check to Russia. Quick dates for monarchs and popes: 1, 2, 3, 4. See also America [1, 2]. Where World War I (7/28/1914-11/11/1918) is cited see: text: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; video: 1, 2, 3. Where World War II (9/1/1939-9/2/1945) is cited see: text: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; video: 1, 2.


 
  Born in 1900 in Dessau, Germany, Kurt Weill began piano lessons and first endeavored to compose at age twelve. Before diving too deep into Weill it is well to cite a couple of major sources beyond Wikipedia: the Kurt Weill Foundation also archived and the OREL Foundation. Also useful to know from the begin is that Weill met singer, Lotte Lenya, in 1922 whom he married in 1926 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, disco, film]. A major element in Weill's career, they would divorce in 1933 and remarry in '37 until Weill's death in 1950. Weill's earliest surviving manuscript is 'Mi Addir', a Jewish wedding song estimated to 1913. He first performed in public in 1915. 'Zriny', his first opera, appeared in 1916, since lost as is his second, 'Ninon von Lenclos', of 1920. The Berliner Hochschule für Musik received him in 1918 to study composition, conducting, counterpoint and philosophy. He wrote his first string quartet that year as well, that WoO in B minor which isn't thought to have been performed until 9 Sep 1975 in Berlin by the Melos-Quartett [interpretation by the Melos Quartet; see also the Melos Quartet 1965-2005]. Employed as a répétiteur at the Friedrich-Theater in Dessau in 1919, he became Kapellmeister at the Stadttheater in Lüdenscheid later that year. Weill studied beneath Ferruccio Busoni from 1920 to 1923, after which he himself began to take students. It had been 24 June 1923 that the Amar Quartett premiered his 'String Quartet No.1' Op 8 in Frankfurt [interpretation by the Brandis Quartet]. From 1924 to 1929 he wrote reviews for 'Der Deutsche Rundfunk', a radio program guide. His 'Die Dreigroschenoper' ('The Threepenny Opera') is probably his most famous work, premiering in Berlin on 31 August 1928 w lyrics by Bertolt Brecht [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] based on John Gay's 1728 'The Beggar's Opera' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by Carmen Capalbo at the Theatre de Lys NYC 1954; see also IBDB]. 'The Threepenny Opera' opens and closes with 'Die Moritat von Mackie Messer' that eventually got rewritten as 'The Ballad of Mack the Knife' by Marc Blitzstein [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8], his English translations heard at the off-Broadway Theatre de Lys in 1954 (above) [1, 2]. The next year on 28 September 'Mack the Knife' was recorded by Louis Armstrong, launching it as a jazz standard. He also recorded a version w Lotte Lenya on the same day [*; versions of 'Mackie Messer' (alpha): arrangement for winds performed by the Amsterdam Wind Quintet 2016, Bertolt Brecht 1929, Kurt Gerron 1928, Harald Paulsen 1929; see also *; versions of 'Mack the Knife': Armstrong 1955, Armstrong & Lenya 1955]. Backing up to the thirties, 'Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny' ('Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny') was a political satire with another libretto by Brecht that premiered at the Neues Theater in Leipzig on 9 March 1930. 'Mahagonny' something summarizes the debauchery and greed of the Weimar Republic to which Hitler put an end in 1933 [1, 2, 3, 4; NordDeutscher Orchester w Lotte Lenya as Jenny 1966]. Being Jewish, Weill fled Germany for Paris in March 1933 upon Nazi interference with his work. He there premiered his ballet chanté (sung ballet), 'Seven Deadly Sins', on 7 June 1933 with another satirical libretto by Brecht, this concerning a young woman who is both Anna I and Anna II as she keeps falling into sin while attempting to make some money [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; live performance directed by Laurent Pelly at the Opera de Paris 2019]. In 1935 Weill took work to London before moving to New York City w Lenya in September. His move to America would see a major shift in style as he departed from European influence toward American popular music. His opera, 'Der Weg der Verheißung' ('The Eternal Road'), was a great success at the Manhattan Opera House on 7 Jan 1937. With libretto by Austrian author, Franz Werfel, translated into English by Ludwig Lewisohn, its Biblical theme was set in a Jewish synagogue during a pogrom [1, 2, 3; 'Song of Ruth' by Lotte Lenya 1957; arrangement for tenor and harp performed by Torsten Mossberg & Stina Hellberg Agback *]. During World War II Weill worked as an air raid warden in New York. His final work for stage was 'Lost in the Stars' performed at the Music Box Theatre in NYC on 30 October 1949. The work in two acts is set in South Africa with book and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson based on Alan Paton's 1948 'Cry, the Beloved Country' [1, 2, 3; 'Lost in the Stars' by Lotte Lenya 1958 & Judy Garland 1964; lyrics]. Weill died in New York City on 3 April 1950 upon a heart attack. He had left the musical, 'Huckleberry Finn', unfinished, though 'Five Songs' was gleaned from it for voice and piano as well as orchestra, the latter first performed posthumously by Randolph Symonette in NYC on 2 March 1952 to orchestration by Robert Russell Bennett conducted by Maurice Levine [live performance of 'River Chanty' by Ian Greenlaw 2011]. References for Weill: Wikipedia, All Music. Chronologies: Kurt Weill Foundation: 1900-18, 1918-24, 1925-28, 1929-33, 1934-40, 1941-45, 1945-50; Schott Music. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological; by genre: 1, 2, 3; KW Foundation: alpha, chrono, genre; stage works: 1, 2. Authorship. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; KW Foundation: 1, 2; select: 'The Eternal Road'; 'Huckleberry Finn' ('Five Songs') w piano by Duke Special: 1, 2; 'String Quartets' by The Sequoia String Quartet; 'Lost in the Stars' (compilation of various): 1, 2; 'Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins' (compilation 1955-56): *; 'Mack The Knife: Songs of Kurt Weill' (compilation of various): *, notes. IMDb (film). Documentaries: 'Lost in the Stars' 1997. Interviews. Iconography: 1, 2, 3. Editions & scores: Germany; Kurt Weill Edition. Sheet music. Books & documents: Canada; France: BNF, Gallica; international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: Sibley; Weill-Lenya Research Center: 1, 2; Yale. Databases: BMLO. Further reading: analysis (Greg Scheer); collaborators. Bibliography: 'The Early Instrumental Style of Kurt Weill' by Michael D. Luxner. See also the Kurt Weill Centre: 1, 2. Other profiles: Dutch; English: encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; history: 1, 2; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Francais; Italian; Polish; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish.

Kurt Weill
 

  4 Walt Whitman Songs

    1942–47

    Robert-Schumann-Kammerorchester

    Düsseldorfer Symphoniker

    Marc-Andreas Schlingensiepen

    Baritone: Wolfgang Holzmair

 Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny

   'Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny'

   premiere 1930 Leipzig   Opera   3 acts

   Librettist: Berthold Brecht

   North German Radio C & O

   Wilhelm Bruckner-Ruggeberg

 Die Dreigroschenoper

   'The Threepenny Opera'

   'premiere 1928 Berlin


   Librettist: Berthold Brecht

   RIAS Kammerchor

   RIAS Berlin Sinfonietta

   John Mauceri

 Die sieben Todsünden

   'The Seven Deadly Sins'

   Ballet chanté


   premiere 1933 Paris

   Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Leipzig

   Herbert Kegel

 Symphony 1

   1921   1 movement

   Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

   Edo De Waart

 Symphony 2

    1934   3 movements

    Gewandhausorchester Leipzig


    Edo De Waart

 Violin Concerto

   Op 12?   Gardner Chamber Orchestra

   Violin: Corey Cerovsek



Birth of Classical Music: Kurt Weill

Kurt Weill

Source: All Music
Birth of Classical Music: Ernst Krenek

Ernst Krenek

Source: Bruce Duffie
Born on 23 August 1900 in Vienna, Ernst Krenek was the son of a Czech soldier in the Austro-Hungarian army. Composing by age six, the EK Institute and OREL Foundation list a WoO 1 as early as 1907 assigned to 'Early Pieces'. Studying in Berlin with Franz Schreker at age 16, he began his career as a conductor in various opera houses. Stationed in Vienna in the Austrian Army during World War I, he was able to continue studying there. His Opus 1a is assigned to 'Double Joint' for piano of 1917 gone unpublished. Opus 1b is 'Dance Study' of 1920. Opus 2 got assigned to 'Piano Sonata No.1' i E-flat first performed on 3 May 1919 [*]. Op 3 is 'Violin Sonata No. 1' in F-sharp minor of 1920. Having written eight symphonies, Krenek's first of five that are numbered, 'Symphony No.1' Op 7, arrived in 1921 [interpretation by Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR w Takao Ukigaya]. 'Symphony No.2' Op 12 followed in 1922 [1, 2; interpretation by Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR w Takao Ukigaya: 1, 2]. 'Symphony No.3' Op 16 was of the same year [interpretation by Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR w Takao Ukigaya]. 'Zwingburg' was Krenek's first of 22 operas arriving to the Staatsoper in Berlin on 20 Oct 1924 w libretto by Fritz Demuth and Franz Werfel [*; BBC Northern Singers & Symphony Orchestra w Stephen Wilkinson; libretto]. 'String Quartet No.1' Op 6 premiered in Nürnberg on 16 June 1921 [*; interpretation by the Sonare Quartett or the Peterson Quartet: 1, 2]. Krenek wrote the libretto for the opera 'Der Sprung über den Schatten' Op 17 that premiered at the Frankfurt Opera on 9 June 1924. Incorporating elements of jazz, the author at Wikipedia describes 'The Jump Over the Shadow' as a parody of expressionism and psychoanalysis [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Bielefeld City Theater Chorus & Philharmonic Orchestra w David de Villiers: Act I, Acts II & III, Chandos]. Krenek also wrote the libretto for his opera, 'Jonny spielt auf' Op 45, about a jazz violinist, that premiering on 10 Feb 1927 at the Stadttheater Leipzig [1, 2, 3, 4; live performance of final scene w the Orquesta y Coro estable del Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires]. That was during the loose decade of the Weimar Republic. When the global Great Depression arrived Germany found its alternative in Adolph Hitler who wasn't a fan of Zionist banking, nor of degenerate music like Krenek's. Finding it difficult to work in Europe, he immigrated to the United States in 1938 where he taught at various universities. He became a U.S. citizen in 1945. Come his 'Symphony No.4' Op 113 in 1947 [interpretation by Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR w Alun Francis; CD: 1, 2, 3]. 'Symphony No.5' Op 119 followed in 1949 [interpretation by Radio-Philharmonie Hannover des NDR w Takao Ukigaya: 1, 2]. Krenek metamorphosed neoclassical for 'George Washington Variations' Op 120 for piano composed in March of 1950 [*; live performance by Mikhail Korzhev]. Noted for his intellectual authorship, he wrote 'Self-Analysis' in 1953. His last symphony, 'Pallas Athene', arrived in 1954 [interpretation by the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz w Karl-Heinz Steffens].  Krenek also examined electronic music w a Buchla synthesizer [1, 2, 3]. His Pfigstoratorium (Pentecost oratorio), 'Spiritus Intelligentiae Sanctus' Op 52, arrived in 1956 mixing voice and tape [Part 1, Part 2]. It was back to the past again for the 1958 Boosey and Hawkes publication of 'Total Counterpoint in the Style of the Eighteenth Century' [text]. Krenek moved to Palm Springs, California, in 1966 where he made his home the remainder of his life. His final opera was a comedy written for television to appear on 8 March 1974 titled 'Flaschenpost vom Paradies oder Der englische Ausflug' ('Message in a Bottle from Paradise or the English Excursion') Op 217. The OREL Foundation traces him to as late as 'Two Songs' WoO 123 in 1990. Krenek died in Palm Springs on 22 Dec 1991. References: 1, 2. Chronologies: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical: All Music, EK Institut; chronological: EK Institut, OREL Foundation; by genre: EK Institut, Musicalics, RYM, Wikipedia, Deutsch, Portuguese; by Opus; operas: 1, 2. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 'A Concert of Music by Ernst Krenek: In honor of his 80th birthday' (18 April 1980) w piano by Carolyn Horn (set). Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Complete Symphonies' by the NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover conducted by Alun Francis & Takao Ukigaya; 'Jonny spielt auf' by the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig w Lothar Zagrosek; 'Works for String Orchestra' by the Leopoldinum Orchestra w Ernst Kovacic. Editions & scores (Europe): 1, 2. Books & documents: Canada; France: 1, 2; international: IA, VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: Akademie der Kunste; UC San Diego. Databases: BMLO. Interviews: Bruce Duffie January 1986; Gladys Krenek (wife) NAMM 2010. Further reading: Gregory Dubinsky, Georg Predota, John Stewart. Bibliography. Other profiles: Catalan; Deutsch: 1, 2; Dutch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Francais: 1, 2; Italian; Russian: 1, 2; Spanish.

Ernst Krenek

  Dream Sequence

   1975-76   Op 224

   Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin

   Roger Epple

 String Quartet 1

   
1921   Op 6   Sonare Quartett

 String Quartet 2

   
1921   Op 8   Sonare Quartett

 String Quartet 3

   
1923   Op 20   Sonare Quartett

 String Quartet 4

   
1923   Op 24   Sonare Quartett

 String Quartet 6

   
1936   Op 78   Sonare Quartett

 String Quartet 7

   
1943-44   Op 96   Sonare Quartett

 String Quartet 8

   1980   Op 233   Sonare Quartett

 Symphony 1

   1921   Op 7

   Radio Philharmonie Hannover

   Takao Ukigaya



 
  The 20th century began much as all of the preceding, in turmoil, but at a much quicker pace thanks to the Industrial Revolution. Railroads and telephone now beat horseback in taking arguments overland, and ships no longer depended on tides or the way the wind blows. As the world became smaller conflicts grew the more encompassing, "over there" beginning to mean at one's own gate. Pograms in Russia had been driving Jews to Palestine and the United States during the latter 19th century, leading to the First Zionist Congress of 1897 calling for a Jewish homeland. Leo XIII had been the 256th Pope since 1878 and would hand the reins to St. Pius X in 1903 who ran the Church until 1914. The Socialist Revolutionary Party was formed in Russia in 1900, leading to the Revolutionary War of 1917, the year the Ottoman Empire fell apart per World War I, leading to a Turkish Republic in 1923. The United States had fought the Spanish-American War against Spain in 1898 leading to the annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines and Cuba. Hawaii was also annexed in 1898 as well. Teddy Roosevelt became the 26th President of the United States in latter 1901 upon the assassination of President McKinley by anarchist. Leon Czolgosz, that about a year before the birth in Brooklyn of Aaron Copland on 14 November 1900. Despite the leftist views of his younger years, Copland's music would come to represent the nationality of the United States much as his contemporary, Carlos Chavez, worked toward a national identity in Mexico. Copland's father had been a Jewish immigrant from the Lithuanian region of Russia, becoming a shop owner in the States. Copland studied music beneath Leopold Wolfsohn from 1913 to 1917. Catalogues of Copland commonly assign his first composition to 'Capriccio' for violin and piano in 1916. After attempting a correspondence course in 1917 Copland acquired a mentor in Rubin Goldmark from 1917 to 1921. (Distance learning by mail had begun in the United States as early as the 18th century after the Revolutionary War.) In 1921 Copland traveled to France to study at the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau in Paris in 1921, where he gladly studied beneath Nadia Boulanger. It was 1921 that Copland published his scherzo for piano, 'The Cat and the Mouse' [1, 2, 3; recording by Copland (date unidentified); live performances by Kate Lee & Bingnyu Liu]. Copland made his conducting debut the same year. 'Passacaglia' for piano was published in 1922 w dedication to Boulanger [1, 2; interpretations by Raymond Clarke & Ramon Salvatore; live performance by Joseph-Roy Varela]. Publishing his first critique in Paris in 1924, that concerning Gabriel Fauré, Copland returned to New York in 1925 to dedicate himself to composition with the assistance of a couple Guggenheim Fellowships that year and the next. Copland addressed a form of music indigenous to the United States when he premiered his 'Piano Concerto' ('Jazz Concerto') on 28 Jan 1927 in Boston backed by Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston S O [1, 2; live performance by Copland 8 Feb 1964; interpretations by Noël Lee & Benjamin Pasternack]. Copland spent Jan to Oct of 1930 composing 'Piano Variations' toward publishing in '32 [1, 2, 3; interpretations by Marc-André Hamelin & Beveridge Webster; live performances by Sahun Sam Hong & Hung-Tao Lin]. Having established himself among the creme de la creme of modernist composers by the thirties, in 1932 Copland helped to form the Young Composer's Group, a circle of modernists modeled something after Les Six consisting of Arthur Berger, Henry Brant, Lehman Engel, Vivian Fine, Bernard Herrmann, Elie Siegmeister et al. The Presidential election of 1936 saw Copland voting as a Communist. It was 16 Oct 1938 when Copland's ballet addressing Wild West Americana, 'Billy the Kid', premiered at the Civic Opera House in Chicago [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the London Symphony Orchestra w Antal Dorati 1961: 1/3, 2/3, 3/3]. Its 'Suite' followed the next year [1, 2, 3; Copland conducting the London S O 1969; interpretation by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra w Erich Kunzel]. Making it through the Great Depression with the assistance of wealthy patrons, Copland met Leonard Bernstein at a gathering in NYC on his birthday (14 Nov) in 1938. Bernstein, yet a senior at Harvard, presented Copland the gift of performing his 'Piano Variations', thereafter forming a lifelong friendship as Bernstein championed Copland's work [1, 2, 3, 4]. As indicated, during the thirties Copland had begun to change direction from composing modernist pieces for a select few musical connoisseurs to a more democratic American music for everyman. Along w ballets like 'Billy the Kid' that occasioned incidental music for dramatic works, film and radio. Copland had also toured Europe, Africa and Mexico during the thirties, the meanwhile publishing lectures. His initial volume of 'What to Listen for in Music' appeared in 1939, revised in 1957 [1, 2, 3; text; editions: 1939, 1957, 1967]. That included the chapter, 'How We Listen' [1, 2; text]. It was during the forties that Copland attained to the status that would see him a multi-millionaire before he died, producing popular works and film scores. In 1941 he published 'Our New Music'. In 1942 Boosey & Hawkes became Copland's career-long music publisher starting with 'Las Agachadas' ('The Shake-Down Song') for mixed chorus premiering on 25 May by the Schola Cantorum in New York [*; interpretation by the Camerata Singers w Timothy Mount or the United States Army Field Band Soldiers' Chorus w Finley Hamilton]. That had been derived of a Spanish folk song. Copland premiered his ballet with another theme from the American West, 'Rodeo', at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City on 16 October 1942 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the Los Angeles P O conducted by Zubin Mehta w score]. That included the popular fifth movement, 'Hoe-Down' [live performance by the Philharmonie de Paris conducted by François-Xavier Roth]. Copland's patriotic 'Fanfare for the Common Man' premiered on 12 March 1943, composed the year before upon the United States' entry into World War II [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; live performance by the São Paulo S O w Marin Alsop or the National S O w Joshua Weilerstein]. Come another ballet with a theme indigenous to the U.S., 'Appalachian Spring', premiering on 30 Oct 1944 at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. w dancer, Martha Graham [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6], filling the lead role [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Its 'Suite' followed the next year [1, 2; interpretation by the Ulster Orchestra w Thierry Fischer or the Minnesota Orchestra w Eiji Oue]. Copland's 'Clarinet Concerto' was commissioned by Benny Goodman in 1948. Goodman first performed it for NBC Radio with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner on 6 November 1950 [1, 2, 3, 4; audio of Goodman w the the Columbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Copland 1963? (trace 1 to 2); live performance by Goodman w the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra conducted by Copland 1976: Part 1, Part 2; live performance by Martin Frost w the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra]. On 10 Dec 1949 Bernstein made his television debut by conducting Copland's 'Preamble' w the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Complete w speeches by Eleanor Roosevelt and Laurence Olivier, that was in celebration of the United Nations General Assembly's ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the year before [*; audio]. In 1950 Copland's name arrived to 'Red Channels: The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television', a book published by the journal, 'Counterattack', identifying various alleged Communist sympathizers also including such as Bernstein, Lena Horne, Pete Seeger and Artie Shaw. Copland studied in Rome in 1951 as the result of a Fulbright scholarship won the previous year. in 1952 he published 'Music and Imagination' [1, 2, 3, 4]. It came Copland's turn to testify before Congress that he wasn't a Communist in 1953. April 1954 saw the premiere of his opera w libretto by Horace Everett, 'The Tender Land', with its setting a farm in the American Midwest [1, 2, 3; 'Stomp Your Foot' from ACT II Berkeley Opera]. Included in Act III is 'The Promise of Living' [1, 2, 3; text: 1, 2] which Everett drew from a Georgian folk song called 'Zion's Walls' documented in 1855 by John G. McCurry [1, 2]. Copland wrote other versions in '54 for mixed chorus w piano 4-hands and chorus w orchestra [live performances by the Angel City Chorale & the Orchestra e Coro del Collegium Musicum]. Also drawn from 'The Tender Land' was 'Laurie's Song' from Act I for soprano and piano in '54 [1, 2; live performance by Addie Hamilton (soprano) w Kristin Humbard (piano) * or Patrice Metcalf (soprano) w Scott Bailey (piano) *]. Copland also wrote multiple versions of 'Stomp Your Foot' in 1954 including for chorus and band subtitled 'Choral Square Dance' [*; UCLA University Chorus; score]. Another was for chorus and piano 4-hands [Elora Singers]. 'The Tender Land Suite' arrived in 1958 [*; interpretation by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Elgin w Robert Hanson; 'The Promise of Living' by the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra w James Sedares]. Making his home in Cortlandt Manor, New York, in 1960, he there resided his remaining thirty years. Copland more focused on conducting than composing in the sixties as he eventually directed the recording of the majority of his orchestral works. Discogs has versions of 'Appalachian Spring' issued in 1960 and 1974. IMDb has Copland contributing music to about seventy films scores, his last being for 'Something Wild' of 1961 written by Alex Karmel w Jack Garfein directing [1, 2; audio, opening credits]. On 3 May of 1962 Bernstein conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in the first performance of Gopland's difficult twelve-tone 'Connotations' at Lincoln Center's Philharmonic Hall to an audience including President Kennedy and wife which received it with polite reservation. That performance was recorded [1, 2, 3; recording, Discogs; interpretation by the Juilliard Orchestra w Sixten Ehrling]. The 1982 revision of Copland's 1973 'Proclamation' for piano was Copland's final composition. That had been penciled as 'Improvisation' w Bennett Lerner finishing the score as 'Proclamation' for premiere in '83 [*; piano by Ramon Salvatore w score]. Copland's health declined through the eighties of Alzheimer's disease until his death of respiratory failure on 2 December 1990 in North Tarrytown (now Sleepy Hollow) New York. He was cremated w his ashes spread over the Tanglewood Music Center near Lenox, Massachusetts. An agnostic, Copland was also homosexual, known to take lovers on tour with him. Horace Everett (Erik Johns) who wrote the libretto to 'The Tender Land' (above) had been among his companions. Copland's own favorite overall composer had been Igor Stravinsky. References: 1, 2. Chronologies: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: 1, 2, 3, 4; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Japanese. Song texts: 1, 2. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, five essential works. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'The Americans' (Bernstein compilation); 'Piano Variations' by Stephen Hough. Documentaries: 'Copland Portrait' directed by Terry Sanders (1975); 'Aaron Copland: A Self-Portrait' directed by Allan Miller (1985); 'Appalachian Spring' directed by Graham Strong (1996); 'Fanfare for America' directed by Andreas Skipis (2001). Interviews: Studs Turkel March 1961 (radio); Jeremy Noble July 1961; 'Day at Night' 1973-74 (television); Fred Calland 1980 (radio). Iconography: 1, 2, 3. Editions & scores: LOC: 1, 2; Europe. Books & documents: Canada; France: 1, 2; Germany; USA: 1, 2; international: 1, 2, 3. Collections: Library of Congress: 1, 2, 3. Further reading: abstruse works (Robin); Americanism: 1, 2, 3, 4; arrangements of by other composers; awards; 'Postude' (Perlis); students of. Bibliography: 1, 2, 3; ''The Piano Variations'' by Rinna Saun. Other profiles: didactic; encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; LOC; PBS (alt). Wikipedia international: Catalan, Danish, Deutsch, Dutch, Espanol, Finnish, Francais, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Nynorsk.

Aaron Copland

 Appalachian Spring

   1944   Chamber ballet

   Sydney Camerata Chamber Orchestra

   Luke Gilmour

 Billy the Kid (Orchestral Suite)

   1938 

   From Copland's ballet same year


   Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

   Erich Kunzel

 Clarinet Concerto

   1948

   Columbia Symphony Orchestra

   Conductor: Aaron Copland

 Lincoln Portrait

   1942

   Los Angeles Philharmonic

   Narration: Gregory Peck

 Rodeo

   1942   Ballet

   Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

   Antal Dorati

 Quiet City

   1940   premiere 1941

   Incidental music

   London Symphony Orchestra

   Pianiste: Lamar Crowson

   Conductor: Aaron Copland

 El Salon Mexico

   1936

   New York Philharmonic Orchestra

   Leonard Bernstein


Birth of Classical Music: Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland

Photo: Micki Adair

Source: Quotation Of
Birth of Classical Music: Joaquin Rodrigo

Joaquin Rodrigo

Photo: Carlos Miralles/El Mundo

Source: Espana Es Cultura
Born on 22 Nov 1901 Sagunto, Valencia, Spain, Joaquin Rodrigo lost his eyesight at age three from diphtheria. At eight he began to study piano and violin, composition at age 16. Though famous for his guitar compositions he himself didn't play the instrument. He studied at the École Normale de Musique in Paris before composing his first works in 1923 including an 'Ave Maria' for choir, a couple works for piano, two sketches for violin and piano sharing designation as Op 1, a work for violin and string orchestra, a piece for cello ('Siciliana'), and 'Juglares' ('Minstrels'), his first for orchestra which he played at his first public performance in 1924 [see also Wikipedia Ref 1]. Among compositions above were his first to see print in 1923. Rodrigo also wrote versions of 'Juglares' for piano 4-hands as well as four pianos ['Juglares' for orchestra interpreted by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León w Max Bragado Darman *; piano 4-hands by Albert Guinovart & Marta Zabaleta *]. It was 1939 in Paris shortly before World War II erupted that Rodrigo wrote what made his name and is his most famous work, 'Concierto de Aranjuez' for guitar [1, 2; live performances by Ricardo Gallén & Guiseppe Zangari; Braille manuscript]. Upon WW II flaring up in September, Rodrigo quickly returned to Spain. Following the War he became a professor of music history at Complutense University of Madrid in 1947. Another work for guitar with which many are acquainted is his highly esteemed 'Fantasía para un Gentilhombre' based on 17th century Spanish dances by Gaspar Sanz [1, 2; interpretation by John Williams; live performances by Sanel Redzic & Pepe Romero]. Forming his own publishing house in 1989, Ediciones Joaquín Rodrigo, he died ten years later on 6 July 1999, having received numerous awards, such as the hereditary title of Marques from King Juan Carlos in 1991. Rodrigo had written largely concertantes, orchestral works and pieces for guitar, piano and voice. References: 1, 2, 3. Chronologies: 1, 2 (scroll), 3. Compositions: alphabetical; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4; Espanol: 1, 2 (scroll). Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, YouTube. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Complete Orchestral Works' Vol 1-10; 'Rodrigo' w Rodrigo at piano 1960. Film: IMDb, Czech. Documentaries: 'Joaquín Rodrigo' 1985, 'Concierto de Aranjuez' 2001. Iconography: 1, 2. Books & documents: Canada, France, Germany, USA; international: 1, 2. Collections: the Victoria and Joaquin Rodrigo Archive. Further reading: Fundación Victoria y Joaquín Rodrigo Blog; Observatorio Studies ('From Spain to the United States'). Bibliography. Other profiles: Deutsch; Dutch; English: 1, 2, 3., 4; Finnish; French; Italian; Romanian; Russian: 1, 2; Spanish.

Joaquin Rodrigo

 Cántico de San Francisco de Asís

     1982

     Exeter Philharmonic Choir

     Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

     Raymond Calcraft

 Cinco Piezas Infantiles

    
1928   For 2 pianos

    Piano: Tatyana Dudochkin

    Piano: Sergey Schepkin

 Concierto de Aranjuez

    1939   For guitar

    Danmark Radio SymfoniOrkestret

    Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

    Guitar: Pepe Romero

  Concierto de estío

     1944   For violin

     O de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire

     Conductor: George Enescu

     Violin: Christian Ferras

  Concierto en modo galante

    1949   For cello


    London Symphony Orchestra

    Conducting: Enrique Bátiz

    1: Allegro grazioso

    2: Adagietto

    3: Rondo giocoso (Allegro deciso)

  Cuatro canciones sefardies

    1965


    Piano: Albert Guinovart

    Soprano: Ana María Martinez

 Por los campos de España

    1938-73   Guitar: Jérémy Jouve




 
Birth of Classical Music: William Walton

Sir William Walton

Source: NPG
Born on 29 March 1902 in Oldham, Lancashire, Sir William Turner Walton was sent at age ten to become a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral School in Oxford. Wikipedia [below] cites 'William Walton: Muse of Fire' by Stephen Lloyd [Boydell & Brewer 2001: 1, 2] per its list of four compositions as early as 1916 including 'Chorale Prelude on Wheatley' for organ which the WW Trust has performed for the first time on 17 September by organist, Henry Ley, one month after Walton dated it on 16 August. He began his studies at Christ Church at age sixteen. A modernistic composer, Walton went atonal with 'String Quartet No.1' composed 1919–22 [interpretation by the Doric String Quartet]. He discovered boarding and patronage in London in 1920 with art and music critic, Sacheverell Sitwell, a household to be made with Sacheverell's older brother, author, Osbert Sitwell, and older sister, author, Edith Sitwell [1, 2, 3, 4]. Walton's initial big success, due largely to controversy, were his jazzy instrumental settings to poems by Edith per 'Facade: An Entertainment', first performed in 1923 [1, 2; recordings by Sitwell (Walton out) issued 1949 (Frederik Prausnitz conducting), 1954 (Anthony Collins conducting); live performance by Barbara Hannigan 2019]. 'Façade Suite No.1' arrived in 1926, 'Façade Suite No. 2' later in '38 [*; interpretations by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra w Louis Frémaux]. 'Facade' served as the basis to other works as well, such as 'Valse' for piano in '26 [Louis Kentner] and further poems by Sitwell in '32, '77 and '79. We back up to 1925 for Walton's first work for full orchestra, the overture, 'Portsmouth Point' [1, 2, 3; recording by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Walton 1953]. Walton's 'Viola Concerto' [1, 2, 3, 4] eventually premiered at Queen's Hall on 3 October 1929 w Paul Hindemith at viola. Its intended violist, Lionel Tertis, initially rejected it as too modernistic. Walton later conducted its first recording on 6 Dec 1937 w Frederick Riddle at viola [interpretation by Paul Neubauer; live performance by Maciej Rogoziński]. Walton had begun recording in 1929, the first eleven songs of 'Facade' going down with Sitwell on 28 November, issued in 1930 per RYM on Decca T.125 [audio]. EMI would begin recording Walton in the forties. By the thirties Walton's compositions had earned him recognition as one of England's greatest composers of the period. His celebrated ten-section Biblical cantata, 'Belshazzar's Feast' [1, 2], was premiered at the Leeds Festival on 8 October 1931 by baritone, Dennis Noble, w the London Symphony Orchestra and the Leeds Festival Chorus conducted by Malcolm Sargent [live performances by the BBC C & S O: Bryn Terfel w Andrew Davis conducting; Willard White w Andrew Davis conducting; Willard White w Leonard Slatkin conducting]. Walton's initial film score was for 'Escape Me Never' which saw release to theaters on 1 April 1935 [film; 'Suite' (alt) arranged by Christopher Palmer - see Chandos 1990/95]. Walton had also written the three-minute 'Escape Me Never Ballet' in '34 [audio]. Walton was paid only £300 for his score, about $400. Though later film scores brought improved remuneration, Walton wrote them reluctantly since an original score and a final product edited for screen are two different things. Walton premiered his highly popular 'Symphony No.1' in B♭ minor without its finale in 1934, completely in 1935. He directed its first recording by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) conducted by Sir Hamilton Harty on 9–10 December 1935 about a month after its premiere on 6 Nov w the BBC Symphony. It's been recorded numerously thereafter [live performances by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra w Vladimir Ashkenazy & the Spanish Radio and Television Orchestra w Carlos Kalmar]. During World War II Walton was exempted from military service to work for the British Army Film Unit writing film scores. His house in London was destroyed by German bombing in 1941. The War ceased in Europe in June of 1945, about the time Walton began composing his remarkable 'String Quartet No.2' in A minor toward its radio premiere for the BBC on 4 May 1947 by the Blech Quartet [1, 2; interpretations by the Doric String Quartet & the English String Quartet; live performance Meadowmount School of Music]. Walton married Susana Gil Passo in Buenos Aires in December 1948, she 24 years younger than himself. He was knighted in 1951. Having worked on his first opera, 'Troilus and Cressida', since 1947, its premiere eventually arrived to the Royal Opera House in London on 3 December 1954 [1, 2, 3; 'How Can I Sleep?']. The libretto was Christopher Hassall's first, based on Chaucer's 15th century Troilus and Criseyde'. Palmer (above) later arranged his 'Troilus and Cressida Suite' toward issue in '88 [recording]. In 1956 Walton took his wife to live on the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples. Come 'Symphony No. 2' in G major, his last, to the Edinburgh Festival on 2 September 1960 [1, 2, 3; interpretations by the LSO w Andre Previn or Bryden Thomson]. Walton's second and last opera, the one-act 'The Bear', premiered at Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh on 3 June 1967 w libretto by Walton and Paul Dehn [1, 2; interpretation by the Northern Sinfonia w Richard Hickox]. Walton was awarded the United Kingdom's Order of Merit in 1967 (preceded by Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten). Walton's first work for brass ensemble had been 'Fanfare for a Great Occasion' in 1947 [Wikipedia]. His last of ten was 'A Birthday Fanfare' in 1981 dedicated to a neighbor on Ischia, one Karl-Friedrich Still. Walton died in La Mortella on Ischia on 8 March 1983, survived by his wife until her own death in 2010. References: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: Pytheas, Wikipedia; by genre: Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM, Wikipedia, WW Trust; see also Wikipedia international below. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 'Facade', 'Symphony No.1'; select: 'The Bear': 1, 2; 'Troilus and Cressida'; 'Walton: Symphony No.2' by the London Philharmonic Orchestra w Bryden Thomson. IMDb (film). Further reading: interviews: Lady Walton 2008; WW Trust. Books/ documents/ scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Bibliography: 'William Walton: A Catalogue' by Stewart Craggs (OUP Oxford 2015). Other profiles: English: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Catalan; Deutsch; Dutch; French; Hungarian; Italian; Japanese; Russian; Spanish.

William Walton

 The Bear

   1967   Opera

   Northern Sinfonia

   Richard Hickox

 Belshazzar's Feast

   
1931   Cantata

   London Brass

   BBC Symphony Chorus

   BBC National Chorus of Wales

   BBC National Orchestra of Wales

   Tadaaki Otaka
 

 Cello Concerto

   1956   Concertante

   
Released 2002


   Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

   Andrew Litton

   Cello: Robert Cohen

 Façade: An Entertainment

   1921–26   For voice

   Radio Kamer Filharmonie

  Alejo Perez

 Gloria

   1961   Choral

   Bach Choir e Philharmonia Orchestra

   Sir David Willcocks

 Symphony 1 in B flat minor

   1947 Revised 1963 1991 2005

   City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

   Michael Seal

 Symphony 2 in C major

   1959–60

   London Philharmonic Orchestra

   Bryden Thomson

 The Twelve

   1964–65   Choral

   Finzi Singers/Paul Spicer

   Organ: Andrew Lumsden
  

 Violin Concerto

   1938–39

   BBC National Orchestra of Wales

   Thomas Søndergård



 
  Born on 11 June 1902 near the northern border of present-day Kazakhstan in Omsk, Russia, Vissarion Shebalin (Виссарион Шебалин) was age twenty when he went to Moscow to enroll into the Moscow Conservatory [Wikipedia]. Taking early compositions with him, one of them was likely his 'Sonata-Ballade' for piano of 1921 [Onno van Rijen]. Shebalin's Op 1 was 'Zwei Songs after Dehmel' of 1922 consisting of 'В полях покой' ('Peace in the Fields') and 'Издали' ('From Afar'). His 'Symphony No.1' in F minor Op 6 was a project required at the Conservatory in 1925, published in 1932 [interpretation by the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra w Mark Ermler]. Graduating from the Moscow Conservatory in 1928, he then taught there, his 'Symphony No.2' in C# minor Op 11 arriving in 1929 [interpretation by the Russian Cinematographic Symphony Orchestra w Sergei Skripka]. He wrote a more unusual 'Concertino' for horn and orchestra Op 14 No.2 in 1929-30, revised in 1958 [1, 2; horn by Boris Alanasiev w the USSR Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nikolai Anosov; arrangement for horn and piano performed by Sergey Akimov (horn) & Minjee Lee (piano) *]. His 'Concertino' for violin and orchestra Op 14 No.1 was written in 1931-32 [1, 2; violin by Boris Shulgin w the USSR Academic Symphony Orchestra Ensemble conducted by Gennady Provatorov]. His 'Symphony No.3' in C Op 17 was composed in 1934-35 [interptations by the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra w Valery Gergiev & the USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra w Gennady Rozhdestvensky]. 'Suite No.1' for orchestra Op 18 had also been written in 1934-35 [live performance by the Siberian Symphony Orchestra w Dmitry Vasiliev]. 'Suite' No.2' for orchestra Op 22 was finished in 1935 as well as 'Symphony No.4' (‘The Heroes of Perekop’) in B Op 24 [interpretation by the Russian Cinematographic Symphony Orchestra w Sergei Skripka]. Shebalin also became a professor at the Gnessin State Musical College in 1935. As a Soviet composer, had Shebalin been a modernist he'd not have won the Stalin Prize in 1943 for 'String Quartet No.5' ('The Slavonian') Op 33 composed in '42 during World War II [interpretation by the Krasni Quartet]. He won a second Stalin Prize in 1947 for his 1946 cantata, 'Moscow' Op 38. Shebalin had also composed some Russian guitar: 'Prelude' in E minor arrived in 1951, a WoO (Without Opus). 'Two Preludes' in E minor and C major of 1954 also went WoO. Shebalin's last symphony was 'Symphony No.5' in C Op 56 of 1962 [interptation by the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra w Yevgeni Svetlanov]. 'Sonatina' for guitar of 1963 was assigned to Op 60 [guitar by Joel Sharbaugh]. Rijen traces Shebalin to a final Op 61 assigned to 'Suite No.3' for orchestra of 1963 [interpretation by the Siberian Symphony Orchestra w Dmitry Vasiliev]. Shebalin died on 29 May of 1963 from his third stroke since 1953 [musical affects]. References for Shebalin: Wikipedia. Compositions: alphabetical: All Music, IMSLP; chronological (Rijen); by genre: RYM, Chinese, Japanese; by Opus: MusicBrainz, Rijen. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recordings of: discos: Arkiv, rare; select: 'Complete Music for Violin and Piano' by Sergey Kostylev (violin) & Olga Solovieva (piano) *; 'Orchestral Music: Shebalin' Vol. 2 *; 'String Quartets' Vol 1-3; 'Vyacheslav Shirokov Plays Guitar: Dancing Music by Vissarion Shebalin' 1980 *. IMDb (film). Books & scores: Canada, France, Germany, international: 1, 2. Bibliography: 'Music of the Soviet Era: 1917-1991' by Levon Hakobian (Taylor & Francis 2016). Other profiles: Deutsch; Dutch; English: 1, 2; Espanol; Japanese; Russian: 1, 2, 3.

Vissarion Shebalin

 Concertino for horn and orchestra

   1930? Revised 1958   Op 14:2

   USSR Radio & TV S O

   Nikolai Anosov

 String Quartet 5 in F minor

   1942   'Slavonic'   Op 33

   Krasni Quartet

 String Quartet 6 in B minor

   1943   Op 34   Krasni Quartet

 String Quartet 7 in A flat major

   1948   Op 41   Krasni Quartet

 String Quartet 8 in C major

   1960   Op 53   Krasni Quartet

 String Quartet 9 in B minor

   1963   Op 58   Krasni Quartet

 Violin Concerto

   1930?   Op 14:1

   USSR Academic SO Ensemble

   Gennady Provatorov




Birth of Classical Music: Vissarion Shebalin

Vissarion Shebalin

Source: Belcanto
  Born on 25 August 1902 in Berlin, Stefan Wolpe was a modernistic composer who enrolled at Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory [*] in 1916, studied at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik 1920-21 and the Bauhaus [*] about 1923. As Wolpe himself destroyed most of his teenage work, his only surviving piece from that period is a 'Sonatina' for piano written in 1918. 'Six Piano Pieces' were written from 1920 ('Adagio') to 1929 [*; scores]. His 'Sonata No.1' ('Stehende Musik': 'Music of Stasis') for piano Op 1 arrived in 1925 [*; interpretation by David Holzmann]. Wolpe's first opera was a musical grotesque [1, 2, 3] premiering in Berlin 1928, 'Zeus und Elida' Op 5a w text by Karl Wickerhauser and Otto Hahn [1, 2; interpretation by the Ebony Band et al] . 'Schöne Geschichten' ('Beautiful Stories') Op 5b had been begun in '27 toward completion in '29, that a form of opera known as Zeitoper [1, 2, 3], that is, addressing the times. The work didn't see a world premiere until 1993 by the Ebony Band et al [interpretation by the Ebony Band: 1, 2]. Significant during Wolpe's early career was his association with the Dada scene. He set Kurt Schwitters' poem, 'An Anna Blume', to music in 1929 as Op 5c [*; interpretation by the Ebony Band; by Gunnar Brandt-Sigurdsson (tenor) & Johan Bossers (piano) *]. Upon the rise of the Nazi regime, Wolpe, both a Communist and Jew, fled to Austria via Romania and Russia in 1933 where he married pianist, Irma Schoenberg, in Vienna in 1934 and studied w Anton Webern before leaving for Palestine to teach at the Palestine Conservatory in '34 and conduct the Palestine Symphony. Wolpe had also written theatrical pieces for Communists and unions called Gebrauchsmusik [1, 2], that is, utility music. His Communist-related 'March and Variations for Two Pianos' Op 21 begun in Germany in '32 and finished in '33 saw its world premiere at the Moscow Conservatory in 1935 [Gordon; interpretation by Josef Christof et Steffen Schleiermacher: 1/2, 2/2; CD by Steven Beck & Susan Grace]. Wikipedia has Wolpe beginning to compose music using Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone system as early as 1929, though Warburton at Mode Records finds him more in common w Josef Mathias Hauer [1, 2, 3, 4]. Wolpe and wife had performed the serial 'Passacaglia' for two pianos at the Palestine Conservatoire in '34 where it wasn't received well [*; see also passacaglia]. His 'Four Studies on Basic Rows' Op 23 of 1935-36 included a 'Passacaglia' as No.3 [*; live performance by David Holzman]. The Palestine Symphony rejected his 'Passacaglia' for orchestra Op 23 of 1937 [interpretation by the WDR Symphonieorchester w Johannes Kalitzke: 1, 2]. Wolpe arrived in the United States in 1938 where he spent 1943 to 1947 composing 'Battle Piece' ('Encouragements') for piano [1, 2, 3; piano by David Holzman: audio, live 2015]. Turning more to teaching in his older years, Wolpe was director of music at Black Mountain College in Ashville, North Carolina, from 1952 to '56, then taught at the C.W. Post College of Long Island University. He taught during summers in Darmstadt, Germany. Wolpe developed Parkinson's disease in 1964, dying eight years later on 4 April 1972 in NYC. Apparently lending credence to astrology and superstitious of the number thirteen, he had written largely for chamber, piano and voice. Of more recent note, what is collectively titled 'Suite from the Twenties' was commissioned by the Wolpe Society and premiered in New York in 2002 under the direction of Werner Herbers, that a set of orchestral arrangements by Geert van Keulen of titles written by Wolpe in the latter twenties including the jazz-inspired 'Rag-Caprice' of 1927 [*, recording by the Ebony Band; see also 'Dancing: The Jazz Fever' on Channel Classics CCS 30611: 1, 2, 3, 4]. References: Wikipedia [Deutsch, Italian]. Compositions: 1, 2: alphabetical; by genre: 1, 2, 3; for piano. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: ''Zeus und Elida' | 'Schöne Geschichten'' *. Further reading: analyses: Ina Henning; Wolpe as teacher; the Wolpe Society (old site): newsletter 2007. Iconography: 1, 2. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada; Europe: 1, 2; international: 1, 2. Collections (Carol Baron research). Bibliography: 'Stefan Wolpe in Conversation with Eric Salzman' by Austin Clarkson ('The Musical Quarterly' 1999); 'The Works of Stefan Wolpe: A Brief Catalogue' by Austin Clarkson ('Notes' 1985); 'The Musical Representation of the Grotesque in Nineteenth-Century Opera' by Edgecombe (The Opera Quarterly 2000); 'Understanding Stefan Wolpe's Musical Forms' by Dora Hanninen ('Perspectives of New Music' 2002); 'Wolpe's Chamber Operas' by Thomas Phleps (Contemporary Music Review 2008). Other profiles: 1, 2, 3.

Stefan Wolpe

 Chamber Piece 1

   1964

   Contemporary Chamber Ensemble

   Arthur Weisberg

 Enactments

   1950-53   For 3 pianos

   Pianos:

      Anne Chamberlain

      Joel Sachs

      Cheryl Seltzer

 Piano Sonata 1

   1925   Op 1   'Stehende Musik'

   Piano: David Holzmann

 Quartet

   1950 Revised 1954

   Contemporary Chamber Ensemble

   Arthur Weisberg

 Sonata for Violin and Piano

   1949

   Piano: Garrick Ohlsson

   Violin: Jorja Fleezanis

 Toccata

   1941   Piano: Peter Serkin

 Trio in 2 parts

   1963-64

   Flauto: Harvey Sollberg

   Pianoforte: Charles Wuorinen

   Violincello: Fred Sherry



Birth of Classical Music: Stefan Wolpe

Stefan Wolpe   1963


Photo: Paul Sacher Foundation

Source: NEOS
  Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 6 June 1903, Aram Khachaturian was uncle to composer, Karen Khachaturian [1, 2]. Moving to Moscow in 1921, he there studied both music at the Gnessin Musical Institute and biology at Moscow University. AK's Opus 1 was assigned to 'Poem' for piano of 1925 dedicated to Gilan, a province along the southern coast of the Caspian in Iran (Persia) which had been situated in the midst of a British-Bolshevik-Jangali contest resulting in the Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship of 1921 [*]. He enrolled at the Moscow Conservatory in 1929, the year 'Combat March No.1' in A flat major Op 20 arrived for brass band. Khachaturian composed his 'Symphony No.1' in E major Op 35 as a graduation piece in 1934 [interpretation by the Armenian P O w Loris Tjeknavorian]. AK's first film score was for 'Pepo' assigned to Op 37 [1, 2]. That was released to theaters in the Soviet Union on 9 Oct 1935, being the first full-feature film in Armenian [the independent Republic of Armenia pronounced in 1995]. As music for film scores generally plays a supportive role, suites are often written for the music in itself unedited for the screen. As no Op number is given for a 'Pepo' suite, which samples at Presto likely are, their arranger goes unidentified. Khachaturian's 'Piano Concerto' in D flat major Op 38 of 1936 brought the acclaim which launched his career as a major composer [1, 2; interpretation by William Kapell 1946; live performances by Hayk Melikyan & Jean-Yves Thibaudet]. AK's Op 38a was a version for two pianos written the same year. In 1939 he traveled to Armenia to study folk music, composing his first ballet, 'Happiness' Op 43, in '39 as well. His 'Masquerade' Op 48 of 1941 is incidental music to the eponymous play by Mikhail Lermontov [1, 2]. A suite for orchestra was designated 48a [score], another for two pianos as 48b the same year [live performance of 'Waltz' 48a No.1 of 5 movements by the Sinfonia Toronto led by Nurhan Arman]. Khachaturian's ballet, 'Gayane' ('Gayaneh') Op 50, premiered in Leningrad under German siege (WW II) on 3 Dec 1942 [1, 2; interpretation by the USSR Radio and TV Large S O w Djansug Kakhidze; live performance by the Latvian Opera and Ballet Company w Alexander Viljumanis]. That contained his famous 'Sabre Dance' drawn from Armenian folk music [1, 2; interpretation by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (whether from Op 50 the ballet or Op 55 the suite unidentified); live performance by Media City Ballet of Los Angeles; score]. 'Gayane' was followed by three suites in 1943 designated Opp 53-55, the last containing another version of 'Sabre Dance' [interpretation by the Hollywood Bowl S O w Alfred Newman]. AK's 'Symphony No.2' ('Symphony with Bells' aka 'The Bell') in E minor Op 56 premiered at the Moscow Conservatory on 9 Dec 1943 by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra conducted by AK [interpretation by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra w Neeme Järvi; live performances by Armenian State S O w Sergey Smbatyan & the Armenian P O w Loris Tjeknavorian]. Khachaturian's 'Symphony No.3' Op 67 premiered in Leningrad on 13 Dec 1947 [organ by Simon Lindley w the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Fedor Glushchenko]. Intended to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, it earned him the denunciation of the Communist Party instead, whence he was exiled to Armenia until December 1948 for music too avant-garde [see also formalism; the Zhdanov Doctrine]. AK began teaching at his alma maters, the Gnessin Institute in 1950 and the Moscow Conservatory in 1951. His third and last ballet, 'Spartacus' Op 82 of 1954 won him the Lenin Prize [1, 2]. In 1955 AK pulled four suites from 'Spartacus' being Nos.1-4 as Opp 82a-82d. Among titles that AK recorded for Decca in 1962 [1, 2, 3] was 'Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia' Op 82b No.1 of four movements [recording; other versions]. Khachaturian also drew two sets of 'Symphonic Pictures' from 'Spartacus' designated Op 82e and Op 82f. Having begun to tour internationally w a trip to Italy in 1950, he became a deputy in the Supreme Soviet (legislative body) of the Soviet Union in 1958 until '62. His last documented film score was for 'The Tocsin of Peace' Op 98 per 1962. His final of several works for brass band was 'March of the Moscow Red Banner' ('March of the Soviet Militia' aka 'Soviet Police March') in E minor Op 103 of 1973 [audio: 1, 2; note: Shostakovich also wrote a 'March of the Soviet Militia' designated Op 139]. AK's final composition was 'Vocalise' in C major Op 108 in 1978, that an arrangement for piano from the 1956 film, 'Otello', for which he'd written the music, the piece originally for soprano and orchestra to be sung by Desdemona [live performance by Сурен Вартанян]. Khachaturian died shortly later in Moscow on 1 May 1978. References: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Russian; by Opus: 1, 2; see also Wikipedia international below. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Filmographies: Deutsch, Engllish. Documentaries: 'Khachaturian' directed by Peter Rosen 2014. Iconography. Further reading: AK as conductor, correspondence, family, students: 1, 2. See also: the Aram Khachaturian International Competition, the Aram Khachaturian School of Music. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada, Germany, USA, international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: Memory of the World. Sheet music. Other profiles: Armenian; Chinese; English: encyclopedic: New World; geographical: 1, 2; musical: 1, 2, 3 (Latvia), 4; Espanol; French; Russian: 1, 2, 3, 4. Wikipedia international: Deutsch; Espanol, Italian; Japanese: Portuguese. Khachaturian does his own conducting in a couple of recordings below.

Aram Khachaturian

 Cello Concerto in E minor

   1946

   Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra

   Vladimir Fedoseyev

   Cello: Denis Shapovalov

 Gayaneh

   1939–41   Ballet


   USSR Radio & TV Large S O

   Djansug Kakhidze

 Suite from Masquerade

   1944   Incidental music

   Scottish National Orchestra

   Neeme Järvi

 Suite from Spartacus 2

   1955   Ballet


   Scottish National Orchestra

   Neeme Järvi

 Symphony 2 in E minor

   1943   'Bell symphony'

   Recorded 1977

   USSR State Symphony Orchestra

   Conductor: Aram Khachaturian

 Symphony 3

   1947   Symphonic poem

   The Japan Gustav Mahler Orchestra

   Hisayoshi Inoue

   Organ: Arthur Adamian

 Triumphal Poem

   1950

   BBC Philharmonic

   Fedor Glushchenko

 Violin Concerto in D minor

   1940   Recorded 1965

   Moscow Radio S O

   Conductor: Aram Khachaturian

   Violin: David Oistrakh



Birth of Classical Music: Aram Khachaturian

Aram Khachaturian   1964

Photo: Dutch National Archives/The Hague

Source: Wikipedia
Birth of Classical Music: Vladimir Horowitz

Vladimir Horowitz

Source: WQXR
A Jew born in Kiev on 1 Oct 1903, Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz wasn't known for composing, though he did a little of that along w numerous variations [Horowitz website hereon referred to as VHW]. Horowitz more belongs in this history due to his impact as a pianist during the modern period. His later great rival as a concert pianist would be Glenn Gould who, though born nigh thirty years later in '32, died in '82 seven years earlier than Horowitz. The latter entered the Kiev Conservatory [1, 2] in 1912. Originally intending to become a composer, he compared the financial rewards for that to performing and chose the keys, giving his first public recital in 1920. Among his few compositions is 'Danse Excentrique' ('Moment Exotique') written in 1920 or '21 for his brother's 18th birthday [1, 2]. He later recorded it for RCA on March 4, 1930 toward issue on Victor 1468 [recording]. It isn't known when he wrote 'Waltz' in F minor, but he put it to piano roll sometime in the summer of 1928 for Duo-Art Studios in NYC [piano roll w score]. Horowitz' ability at a piano translated into relatively little struggle in building his career as he rapidly became successful. His first performance beyond Russia was in Berlin in 1925. Horowitz was born late enough for his virtuosity to make a happy wedding w the recording industry. He made his first piano rolls in early 1926 for Welte-Mignon in Freiburg, Germany [VHW]. Those included titles by JS Bach and Busoni on BWV 532 [audio] and BWV 564 [audio]. He later punched piano rolls for Aeolian in 1928. After visiting Paris and London, Horowitz made his debut in New York City at Carnegie Hall on 12 January 1928. Recording 78s for both Victor and Gramophone (EMI), his first session for Victor arrived on 26 March 1928, among which titles was Chopin's 'Mazurka No.21' [1, 2, 3; recording]. Often referred to as the last of the Romantics, among his great recordings was Franz Liszt's 'Hungarian Rhapsody No.2' gone down in concert on 25 February 1953 [audio]. More samples of Chopin arrived in 1954 on RCA LRM 7051 [audio]. A quarter century later in his seventies he recorded Rachmaninoff's difficult 'Concerto No.3' at Carnegie Hall on 8 Jan 1978 w Eugene Ormandy conducting the New York P O [audio]. He followed that later the same year at Avery Fisher Hall w Zubin Mehta conducting [live performance]. Horowitz returned to the Soviet Union for the first time in 1986, visiting Moscow and Leningrad, followed by tour dates in Europe and Tokyo. Horowitz' final recordings arrived in 1986 and '87 consisting of Schubert's 'Sonata' in B-flat major and Schumann's 'Kinderszenen' issued posthumously in 1991 by Deutsche Grammophon [*; audio]. His final tour of Europe was in 1987 when he gave his last public recitals. He died on 5 Nov 1989 of heart attack in New York City [obit]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Chronology. Compositions. Concertography. Repertoire. Sessionographies: by composer: A-K, L-Z; live; studio; DAHR; see also piano rolls. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 'In the Hands of the Master' *, piano rolls 1926. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Deutsche Graammophon, piano rolls, Vladimir Horowitz Collection; select: 'In the Hands of the Master': 1, 2; 'Concerto No.3' (Rachmaninoff). Documentaries: 'The Last Romantic' ('alt) directed by Maysles & Maysles 1985 [1, 2]. Iconography: 1, 2. Further reading: Stuart Isacoff (Rachmaninoff and); Köln Klavier; Martin Meyer; PediaPress; VHW; David M. Wolff. Books & documents: France: 1, 2; Germany; international: 1, 2. Collections: Yale. Databases: DBPedia. Other profiles: Deutsch: 1, 2; English: encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; history; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4; IMDb; NPR Radio; Espanol; Francais, Norwegian, Portuguese.

Vladimir Horowitz

 Ballade 1 in G Minor

   Composer: Chopin   1835-1836

   Op 23   Solo


   Live performance at Carnegie Hall

 Fantasy in F minor

   Composer: Chopin   1841

   Op 49   Solo


   Recorded live at Carnegie Hall 1948

 Live at Carnegie Hall

   1951

 Piano Concerto 1

   Composer: Tchaikovsky   Op 23

   3 versions: 1874–75   1876–79   1888-90?

   NBC Symphony Orchestra

   Arturo Toscanini


   Recorded live at Carnegie Hall 1943

 Piano Concerto 3 in D minor

   
Composer: Rachmaninoff   1909

   Op 30   3 movements


   RCA Victor SO/Fritz Reiner

   Recorded 1951



 
  Born in Philadelphia on 19 Oct 1903, neoromantic, Vittorio Giannini began training on violin at age five, his mother his teacher as she prepared him for a scholarship at age nine to study violin and composition at the Verdi Conservatory [Milan Conservatory: 1, 2]. Upon leaving four years later, he studied privately, during which period his first compositions began to appear. The 'Catalog of Copyright Entries 1920' has the song, 'April, Gowned In Green', on list that year [*], publishing status unknown. 1922 found him composing another vocal piece, this time for the SATB Choir and Orchestra, so a premiere for 'Stabat Mater' is assumed that year if not later. Giannini entered Juilliard in 1925, then composed the song, 'Tell Me, Oh Blue, Blue Sky', in 1927 [*; interpretations by Mario Lanza c 1952, Leonard Warren 1958; live performance by Mary Ceccarelli]. 'Resurrection', another vocal piece, appeared in 1929 before Giannini began composing instrumentals for chamber, 'String Quartet appearing in 1930. A 'Suite' for orchestra surfaced in 1931, then the opera, 'Lucedia', in 1934. More operas followed throughout the thirties for radio. Come his 'Piano Concerto' of 1935 [piano by Gabriela Imreh]. Giannini's first of seven symphonies, ‘In Memoriam Theodore Roosevelt’, also arrived in 1935 toward its debut performance at the American Museum of Natural History in New York for a radio broadcast by the NBC Symphony Orchestra w Giannini conducting on 19 Jan 1936 [*]. It was first performed in concert by the Rochester-Eastman Orchestra at the Eastman School of Music w Howard Hanson directing on 30 April 1936 [recording]. Giannini's second symphony, 'IBM Symphony', arrived in 1937 toward its first performance at IBM Headquarters in New York on 18 Jan 1938 w Giannini conducting the Columbia Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra [*; recording; see also International Business Machines founded in 1911 as CTR: the Computing Tabulating Recording Company: 1, 2]. The 'IBM Symphony' was also performed for IBM in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. Gianinni's most successful opera, 'The Taming of the Shrew' after Shakespeare, had been begun in 1938 to be put on a back burner until eventually finished in 1950 toward its premiere at the Cincinnati Music Hall on 31 Jan 1953 [*; Kansas City Lyric Theater w Russell Patterson conducting]. Giannini became the founding director of the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1965, the same year his 'Symphony No.5' arrived [audio w Guy Taylor directing]. He died the next year in New York City on 28 Nov 1966. References: Wikipedia, All Music. Compositions: 1, 2. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, YouTube ('The Taming of the Shrew'). Discographies: 1, 2, 3. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada, France, USA, international: 1, 2. Further reading: IBM culture, IBM music chronology. Other profiles: Catalan; English; Japanese; Qwerty international (Wikipedia mirrors): Dutch; Espanol; Finnish; Russian.

Vittorio Giannini

  Beauty and the Beast

    1938   NKU Opera Workshop

  Come, Sweet Kate

    1950   NKU Opera Workshop

    Opera: 'The Taming of the Shrew'

  Concerto Grosso

    1950

  Fantasia for Band

    1963

  Frescobaldiana

    1952

  Piano Concerto

    1934

    Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

    Conductor: Daniel Spalding

    Piano: Gabriela Imreh

  Piano Quintet

    1932

  Prelude and Fugue

    1955

  Psalm 130

    1963

    Orchestra of America

    Conducting: Gary Karr

  Symphony No 3

    1958

    Eastman Wind Ensemble

    Director: Archibald Clyde Roller

  Symphony No 5

    1965

  Tell Me, Oh Blue, Blue Sky

    1927   Vocal: Genevieve Marino

  Trio for Piano and Strings

    1931

     Piano: Adam Neiman

     Violin: Stefan Milenkovich

     Violoncello: Ani Asnavoorian


Birth of Classical Music: Vittorio Giannini

Vittorio Giannini

Source: UNC School of Arts
Birth of Classical Music: Luigi Dallapiccola

Luigi Dallapiccola

Source: Il Sussidiario
Born 3 Feb 1904 in what is now Pazin, Croatia, Luigi Dallapiccola began composing because he liked Richard Wagner, that to become old hat as he moved on to Debussy before developing an interest in the Second Viennese School (a la Schoenberg), particularly the work of Alban Berg, that would make of him the major Italian representative of twelve-tone composing. Dallapiccola graduated in piano in the twenties from the Florence Conservatory (matriculation 1922). During that time he wrote what are commonly listed as his first compositions of 1924-26, 'Fiuri de Tapo', being three settings for voice and piano to poems by Biagio Marin included in the latter's first book by the same title. Dallapiccola, however, came to dislike his compositions of the twenties and wished them removed from his catalogue. Becoming a professor at the Conservatory in 1931, he there remained until 1967. He had initially supported Mussolini's rise to power in 1922, but during the thirties he turned decidedly antifascist, especially upon Mussolini's cooperation with Adolf Hitler, as Dallapiccola's wife, Laura, was Jewish. World War II began during the years that he wrote 'Canti di Prigionia' ('Songs of Imprisonment'), setting music to texts by Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots), Boethius and Savanarola. Representative of his early mature period when Dallapiccola was only beginning to wade into serial waters, he employed a dodecaphonic system of two twelve-tone rows [1, 2] for 'Canti di Prigionia'. The 'Canti' were an indignant political protest in response to a racial manifesto concerning Jews appearing in Italian newspapers on 15 July 1938. Their first performance arrived in Rome at the Teatro delle Arti on 11 December 1941 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the Coro e Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia * or New London Chamber Choir & Ensemble Intercontemporain *]. Though forced into hiding a couple times during World War II, Dallapiccola largely carried on as before with the exception of refraining from recitals in Nazi-occupied countries. His only ballet, 'Marsia' begun in 1942, was also his last work completely composed on an old-fashioned scale before twelve-tone method saw usage in everything he wrote. Per Péter Várnai [Ref 4 below], he also composed a symphonic suite for 'Marsia', likely completed the same year in '43 [score fragments]. In 1949 Dallapiccola pulled a suite for piano from 'Marsia' titled 'Tre Episodi dal Balletto 'Marsia'' [interpretation by Roberto Posseda; live performance by Filippo La Marca]. Dallapiccola had also begun his triptych, 'Liriche Greche' ['Greek Lyrics':1, 2], in 1942 consisting of 'Cinque Frammenti di Saffo' [1, 2], 'Due Liriche di Anacreonte' [1, 2] and 'Sex Carmina Alcaei' [1, 2]. 'Liriche Greche' was a major stepping stone with which LD decidedly went twelve-tone [soprano by Anita Morrison; Victoria Schneider (Malipiero); various]. Among LD's last titles written to a traditional scale was his four-movement 'Sonatina Canonica' in E-flat of 1943 on the '24 Caprices' Op 1 of Paganini [piano by Mieczyslaw Horszowski]. It was 1944 when LD commenced the writing of the opera, 'Il Prigioniero' ('The Prisoner'), which was first performed on 1 Dec 1949 for Italian radio station, RAI [Radiotelevisione italiana: 1, 2, 3, 4]. Its stage premiere was at the Teatro Comunale in Florence on May 20, 1950 [1, 2, 3, 4; libretto; live performance w Leonardo Estévez as Prisoner (alt)]. 'Il Prigioniero' was first performed in the U.S. by the New York City Opera on 29 September 1960 w Norman Treigle as Prisoner [recording]. It was 30 October 1950 when LD's Biblical cantata for stage, 'Job', appeared at the Eliseo Theater in Rome [interpretation by the Coro e Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia directed by Hermann Scherchen (alt: 1, 2)]. In 1951 and '52 he made appearances at Tanglewood, home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937 [1, 2]. Come Dallapiccola's impressionistic 'Piccola Musica Notturna' ('Little Night Music') in 1954 [interpretation by the BBC Philharmonic w Gianandrea Noseda]. He followed that with a version for chamber ensemble in 1961 [live performance by the MDI Ensemble of Milan]. Dallapiccola began teaching at Queens College in New York in 1956. Though he began his last opera, 'Ulisse' ('Ulysses' aka 'Odysseus'), in 1960, it didn't premiere until 29 September 1968 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin w libretto by himself translated to German by Karl-Heinrich Kreith who played the role of Odysseus [1, 2, 3, 4; libretto; recording by the Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin: 1/5, 2/5, 3/5, 4/5, 5/5]. LD wrote 'Sicut Umbra' in 1970 for mezzosopran und twelve instruments w text by Juan Ramón Jinénez [interpretation by Sybil Michelow w the London Sinfonietta directed by Gary Bertini]. 'Commiato' ('Farewell') for soprano and fifteen instruments arrived in 1972 for text originally written by Brunetto Latini (c 1220–94), that believed to be Dallapiccola's last completed composition [live performance by Susanna Rigacci w the Cameristi del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino]. Dallapiccola was working on another vocal piece but hours before his death on 19 Feb 1975 in Florence of lung edema. References: 1, 2, 3, 4 (Várnai 1977). Compositions: chronological: 1, 2; by genre: 1, 2; see also Wikipedia international below. Authorship: 1, 2, 'The Genesis of the 'Canti di Prigionia' and 'il Prigioniero'' ('The Musical Quarterly' 1953). Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Luigi Dallapiccola', notes; 'Il Prigioniero'; 'Ulisse'. Further reading: Dallapiccola: 'Musical Innovations' by Alessandro Cassin; the Luigi Dallapiccola Fund; 'Twelve-tone Technique in Italian' by Mario Ruffini; by various (Italian): 1, 2. Further reading: twelve-tone technique: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada; Europe: 1, 2, 3, 4; USA; international: VIAF, Worldcat. Sheet music: 1, 2. Bibliography: 'Octatonicism in Luigi Dallapiccola's Twelve-Note Music' by Brian Alegant (U of Rochester Press 2010); 'The Twelve-Tone Music of Luigi Dallapiccola' by Brian Alegant (U of Rochester Press 2010): reviews: Graham Phipps, Alan Theisen; 'Luigi Dallapiccola: The Complete Works: A Catalogue' by Calum MacDonald ('Tempo' 1976); 'Twelve-Tone Polarity in Late Works of Luigi Dallapiccola' by David Mancini ('Journal of Music Theory' 1986); 'Row Construction and Accompaniment in Luigi Dallapiccola's 'Il Prigioniero'' by Dori Waggoner; 'In Memoriam'. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; French; Italian; Russian. Wikipedia international: Catalan, Czech, Deutsch, Dutch, Espanol; Francais, Hungarian; Italian, Japanese, Russian.

Luigi Dallapiccola

 Canti di prigionia

    1938-41

    New London Chamber Choir

    James Wood

    Ensemble InterContemporain

    Hans Zender

 Commiata

    1972   For soprano & orchestra

    Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

    Lucas Vis

    Sopran: Dorothy Dorow

 Il Prigioniero

    1944-48   Opera

    O & C del Teatro Comunale di Bologna

    Michele Mariotti

    La Madre: Valentina Corradetti

    Il Prigioniero: Chad Armstrong

 Tartinia

    1951   For violin & orchestra

    BBC Philharmonic

    Gianandrea Noseda

 Tartiniana seconda

    1955-56   For piano & violin

    Piano: Duccio Beverini

    Violin: Simone Ferrari

 Tempus destruendi - Tempus aedificandi

    1970-71   For choir

    New London Chamber Choir

    James Wood

 Three Questions with Two Answers

    1962-63

    BBC Philharmonic

    Gianandrea Noseda

 Variations for Orchestra

    1954   Recorded 1994

    Orchestra Filarmonica di Leningrado

    Mario Ruffini



 
Born on 25 Sep 1906 in St. Petersburg, Dmitri Shostakovich thought it not enough that Russian composition nigh owned the Romantic period but for a German here and there (Beethoven, Wagner, et al) or a Polish Chopin. With Shostakovich Russia could make a strong claim to the modern period as well, though not without considerable tension between them. Shostakovich began piano at age nine and was composing at age twelve with a happy theme called 'Funeral March for the Fallen Heroes of the Revolution' ('Traurnyi marsh pamyati zhertv revolyutsii') for piano concerning Kadets murdered by Bolsheviks during the Red Terror of the Russian Revolution [piano by Emil]. Shostakovich enrolled at the Petrograd Conservatory [1, 2] the next year where, nevertheless, he showed little interest in the politics that would later present him with problems as a Russian composer. His Op 1, 'Scherzo' for orchestra in F sharp minor, appeared in 1919 [interpretations by Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg * & the USSR Symphony Orchestra *]. Of the large oeuvre that Shostakovich left behind, this column will follow his fifteen symphonies, all of which are discussed by conductor, Mark Wigglesworth, who has recorded them all: Symphony Nos. 1; 2, & 3; Symphony Nos. 1 & 15; Symphony No. 4; Symphony Nos. 5, 6, & 10; Symphony No. 7; Symphony No. 8; Symphony Nos. 9 & 12; Symphony No. 11; Symphony No. 13; Symphony No. 14. Shostakovich's first, 'Symphony No.1' in F minor Op 10, appeared in Leningrad on 12 May 1926 by the Leningrad Philharmonic [1, 2, 3, 4] conducted by Nikolai Malko. Wikipedia has its premiere in the United States sometime in 1928. It also saw performing in December '28 by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Frederick Stock conducting [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Russian National Orchestra w Vladimir Jurowski; live performance by the Frankfurt Radio S O w Paavo Järvi]. 'Symphony No.2' ('To October') in B major Op 14 was written for the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution [1, 2, 3; interpretations by the Royal Philharmonic C & O w Morton Gould & the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra w Kirill Kondrashin; live performance by the Azusa Pacific University Symphony Orchestra and Oratorio Choir *]. Shostakovich's debut film score (WoO) was for the silent 'The New Babylon' released to theaters on 18 March 1929 [1, 2; film; music performed by the Russian State S O w Valeri Polyansky]. Shostakovich's opera, 'The Nose' Op 15, premiered in Leningrad on 18 January 1930 to poor result, that based on the 1836 tale concerning social status in Russia by Nikolai Gogol [1, 2; live performance at London's Covent Garden Royal Opera House directed by Barrie Kosky]. 'Symphony No.3' ('First of May') Op 20 arrived to Leningrad on 21 January 1930, its finale set to text by Semyon Kirsanov applauding May Day which is also International Workers' Day in the Russian Federation (formerly USSR) corresponding to Labor Day in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of Sep [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the WDR Radio Chorus & Symphony Orchestra Cologne *; live performance by the Azusa Pacific University Symphony Orchestra and Oratorio Choir *]. On 19 May 1933 Shostakovich married the first of three wives, Nina Varzar, who would bear Galina in 1936 and Maxim in 1938. Nina would die in 1954. His betrothal to Margarita Kainova in 1956 ended in divorce after five years, upon which a happier marriage was made in 1962 w 27 year-old Irina Supinskaya nearly three decades younger than he. Writing a number of concertos for piano, violin and cello, his 'Piano Concerto No.1' in C minor for trumpet Op 35 premiered on 15 October 1933 [1, 2; recording of Shostakovich at piano w Josif Volovnik at trumpet on 27 November 1957 [1, 2 (not '54)]; interpretation by Martha Argerich w Philip Smith at trumpet; live performance by Eriko Takezawa w Reinhold Friedrich at trumpet]. It was 22 January 1934 when Shostakovich premiered his opera, 'Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District' Op 29, with libretto by Alexander Preys and himself based on the 1865 horror novella by Nikolai Leskov [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; live performance directed by Vidnyánszky Attila]. He added a 'Suite' from that in '34 as well [interpretation by Gürenzich Cologne Orchestra w James Conlon]. His ballet, 'The Limpid Stream' ('The Bright Stream') Op 39 premiered at Leningrad's Mikhaylovsky Theatre in 1935 with its 'Suite' designated Op 39a [1, 2; interpretations by the National S O of Ukraine w Theodore Kuchar & Royal Stockholm P O w Gennady Rozhdestvensky]. In Jan of 1936 Joseph Stalin visited a performance of 'Lady Macbeth' which earned it his condemnation along w that of 'Pravda' [leading Communist newspaper: 1, 2] and the Politburo [1, 2, 3]. 'The Limpid Stream' was rejected as well. To receive a negative rating from Stalin was a big deal not only since it came with a huge plunge in income, but because Stalin's Great Purge started in 1936, during which artists, musicians, intellectuals, scientists and the like with unacceptable views were imprisoned or shot [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Shostakovich was working on 'Symphony No.4' Op 43 at the time, which he thought better to withdraw before its intended premiere in Dec 1936. The work didn't see a performance for a quarter century until 30 December 1961 by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra w Kirill Kondrashin eight years after Stalin's death [1, 2; interpretation by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra w Neeme Järvi; live performance by the Helsinki P O w Jukka-Pekka Saraste]. Presented with the problem of needing both money and a safer profile, Shostakovich composed 'Symphony No.5' Op 47 in form more pleasing to powers that be [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; interpretation by the Leningrad P O w Yevgeny Mravinsky; live performance by the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester w Philippe Jordan]. His 'Symphony No.6' Op 54 arrived to Leningrad on 21 November 1939 [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne w Rudolf Barshai; live performance by the Wiener Philarmoniker w Leonard Bernstein]. In 1939 Shostakovich composed 'Suite on Finnish Themes', a work of imagination in more ways than one which had been intended for Russia's triumphal entry to Helsinki as of the Winter War of 30 November 1939 to 13 March 1940 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The Soviets thought Finland would be an easy take, the latter vastly overpowered in military might. But Stalin's Terror had by then imprisoned or executed some 30,000 experienced officers, toward the result of having a lot of big guns but few who knew how to use them. The result of the Winter War for the Fins were some huge concessions (: 11 percent territory, 30 percent economy), but for the Soviets the war had been a great strain and Helsinki remained independent. 'Suite on Finnish Themes' consequently saw no premiere until 2001, Shostakovich himself having no interest in it [interpretation by Anu Komsi (soprano) w Tom Nyman (tenor) * 2002]. Come the Siege of Leningrad on 8 September 1941 which killed about 500,000 civilians alone until 27 January 1944 during which period DS wrote his next two symphonies. 'Symphony No.7' ('Leningrad') in C major Op 60 premiered on 2 March 1942, having been composed in Samara [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Chicago S O w Leonard Bernstein; live performance by the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln w Semyon Bychkov; film of Shostakovich at piano 1941]. Shostakovich's 'Symphony No.8' in C minor Op 65 premiered in Moscow on 4 November 1943 by the USSR S O led by Yevgeny Mravinsky. A tragic rather than triumphal work, it was unofficially banned until 1956 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretations by the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln w Rudolf Barshai & the Moscow P O w Kirill Kondrashin]. World War II had come to end in both theatres when DS premiered his 'Symphony No.9' in E-flat major Op 70 on 3 Nov 1945, deemed by one critic as too "childish" to be expressive of Nazi defeat which had been its purpose [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne w Rudolf Barshai (alt); live performance by the Vienna Philharmonic w Leonard Bernstein 1987; score]. Shostakovich found his works banned again in 1948 per the Zhdanov Doctrine, which intent was to sterilize Russia of foreign influences, including in musical composition. Summoned to apologize before the Central Committee for writing unacceptable (anti-proletarian) works, Shostakovich then watched his income fall away. Russia wasn't making it easy for one of its greatest composers. Facing a compromising situation, in 1949 Shostakovich was given opportunity to redeem himself as a representative of Soviet Russia at the Cultural and Scientific Congress for World Peace in New York City. Publicly asked by Russian composer, Nicolas Nabokov [a United States citizen since 1939: 1, 2], if he agreed with Soviet denunciation of Stravinsky, Shostakovich saw little choice but confirm, though Stravinsky was among his favorite composers. Nabokov then published that Shostakovich was a tool of the Soviet government. Shostakovich was then compelled to write the oratorio, 'Song of the Forests' Op 81, in the summer of 1949 in which Stalin is praised for forestation projects in the Russian Steppes. premiered by the Leningrad Philharmonic led by Yevgeny Mravinsky on 15 November 1949, it won DS a Stalin Prize in 1950 [interpretations by the Estonian National S O w Paavo Jaervi & the USSR State S O w Yevgeny Mravinsky; live performance by the USSR State S O w Evgeny Svetlanov]. In 1950-51 DS composed '24 Preludes and Fugues' for solo piano Op 87 after JS Bach's 'The Well-Tempered Clavier' [*], one for each major and minor key of the chromatic scale [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; piano by Tatiana Nikolayeva; live performance by Tatiana Nikolayeva: Book I, Book II]. In 1951 Shostakovich found himself a deputy in the Supreme Soviet (legislative body) of the Soviet Union. His 'Symphony No.10' Op 93 premiered on 17 December of 1953 by the Leningrad P O led by Yevgeny Mravinsky, Stalin having died the previous March [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; live performances by the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra w Gustavo Dudamel, the Moscow State S O w Pavel Kogan & the New England Conservatory Philharmonia w Hugh Wolff]. It was 1957 when DS came up with 'Piano Concerto No.2' in F major Op 102 for his son's (Maxim) 19th birthday. Redlands and Rijen have that first performed on 10 May 1957 at the Moscow Conservatory by the USSR S O led by Nikolai Anosov. The same date is given at Musicweb for Shostakovich's recording of it w the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra led by Alexander Gauk. Britten & Pears as well as Hippo proffer a broad date of 1958 instead [recording w Gauk ("Op 101" is probably a typo: the correct Opus is 102)]. Shostakovich also recorded 'Piano Concerto No.1' and 'No.2' in May of 1958 w André Cluytens conducting the French National Radio Orchestra [1, 2; recording]. 'Symphony No.11' ('The Year 1905') in G minor Op 103 was first performed by the USSR Symphony Orchestra w Natan Rakhlin on 30 October 1957. Sir Malcolm Sargent led a performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall on 22 January 1958. It reached the Houston S O in the U.S. on 7 April 1958 beneath Leopold Stokowski. 'The Year 1905' refers to the First Russian Revolution of 1905. It had been the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 large on the mind of Tsar Nicholas II when Bloody Sunday arrived closer to home in St. Petersburg on 22 Jan 1905, the day Nicholas spelled the doom of monarchical Russia by opening fire on protesting workers at his gates, perhaps several hundred killed [1, 2, 3, 4, interpretation by the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln w Rudolf Barshai; live performances by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales w Thomas Søndergård & the New England Conservatory's Philharmonia w Hugo Wolff]. In 1960 Shostakovich became a member of the Communist Party under Khrushchev succeeding Stalin, less than apparently by blackmail, making that one of the saddest periods of his life. Articles appeared in 'Pravda' that he didn't write denouncing individualism in music. Twisted one way and the other like one's appendages caught in a Chinese finger trap, he spent three days in July composing 'String Quartet No.8' ('Ghost Quartet') dedicated to "the victims of fascism and war" by which he meant totalitarianism, according to his son, Maxim, making that a ghost reference while the work is in reference to himself become a burdened man [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Borodin Quartet of Moscow; live performance by the Emerson Quartet]. Prior commitment found Shost dedicating his 'Symphony No.12' ('The Year 1917' [Bolshevik Revolution]) Op 112 to Vladimir Lenin, that premiering in Oct 1961[1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks w Mariss Jansons or the Moscow P O w Kirill Kondrashin; live performance by the American Youth Symphony w Carlos Izcaray]. Shostakovich's 'Symphony No.13' ('Babi Yar'; see the Babi Yar ravine) Op 113 was finished on 20 July 1962 toward its premiere in December, that concerning the Nazi slaughter of 33,000 Ukrainian Jews in Kiev in a period of 24 hours during World War II [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne w Rudolf Barshai; live performance by the Michigan State U Symphony Orchestra w Christopher James Lees or the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra w Dmitri Slobodeniouk]. Come 'Symphony No.14' for soprano and bass Op 135 in 1969 setting texts to music by García Lorca, Guillaume Apollinaire, Wilhelm Kuchelbecker, et al [1, 2, 3; interpretation by Teresa Kubiak (soprano) w Isser Bushkin (bass) backed by the New York Philharmonic w Leonard Bernstein *; live performance by Olga Sergeyeva (soprano) w Yuri Vorobiev (bass) backed by the Mariinksy Theatre Orchestra w Valery Gergiev *]. Shostakovich's last symphony was 'Symphony No.15' in A major Op 141 which was first performed in Moscow on 8 January 1972 by the All-Union Radio and Television S O led Maxim Shostakovich (son) [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Netherlands Radio P O w Mark Wigglesworth; live performance by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra w Bernard Haitink]. On 23 December 1974 his 'Suite on Verses of Michelangelo' Op 145 for bass voice and piano was performed [1, 2, 3, 4], its orchestrated version designated as Op 145a following on 31 January 1975 [1, 2]. Texts without headings by Michelangelo were given titles by Shost [Op 145a w bass by Ildar Abdrazakov or Evgeny Nesterenko]. Shostakovich's final Opus which is 147 was also his last completed composition, 'Sonata' for viola and piano in C major, which he didn't live to hear its first private performance on 25 Sep 1972 by violist, Fyodor Druzhinin, and pianist, Mikhail Muntyan, who also gave its public premiere on 1 Oct 1975 [1, 2, 3; viola by Isabelle van Keulen; live performances by Gilad Karni & Sara Kim]. Shostakovich died on 9 August 1975 of lung cancer. He is thought to have considered Op 145a his sixteenth symphony. References: 1, 2. Chronologies: life, life w Soviet Union parallel, premieres; Compositions: Deutsch, Espanol; alphabetical; chronological: 1, 2; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, Finnish, French, Russian; by Opus: 1, 2, 3, 4, Japanese; string quartets. Song texts: 1, 2. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; select: '24 Preludes & Fugues Op 87' by Tatiana Nikolayeva (piano); 'New Babylon'; 'Suite on Finnish Themes | Chamber Symphonies' by the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra w Juha Kangas: 1, 2. Filmographies: 1, 2. Iconography. Further reading by source: Exhaustive Shostakovich: ballet; 'The Big Lightning'; chamber; choral; film; incidental; lost works; operas; orchestral: 1, 2; piano; 'Piano Concerto No.1' Op 35; songs; symphonies; Ho & Feofanov; Stephen Jackson; Bruce Duffie interview w Maxim Shostakovich. Further reading by topic: film; 'Myths Debunked'; politics: 1, 2, 3; the Shostakovich Debate; 'The Shostakovich Wars'; 'Socio-Tonal Battles'; trivia: 1, 2, 3. See also L’Association Internationale Dimitri Chostakovitch; DSCH Journal; London Shostakovich Orchestra. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada; France: 1, 2; Germany; Russia; USA; international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: Centre de Documentation de Musique Contemporaine *. Bibliography: 1, 2; 'Contemplating Shostakovich' by Andrew Kirkman (Routledge 2016); 'Dmitri Shostakovich, Pianist' by Sofia Moshevich (McGill-Queen's Press 2004). Databases: DBPedia. Other profiles: English: didactic; encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Web Archive; Espanol; Finnish; French: 1, 2, 3; Japanese; Russian: 1, 2, 3. More Shostakovich interpreted by conductor, Eugene Ormandy.

Dmitri Shostakovich

  Cello Concerto 1 in E flat major

     1959   Op 107

     French Radio Philharmonic Orchestra

    
Conducting: Lionel Bringuier

  String Quartet 8 in C minor

     Dedicated to victims of fascism and war

     1960   Op 110

     Fitzwilliam String Quartet

  String Quintet 11 in G minor

     1940   Op 57   Beethoven Quartet

    
Piano: Dmitri Shostakovich

  Symphony 1 in F minor

   
  1924–25   Op 10

     Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

     Kirill Kondrashin

  Symphony 2 in B major

     1927   'To October'   Op 14

     Oratorio Choir/John Sutton

     Azusa Pacific University S O

     Christopher Russell

  Symphony 3 in E flat major

     1929   'The First of May'   Op 20

     Russian State Academic Choir Cappella

     Orchestra of the USSR Ministry of Culture

     Gennadi Rozhdestvensky

  Symphony 4 in C minor

     1935-36   Op 43

     Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

     Kirill Kondrashin

  Symphony 5 in D minor

     1937   Op 47

     Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

     Kirill Kondrashin

     Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

  Symphony 6 in B minor

     1939   Op 54

     Wiener Philarmoniker

     Leonard Bernstein

  Symphony 7 in C major

     1941   'Leningrad'   Op 60

     Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

     Vasily Petrenko

  Symphony 8 in C minor

     1943   Op 65

     WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln

     Rudolf Barshai

  Symphony 9 in E flat major

     1945   Op 70

     Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

     Kirill Kondrashin

  Symphony 10 in E minor

     1953   Op 93

     Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

     Kirill Kondrashin



Birth of Classical Music: Dmitri Shostakovich

Dmitri Shostakovich

Source: Wikipedia
Birth of Classical Music: Olivier Messiaen

Olivier Messiaen

Source: Cleveland Com
Born in Avignon in southern France on 10 Dec 1908, avant-garde organist Olivier Messiaen was a Roman Catholic who entered the Paris Conservatoire at age eleven where he studied under Paul Dukas, Maurice Emmanuel, Charles-Marie Widor, Marcel Dupré. et al. His initial composition in 1917 was a setting for piano to Alfred Tennyson's La Dame de Shalott' [1, 2]. In 1931 he was appointed organist at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité [1, 2] which position he maintained until his death as he wrote works like 'Apparition de l'Eglise Eternelle' for organ in 1934 [*; interpretations by Timothy Coriddi (live) & Olivier Latry]. He had married violinist, Claire Delbos, prior to that in 1932 with whom they produced a child, Pascal, in 1937. Delbos would die in 1959 after which Messiaen married pianist, Yvonne Loriod [1, 2], in 1961. World War II found Messiaen drafted into the French Army working as a medical auxiliary. Becoming a POW in 1940, while captured he composed an early version of 'Quartet for the End of Time' and premiered it at Stalag VIII-A on 15 January 1941 with a frozen piano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; live performances by the Israeli Chamber Project, the Manchester Collective & the Trio Oriens]. Upon release from prison camp in May of 1941 he became a teacher of harmony at the Paris Conservatoire. He there remained until retirement in 1978. In 1944 Messiaen published 'Technique of My Musical Language' in which he relates what he does a little differently as a composer. Messiaen was an ornithologist who much concerned himself with birdsong, taught by Dukas back when he was a student at the Conservatoire to listen to birds. His 'Le Merle Noir' ('The Blackbird') for flute and piano of 1952 is among his earliest compositions incorporating birdsong [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by Peter-Lukas Graf (flute) w Michio Kobayashi (piano) * or Christian Lardé (flute) w Yvonne Loriod (piano) *; live performance by John McMurtery (flute) w Adam Bowles (piano) * or Peter-Iva Ugrćič (flute) w Kyle Johnson (piano) *]. Messiaen began to orchestrate birdsong in 1953 with 'Réveil des Oiseaux' ('Waking of the Birds'). His future wife, Loriod, premiered the work on 11 Oct backed by the Südwest-funk Orchestra w Hans Rosbaud conducting [1, 2, 3; piano by Pierre-Laurent Aimard or Yvonne Loriod]. Loriod also premiered 'Oiseaux Exotiques' on 10 March 1956 at the Petit Théâtre Marigny in Paris [1, 2, 3, 4; piano by Markus Bellheim (live), Boris Berman (live) or Jean-Yves Thibaudet]. Messiaen wrote his 'Catalogue d’Oiseaux' ('Catalog of Birds') consisting of Books 1-7 from 1956 to 1958 [1, 2; piano by Pierre-Laurent Aimard: 1, 2; Ciro Longobardi; Yvonne Loriod: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4, Book 5, Book 6, Book 7]. Messiaen's 1962 visit to Japan inspired his 'Sept Haïkaï' ('Japanese Sketches') for piano and small orchestra premiered by Loriod on 30 Oct 1963 at the Odion in Paris [*; score]. His hugely orchestrated work requiring about 200 performers, 'La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ', premiered in Lisbon on 2 June 1969, Loriod again at piano [1, 2; piano by Gerard Bouwhuis (live) or Roger Muraro; score]. A 1972 visit to Utah's Bryce Canyon inspired his 'Des Canyons aux Etoiles' ('Canyons to the Stars') in Parts 1-3 premiered by Loriod on 20 November 1974 at Alice Tully Hall in New York [1, 2, 3, 4; piano by Paul Crossley or Roger Muraro]. Among Messiaen's last compositions was 'Éclairs sur l'au-delà...' ('Flashes of Lightning...' or 'Illuminations of the Beyond...') commissioned for the 150th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic [1, 2], completed in 1991 to premiere posthumously on 5 Nov 1992 at Avery Fisher Hall. Lincoln Center, by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg w Sylvain Cambreling or the Berlin P O w Simon Ratte]. Messiaen wrote 'Piece' for piano and string quartet as late as Feb 1991 for the ninetieth birthday of Alfred Schlee which first performance on November 18 he was too frail with old age to attend [1, 2; piano by Yvonne Loriod or Matthew Schellhorn]. Messiaen died in Paris on 27 April 1992 [obit]. He had left his 'Concert Four' begun in 1990 unfinished, that written for Loriod, Mstislav Rostropovich (cellist), Heinz Holliger (oboist), Catherine Cantin (flautist) and Myung-Whun Chung (conductor). Completed by Loriod and George Benjamin, she premiered it at the Opéra-Batille in Paris 26 September 1994 [1, 2; Orchestre de l'Opéra Bastille conducted by Chung 1995: 1/4 Entree, 2/4 Vocalise, 3/4 Cadenza, 4/4 Rondeau]. References: Wikipedia. Chronology. Compositions: alphabetical: 1, 2; chronological: 1, 2, 3, Spanish; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, French. Authorship. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Des Canyons aux Etoiles' ('Canyons to the Stars') by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung; 'La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ' by the Orchestre Philharmonique et Chœur de Radio France conducted by Myung-Whun Chung w piano by Roger Muraro; 'La Transfiguration de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ' by the Groot Omroepkoor and the Radio Symphonie Orkest conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw w piano by Yvonne Loriod. IMDb (film). Documentaries: 'Quartet for the End of Time': 1, 2. Iconography. Further reading by source: 'The Politics of Transcendence: Ideology in the Music of Olivier Messiaen in the 1930s' Jane Fulcher ('The Social Movement' 2004); Rick Jones; Elizabeth McLain (analysis); Bruno Serrou; Deborah Small; Brin Solomon. Further reading by topic: Messiaen and birdsong: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. See also: the Messiaen Festival; the Olivier Messiaen Foundation. Books & documents: Canada; Europe & international: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; USA. Editions & scores: 1, 2. Sheet music. Bibliography: 1, 2; 'Messiaen' by Peter Hill & Nigel Simeone (Yale U Press 2005), review by David Schiff. Databases: DBPedia. Other profiles: Catalan; Deutsch; Dutch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Finnish: 1, 2. French: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Russian: 1, 2, 3, 4; Serbo-Croatian; Spanish; Swedish.

Olivier Messiaen

 L'Ascension

   1932-33   4 meditations for orchestra

   C & OS de RTVE/Carlos Kalmar

 Catalogue d'oiseaux

   1956-58   'Bird catalogue'   7 books

   Piano: Yvonne Loriod

 Éclairs sur l'au-delà...

   1988–91   'Illuminations on the Beyond'

   SWR SO Baden-Baden & Freiburg

   Sylvain Cambreling

 Improvisations

   Organ: Olivier Messiaen   Recorded 1991

 Petites esquisses d'oiseaux

   1985   'Small sketches of birds'

   Piano: Håkan Austbø

 Quartet for the end of time

   1940–41   Cameo Trio with Janis Laurs

 Visions de l'Amen

   1943   For 2 pianos

   Pianos: Elizabeth & Marcel Bergmann



 
  Born on 3 Jan 1909 in Denmark, Victor Borge (Børge Rosenbaum) was among the more important composers of the modern period without ever authoring an Op 1. What Borge composed was comedy via lending himself disabilities, he an otherwise able pianist who also conducted a number of orchestras during his career. Borge gave his first piano concert in 1926 in Denmark. Beginning to joke around during performances a few years later, he started giving comical musical criticisms (so-called "reviews") in 1933. He was in Sweden during the Nazi occupation of Denmark and fled to Finland, then America, arriving in 1940 with twenty dollars. Borge began his career in the States in radio in 1941, changing his name. His first employment on Broadway was in the orchestra for 'Crazy with the Heat' in 1941. Though barely able to speak English he quickly became popular. Having already appeared in films in the thirties, Borge began recording and making television appearances in the forties which over the decades would make him a financially comfortable man. His most expensive joke was not one, but two, concert grand pianos staged back to back, his imaginary talents magnificent requiring more greatly specialized instrumentation than other concert pianists. Those were cream-of-the-crop Bosendorfers and Steinways [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. One can purchase used models of such these days for between $50,000 and $150,000 already mauled by grubby hands. Naxos has Borge recording 'A Lesson in Composition: The Blue Serenade' as early as 29 January 1942 [recording 1945]. He apparently recorded an unissued 'Phonetic Punctuation' for RCA Victor on 3 Feb 1942 [audio]. A version was released on Columbia 36911 in 1945. The first segment of 'The Victor Borge Show' aired for NBC in 1946. 'Inflation Language' was another of Borge's popular routines, recording a version in Hollywood on 22 December 1947 toward issue on Columbia 38183 [audio; Ed Sullivan 12 June 1960; the Royal Theatre Copenhagen 1996]. In 1971 Borge published 'My Favorite Intermissions' by Doubleday, co-authored w Robert Sherman. They co-wrote 'My Favorite Comedies in Music' issued by Dorset Press in 1980 [*]. Gyldendal published Borge's memoir, 'Smilet er den korteste afstand' ('The Smile is the Shortest Distance'), in Denmark w assistance from Niels-Jørgen Kaiser in 1997. In 1999 Borge was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Kennedy Center. He performed until dying in his sleep in Greenwich, Connecticut, on 23 Jan 2000 [1, 2]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Live performances: CLASSIC fM (piano four-hands, et al); 'Dean Martin Show' 1968; 'Page Turner'. Audio: 1, 2, 3, IA; radio: 1, 2. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Live'; 'Unstarted Symphony': 1, 2, notes. Filmographies: 1, 2, IMDb, TCM. Further reading: Dawson/McLellan, Rainer Hersch, Bruce Johnson. Databases: OMNIA. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; French.

Victor Borge

 Autumn Leaves

    With baritone Robert Merrill

 Dance of the Comedians

    1986   Boston Pops Orchestra

 Hands Off

    
With sopran Marilyn Mulvey

 Happy Birthday

 Hungarian Rhapsody 2

    
Piano 4 hands with pianist Leonid Hambro

 Live at the White House

    
(Eisenhower Inauguration)

 A Night at the Opera

     
1980   'The Don Lane Show'

 Page Turner

 What Does a Conductor Do?




Birth of Classical Music: Victor Borge

Victor Borge

Source: Victor Borge
Birth of Classical Music: William Schuman

William Schuman

Source: Bruce Duffie
Born on 4 August 1910 in Manhattan, William Howard Schuman wrote for orchestra as well as stage works such as ballet, concertantes, pieces for voice, chamber ensembles and bands. He first trained at violin and banjo as a child, also attending the Temple Shaaray Tefila (being Jewish). He was an adolescent about age thirteen when his play, 'College Chums', was performed at the Speyer Experimental Junior High School. In 1924 he gave his first public performance on violin with a rendition of Edward MacDowell’s 'To a Wild Rose'. He put together Billy Schuman and His Alamo Society Orchestra in 1926. Upon graduating from George Washington High School in 1928 he pursued a business degree at New York University while working at the Paramount Advertising Service. He there met lyricist and music publisher, Edward Marks, for whom he began writing popular melodies in 1928. Steve Swayne [Chronology below] identifies titles like 'It’s Up to Pa for Cobbossee' and 'I Want To Be Near You'. Schuman exchanged NYU for the Malkin Conservatory latter '29. He was also performing in nightclubs when he decided to become a classical composer in 1930 upon attending a concert by the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. In the meantime he began writing popular tunes, composing his first published melody in 1931 w lyricist, Frank Loesser [1, 2], per 'In Love With the Memory of You'. Some forty more with Loesser followed which would have typically been sold as sheet music in Tin Pan Alley. Schuman studied under Roy Harris from '33 to 38. Upon acquiring his bachelor's degree in 1935 from Columbia University NYC he began teaching composition at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York. Schuman's 'String Quartet No.1' premiered on 21 October 1936, a work, however, which Schumann withdrew from publication. Presser [Comps below] shows his 'Symphony No 1' premiering on the same date as 'String Quartet No.1', performed by the Gotham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jules Werner. Schuman withdrew that from publication as well. His 'String Quartet No.2' of 1937 saw publishing. His 'Symphony No 2', however, was withdrawn, having been premiered on 25 May 1938 by the Greenwich Orchestra w Edgar Schenkman conducting [unidentified radio broadcast by the CBS Symphony Orchestra led by Howard Barlow]. Schuman's 'String Quartet No.3' saw its first performance on 23 Feb 1940 by the Coolidge Quartet [interpretations by the Gordon String Quartet & the Juilliard String Quartet]. Schuman's 'Symphony No.3' premiered on 17 October 1941 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitzky [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the New York Philharmonic w Leonard Bernstein; score]. Schuman owns the distinction of being the first Pulitzer Prize [1, 2] winner for Music for 'Secular Cantata No 2: A Free Song' first performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra beneath Serge Koussevitzky in March of 1943, that to text by Walt Whitman [1, 2; interpretation by the Grant Park Orchestra & Chorus w Carlos Kalmar]. Pulitzer had previously awarded a scholarship for music, that category becoming a Prize in '43. Schuman formed the Juilliard String Quartet [1, 2] after becoming President of the Juilliard School [1, 2] in 1945. Schuman's Symphony Nos. 4-6 had arrived before his 'String Quartet No.4' in 1950 [interpretation by the Juilliard String Quartet]. He became first President of Lincoln Center [1, 2] in 1961, to retain that role until 1969. Schuman's final 'Symphony No.10' saw performance on 6 April 1976 by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antal Doráti [interpretation by the New York P O w Rafael Kubelik 1983]. In 1987 he won a Pulitzer Special Citation for contributions to composition and education. The NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) bestowed to him the National Medal of Arts in 1987. Schuman's last 'String Quartet No.5' was commissioned by Chase Manhattan Bank to premiere on 21 June 1988 by the Oxford String Quartet [interpretation by the Lydian String Quartet]. Among his last compositions was 'The Lord Has a Child' for mixed choir and brass premiering on 16 July 1990 by the Greenwich Choral Society led by Richard Vogt. Schuman died in New York City on 12 Feb 1992 [obits: 1, 2]. References: Wikipedia, Wright. Chronology: Swayne. Compositions: alphabetical: 1, 2; chronological; by genre: Musicalics, Presser, Pytheas, RYM. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'Sure on this shining night' by Robert White (tenor) w Samuel Sanders (piano) *; 'The Symphonies' by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra w Gerard Schwarz. IMDb. Further reading: awards; 1986 interview w Bruce Duffie; William Schuman Trust. Books/ documents/ scores: France, Germany, USA, international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: NYPL. Bibliography: 'William Schuman: A Bio-bibliography' by K. Gary Adams (Greenwood Publishing Group 1998); 'American Music: The Life and Times of William Schuman' by Joseph Polisi (Amadeus Press 2008): 1, 2, 3; 'Orpheus in Manhattan' by Steve Swayne (Oxford U Press 2011): 1, 2 Other profiles: Catalan; Deutsch; Dutch; English: 1, 2, 3; French; Spanish.

William Schuman

 Chester

   1968   Overture for band

   Keystone Wind Ensemble

 A Free Song

   1943   'Secular Cantata No 2'

 George Washington Bridge

   1950

   President's Own US Marine Band

 Newsreel In Five Shots

   1941

   Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

   Director: Lukas Foss

 Night Journey

   1947   Ballet

 Symphony No 2

   1947   Conducting: Howard Barlow

   CBS Symphony Orchestra

 Symphony No 3

   1941   2 movement

   Conducting: Leonard Bernstein

   New York Philharmonic

  Symphony No 5

   1945   3 movements

   Conducting: Leonard Bernstein

   New York Philharmonic

 Symphony No 6

   1953   Conducting: Eugene Ormandy

   Philadelphia Orchestra

 Symphony No 7

   1960   Movements 1 & 2

    Director: Lorin Maazel

    New York Philharmonic

 Symphony No 7

   1960   Movements 3 & 4

    Director: Lorin Maazel

    New York Philharmonic

 Symphony No 8

   1962   Director: Gerard Schwarz

   Seattle Symphony Orchestra

 Undertow

   1945   Ballet

 Violin Concerto

   1945   1947 Revised '54 '57–8

   Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

   Conducting: José Serebrier

   Violin: Philippe Quint




 
Birth of Classical Music: John Cage

John Cage

Source: WikiArt
Born on 5 Sep 1912 in Los Angeles, John Milton Cage Jr. had was a complicated and self-confessed anarchistic composer with a sense of timing that expanded or squeezed like an accordion. He had an inventor and journalist for a father who raised one of the most controversial of modern classical musicians who did nigh nothing in a conventional manner. It is yet to be determined if there is any music at all in his most famous piece, '4′33″'. Cage began piano lessons in the fourth grade. Matriculating into Pamona College in 1928 with intent to be a writer, he dropped out in 1930 to travel in Europe. He there experimented with composition using math equations which would lead to a fascination with aleatoric (chance) [1, 2] and indeterminate music [1, 2]. Heading back to California in 1931 (Santa Monica), Cage pursued art and music independently while composing his first titled compositions in 1932 consisting of 'Piano Etudes', 'Greek Ode' for voice and piano, and 'First Chapter of Ecclesiastes' ('The Preacher') for piano, the last perhaps unfinished. Cage headed to NYC in 1934 to study with Henry Cowell, Adolph Weiss and Arnold Schoenberg. On 7 June of 1935 he married artist, Xenia Andreyevna Kashevaroff, in the desert near Yuma, Arizona. They remained married for a decade, divorcing in 1945. It was about 1936 that he met composer, Lou Harrison, who introduced him to the Chinese oracular system known as the 'I Ching' or 'Book of Changes' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] which would later become a tool of composition. Sometime in 1938 he met his future lover and partner in theatre, dancer and choreographer, Merce Cunningham [1, 2]. He taught at Mills College in San Francisco before heading to Seattle to work with choreographer, Bonnie Bird, where he composed his electronic 'Imaginary Landscape No.1' for premiere at the Cornish School on 24 March 1939, that for piano, cymbal and two turntables w frequency recordings [1, 2, 3; audio; live performances: 1, 2]. Cage wrote five versions of 'Imaginary Landscape' to include instruments like electric buzzers, audio frequency oscillators, radios and tin cans. 'No.5' was completed in 1952 for magnetic tape and 42 phonograph recordings, the 'I Ching' employed in its composing such that the final piece varies depending on the performer [1, 2, 3; audio]. Cage's 'First Construction (in Metal)' arrived to the Cornish Theatre on 9 Dec '39 for six percussionists and one assistant using either conventional or nonconventional instruments (anvils, brake drums, et al) [1, 2]. That was his initial piece composed in "micro-macrocosmic" or "square root" form [*; audio; live performances: 1, 2]. Cage wrote four versions of 'Construction', reduced to three upon 'Fourth Construction' for five percussionists getting renamed to 'Imaginary Landscape No.2 (March No.1)' after its premiere in San Francisco on 7 May 1942 [1, 2; audio, live performance]. His 'Bacchanale' that premiered at the Cornish School on 28 April 1940 was his first prepared piano piece. A prepared piano is one with its strings manipulated to produce various sounds, such as by clamping, taping or placing weights on them [1, 2; interpretation by Giancarlo Simonacci or Margaret Lang Ten; live performance by Sarah Cahill]. Cage began teaching art at the Chicago School of Design (IIT Institute of Design) in 1941. He also worked at the University of Chicago in a musical capacity. In 1942 Cage and Xenia left for NYC where they lived with painter, Max Ernst, and art collector, Peggy Guggenheim. Cage was intended to supply the music for the opening of Guggenheim's gallery. But he had secured another commission at MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) so Guggenheim dropped him. Thus 'Amores' for one prepared piano and three percussionists was performed at the MoMA by Cage, Xenia and Cunningham on 7 February 1942 [1, 2; Ensemble Percussion Ricerca w piano by Carlo Rabeschin; New Jersey Percussion Ensemble w piano by CP Bolleia (live)]. Come 'The City Wears a Slouch Hat' for CBS radio first performed on 31 May 1942 on WBBM Radio in Chicago. That was incidental music for a play by beat poet, Kenneth Patchen [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; original broadcast directed by Les Mitchell; version directed by Charles Wood]. 'Credo in Us' w text by Cunningham premiered at Bennington College in Vermont on 1 August 1942 with choreography by Jane Erdman and Cunningham. That was the first of numerous collaborative productions between Cage as musician and Cunningham as choreographer and dancer [1, 2, 3; interpretation directed by Rainer Riehn; live performance by Third Coast Percussion]. Cunningham later changed the title of 'Credo in Us' to 'A Suburban Idyll' per his own catalogue. It had also been the summer of 1942 when Cage met artist, Marcel Duchamp [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8], who taught Cage to play chess. Thus arrived 'Chess Pieces' in 1943, a composition written in a painting of a chessboard [1, 2, 3, 4; audio of arrangement for accordion and harp]. Cage began teaching at Black Mountain College in Ashville, North Carolina, in 1948. His 'Sonatas and Interludes' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] for prepared piano there premiered on either 6 April of '48 [*] or 11 Jan 1949 [*]. Monoskop [Chronologies below] and Wikipedia have the work performed at Carnegie Hall in NYC on the 12th [interpretations by Boris Berman]. Later in '49 he acquired a grant from the Guggenheim Foundation to study with Pierre Boulez and Olivier Messiaen in Europe. Book I of 'Music of Changes' arrived to the University of Colorado Boulder on 5 July 1951 w David Tudor at piano. Tudor performed Books 1-4 on 1 January of '52 at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York. Cage had employed the 'I Ching' to compose 'Music of Changes' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; performance by David Tudor (dates given correspond to composing, not recording, dates at the JC Compendium and JC Page below)]. Cage's 'Sixteen Dances' arrived to Milbrook, New York, dedicated to Cunningham with choreography by the same. The juxtaposition of choreography to music was left to chance by Cage and Cunningham working separately with the exception of meeting at structural points [1, 2, 3; music by the Ars Ludi Percussion Ensemble w Gianluca Ruggeri; live performance by the Mills Performing Group w Steed Cowart]. On 29 August of 1952 Cage's '4'33"' premiered at the Maverick Concert Hall in Woodstock, New York, consisting of Tudor not performing at piano, ostensibly to reveal the music being played in the atmosphere to which no one listens at a concert (coughing and such). '4'33"' nigh ruined Cage's career w performances of it typically consisting of nothing but musicians sitting at their instruments [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; sample]. Ten years later on 24 October 1962 he performed his '0'00"' ('4'33" No.2') in Tokyo consisting of him writing the sentence, "In a situation provided with maximum amplification (no feedback), perform a disciplined action" [audio]. Cage launched his "happenings" of chance operations w 'Black Mountain Piece' (Cunningham's 'Theater Piece No.1') in August of 1952 at Black Mountain College in North Carolina consisting of him reciting, Cunningham dancing, Tudor at piano and Robert Rauschenberg (painter) spinning records while others played slides and films [1, 2, 3]. Happenings were theatrical events nigh entirely spontaneous and often involving the audience. Cage staged numerous happenings into the eighties including 'Sounds of Venice' in '59, for radio in the sixties and 'Il Treno' in Bologna in June of 1978 with "prepared train" describing its instrumentation. On 21 March 1953 Cage realized his 'Williams Mix' consisting of eight tapes played at once [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Wikipedia cites that as the first instance of octophonic sound. The considerable job of recording, splicing and gluing it all together required the assistance of Earle Brown. Cage produced five such mixes in all to as late as the 'Mozart Mix' in 1991 for which he also created a sound installation the same year. Touring Europe in 1954, Cage then taught at the New School in Greenwich Village from 1956 to 1961. He had issued 'Indeterminacy' in 1959, that consisting of him reading 90 stories [1, 2] at various speeds to the accompaniment of Tudor recording piano separately [1, 2, 3]. Cage had seen little material success throughout his early career. Not until the sixties did his scores start getting published, but when his name finally began to register it would be to huge fame. He commenced that path with a residency at Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 1960 to teach experimental music. He then published 'Silence' in 1961, a collection of lectures [1, 2]. He used star charts by Antonín Bečvář to compose 'Atlas Eclipticalis' for one to 86 performers first realized on 3 August 1961 in Montreal [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Barton Workshop]. A later composition via star chart was 'Etudes Australes' for piano consisting of 32 pices written in 1974-75 for pianist, Grete Sultan, who recorded Books 1 & 2 in August '78, Books 3 & 4 in latter 1982 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 'Etude No.1' by Grete Sultan]. Returning to the sixties, in 1965 he received a lifelong grant of living expenses from philanthropist, Betty Freeman. He published 'A Year From Monday' in 1967 [1, 2, 3]. Cage's 'Reunion' was a scoreless composition first performed via chessboard rigged for sound in a game between Cage and Duchamp (above) in Toronto on 5 March 1968 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. On 16 May 1969 Cage premiered 'HPSCHD' for up to seven harpsichords and 51 tapes, the latter now generated by computer [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; recording by Cage & Lejaren Hiller 1969]. His arrangement of Érik Satie's 1919 'Socrate' arrived to 'Cheap Imitation' for piano first performed w Cunningham dancing on 9 Jan 1970 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, that an indeterminate work composed via the 'I Ching' w conventional scoring [1, 2; recording by Cage 7 March 1976]. As Cage advanced into the seventies arthritis began to prevent him from performing, though that decade would see him producing the largest portion of his visual art. Another collection of writings appeared per 'M' in 1973 [1, 2]. Cage's first of several improvisations was 'Improvisation I' aka 'Child of Tree', premiering on 8 March 1975, an 'I Ching' chance operation using such as cacti for instruments [1, 2, 3; interpretations by Rosie Bergonzi, Peter Dayton]. 'Improvisation II' was 'Inlets' requiring conch shells filled w water, that performed in Seattle on 10 Sep 1977 w Cunningham dancing [live performance (instrumental)]. 'Branches' of '76 had been another 'I Ching' operation also designating cacti [1, 2, 3; interpretation by Robyn Schulkowsky at Royal Albert Hall 2012; live performance]. Another book, 'Empty Words', was published in 1979 [1, 2, 3] followed by 'X' in 1983 [1, 2]. Cage gave a recital of 'Empty Words' in 1991 in Miami [video excerpt]. Cage had spent 1977 to 1980 composing his first set of 'Freeman Etudes' for solo violin consisting of 'I-XVII' dedicated to his benefactress, Betty Freeman (above). They came with interesting instruction to play as many notes as fast as possible. The second set, 'Etudes XVIII-XXXII', were later composed in 1989-90. Those got arranged into Books 1 & 2 consisting of 'I-XVI' and Books 3 & 4 consisting of 'XVII-XXXII'. Books 1 & 2 saw their premiere in 1984 in Turin by Hungarian violinist, János Négyesy, who also premiered Books 3 & 4 in Ferrara in 1991 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Books 1 & 2 by Marco Fusi]. Cage was guy who took his time writing compositions that did the same. Not a sound engineer on Earth has the patience for 'ASLSP' ('As Slow and Soft as Possible') which is being performed at this very moment at St. Burchardi in Halberstadt, Germany. 'ASLSP' there began on a rest (note) on 5 September 2001 to strike its first note 17 months later on Feb 5 2003. It was Jan 1985 when Cage conceived the piece which now races toward the completion of its world premiere in the year 2640 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; notes as of 21 October 2012 and 5 October 2013]. 'Voiceless Essay' [*; excerpt] was premiered on 21 Nov 1986 in San Francisco consisting of eighteen computer-generated mesostics from Henry David Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience' of 1849. 'Voiceless Essay' was written for Cage's sound installation of 1987 in Kassel, Germany, titled 'Writings through the Essay: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience' [1, 2]. 'Essay' finished in 1988 consisted of 18 superimposed computer-generated mesostics read by Cage from Érik Satie's only liturgical work of c 1894, 'Messe des Pauvres' ('Mass for the Poor'). Cage's 'One' for piano solo was first performed on 27 Feb 1988, that consisting of ten chord systems selected by the performer by chance [piano by Marino Formenti w score]. Though Wikipedia includes that as his first Number Piece, Pritchett and the JC Trust both commence those with 'Two' [interpretation by Eberhard Blum (flute) w Marianne Schroeder (piano) *]. Cage's Number Pieces [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] were so titled according to the number of performers roughly required. 'Two' required one flautist and one pianist. 'One²' ('One 2') is the second work requiring one performer alike 'Two²' ('Two 2') is the second work requiring two performers. 'One³' ('One 3') is the third work requiring one performer alike 'Two³' ('Two 3') is two performers, third work. Later titles included such as 'Five' arriving in 1988 for five voices or instruments [instrumental, vocal, live performance]. '1O1' (w a letter: not 101) for orchestra was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra on 7 April 1989 [1, 2; interpretation by the BBC Scottish S O at Royal Albert Hall 2012 *]. 'One⁸' ('One 8') was completed for violoncello solo in April 1991 toward premiere in Stuttgart on 20 November 1991 [1, 2; interpretations by Michael Bach or Julius Berger]. He had written 'Five³' ('Five 3') in October of '91 for trombone and string quartet. We need back up a little for Cage's Europeras [1, 2], 1 & 2 of which premiered in Frankfurt on 12 December 1987. 'Europeras 3 & 4' premiered on 17 June 1990 at the Almeida Festival in London [1, 2]. Come the final, 'Europera 5', to Slee Hall at the State University of New York in Buffalo on 12 April 1991 [1, 2; live performance Rustbelt Salon]. On 19 Sep 1992 '103' for orchestra premiered in Cologne w 'One¹¹' ('One 11') for camera solo which together comprise the film titled 'One¹¹ and 103' [1, 2, 3]. Cage's final compositions were several Number Pieces in 1992, most of unknown date, though Solomon [Comps below] lists 'One¹³' ('One 13') for 1 live cello and 3 recorded cellos as late as July-August that year left unfinished. Cage died in Manhattan on 12 August 1992. References: Wikipedia. Chronologies: JC Compendium by Paul van Emmerik: 1912-1971, 1972-1992; JC in Italy 1949-1992; Monoskop. Compositions: alphabetical: All Music, JC Compendium, JC Trust, Larry Solomon; chronological: the JC Page, James Pritchett, Larry Solomon, Japanese, Spanish; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4; Happenings (Espanol); Number Pieces: English, Spanish; prepared piano: English, Spanish. Authorship: 1, 2, 3; "Autobiographical Statement" (1990): 1, 2; books; correspondence; 'Indeterminacy'. Art: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Performances: w Cunningham. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Film: 1, 2, 3, 4. Videos: 1, 2, 3. Documentaries: 'Journeys in Sound' by Allan Miller & Paul Smaczny (2012). Interviews w Cage: Paul Cummings 1974, 1987; Brave New Waves 1989; various: 1, 2; Interviews w others: David Platzker (Curator MoMA) 2014. Iconography. Further reading by source: Bob Becker; 'Listening to Cage: Nonintentional Philosophy and Music' by Richard Fleming: 1, 2; Russell Hartenberger; 'The Cambridge Companion to John Cage' ed. by David Nicholls; James Pritchett: choral music; letter to 'Music Report'; 'Opening the door into Emptiness'; silent pieces; taping music from without; Alex Ross: 'The John Cage Century', 'Searching for Silence'; Silence listserv; Sterneck; Christian Wolff. Further reading by topic: chance music and; chess and; computer programs employed; Europeras; 'I Ching' and: 1, 2; indeterminacy and: 1, 2; 'Lascia o Raddoppia?' game show 1959: 1, 2, 3; New School Experimental Composition course; prepared piano and: 1, 2, 3, 4; radio and; Robert Rauschenberg and; 'Song Books' (1970); “The ten thousand things” (1953-1956): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; time brackets: 1, 2, 3, 4. Further reading various: 1, 2. See also: the John Cage Festival; the John Cage Trust; 'The Aesthetics of Silence' (Lichtensteiger). Books/ documents/ scores: France; Germany; United States: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: Northwestern Libraries; UC Santa Cruz. Bibliography: 1, 2; JC Compendium: 1, 2, 3, 4; 'The Amores of John Cage' by Thomas DeLio (Pendragon Press 2009): review by Paul Cox: 1, 2; 'Indeterminate Music and Probability Spaces: The Case of John Cage’s Number Pieces' by Alexandre Popoff; 'The Music of John Cage' by James Pritchett (Cambridge U Press 1996): 1, 2. Databases: DBPedia. Other profiles: Dutch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11; Francais: 1, 2, 3; Japanese; Norwegian; Russian; Serbo-Croatian; Spanish.

John Cage

 Atlas Eclipticalis

   1961-62

   Star chart piece for 86 instruments


   Westminster Chamber Orchestra

   Brandon Derfler

 A Book of Music

   1944   For two prepared pianos

   Josef Christof & Steffen Schleiermacher

 Amores

   1943   For percussion & prepared piano

   Ensemble Percussion Ricerca

   Eddy De Fanti

   Prepared piano: Carlo Rabeschin

 Bird Cage

   'I Ching' chance tape music for 12 tapes

   Recorded 1972

 Branches

   1976   'I Ching' chance piece

   For performance with branches

  Robyn Schulkowsky

 Child of Tree

   1975   'I Ching' chance piece

   For perfomance with plants

   Greg Beyer

 Europera 5

   1991   Opera

   Piano: Amaral Vieira

   Sopran: Catherine Gayer

 Inlets

   1977

   For conch shells, fire and 4 performers


   Simone Beneventi

 Music for Amplified Toy Pianos

   1960   For toy pianos

   Pascal Meyer & Xenia Pestova

 Roaratorio

   
1979   Tape music

 Seven2

   1990

   Number piece for seven performers


   Ives Ensemble

 Sixteen Dances

   1950-51   Chance pieces

   Mills Performing Group

   Steed Cowart

 Sixty-Eight

   1992   For orchestra

   Radio Sinfonie Orchester Frankfurt

   Lucas Vis

 String Quartet in Four Parts

   1949–50   LaSalle Quartet

 Water Walk

   1960   Object music

   Television performance: 'I've Got A Secret'




Birth of Classical Music: Painting by John Cage

Variations III 14   1992

Painting by John Cage

Source: Wikipedia
  Born in Warsaw on 17 Feb 1913, René Leibowitz is among the more obscure composers in this history. He studied beneath Maurice Ravel, as well as Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone system with Erich Itor Kahn and Anton Webern. Leibowitz made his conducting debut in 1937 with the Chamber Orchestra of the French Radio in Europe, then in America. His Opus 1 was assigned to 'Piano Sonata' of 1939, Opus 2 to '10 Canons' for wind trio the same year. Come 'String Quartet No.1' Op 3 in 1940, his 'Symphony' Op 4 in 1941. 'Double Concerto' for violin, piano and 17 Instruments Op 5 arrived in 1942. His 1947 book first published in Paris, 'Schoenberg et son école', was among the earliest treatises addressing Schoenberg's twelve-tone serialism, a term Leibowitz helped to coin [serialism: 1, 2, 3; YouTube]. Leibowitz recorded a number of works as a conductor as early as a version of Bizet's opera, 'Les Pêcheurs de Perles', in 1951 [1, 2, 3]. Another of multiple operas was Gluck's earlier 'Alceste' w a date of 1951-52 [1, 2, 3]. He conducted Schoenberg's's 'Gurre-Lieder' in 1953 found on VOX VBX 204 in 1962. His 'Violin Concerto' of 1959 was Op 50. Leibowitz' best-known composition in contemporary times is for its title, 'Marijuana' ('Variations non sérieuses') for violin, trombone, vibraphone and piano Op 54 in 1960 [interpretation by the Ensemble Aisthesis directed by Walter Nussbaum]. That sounds like twelve-tone technique was used, though I've not been able to discover just how that was written. Lending (another) example of twelve-tone serial composing is 'Motifs' Op 74 of 1967 for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano [interpretation by the Ensemble Aisthesis directed by Walter Nussbaum]. Leibowitz' final Opus was 'String Quartet No.9' Op 93 of 1972 before dying on 29 August 1972 in Paris, half a year shy of only sixty years of age. Among his students in twelve-tone had been Pierre Boulez. References: 1, 2. Compositions. alphabetical, chronological, by genre, by Opus. Authorship. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 'Musique de Chambre | Concerto pour Violon' by various. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Musique de Chambre | Concerto pour Violon' by various. Further reading: 'Motifs' (serial work). Books/ documents/ scores: France, USA, international: VIAF, Worldcat. Bibliography: review of 'Schoenberg et son école' by Milton Babbitt. Other profiles: English; Japanese; Russian; Spanish.

René Leibowitz

 Sonate pour flûte et piano

   1944   Op 12a

   Flauto: Severino Gazzelloni

   Piano: Else Stock

 Tre Intermezzi per pianoforte

   
1970   Op 87

   Piano: J Marc Reichow

 Variations non sérieuses

   
1960   Op 54   'Marijuana'

   Ensemble Aisthesis

   Walter Nußbaum

 Motifs

   
1966-67

   Ensemble Aisthesis

   Walter Nußbau

   Narration: Jean-Michel Fournereau



Birth of Classical Music: Rene Leibowitz

Rene Leibowitz

Source: Bach Cantatas
Birth of Classical Music: Tikhon Khrennikov

Tikhon Khrennikov

Source: Mariinsky Theatre
Born on 10 June 1913 in Yelets, Russia, to a family of horse traders, Tikhon Nikolayevich Khrennikov took up guitar and mandolin as a child, also singing in a choir. He played in an orchestra, then studied piano, he to become a concert pianist notable at the keys. The Khrennikov Project traces 'Three Waltzes' for piano to as early as 1925 consisting of 'Remembrance', 'Dreams' and 'Fantasy'. Khrennikov enrolled at the Gnessin State Musical College in 1929, the year he set 'Lullaby' to text by Mikhail Lermontov (1814-41). He was being recognized as a potentially leading composer, especially Soviet composer, when he was yet writing works without opus in 1931 including 'String Quartet', 'Concert' for piano and orchestra, a romance titled 'Old Husband, Formidable Husband' to text by Pushkin, and 'October Anxiety' for voice and piano to text by Utkin. Khrennikov entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1932, the year of 'Sonata' for violin and cello. His Opus 1 was 'Piano Concerto No.1' in F major [piano by Khrennikov w the USSR State Orchestra conducted by Yevgueni Svetlanov on an unidentified date estimated in the sixties or seventies per my guess that this was issued on Kapelmeister KAP 009 among other releases; see also 1, 2]. Khrennikov's graduation piece for the Conservatory was his 'Symphony No.1' Op 4 completed in 1935 [recording by the USSR State Orchestra conducted by Yevgueni Svetlanov presumably corresponding to Kapelmeister KAP 008 recorded sometime in the seventies]. Khrennikov was a highly political composer, his a sweet antifascist and anti-Zionist marriage with the Stalin regime, necessarily conservative per anti-modernist formalism which held that the merit of a work was a matter its form. Khrennikov's career much consisted of policing the avant-garde in Soviet music. His big burst to renown was upon winning the Stalin Prize in 1941 for music to the film, 'Свинарка и пастух' ['Swineherd and Shepherd': 1, 2 titled 'They Met in Moscow' in America 1, 2; film: 1, 2]. As a result he became musical director at the Central Theatre of the Red Army that year, a position he held for the next quarter of a century. 'Symphony No.2' in C minor Op 9 was premiered in Moscow on 10 January 1943 by the Symphony Orchestra of the Soviet Radio conducted by Nikolai Golovanov [USSR State Academic Orchestra conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov; see also Kapelmeister KAP 008)]. His score for the film, 'At 6 P.M. After the War' was heard at theaters in 1944, titled 'Six P.M.' in America. He both joined the Communist Party and became a deputy of the Supreme Soviet in 1947. The following year he was appointed Secretary of the Union of Soviet Composers by Stalin. During the fifties Khrennikov became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. 'Violin Concerto No.1' in C major Op 14 saw its performance on 21 October 1959 in Moscow by violinist, Leonid Kogan, backed by the Grand Symphony Orchestra of the Soviet Radio and TV conducted by Kirill Kondrashin [violin by Vadim Repin backed by the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev in 1988; see also Relief CR 991058: 1, 2]. Khrennikov became a representative in the Supreme Soviet in 1962. He first performed his 'Piano Concerto No.2' in C major Op 21 a decade later on 8 February 1972 in Moscow backed by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Soviet Union conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov [recording by Khrennikov (see also Kapelmeister KAP 009: 1, 2); live performance by Khrennikov backed by the Moscow P O led by Dmitri Kitayenko 1981; piano by Evgeny Kissin 1988 (see also Relief CR 991058)]. Come his 'Symphony No.3 in A major Op 22 on 11 March 1974 to Moscow by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Soviet Union conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov [recording by Khrennikov backed by the Tckaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev; see also Kapelmeister KAP 008)]. His ballet, 'Napoleon Bonaparte' Op 40, was first performed on 3 October 1995 at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses in Moscow w direction by Andrei Petrov and conducting by Pavel Ovsyannikov. Though not his final work, Khrennikov's last Opus is 42 per 'Six Pieces' for piano for children. A version of 'At 6 P.M. After the War' for stage appeared on 9 May 2003 at the State Musical Theatre in Omsk directed by Viktor Ryabov. A waltz titled 'Tatyana’s Day' was performed on 23 Jan 2005 by the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sergei Politikov for the 250th anniversary of Lomonosov Moscow State University. Khrennikov died on 14 August 2007 yet a firm Stalinist [obit]. References: All Music, Wikipedia. Chronology. Compositions: chronological: 1, 2; by genre: 1, 2; by Opus (Francais); stage works. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3. Discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Film: Czech, English. Iconography. Further reading: awards: 1, 2; concerti; criticism; interviews: 1993, 1998; Soviet Union and: 1, 2. See also: the Khrennikov Foundation, the Khrennikov Museum. Books/ documents/ scores: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Bibliography. Databases: DBPeida. Other profiles: English: 1, 2.; русский: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Spanish.

Tikhon Khrennikov

 Love for Love   [Part 1]

   1976   Ballet

   Direction: Pavel Sorokin

 Love for Love   [Part 2]

   1976   Ballet

   Direction: Pavel Sorokin

 Symphony 2   [Part 1]

   1942   Allegro con fuoco

   Direction: Evgueni Svetlanov

 Symphony 2   [Part 2]

   1942   Allegro con fuoco

   Direction: Evgueni Svetlanov

 Symphony 2   [Part 3]

   1942

   Allegro molto   Allegro marchialo


   Direction: Evgueni Svetlanov

 Symphony 3   [Part 1]

   1974   Fugue   Intermezzo

 Symphony 3   [Part 2]

   1974   Finale

   Direction: Evgueni Svetlanov

 Violin Concerto 1

   1959

   Direction: Evgeny Svetlanov ?


   Violin: Vadim Repin

 Violin Concerto 2

   1975

   Direction: Vladimir Fedoseyev

   Violin: Maxim Vengerov



 
  Born on 22 Nov 1913 in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on the east coast of England, Benjamin Britten was a pianist who was less a performer than composer of tonal and dissonant works, also employing twelve-tone technique. Composing as a child, his 'Do you no my daddy has gone to London today' (sic) for 3 voices and piano is documented as early as 1919 w a string of titles following the next year [*]. That commences the Britten Thematic Catalogue (Comps below) as BTC 1. His early education during the twenties included composition beneath violinist, Frank Bridge, in 1926. He enrolled at the Royal College of Music in London in 1930 where he composed the first of numerous concertantes, his unfinished 'Rondo Concertante' for piano and strings, in October that year [interpretation by the Northern Sinfonia of England Orchestra w Thomas Zehetmair]. Britten's Opus 1, 'Sinfonietta' for five winds and five strings, followed in 1932 [interpretation by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra; live performances: 1, 2]. His 'Phantasy Quartet' Op 2 for oboe and strings was premiered by BBC Radio on 6 August 1933 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; oboe by Rachel Bulllen (live); Erin Hannigan (live); Gernot Schmalfuß (w score); various]. Op 3 is 'A Boy Was Born' for mixed chorus which premiered on BBC Radio on 23 February 1934 [1, 2, 3; recording conducted by Britten date unidentified]. In 1935 he wrote the score for the documentary film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, 'The King's Stamp', commissioned by the GPO (General Post Office) to commemorate the issue of a postage stamp [1, 2; audio: 1, 2, 3]. The year of 1937 was major for Britten in that his mother died that year, and he met his lifelong musical and personal partner in tenor, Peter Pears [1, 2]. 'Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge' Op 10 was also composed in 1937, the work that launched his career [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Slovak Chamber Orchestra w Bohdan Warchal; live performances by the Camerata Bern w Antje Weithaas & IMusici de Montréal w Maxim Rysanov]. Much of Britten's fame was for his operas although his first, 'Paul Bunyan' Op 17, an operetta that premiered at the Salzburg Festival [1, 2] on 27 August of '37, went flat. Revised in 1976, 'Paul Bunyan' saw Britten using American folk songs, jazz and hymns to a libretto by W.H. Auden [1, 2, 3; live performance]. Part of the cause of his first arriving to Canada, then New York, in 1939 w Pears was his pacifism as Great Britain prepared for war against Germany (WW II). His return to Great Britain in 1942 came with exemption as a pacifist from military service. Britten first recorded for Decca on 26 May 1943 w sopran, Sophie Wyss, singing such as 'La belle est au jardin d'amour' and 'Quand j'étais chez mon père' [*], all of which appear on 'Complete Folk Song Arrangements'. Britten's opera, 'Peter Grimes' Op 33, was a considerable success. Composed at his home in Snape, Suffolk, it premiered on 7 June 1945 in London w libretto by Montagu Slater borrowing from the poem in George Crabbe's 'The Borough Sadler's Wells' [1, 2; audio; live performance]. Britten gave recitals after the War ended that year to concentration camp survivors. In 1948 he and Pears moved from Snape to Aldeburgh where they launched the Aldeburgh Festival [1, 2; audio]. Those were  held at old unused malting buildings (from grain for beer) to become the venue known as Snape Maltings. Another of his highly regarded operas is 'The Turn of the Screw' Op 54 first performed on 14 September 1954 at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice w libretto by Myfanwy Piper after the 1898 novella by Henry James [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra w Daniel Harding]. Come 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' Op 64 to Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh on 11 June 1960 with text by himself and Pears a la Shakespeare [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; arias; libretto; live performance]. Britten's 'War Requiem' Op 66 may be his most significant work, that a setting to the liturgical Requiem Mass commissioned for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral [1, 2] rebuilt after the 14th-century original was destroyed by bombing during WW II. 'War Requiem' was premiered on 30 May 1962 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; analyses; audio; live performances: 1, 2; text]. Britten's 'Owen Wingrave' Op 85 was an opera composed for television. With libretto again by Piper after another story by James, It premiered at Snape Maltings in November 1970 for broadcast by BBC2 on 16 May 1971 w narration by Pears also in the role of General Sir Philip Wingrave [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the Deutsches Symphony Orchestra Berlin directed by Kent Nagano]. Britten's final opera was 'Death in Venice' Op 88 w another libretto by Piper, this time from Thomas Mann. That was first performed at Snape Maltings on 16 June 1973 [1, 2, 3, 4; live performance w the English National Opera C & O conducted by Edward Gardner]. Britten's last work for solo voice and orchestra was the cantata, 'Phaedra' Op 93, performed by the mezzosoprano for whom it was written, Janet Baker, at the Aldeburgh Festival on 16 June 1976. That was with text from Racine's 'Phèdre' of 1677 [1, 2; Janet Baker w the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Steuart Bedford on 31 March 1977; interpretations by Ruby Hughes & Ann Murray]. Op 94 was 'String Quartet No.3' in G major performed at Snape Maltings on 19 Dec 1976 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Britten Quartet, Maggini Quartet; live performance by the Ives Quartet]. Britten's final Op 95 was also his last completed, his 'Welcome Ode' for young voices and orchestra written for Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee visit to Ipswich on 11 July 1977 which he didn't live to witness [audio; live performances: 1, 2]. Britten died of congestive heart failure on 4 December 1976. He'd left his cantata, 'Praise We Great Men' BTC 1184 for SATB w orchestration by Colin Matthews, unfinished. The work eventually got premiered in 1985 at Snape Maltings by the Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich for whom it had been written [*]. Britten had been offered internment at Westminster Abbey, but preferred to be buried next to Pears who followed Britten to the grave in 1986. References: Wikipedia. Timeline. Compositions: alphabetical: 1, 2; BTC: 1, 2; chronological: 1, 2; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, French, Japanese; by Opus: Japanese; cantatas, operas, songs. Song texts: 1, 2, Christmas (Russian). Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, podcasts, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 'The Turn of the Screw'; select: 'Benjamin Britten' by the New Stockholm Chamber Orchestra w Péter Csaba; 'Britten' by the English Chamber Orchestra w Steuart Bedford, notes; 'Britten by the Corydon Singers w Matthew Best. IMDb (film). Further reading: assessment by Roy Brewer; film and: 1, 2 (video); Frank Bridge and: 1, 2; opera; Peter Pears and: 1, 2; post-Britten; traveling; trivia. See also the Benjamin Britten Foundation (alt). Iconography. Books/ documents/ scores: Europe: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; North America: 1, 2, 3; international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: The Red House (UK). Bibliography: 1, 2; 'On Behalf of Gustav Mahler' by Britten. Databases: DBPedia. Other profiles: Deutsch; English: encyclopedic: 1, 2; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; universities: 1, 2; Espanol; Francais: 1, 2; Japanese; Norwegian; Russian: 1, 2, 3; Swedish.

Benjamin Britten

  Ballad of Heroes

    1939   Op 14   3 movements

    London SO & C/Richard Hickox

 A Boy Was Born

    1933   Revised 1955   Op 3

    English Opera Group

    Purcell Singers

    Choristers of All Saints

    Margaret Street

 Cantata misericordium

    1963

    Orchester Camerata Musica Luzern

 The Company of Heaven

    1937

    Central City Chorus

    Adelphi Chamber Orchestra

    Phillip Cheah

 Death in Venice

    1973   Op 88   Opera for film

    Robert Gard

 The Prince of the Pagodas

    1956   Ballet   Op 57

    London Sinfonietta

    Oliver Knussen

  Violin Concerto

    1939 Revised   1958

    Op 15   Concertante


    Orchestre de Paris

    Paavo Järvi

    Janine Jansen

 War Requiem

    1961-62   Op 66

    The Bach Choir

    Highgate School Choir

    London SO Chorus

    Melos Ensemble

    London Symphony Orchestra

    Sopran: Galina Vishnevskaya




Birth of Classical Music: Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten

Source: Britannica
Birth of Classical Music: Rene Leibowitz

George Perle

Source: George Perle
Born  on 6 May 1915 in Bayonne, New Jersey, George Perle studied at DePaul University in Chicago where he studied with Wesley LaViolette while acquiring private instruction from Ernst Krenek. Though Perle wrote 'Pantomime, Interlude and Fugue' for piano in Sep and October of '37, it apparently didn't see a performance until 27 Feb 1982 in New York by Shirley Rhoads [*; piano by Michael Brown]. He spent time in the Army during World War II before graduating from New York University with a doctorate in 1956. Perle was hired onto the faculty of Queens College in NYC in 1961 where he would remain above twenty years. His main claim to fame was his development of twelve-tone tonality, similar to, though more liberal than, Schoenberg's dodecaphonic system that replaced the major and minor keys of seven notes each with a twelve-note chromatic scale to better accommodate atonality. Being a twelve-tone composer wasn't the quickest path to popularity as a musician, Perle's music surviving obscurely to contemporary times also due to the considerable work he made for himself as a musicologist. Since Perle's career was heavily weighted in theory this column follows his several books. The George Perle Website dates his first as of 1962, 'Serial Composition and Atonality: an Introduction to the Music of Schoenberg, Berg and Webern', concerning which Google books lists an edition published by the U of California Press in 1963 [or see Sixth Edition pages 1-9 1991]. It was 1969 when Perle's student, Paul Lansky [1, 2], began to assist Perle on an expansion of twelve-tone theory that Perle worked into 'Twelve-Tone Tonality' in 1977. 'The Operas of Alban Berg' was issued in two volumes per 'Vol 1' concerning 'Wozzeck' in 1980 and 'Vol 2' addressing 'Lulu' in 1985. Having retired from Queens College in 1984, his 'Wind Quintet No.4' saw premiere at Merkin Concert Hall on 2 October 1985 by the Dorian Wind Quintet who had commissioned it [Dorian Wind Quintet 1998]. Perle won an '86 Pulitzer for that, also acquiring a MacArthur Fellowship. He became composer-in-residence for the San Francisco Symphony in 1989 for a few years, his next book arriving in 1990 titled 'The Listening Composer'. Come 'The Right Notes: 23 Selected Essays on 20th-Century Music' in 1995 by Pendragon Press. His final book, 'Style and Idea in the Lyric Suite of Alban Berg', also saw publishing by Pendragon Press in 1995 [Edition 2001]. Perle also finished 'Six Celebratory Inventions' in 1995 toward their premiere on 17 Jan 1997 in Boston by Russell Sherman [Michael Brown at piano: audio, live]. Moving into the new millennium, Perle wrote Triptych' for solo violin and piano in 2002 [interpretation by Francesca Anderegg (violin) w Brent Funderburk (piano)]. Come 'Bassoon Music' in 2004 [solo bassoon by Etienne Boudreault or Matthew Nickel]. Perle died in New York City on 23 January 2009 [obits: LA Times, NPR]. References: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; by genre: 1, 2, 3. Authorship: 1, 2; publishers. Song texts: 1, 2 (Menu: Songs). Audio: 1, 2, 3. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Complete Quintets' by the Dorian Wind Quintet, notes; 'Piano Works' by Michael Boriskin, notes; 'A Retrospective' by various. Interviews: David Dubal for WNCN-FM 1983, Bruce Duffie 1986. Further reading by source: Leon Botstein, George Sturm. Further reading by topic: Paul Lansky and; twelve-tone and. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada; France; USA: 1, 2; international: VIAF, Worldcat. Bibliography: reviews of books by Perle: Jonathan Dunsby, Dave Headlam. Other profiles: Dutch; English; Francais; Russian; Spanish.

George Perle

  Classic Suite

    1938   Piano: Michael Brown

  Molto Adagio

    
1938   Daedalus Quartet

    London SO & C/Richard Hickox

  Short Sonata

    1964   Piano: Michael Boriskin

  Six New Etudes

    1984   Piano: Michael Boriskin

  Suite in C

   
1970   Piano: Michael Boriskin

  Transcendental Modulations

    
1993

    
The American SO w Leon Botstein

  Toccata

    1969   Piano: Michael Brown

  Triptych

    2002   Piano: Brent Funderburk

    Violin: Francesca Anderegg




 
Birth of Classical Music: Humphrey Searle

Humphrey Searle

Photo: Don Smith/BBC

Source: Music Web
Born on 25 August 1915 in Oxford, Humphrey Searle was another musician who never sold a gold record because he was largely a serial composer [twelve-tone serialism: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. He received instruction at the Royal College of Music in London in 1937, then the New Vienna Conservatory in 1937 to '38 while also studying with Anton Webern. Searle's Op 1 was assigned to 'Suite No.1' for orchestra written in 1941-42. Op 2 was 'Night Music' for orchestra as of 1943 [interpretation by the BBC Symphony Orchestra w Adrian Boult]. Op 3 is  'Vigil' for piano of 1944. From 1946 to 1948 Searle worked as a producer for the BBC promoting the twelve-tone chromatic scale of Schoenberg's serialism, helping to coin the term. Best-known for his symphonies, his 'No.1' Op 23 was composed in 1952-53 [interpretation by the BBC S O w Adrian Boult or the BBC Scottish S O w Alun Francis]. Searle's book, 'Twentieth Century Counterpoint', saw publishing by Williams and Norgate in 1954 along w 'The Music of Liszt' [Edition 2012]. 'Ballet Music' was published by Cassell in 1958, the year 'Symphony No.2' Op 33 was premiered on 18 Oct by the Royal Liverpool P O conducted by John Pritchard. Come 'Symphony No.3' Op 33 to Usher Hall in Edinburgh in Sep 1960 performed by the Royal Liverpool P O conducted by Pritchard [interpretation by the Royal P O w Sandor Salgo]. Searle conducted 'Symphony No.4' Op 38 at Town Hall in Birmingham on 8 November 1962 leading the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for which it was commissioned by the John Feeney Trust [recording; interpretation by the BBC Scottish S O led by Alun Francis: 1/2, 2/2]. 'Symphony No.5' Op 43 dedicated to Webern arrived to Free Trade Hall in Manchester on 7 October 1964 w Lawrence Leonard conducting the Hallé Orchestra, that Searle's last numbered symphony. Searle's fourth book, 'Twentieth Century Composers: Britain, Scandinavia and the Netherlands' saw publishing in 1972. A solitary work for guitar called 'Five' arrived in 1974. He began writing his 'Memoirs' in 1976 to their conclusion in 1982. 'Three Ages' Op 77 for orchestra was written in 1982 toward premiere by the Royal College of Music Sinfonia conducted by Christopher Adey [recording]. Searle divided the three ages of the last century of music as 1883-1914, 1914 to 1945 (such as jazz comes to bear in classical music) and 1945 to 1982. Searle's final Opus, 78, was assigned to 'Paraphrase on Themes of Liszt' for two pianists thought incomplete at the time of his death in London on 17 May 1982. In addition to orchestral works Searle had composed for chamber, chorus, voice and stage (operas, ballets). References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: chronological; by genre; by Opus w WoO: 1, 2 (scroll). Authorship (unmentioned): on the symphony. Audio: 1, 2, 3. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3; select: Symphonies 1-5. IMDb (film). Further reading: interview w Martin Kingsbury 1968; Amelie Roper. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada; Europe: 1, 2; international: VIAF, Worldcat; USA. Other profiles: English: Rob Clements; Faber Music; French: Wikipedia.

Humphrey Searle

  Symphony 1

    1953   Op 23

    London Philharmonic Orchestra

    Adrian Boult

 Symphony 2

    1956-58   Op 33


    BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

    Alun Francis

 Symphony 3

    1960   Op 36

    BBC Symphony Orchestra

    John Pritchard

 Symphony 4

    1962   Op 38

    City of Birmingham S O

    Humphrey Searle

 Symphony 5

    1964   Op 43


    Halle Orchestra

    Lawrence Leonard

 Three Ages

    1982   Op 77

    Royal College of Music Sinfonia

    Christopher Adey

 Woodland Harvest

    1977   Film score



 
  Born on 10 May 1916 in Philadelphia, Milton Babbitt was a serial composer who made his name producing electronic music. The author(s) at Wikipedia demarcates his career into three periods, the second from 1961 to 1979 being electronic. Though dates closely correspond, drumtch at Music 7703 places Babbitt's second period from '64 to 1980 according to the kind of arrays employed in his dodecaphonic technique. [Compare Wikipedia French & Italian]. The twelve-tone array is variously referred to as a magic square or simply a matrix containing tone rows [1, 2, 3; video instruction: 1, 2]. Babbitt had intended to study math alone before he switched from the University of Pennsylvania to New York University in 1931 to add music to his curriculum. His first composition, 'Generatrix' for orchestra of 1935, was left unfinished. He composed 'String Trio' from '39 to '41, leaving his 'Composition for String Orchestra' of 1940 incomplete as well as his 'Symphony' of 1941. 'Music for Mass' I and II arrived in '41 and '42. Graduating in 1942 with a degree in fine arts, he first worked in math research in Washington DC, then taught math at Princeton from '43' to '45'. Babbitt composed the musical, 'Fabulous Voyage', in 1946 followed by 'Three Theatrical Songs' the same year. Come 'Three Compositions for Piano' in 1947 [piano by Robert Taub]. In 1948 he joined Princeton's music department, the same year of his 'Composition for Twelve Instruments' [1, 2; ensembles led by Gil Rose & Ralph Shapey; score]. The only film score Babbitt wrote was for 'Into the Good Ground' of 1949 which he withdrew, not liking it. Babbitt wrote 'All Set' in 1957 for jazz ensemble, that commissioned for the Brandeis University Creative Arts Festival [1, 2; interpretation by the BMOP (Boston Modern Orchestra Project) led by Gil Rose; live performance by the NEC Wind Ensemble led by Charles Peltz]. That was a twelve-tone work of complicated arrays presaging his later periods. Babbitt's electronic period began with 'Composition for Synthesizer' in 1961 [Babbitt at synthesizer 1964]. Of the ten electronic works listed at Pytheas, a few were for synthesizer w voice live and taped like the serial 'Philomel' [1, 2, 3; soprano by Tony Arnold (live); array (matrix): Example 1c: 1, 2]. Babbitt became a member of the faculty at Juilliard in 1973. His last electronic work arrived in 1979 called 'Images' for saxophone and synthesized tape, returning to acoustic instruments the same year with 'Paraphrases' for ten instruments. He was recipient of a Pulitzer Special Award in 1982 for life work. His 'Manifold Music' for organ appeared in 1995 [organ by Gregory D'Agostino ]. Pytheas traces him to as late as 'An Encore' for violin and piano in 2006. His death followed several years later on January 29, 2011 [obits: 1, 2, 3]. References: 1, 2. Compositions: chronological: MWP, Pytheas, Japanese, Spanish; by genre: Edition Peters, Musicalics, Pytheas. Authorship: 'The Collected Essays of Milton Babbitt' ed. by Stephen Peles (Princeton U Press 2003) *; 'Who Cares if You Listen?' ('High Fidelity' Feb 1958): English, Russian, review by Christopher Palestrant; 'Words about Music' (U of Wisconsin Press 1987). Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 'Babbitt’s Beguiling Surfaces' by Joshua Mailman (Columbia University). Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'Milton Babbitt' by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project w Gil Rose (BMOP 1034), review; 'Philomel' by Juliet Fraser. Documentaries: 'Portrait of a Serial Composer' by Hilferty & Karpman 2011. Interviews: Bruce Duffie 1987; Juilliard School of Music 2001; James Romig Dickinson 2002; Fred Child for NPR 2006; Gabrielle Zuckerman (date unknown): 1, 2. Further reading by source: Amanda Cook, Jacob Threadgill; Further reading by topic: works for guitar; serialism and. Books/ documents/ scores: Canada, Europe, USA, international: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: LOC. Bibliography: 'An Introduction to the Music of Milton Babbitt' by Andrew Mead (Princeton U Press 1994): reviews by Lawrence Fritts, Richard Kurth. Databases: BNF. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4; Finnish; French; Russian; Spanish.

Milton Babbitt

  Arie da capo

    1974

    Group for Contemporary Music

    Harvey Sollberger

  Canonical Form

   
1983   Piano: Robert Taub

  Clarinet Quintet

   
1996   Phoenix Ensemble

  Composition for Synthesizer

   
1961

    Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center

  Concerto for Piano & Orchestra

    1987

    American Composers Orchestra

    Charles Wuorinen

    Piano: Alan Feinberg

  Ensembles for Synthesizer

    1964

    Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center

  Four Play

    1984

   
Composers Ensemble w Paul Zukofsky

  Lagniappe

    1985 Piano: Robert Taub

  None But the Lonely

    1991   Flute: Rachel Rudich

  Septet But Equal

    1992

   
Composers Ensemble w Paul Zukofsky

  Tableaux

    1973   Piano: Robert Taub




Birth of Classical Music: Milton Babbitt

Milton Babbitt

Source: Princeton University
Birth of Classical Music: Bernd Zimmerman

Bernd Zimmermann

Source: Biografias y Vidas
Born on 20 March 1918 in Bliesheim, Rhine Province of Germany, Bernd Alois Zimmermann was the son of a farmer and railway worker. As an avant-garde composer who developed a "spherical" approach to time  his career can be demarcated into three periods being pre-serial, serial (including pluralistic method) and post-serial. Both a complicated composer and among the most difficult to perform, pluralistic can also refer to Zimmermann's use of multiple forms or techniques within a composition. Raised a Catholic, he matriculated into the University for Music in Cologne in 1938. Drafted into the Wehrmacht (Army) in 1938, he served a couple years then returned to his studies, his graduation delayed until 1947 due to wartime conditions in Germany. In the meantime his 'Kleine Suite' für geige und klavier ('Little Suite' for violin and piano) was published in 1942 per Schott 7564 [violin by Alessandro Cappone w piano by Cordelia Höfer; see also 'Initiale: Lieder und Frühe Kammermusik' WERGO ‎WER 6735 2]. Between 1942 and 1946 Zimmermann wrote 'Fünf Lieder' ('Five Songs')with music set to texts by Harald Gloth, Friedrich Nietzsche, Rainer Maria Rilke and Li-Tai-Po (c 700-762 T'ang Dynasty). Notable to our purpose in that selection, due to possible relevance to 'Stille und Umkehr' which can be translated 'Silence and Return' (below), are Rilke who was a Nietzsche authority and Nietzsche with whose concept of eternal recurrence or eternal return [Deutsch] Zimmermann was likely acquainted. Such is of interest in relation to Zimmermann's self-described examination of "spherical" time due the spherical quality of Nietzsche's writing which lends a sense of a global dimension wrapping linear time in its grasp, that achieved across flat linear pages via means such as measures of gravity or something of seemingly peripheral note bobbing to the surface for a moment to disappear back into the deep again. It's fore and aft and up and down and back and forth as Nietzsche's world becomes round along some greater theme moving across a surface that, like the ocean's, is both always and never the same. But let what similarities there may be between Nietzsche and Zimmermann be elsewhere discussed as we return to the latter who gave his first public performances in 1946. Breitkopf & Härtel have Tiny Wirtz premiering Zimmermann's 'Extemporale' für klavier in Cologne on 12 April 1946. The Zimmermann Society gives those five pieces a composing date of 1938-1946 [piano by Tiny Wirtz]. Citing dates at the Society, among compositions filling out the forties were 'Fünf Stücke' ('Five Pieces') für orchester in 1945, 'Symphonisches Vorspiel' ('Symphonic Prelude' aka 'Sinfonia Prosodica') for grand orchestra in '45 and 'Concerto for Orchestra' in '46 revised in '48 for premiere in Darmstadt. He kept alive in the fifties by arranging for films and composing for radio. His 'Canto di Speranza', a cantata for violoncello and small orchestra of 1952 was revised in '57 [interpretation by the SWF Sinfonieorchester led by Michael Gielen]. Zimmermann won a scholarship to the German Academy in Rome in 1957, also becoming Professor of Composition, as well as Film and Broadcast Music, at the Cologne Music University. In 1960 Zimmermann brought 'Sonata' for cello solo to bear, his initial serial work to employ his pluralistic tonal method [1, 2; live performance by Thomas Demenga, Esther Saladin or Pierre Strauch]. 'Dialoge' for 2 pianos and orchestra is another pluralistic composition which arrived in 1960 [interpretation by Andreas Grau and Götz Schumacher at piano; live performance by Helena Bugallo and Amy Williams at piano]. That was revised in 1964 as 'Monologues' [interpretation by Alfons et Aloys Kontarsky at piano]. In the meantime 1963 brought another scholarship, this time to the Villa Massimo, as well as a fellowship in the Berlin Academy of the Arts. The only opera Zimmermann finished was 'Die Soldaten' ('The Soldiers') employing twelve-tone (serial) method. That eventually premiered in Cologne upon delay on 15 Feb of 1965 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6; interpretation by the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne w Michael Gielen]. As Zimmermann's initial work for 'Die Soldaten' had been rejected as unperformable by the Cologne Opera by whom it was commissioned, Zimmerman wrote 'Vokal Sinfonie' in 1963 to demonstrate that it could be done. That work is more consistent with Zimmermann's original approach to the opera than its finished version of '65 (above) much revised [interpretation by the Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Köln w Hiroshi Wakasugi at Royal Albert Hall 1978 London]. 'Requiem für einen Jungen Dichter' ('Requiem for a Young Poet') was an electronic work for speaker, soprano, baritone, three choirs, orchestra, jazz combo, organ and tape written from 1967 to '69. That was dedicated to three poets who had committed suicide: Konrad Bayer, Vladimir Mayakovsky and Sergei Yesenin [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; interpretation by the Holland S O w Bernhard Kontarsky or the SWR S O Baden-Baden & Freiburg w Michael Gielen]. Among compositions written in the last year of Zimmermann's life was 'Stille und Umkehr' ('Silence and Repentance') for orchestra of 1970 presaging his own suicide, thus likely considerably difficult to compose. 'Stille und Umkehr' is also seen translated as 'Silence and Return' (as to God, rebirth, et al, w "umkehr" also meaning "reversal" or "about-face"). With both included in Zimmermann's theme, along w its manner of composition in context w his approach to time and probable reference in some measure to Nietzsche (above), as well as his approaching suicide, make 'Stille und Umkehr' among the more interesting works in classical music [interpretations by the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg w Peter Hirsch & the Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester des Hessischen Rundfunks w Hans Zender (w score)]. Zimmermann killed himself at his home in Königsdorf near Cologne on 10 August 1970, his last composition finished only five days earlier on the 5th called 'Ecclesiastical Action'. The work's longer title is 'Ich wandte mich und sah an alles Unrecht das geschah unter der Sonne' ('I turned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun') for two speakers, solo bass and orchestra. See also Alban Berg's last composition, 'Violin Concerto', of 1935 [Tom Service]. References: 1, 2. Timeline. Compositions: alphabetical; by genre: Musicalics, RYM, Deutsch. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Bernd Alois Zimmermann' by the Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin w Bernhard Kontarsky: 1, 2, 3; 'Bernd Alois Zimmermann' by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra w Hannu Lintu; 'Canto di Speranza' by the WDR Sinfonie Orchester Köln w Heinz Holliger; 'Complete Works for Piano Solo' by Andreas Skouras: 1, 2; 'Requiem für einen Jungen Dichter' by the Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester w Gary Bertini or the Berliner Philharmoniker w Péter Eötvös. Further reading: Peter Davis, Michael Denhoff (analysis: sound layers & time expansion), Vladimir Tarnopolsky. Books/ documents/ scores: 1, 2. Bibliography: 'Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke von Bernd Alois Zimmermann und ihrer Quellen' by Heribert Henrich 1, 2. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Book stores: Europe, USA. Other profiles: Czech; Deutsch: 1, 2, 3, 4; English: 1, 2, 3; French: 1, 2, 3; Russian; Spanish.

Bernd Zimmermann

  Alagoana

    1950

   
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

    Director: Karl-Heinz Steffens

  Die Befristeten

   1967   For jazz quartet

   Manfred Schoof Quintet

 Dialoge

   1960

    Konzert für 2 Klaviere und Orchester

   
London Philharmonic Orchestra

    Royal Albert Hall London

   
Conducting: Vladimir Jurowski

    Piano: Pierre-Laurent Aimard

   
Piano: Tamara Stefanovich

  Ekklesiastische Aktion

    1970   Radio Symfonie Orkest

     Director: Richard Dufallo

   
 Bass: Wout Oosterkamp

     Speaker: Bernard Kruysen

     Speaker: Lieuwe Visser

    
Performance: Amsterdam 1986

  Musique pour les soupers du Roi Ubu

     1966

 Photoptosis

    1968   Prélude für großes Orchester

     Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

   
 Direction: Ingo Metzmacher

 Photoptosis

    1968   Prélude für großes Orchester

     Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken

   
 Direction: Hans Zender

 Sinfonia in un movimento

    1951   Revised 1953

     North German Radio P O

     Conductor: Gunter Wand

 Stille und Umkehr

    1970   Orchestral sketch

     Hessischer Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester

     Directing: Hans Zender

 Nobody Knows the Trouble I see

    1954   Trumpet concerto

     Radio Sinfonie Orchester Frankfurt

     Conducting: Dmitrij Kitajenko

     Trumpet: Reinhold Friedrich



 
Birth of Classical Music: Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein

Source: Leonard Bernstein
This history of classical music is dotted with the conducting of Leonard Bernstein who performed versions of not a few compsers. Bernstein (no relation to Elmer though they were friends) was also a composer, the combination of which which would make his a stellar name while playing an important role in the popularization of classical music. Though Bernstein played a little with atonality and took to jazz like a sponge, after all the twelve-tone modernism this history has seen, he is the first postmodern figure to arrive insofar as he was a traditionalist w no interest in such as serial composing [Goodman]. "Postmodern" is similar to earlier "neoclassical" insofar as both may refer to either a reactionary return to the past or new developments beyond. Born on 25 Aug 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Bernstein was of Ukrainian Jewish heritage. His father owned a downtown bookstore. Beginning to acquire piano instruction in 1931, his first composition comes to us as 'Psalm 148' written at age seventeen in 1935 [live performance by Carol Lin (mezzo-soprano) w Alexander Wong (piano); text]. He was a student at Harvard when he wrote Piano Trio in 1937 [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Australian Piano Trio; live performance by the Rubik Ensemble]. 'Music for 2 Pianos' was also composed in 1937 [interpretation by Effie Agrafioti w Giorgos Kοntrafouris; live performance by William Tang w Brian Wang]. Graduating from Harvard as a music major in 1939, he then studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Upon leaving Curtis he began his professional life as and arranger and transcriptionist for a music publisher. He composed his 'Symphony 1' ('Jeremiah') in 1942. His career took off in 1943 when composer and conductor, Bruno Walter, fell w flu and required quick replacement at a New York Philharmonic performance at Carnegie Hall on 14 Nov 1943, which Bernstein did without rehearsal. Among his orchestral works was 'Symphony No.1' premiering at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh on 28 Jan 1944. In April that year 'Jeremiah' became Bernstein's first recording for RCA Victor toward issue on 78 rpm in December 1945 w Bernstein conducting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra [1, 2, 3, 4; Bernstein conducts the Israel P O (19??) & the New York P O (19??); interpretation by the Orchestre National de l'ORTF w Marc Sbar]. Bernstein wasn't shy about making records, being elemental to his fame, and of which he sold far more than dedicated serialists and such whose recordings generally became rare nigh as soon as issued. Bernstein is ultimately best-known for his Broadway musicals. 'On the Town' arrived to much fanfare at the Adelphi Theatre on Broadway in NYC on 28 Dec 1944 under the direction of George Abbott w conducting by Lehman Engel. That was derived from Jerome Robbins' ballet, 'Fancy Free', of the same year [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Bernstein conducts the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra 1945; live performance by the Banda Simfònica d'Algemesí w Alberto Ferrer Martínez 2015]. Bernstein became Music Director of the New York City Symphony Orchestra in 1945. Making his first trip to Europe in 1946 with the Philharmonia Orchestra, he conducted in Tel Aviv the next year. 'Peter Pan' with text by himself went flat at its premiere at the Imperial Theatre in NYC on 24 April 1950 and hasn't much recovered since, albeit Koch International Classics finally issued a recording of 'Peter Pan' in 2005 w vocals by Linda Eder and Daniel Narducci backed by the Amber Chamber Orchestra conducted by Alexander Frey [1, 2, 3; 'Dream With Me' by Linda Eder; 'Peter Peter' by Robyn Mae (live)]. On 10 Sep 1951 Bernstein married actress, Felicia Montealegre, who would bear three children, Jamie, Alexander (president of Artful Learning) and Nina. Bernstein's 'Trouble in Tahiti' was a one-act opera with libretto by himself premiering at Brandeis University on 12 June 1952 w Elliot Silverstein directing and Bernstein conducting [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; live performance w direction by Matthew Eberhardt w Tobias Ringborg conducting or Elaine Tyler-Hall w Nicholas Kok]. Bernstein's jazzy Broadway musical, 'Wonderful Town', saw performing at the Winter Garden Theatre on 25 Feb 1953 w its book written by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Upon its premiere in London at the Prince's Theatre on 25 February 1955 it was good for 207 performances. It was televised by CBS for airing on 30 Nov 1958 [1, 2, 3; 'Overture' by the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group led by Simon Rattle 1999]. Bernstein's career as an educator had begun w lectures for the Ford Foundation on the CBS television show, 'Omnibus'. His first of seven lectures was 'Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony' aired during Season 3 on Episode 5 of 'Omnibus' on 14 Nov 1954 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; broadcast; script]. 'Candide' was another Broadway musical, a comedy which opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on 1 Dec 1956 w a libretto by Lillian Hellman after Voltaire's eponymous novella of 1759, a satire addressing monarchy and religion [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; 'Overture': Bernstein conducts the London Symphony Orchestra 13 Dec 1989 (live); interpretation by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra w Leonard Slatkin (live)]. Bernstein's most famous work is the Broadway musical, 'West Side Story', which premiered to huge success at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 26, 1957 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Bernstein composed 'West Side Story' with extensive use of the two-note chord that is called the devil's interval or devil's tritone [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. Bernstein followed in 1961 w 'Symphonic Dances from West Side Story' [1, 2, 3, 4; Bernstein conducting the Israel P O at Symphony Hall in Osaka 1985; interpretation by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France led by Mikko Franck 2018 or the National Youth orchestra of the USA w David Robertson 2014]. Bernstein became Music Director for the New York Philharmonic in Jan of 1958 followed two weeks later by his first Young People's Concert on 18 Jan 1958 at Carnegie Hall titled 'What Does Music Mean?' [1, 2]. Concert 2, 'What is American Music?', followed on 1 Feb 1958 [broadcast]. Wikipedia lists 53 such concerts to as late as 'Holst: The Planets' on 26 March 1972. Concert 6 was 'Humor in Music' on 28 February 1959 [broadcast]. Come Concert 7, 'What is a Concerto?', on 28 March 1959 [broadcast]. Concert 49, 'The Anatomy of a Symphony Orchestra', arrived on 24 May 1970 [broadcast]. Simon and Schuster published Bernstein's first book, 'The Joy of Music', in 1959 [Edition 2004 by Hal Leonard; review (subscription)]. Bernstein also took the New York Philharmonic on a tour of Europe and the Soviet Union in 1959. In 1968 Bernstein conducted at the funeral of Robert Kennedy assassinated in June. Thought to have begun work on 'Race to Urga' in 1968, that was a setting to Bertolt Brecht's socialist 'The Exception and the Rule' which got retitled to 'A Pray by Blecht'. That project, however, came not to fruition and has never been commercially performed. Though he vacated his position as music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1969, he continued conducting the orchestra on international tours. Among the consequences of being a classical musician educated at Harvard, perhaps the top institution in the Ivy League, not to mention financial earnings that would leave him a millionaire five times over at the time of his death, was belonging to an elite social class. That in itself stirred some trouble when he stepped into politics in the interest of civil liberties and made the anti-racist gesture of a fund raising event for members of the socialist Black Panther Party on 14 January 1970 [1, 2, 3]. "Really?" asked author, Tom Wolfe, in so many words in an essay titled 'Radical Chic' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Jamie Bernstein] in which he noted the disparities between Bernstein's capitalistically generated wealth and poor black folk wanting a different government. The Panther 21 were on trial at the time for bombings and shootings in New York City (acquittal of 186 charges on 12 May 1971 after an eight-month trial, thought the longest in the history of the state of New York [Wikipedia]). In the meantime New American Library had published Bernstein's 'The Infinite Variety of Music' in 1970 [Edition 2007 by Hal Leonard]. Bernstein's 'Mass' arrived to the grand opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts [1, 2] in Washington DC on 8 September 1971, that a theatrical rendering of the Tridentine Mass w choreography by Alvin Ailey and commissioned by Jackie Kennedy [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, documentary; Kennedy Center 10th Anniversary w direction by Tom O’Horgan w conducting by John Mauceri]. Bernstein became a professor of poetry at Harvard in 1973 which led to his televised series of six lectures, 'The Unanswered Question' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Lecture 1, Lecture 2, Lecture 3, Lecture 4, Lecture 5, Lecture 6; Edition 1981]. '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue' (U.S. White House) opened on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on 4 May 1976 to small fanfare [1, 2]. Romanov76110 has the original 'Prelude' replaced by its 'Overture' shortly later. 'Songfest' was a cycle of 12 poems by various for 6 singers and orchestra w Bernstein conducting the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center on 11 Oct 1977 [1, 2, 3, 4; Song IV: 'To What You Said' w text by Walt Whitman: original recording of 1978; interpretation by Thomas Hampson (baritone) w Wolfram Rieger (piano); Bernstein conducting the Orchestre National de France on 21 September 1979 (all 12 songs)]. As Bernstein was homosexual he didn't remarry after the death of Felicia by lung cancer in 1978. His 'A Quiet Place' w libretto by Stephen Wadsworth and himself was a sequel to his earlier 'Trouble in Tahiti' of 1952. It premiered in its one-act form during the intermission of a performance of 'Trouble in Tahiti' in Houston on 17 June 1983 w conducting by John DeMain. It's two-act form was performed two days later on the 19th in Milan under direction by Stephen Wadsworth w John Mauceri conducting [1, 2, 3, 4, Bernstein conducting the ORF Symphony Orchestra in a 1986 recording of 'You're Late' from Act I w vocal by Chester Ludgin]. Bernstein's last composition was 'Dance Suite' consisting of five pieces for brass quintet premiering in New York City by Empire Brass on 14 Jan 1990 [1, 2, 3; live performance by Spanish Brass 2014]. In 1990 Bernstein received the Praemium Imperiale from the Japan Arts Association, which $100,000 prize he used toward the founding of Bernstein Education Through the Arts (BETA) by his children, less legally known as Artful Learning [1, 2, 3]. 1990 was also the year of his last performance as a conductor, that at Tanglewood, Massachusetts, with the Boston S O on 15 August. He died two months later of heart attack in Manhattan on 14 October. Even if Bernstein hadn't composed he'd have to be included this history only as conductor for all the interpreting he did. He often conducted at piano for performances requiring his abilities thereat. As both a reactionary postmodernist (champion of Mahler, et al) and major contributor to the shift from classical to popular via Broadway, Bernstein somewhat demarcates old modern from new modern in classical music a little the way old folk and new folk are distinguished at Bob Dylan. Indeed, Bernstein missing from 20th century classical would be a little like Dylan missing from folk for its impact. Both urbanized music, Dylan from out of country toward rock which burst had been African American (R&B), Bernstein from out of the rarified atmospheres of classical toward the average Joe including African Americans (jazz). References: Wikipedia. Timelines: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; alphabetical by genre at Leonard Bernstein Office: ballet, chamber, choral, choral w orchestra, concerti, film, instrumental, orchestral, piano, solo instrument w orchestra, stage, voice, voice w orchestra; chronological; by genre: Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM, Wikipedia. Authorship unmentioned: on Glenn Gould; 'Jazz in Serious Music'; on the death of John Kennedy (1963); 'The Leonard Bernstein Letters' ed. by Nigel Simeone; 'Mahler: His Time Has Come' ('High Fidelity Magazine' 1967): 1, 2, 3, 4; on the nuclear age (1985); speeches; on Stravinsky; on the future of the symphony orchestra (1980); television; 'Who Is Mahler?' (1960). Broadway on & off: 1, 2. Song texts: 1, 2. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Top Five, Top Ten, YouTube; Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; archived: 1, 2; select: 'West Side Story' conducted by Bernstein for Deutsche Grammophon 1985. Videography. IMDb (film). Interviews w Leonard: by the BBC at the Edinburgh Festival Concert 1975; by Jim Bernhard for KUHT TV Houston 1983; see also 'Dinner with Lenny' by Cott below. Interviews w Jamie (daughter): 2002, 2018. Further reading by source: Alexander Bernstein (son), Jeffrey Dane, David Denby, FBI, The Guardian, Peter Gutmann, Stuart Isacoff, Jeremy McCarter, Jesse Monteagudo, Carol Oja, Maria Popova, Alex Ross, Ed Siegel. Further reading by topic: Artful Learning, awards, Bernstein as composer, as conductor, as educator, family, as humanitarian, Mahler and, New York City and, 'Omnibus', operas, 'The Unanswered Question', Young People's Concerts. Bibliography: 'Leonard Bernstein and the Language of Jazz' by Katherine Baber (U of Illinois Press 2019): 1, 2, 3; 'Dinner with Lenny: The Last Long Interview with Leonard Bernstein' by Jonathan Cott (Oxford U Press 2012): 1, 2, 3, 4, Edition 2013; 'Leonard Bernstein: A Guide to Research' by Paul Laird (Psychology Press 2002); 'Leonard Bernstein: In Love with Music' by Caroline Lazo (Twenty-First Century Books 2002). Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Collections: LOC. Book stores: Canada; Europe; USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: Deutsch: 1, 2; English: archived: 1, 2; encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; exhibition; history; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; radio: NPR, WNYC; university; French: 1, 2; Italian; Russian: 1, 2; Spanish. Bernstein conducts a number of his own pieces below. He also plays piano.

Leonard Bernstein

  Chichester Psalms

    1965   For boy soprano

    Poznan Philharmonic Choir

    Conductor: Leonard Bernstein

  Dance Suite

    1989   Last composition


    Staatsopernballett Wien

  On the Town

    1944   Ballet

    RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

    Conductor: Leonard Bernstein

    Recorded 1945

  Piano Concerto in G

    Composer: Maurice Ravel   1931

    Orchestre National de France

    Piano: Leonard Bernstein

    Performance: 1975

  Piano Concerto 1 in C major

   
Composer: Beethoven   1796

    Vienna Philharmonic


    Piano: Leonard Bernstein

    Performance: 1970

  Piano Concerto 17 in G major 1

   
Allegro

    Composer: Mozart   1784   K 453

    Piano: Leonard Bernstein

    Wiener Philharmoniker

  Piano Concerto 17 in G major 2

   
Andante

    Composer: Mozart   1784   K 453

    Piano: Leonard Bernstein

    Wiener Philharmoniker

  Piano Concerto 17 in G major 3

   
Allegrretto - Finale - Presto

    Composer: Mozart   1784   K 453

    Piano: Leonard Bernstei

    Wiener Philharmoniker

  Piano Trio

    1937   The Australian Piano Trio

  Rhapsody in Blue   [Part 1]

    Composer: George Gershwin   1924

    New York Philharmonic

    Piano: Leonard Bernstein

    Performance: 1976

  Rhapsody in Blue   [Part 2]

   
Composer: George Gershwin   1924

    New York Philharmonic

    Piano: Leonard Bernstein

    Performance: 1976

  Symphony 2

   
'The Age of Anxiety'

   
1949 Revised in 1965

    London Symphony Orchestra

    Conductor: Leonard Bernstein

    Performance: 1986

  Three Meditations from 'Mass'

   
1977

    Cello: Daniel Gaisford



 
  Born on 16 May 1919 in West Allis, Wisconsin, Władziu Valentino Liberace was neither a composer nor a virtuoso pianist, but he is of the period and should be mentioned for one reason: stage. Liberace was himself a whole opera, the performer in essence who happened, by the way, to play piano. Albeit he used classical piano more to promote showmanship than showmanship to promote classical piano, Liberace popularized classical music to the degree that his name became a household word: no one has not heard of Liberace, making him something requisite to this history. He began playing piano at age four. By 1934 he was playing popular music in cabarets and theatres. As Liberace was more an entertainer than a musician, composing only one song so far as I know, although he wrote his own arrangements, it is neglected that he wasn't entirely without talent at a keyboard. Wikipedia has him playing Liszt at age twenty backed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Hans Lange on 15 January 1940 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. But he preferred the response he received for popular music with which he spent the forties building his career, adding classical pieces to his greater repertoire. He began perfecting his act as an entertainer in 1944 in Las Vegas, adopted 'Liberace' as his stage name in 1945, also adding his trademark candelabrum. Hit History has Liberace recording four titles as early as 1945 (unconfirmed): 'Tico Tico'/'I Don't Care' per Signature 15233 w 'I Don't Care' composed by Liberace. 'Temptation/Traumerei' was issued in 1946 on Signature 15238 per Discogs, MusikTitelDB and RYM. Robert Schumann's 'Tramerei' is misspelled 'Tramerel' in places. By 1950 he had played in major cities throughout the States, and performed for President Truman that year. Music VF has his 'September Song' issued w 'I Want My Mama' on Columbia 39709 arriving to the US Billboard chart at #27 in May 1952, not exactly Leroy Anderson's 'Blue Tango' that reached #1 that year among others, but making a presence.  His 'Ave Maria' w 'Christmas Medley' issued on Columbia ‎48001 in 1953 sold 300,000 copies w his brother, George, conducting. Liberace, however, never did well on the charts, despite issuing six gold albums during his career. He otherwise broke the record in 1954 for the highest paid single classical performance, earning $138,000 at Madison Square Garden. The next year saw him earning $50,000 a week at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He would earn a million a year on stage performances alone. Television appearances would make him a multi-millionaire. 'The Liberace Show' premiered in 1952 [Episode 1]. He released 'I Don't Care' again in 1952 on Columbia ‎39895 w 'I Miss You So', George again conducting. 'Michael Robinson has 'The Liberace Show' influencing young jazz pianist, Bill Evans, who was about 23 years of age while in the Army in 1952. Liberace became the first glitter rock star, so to speak, reasoning that it wasn't so much for music as the show that stages and television studios were built. As it was recognized that he took to the stage to example classical piano pieces rather than perform masterpieces of virtuosity, it was largely irrelevant to address his performances as a music critic. More germane criticism would have pertained to his exhibitions of the lavish, to which classical music was rather more his coattail in the breeze. Something like that occurred in 1956 when the 'Daily Mirror' (UK) published an article by William Connor comparing Liberace to "fruit-flavored ... vomit". Thus he came to coining the term “I cried all the way to the bank” when in June of '59 he won his libel suit against the 'Daily Mail' worth £8,000 or about $10,000. During that trial he stated that he was against practicing homosexuality because it offended convention and society. Such obfuscations of his homosexuality, however, would eventually be unsuccessful. A Roman Catholic, Liberace obtained audience with another glamorous figure, Pope Pius XII, in 1960. The "one-man Disneyland," as Liberace called himself, also owned antique stores, a restaurant and published cookbooks. Though his appearance in films had been limited, he was a money magnet on stage, his shows in Las Vegas to earn him $300,000 a week. It was 1976 when he met Scott Thorsen [1, 2, 3] who upon turning eighteen the next year became Liberace's companion. In 1982 Liberace ended their relationship, Thorsen to bring forth a palimony suit worth $113 million that was settled out of court in '86 for about $95,000 in cash and assets. Liberace denied being homosexual in that trial as well. He died soon later of pneumonia complicated with AIDS on 4 Feb 1987, he at his home in Palm Springs, California [obit]. The next year in '88 Dutton published Thorsen's book about his life w Liberace titled 'Behind the Candelabra'. That was reissued in 2013 after the 2012 release of the documentary film by the same name w screenplay by Richard LaGravenese and direction by Steven Soderbergh [1, 2]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Audio: 1, 2. Recordings of: Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; select: 'Greatest Songs'. Autobiographies: 'Liberace: An Autobiography' (Putnam 1973); 'The Things I Love' w Tony Palmer (Grosset & Dunlap 1976); 'The Wonderful Private World of Liberace' w Michael Segell (Harper and Row 1986): Turner Publishing 2003. Interviews: 'Good Afternoon' 1974. Further reading by source: K.J. Evanslas, FBI, Google Groups, Joan Kron, Julia Molony. Further reading by topic: financial; gay rights and; trivia: 1, 2; Scott Thorson and. Iconography. Collections: Liberace Museum; Yale. Authority research: VIAF, Worldcat. Book stores: Canada; USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English: 1, 2; Deutsch. Liberace plays a typically abbreviated version of a classical work in the first movement of 'Concerto 1' below, which is actually 18 minutes long.

Valentino Liberace  

 Chinatown

    1952   'The Liberace Show'

 Concerto 1 in B flat minor

    Movement 1   Allegro

    Composer: Tchaikovsky   1874-75

    'The Liberace Show'

  Live in Copenhagen

    1983

  Live in London

    1968

  Live in Monte Carlo

    1982

  Tip Toe Through the Tulips

    1954   'The Liberace Show'

    With Nick Lucas

 Warsaw Concerto

    Composer: Addinsell   1941

    Released 1954


Birth of Classical Music: Valentino Liberace

Valentino Liberace

Source: Obits In Orbit
  Born on 7 April 1920 in Varanasi, India, sitar player Ravi Shankar began his music career in his youth as a dancer, touring both Europe and India. He is not to be confused w Ravi Shankar, the spiritual leader born in 1956. Shankar was a classical Indian musician who became known in Europe and the United States through peripheral association with jazz and rock. As a composer he was interested to combine both Eastern and Western methods. Being from the other side of the globe got him placed into a new genre called world music [1, 2]. Indian classical music [1, 2, 3] is naturally different from, though not altogether alien to, the system developed in the West from out of Roman Catholic chant followed by troubadours. Classical Indian music is far older whilst wrapped up in the Hindu religion [1, 2, 3] that is several thousand years ancient. It is classified into two systems being the northern Hindustani [1, 2] and southern Carnatic. See also the musical forms, raga [1, 2, 3, 4] and tala [1, 2, 3, 4]. The Western guitar is not altogether unlike Shankar's characteristic sitar [1, 2, 3; instrument built for Shankar by Nodu Mullick in 1961]. It was 1938 when Shankar gave up dancing to study sitar, giving his first public performances the next year. He began composing for the [Indian People's Theatre Association: 1, 2] in 1945. Shankar was music director for All India Radio [1, 2] in New Delhi from February 1949 to January 1956. He has first recorded in 1949 for HMV Records in India, but evidence is obscure. He toured the Soviet Union in 1954, after which he began playing concerts in Europe and the United States in 1956, the year he released his first long play album, 'Music of India', consisting of 'Ahir-Bhairav', 'Simhendra-Madhyamam' and 'Jog' [recording]. In 1962 he partnered Eastern musicians Kanai Dutta (tabla), Nodu Mullick (tambura) and Harihar Rao (dholak) with jazz musicians Bud Shank (flute), Dennis Budimir (guitar), Gary Peacock (bass) and Louis Hayes (drums) on 'Improvisations' [1, 2], that including 'Improvisation on the Theme Music from Pather Panchali' [recording]. In 1963 he issued 'Ravi Shankar' consisting of the ragas 'Hema-Bihag', 'Malaya-Marutam' and 'Mishra-Mand'. There has been a replication of that issued as 'First LP Record | Pandit Ravi Shankar' although, per above, it wasn't his first LP [1, 2]. Shankar became associated with Beatles member, George Harrison, in London in 1966, thereby arriving to fame in the Western hemisphere. 'West Meets East' arrived in 1967 in collaboration w violinist, Yehudi Menuhin (1916-99) ['Swara Kakali']. They followed that the next year with 'West Meets East Volume 2' on which they perform a rearrangement of Bartók's 'Sonata No. 1' for violin and piano (pub 1799). Simon & Schuster published Shankar's autobiography, 'My Music, My Life', in 1968 prior to his performance at Woodstock in 1969. But with the exception of Harrison, Shankar distanced himself from rock, disliking the venue which didn't mix well w his classical orientation (or figure Shankar just jumping w David Lee Roth). 'Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra' was commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra with which its premiere was recorded at London's Royal Festival Hall on 28 January 1971 w André Previn directing [*; 'Raga Khamaj' (Movement 1 of 4)]. Onomatopoeia published his 'Learning Indian Music: A Systematic Approach' in 1979. The next year he issued 'Jazzmine' [recording]. Between 1986 and 1992 Shankar served in the upper chamber of the Parliament of India (Rajya Sabha). In 1990 he released an album with minimalist, Philip Glass, called 'Passages' [1, 2; scores; 'Offering' (comp Shankar), 'Preshanti' (comp Shankar), 'Ragas in Minor Scale' (comp Glass)]. Shankar published his second memoir, 'Raga Mala' [1, 2], with Harrison as editor, in 1997. The title reflects his 'Sitar Concerto No.2' called "Raga Mala' which had been premiered back in April 1981 by the the New York Philharmonic led by Zubin Mehta [Hollywood Bowl]. Discogs has Shankar w Mehta leading the London S O on HMV ASD 4314 issued in 1982. Shankar's last tour dates in Europe were in the United Kingdom in 2011. He gave his last concert at Terrace Theater in Long Beach, California, in November of 2012, dying the next month in San Diego on 11 Dec [obits: 1, 2, 3]. Having released above sixty albums, Shankar was characteristically both Hindu and vegetarian. References: 1, 2, 3. Compositions by genre. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, essential, primer. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. IMDb (film). Documentaries: 'Between Two Worlds' 2001. Interviews: 1968 ('Rolling Stone'), 1985, 1998, 2005 (on Indian classical music). Further reading: Pandit Ravi Shankar Music Foundation: 1, 2; love life of; Grammy Museum; Lily Rothman; Shankar on Indian classical music. Iconography. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, NPR Radio; Wikipedia international: Czech; Deutsch; Finnish; French. Per below, Shankar is the single composer on this page listed chronologically per release date rather than alphabetically by title. 

Ravi Shankar    1956

  Raga Ahir Bhairav

   Raga Jog

  Raga Simhendra Madhyamam

Ravi Shankar  1960

  Sanwre Sanwre

      Vocal: Lata Mangeshkar Anuradha

Ravi Shankar  1964

  Raga Hamsdhwani

Ravi Shankar  1969

  Evening Raga

    Filmed live at Woodstock

Ravi Shankar  1972

  In Concert 1972

    Album with Ali Akbar Khan

Ravi Shankar  1977

  Nata

     Filmed live with John Mclaughlin

Ravi Shankar  1979

  The Spirit of India

      Album

Ravi Shankar  1980

  Jazzmine

      Album

Ravi Shankar  1990

  Passages

      Album with Philip Glass

Ravi Shankar  1997

  Chants of India

      Album

 

Birth of Modern Jazz: Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar

Source: Vintage Guitar

Birth of Classical Music: Bruno Modernae

Bruno Moderna

Source: The Guardian
Born on 21 April 1920 in Venice, Bruno Maderna was a modernistic composer heavy on exploration of electronics. Orphaned at age four, he was raised by fashion designer, Irma Manfredi. He played violin among other instruments as a child. As a prodigy he was conducting at age twelve. He studied formally in Venice (1935-37 w Arrigo Pedrollo, 1940-42 w Gian Francesco Malipiero, twelve-tone in 1948 under Hermann Scherchen), at the Rome Conservatory (1937-40 under Alessandro Bustini) and Siena (conducting in 1941 under Antonio Guarnieri at the Accademia Chigiana). His young career had been interrupted for an undetermined period of time in 1935 when he'd been drafted into the fascist Italian Army to serve on tour probably as a conductor. Going by the B.R.A.H.M.S. database at IRCAM (see BRAHMS below), it was while Maderna was at the Rome Conservatory from '37 to '40 that he finished 'Alba' in 1939, that a setting for voice and strings to a text by Vincenzo Cardarelli. 'La Sera Fiesolana' ('Evening in Fiesole') was also finished in '39, that for tenor and orchestra to a text by Gabriele D'Annunzio. It was while studying under Malipiero in Venice from '40 to '42 that he completed 'Piccolo Concerto' in 1941. He finished 'Concerto per pianoforte e orchestra' in '42 [*; piano by Aldo Orvieto]. 'Introduzione e Passacaglia: 'Lauda Sion Salvatorem'' for orchestra also arrived in '42, not to premiere until after World War II in Florence on 3 April 1947. In 1945 Moderna joined the antifascist Partisan Resistance only to be captured and sent to a concentration camp for the remainder of World War II. BRAHMS doesn't have him finishing any compositions in '43 or '44, but of the four listed in '46 one was his highly regarded 'Requiem' [interpretation by the Robert Schumann Philharmonie led by Frank Beermann: 1, 2]. Maderna became a professor at the Venice Conservatory from 1948 to '52. His first electronic foray per BRAHMS was 'Il mio cuore è nel sud' in 1949 in which he applied serial technique to jazz for a radio play written by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi [1, 2]. The magnetic tape for that is since lost. The major portion of his oeuvre to come consisted of electronic works, such as 'Dimensioni II ('Invenzione su una voce')' in 1960 [analysis by Antonio Rodà 1, 2, 3; voice by Cathy Berberian]. Writing several versions of 'Dimensioni', his first had arrived in 1952 per 'Musica su due dimensioni' for flute and percussion w a second version of that for flute in 1958. Moderna's first of numerous versions of 'Hyperion' arrived in 1964, an electronic rendering of poetry by Holderlin w phonemes by HG Helms [1, 2; voice by Dorothy Dorow w flute by Severino Gazzelloni]. Having taught in various capacities during the sixties, Maderna also made multiple trips to the United States for that among other reasons. One such trip in 1971 resulted in his electronic 'Juilliard Serenade' for interpretation by the Juilliard Ensemble as commissioned Juilliard School in New York [Divertimento Ensemble directed by Sandro Gorli; Kammerorchester des Saarländischen Rundfunks directed by Lucas Vis]. Maderna also served as director of new music at Tanglewood in Massachusetts in 1972–73. Come the electronic opera in one act, 'Satyricon', to the Holland Festival in Netherlands on 16 March 1973 [Orchestra della Radio di Hilversum directed by Bruno Maderna 1973: 1/5, 2/5, 3/5, 4/5, 5/5; Divertimento Ensemble led by Sandro Gorli 1991]. Maderna's final work was non-electronic, the 'Concerto No.3' for oboe and orchestra that premiered on 6 July 1973 at the Holland Fest in Netherlands performed by the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra w Maderna conducting [Heinz Holliger at oboe]. Maderna's first concerto for oboe had arrived in '63, his second in 1967. He'd also written concertos for piano and violin. Maderna died in Darmstadt on 13 Nov 1973. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Compositions: 1, 2; alphabetical; Chronological: French (BRAHMS), Russian (Wikipedia), Spanish (Wikipedia); by genre: BRAHMS (electronic et al), Musicalics, RYM; film, jazz, radio, sceneries, songs & marches, television, transcriptions. Audio: 1969-1973 by various; Classical Archives, Naxos. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Musica Elettronica' (magnetic tape 1956 to 1962); 'Oboe Concertos' w oboe by Fabian Menzel; "Requiem' by the Robert Schumann Philharmonie w Frank Beermann. IMDb (film). Further reading: poetry and by Adelio Fusé; serialism and by Veniero Rizzardi: 1, 2. See also Omaggio (Tribute) a Bruno Maderna. Collections: Study Center on Bruno Maderna: 1, 2. Bibliography (French). Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Book stores: Canada, Europe, USA. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4; Espanol; French; Italian: 1, 2, 3, 4; Russian.

Bruno Maderna

 Aura

   1972

   NDR Symphonieorchester Hamburg

   Bruno Maderna

   Recorded live in Hamburg 1973

 Composizione 1

   
1948-49

   Frankfurt Radio SO w Arturo Tamayo

 Composizione 2

   1950

   Frankfurt Radio SO w Arturo Tamayo

 Continuo

   1958   Tape music

 Dimension III

   1962-63

   Frankfurt Radio SO w Arturo Tamayo

 Grande Aulodia

   1970

   Sinfonieorchester des Südwestfunks

   Bernhard Klee

 Hyperion

   1964

   C & O della RAI di Roma

   Bruno Maderna

   Recorded live in Rome 1966

 Requiem

   1946

   C & O del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia

   Andrea Molino

 Serenata 2

   1954 Revised 1956

   English Chamber Orchestra

   Bruno Maderna

 Serenata per un Satellite

   1969

   Ex Novo Ensemble

   Carlo Ambrosio




 
  Born on 21 July 1920 in Isaac Stern wasn't a composer, but as a violin virtuoso there is no avoiding him in a history of modern classical music. Though born in Soviet Ukraine his parents took him to San Francisco at fourteen months old [Wikipedia]. He enrolled at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music [1, 2] in 1928. His public debut as a violinist was in 1936 with the San Francisco Symphony [1, 2]. He met pianist, Alexander Zakin, in 1940, with whom he would collaborate until 1977 [live performances 12 Feb 1967: Brahms: FAE Sonata: Scherzo (Sonatensatz); Mozart: Adagio K261, Rondo K373]. Stern first performed in Israel in 1949. His first tour of the Soviet Union arrived in 1951. In 1979 he visited China with pianist, David Golub. His autobiography, 'My First 79 Years', was published in 1999, written with Chaim Potok. Having also conducted, Stern died on 22 Sep 2001 [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; estate]. His favorite violin had been the Ysaÿe Guarnerius made by the luthier, Giuseppe Guarneri. References: 1, 2. Timeline. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, YouTube. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Film: IMDb; 'From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China' (1979): 1, 2. Speeches: C-SPAN 1992/1999; Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv 1997 (on the creation of the state of Israel). Videography. Bruce Duffie interview 1991. Further reading by source: New York Times; Terry Teachout. Further reading by topic: Leonard Bernstein and; China and (David Stern [son]); Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition 1, 2; Mordecai Shehori and: 1, 2. Iconography: 1, 2. Book stores: Canada; USA: 1, 2, 3. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; archived: 1, 2; NPR Radio; French: 1, 2; Russian: 1, 2; Spanish. Stern plays with famed, though much later, cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, in a couple pieces below.

Isaac Stern

 Double Concerto in A minor

    Composer: Brahms   1887   Op 102

    NHK Symphony Orchestra

    Kazuyoshi Akiyama

    Cello: Yo-Yo Ma

    Performance date: 1986

 Quintet in C Major

    Composer: Schubert   1828

    Op 163   D 956


    With Pau Casals   Performance: 1952

 Symphonie espagnole

    Composer: Lalo   1875   Op 21

    5 movements


    Philadelphia Orchestra

    Eugene Ormandy

    Performance: 1956

 Triple Concerto

    Composer: Beethoven   1804   Op 56

    London Symphony Orchestra

    Michael Stern

    Cello: Yo-Yo Ma

    Piano: Emanuel Ax

    Performance: 1992

 Violin Concerto

    Composer: Mendelssohn  Op 64

    1838 Revised 1844 1845

    3 movement


    Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra

    Gary Bertini

    Performance: 1986

 Violin Concerto in D minor

    Composer: Sibelius   Op 47

    1903-04 Revised 1905


    Philadelphia Orchestra

    Eugene Ormandy

    Performance: 1969

 Violin Partita 2 in D minor

    Composer: Bach   1720

    BWV 1004   Solo  5 movements





Birth of Classical Music: Isaac Stern

Isaac Stern

Source: Lois Siegel
  Elmer Bernstein   See Elmer Bernstein.



 
  György Ligeti was an Hungarian Jew born in Transylvania on 26 May 1923 in what is now Târnăveni, Romania, to become a major avant-garde composer. Robert Cummings at AllMusic [Ref 2 below] has him beginning piano lessons rather late at age fourteen. Citing Bauer & Kerékfy w Hungarian Wikipedia [Comps below], Ligeti wrote an unfinished 'Sonatina' in E minor for string quartet as early as 1938-39 at latest w a fair copy dated 20 March 1940. Such as an unfinished symphony of 1939-40, and a string quartet in 1940 were followed by 'Four Early Piano Pieces' of 1941 [piano by Fredrik Ullén]. Ligeti's first published work arrived in 1942 per 'Kineret' for voice and piano set to text by Rachel Blovstein [interpretation by Júlia Fuzfa (mezzo-soprano w Csaba Király (piano)]. A regular Einstein doppelganger without a mustache, Ligeti had begun formal studies in music in Cluj in 1941, private instruction from Pál Kadosa in Budapest to come in 1944. Upon Hungary becoming an Axis Power his education was interrupted to spend World War II in a labor brigade for the Horthy regime. Returning to his studies after the War, he graduated in 1949 from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. Researching folk music in Transylvania for a year, he then returned to the Academy as a teacher. Two months after the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 Ligeti fled to Vienna, then Germany where he worked with the Cologne Electronic Music Studio. It was 1959 when 'Apparitions' arrived w its second of two movements, 'Lento' and 'Agitato', containing Ligeti's first foray into micropolyphony [1, 2; interpretation by the Berlin P O led by Jonathan Nott]. Micropolyphony [1, 2, 3] was a texturally dense technique that Ligeti pursued in his most famous works, notably his next to follow 'Apparitions' titled 'Atmospheres' premiering at the Donaueschingen Festival by the SWF Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Rosbaud on 22 Oct 1961 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; interpretation by the Sinfonieorchester Des Südwestfunks Baden-Baden led by Ernest Bour; live performance by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France w Alan Gilbert or the Orquesta Filarmónica de Berlín w Simon Rattle]. 'Requiem' in four movements premiered in Stockholm by the Choir and Orchestra of Swedish Radio led by Michael Gielen on 14 March 1965 [1, 2, 3; live performance by the Ensemble Intercontemporain led by Matthias Pintscher]. 'Lux Aeterna' for mixed choir arrived in 1966 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the A Cappella Amsterdam; live performance led by Zoltan Pad, Mathieu Romano or Nigel Short]. 'Atmosphères', 'Requiem' and 'Lux Aeterna' are each highly regarded works in themselves. But when Stanley Kubrick used them in the film, 'A Space Odyssey', in 1968, thereat shifting Ligetti from the classical into the popular genre as well, Ligeti's legacy was secured [1, 2, 3, 4 (scroll), 5, 6, 7, 8; audio (alt)]. Though Kubrick used original recordings without Ligeti's permission, for which he was sued, he would draw upon Ligeti for future films such as the psycho thriller, 'The Shining' [1, 2, 3, 4], of 1980 in which Ligeti's 'Lontono' of 1967 was employed [1, 2; micropolyphony of; interpretation by the Wiener Philharmoniker w Claudio Abbado or the SWF Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden w Ernest Bour; live performance by the Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra w Rauf Abdullayev]. Ligeti never wrote a film score per se, his works only transferred to film. Ligeti became an Austrian citizen in 1968, the year of his 'Continuum' dedicated to harpsichordist, Antoinette Vischer [1, 2; John McKean (live), Justin Taylor (film), Antoinette Vischer (w score)]. Ligeti hardly required Kubrick or the film industry to make his name as one of the more important composers of the period. Among his numerous works sharing high review was 'Chamber Concerto' for thirteen instrumentalists which saw its premiere complete in Berlin on 1 October 1970, an earlier performance on 11 May in Vienna only in part [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation w score by the Schönberg Ensemble Reinbert de Leeuw; live performance by the Psaapha Ensemble w Nicholas Kok]. In 1973 Ligeti began teaching composition at the Hamburg Hochschule für Musik und Theater [1, 2], retiring in 1989. In the meantime his solitary opera, 'Le Grand Macabre', premiered at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm on 12 April 1978 w libretto by Michael Meschke and himself from Michel de Ghelderode's 'La Balade du Grand Macabre' of 1934 [live performance by the Symphony and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu w Michael Boder et al]. Ligeti completed Book 1 [1, 2] of 'Etudes' for piano in 1986, his compositions for that instrument part reason for the high stature that he occupies in classical music. "Etudes' consist of Books 1-3 loaded w Nos. 1-18. Book 1 is a cycle of six, the first of which is No.1 'Désordre' ('Disorder') [1, 2; Gestalt principles in; interpretation w score by Idil Biret or Giuseppe Andaloro; live performance by Giuseppe Andaloro or Jenny Lin]. No.6 of Book 1 is 'Automne a Varsovie' ('Autumn in Warsaw') [Idil Biret; live performances by Alexey Chernov or Jeremy Denk]. Ligeti's Book 2 of 'Etudes' was written from 1988 to '94, a cycle of 8 pieces being Nos. 7-14. No.8 is 'Fem' ('Metal') [piano by Pierre-Laurent Aimard (w score); Christina McMaster (live); score]. No.13 from Book 2 is 'L'Escalier du Diable' ('The Devil’s Staircase') [1, 2; live performances: Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Greg Anderson, Sean Chen]. During that period Ligeti's 'Foreword' to Simha Arom’s treatise, 'African Polyphony and Polyrhythm', saw publishing in 1991. Ligeti's Book 3 of 'Etudes' consisting of Nos. 15-18 arrived in 1995. Among Ligeti's final works was 'Síppal, Dobbal, Nádihegedüvel' ('With Pipes, Drums, Fiddles') in 2000 consisting of seven pieces addressing the poetry of Sándor Weöres [1, 2; performances by the Amadinda Percussion Group w Katalin Károlyi (soprano): 2000 w score, 2006 live; text]. Having also composed chamber works, particularly for strings, Ligeti died in Vienna on 12 June 2006 [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4]. References. 1, 2, 3. Chronologies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: 1, 2, 3 (abbr), Hungarian; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, French, Spanish; solo piano. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, essential, 'Musica Ricercata' (comp 1951-53 w premiere 18 Nov 1969 Sundsvall, Sweden). Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Hungarian. Film: 1, 2, 3, Espanol. Interviews: Monk Mink Pink Punk 1972-1997, various 1972-2006, Hans-Christian von Dadelsen March 1998, John Tusa for BBC 1999, various. Further reading by source: Pierre-Laurent Aimard: 1, 2; Arnowitt Website; George Benjamin; Zoltán Komor: 1, 2, 3; GL Symposium; Ádám Péterváry; Polar Music Prize; Searby Website; Tom Service; Gavin Thomas. Further reading by topic: piano etudes by Tsong; Manfred Stahnke (student) and: 1, 2. Iconography. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Bibliography: 'György Ligeti's Cultural Identities' by Amy Bauer & Márton Kerékfy (Routledge 2017) *; analyses: 'Automne a Varsovie': Townsend; Tsong; 'Désordre': Haapamaki; Kinzler. Books/ documents/ scores: Gallica. Collections: Paul Sacher Foundation. Sheet music. Book stores: Canada; Europe; USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: Czech; Deutsch: 1, 2; English: archived: 1, 2; didactic: 1, 2; encyclopedic: 1, 2; musical; Espanol; Finnish; French: 1, 2, 3; Hungarian (Transylvanian): 1, 2; Japanese; Russian: 1, 2.

Gyorgy Ligeti

 Atmospheres

   East Carolina University Orchestra

   Virginia Governor's School

   Stephen Coxe

 Cello Concert

   1966   Ensemble C Barré

   Sébastien Boin


   Cello: Alexis Descharmes

 Études pour piano Book 3

   1995–2001   4 etudes

   Piano: Simon Smith

 Le Grand Macabre

   1974–77 Revised 1996   Opera

   Gran Teatre del Liceu


   English National Opera

   Opera di Roma

   Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie

 Lontano

   1967   Stony Brook SO

   
Eduardo Leandro

 Lux Aeterna

   1966 A Cappella Amsterdam

 Requiem

   1963–65

   C & O of Sveriges Radio

   Michael Gielen

 Violin Concerto

   1989–93

   New England Conservatory Contemporary Ensemble

   Director: John Heiss

   Conducting: Eric Hewitt

   Violin: Gabriela Diaz



Birth of Classical Music: Gyorgy Ligeti<

Gyorgy Ligeti

Source: BBC
  Born in 1924 in Venice, Luigi Nono was an avant-garde composer who began taking piano lessons at age twelve. He commenced his musical education at the Venice Conservatory in 1941. He later graduated from Padua University with a degree in law in 1947. Going by the LN Foundation, he composed 'Due Liriche Greche' ('Two Greek Lyrics') for mixed chorus and instrumental ensemble as early as 1948 [1, 2]. It was the career-advancing date of 27 August 1950 when Hermann Scherchen conducted Nono's twelve-tone 'Canonical Variations on the Series of Op. 41 by Arnold Schoenberg' in Darmstadt [*; interpretation by the Sinfonieorchester des Südwestfunks w Michael Gielen]. Nono wrote several titles in 1951, one of which was 'Epitaffio per Federico García Lorca No.1'. That came in three parts titled 'España en el corazón' for voice, 'Y su sangre ya comes cantando' for instruments and 'Romance de la Guardia Civil española' divided into three parts titled 'Tarde', 'La guerra' and 'Casida de la rosa' [*; 'Casida de la rosa' from 'Espana en el corazon' (Part 3 of Part 3) by the Leipzig Radio C & SO led by Horst Neumann]. His serial 'Composizione per orchestra' N. 1 also arrived in '51 [1, 2; interpretation by the Deutsches S O Berlin w Peter Hirsch]. Nono was an especially political composer, not a few of his works specifically anti-fascist in message. Thus his early sympathetic interest in the Spanish poet, Lorca, who had been assassinated just after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). The year that Nono became a member of the Italian Communist Party he composed 'Epitaffio per Federico García Lorca No.2' toward premiere in Baden-Baden on 17 December 1952. Its three parts are titled the same as 'Epitaffio No.1' above, again: 'España en el corazón', 'Y su sangre ya comes cantando' and 'Romance de la Guardia Civil española' [*; audio]. Come 'Epitaffio per Federico García Lorca No.3' to Hamburg on 16 Feb 1953 [*; Part 3 by the Leipzig Radio C & SO led by Horst Neumann]. Though Nono found much in common with the originator of twelve-tone composition (serialism), Arnold Schoenberg, he distanced himself from the aleatoric methods (composition by chance) of John Cage. He had even more in common w Schoenberg when he met the latter's daughter, Nuria, in Hamburg in March 1954 toward their wedding in 1955 to settle in Venice and have two daughters. Schoenberg had already died by that time in '51. Meeting Nuria had resulted in 'Liebeslied' to whom it was dedicated in 1954 [1, 2, 3; Wiener Jeunesse-Chor led by Günther Theuring w the Wiener Philharmoniker led by Claudio Abbado * or the Ensemble: SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart Percussions de Strasbourg w Marcus Creed *]. 'Il Canto Sospeso' ('The Suspended Song') arrived in 1956 [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Berliner Philharmoniker w Claudio Abbado]. 'Composizione per Orchestra' N. 2: 'Diario Polacco ’58' ('Polish Diary '58') arrived of attending the International Festival of Contemporary Music in Warsaw that year, now called Warsaw Autumn. During the sixties Nono addressed topics like the dangers of both the nuclear age and capitalism, Nazi criminality and the Vietnam War. The seventies brought his historical examination of Communism in the opera, 'Al gran sole carico d'amore' ('In the great sun full of love'), which premiered at the Teatro Lirico in Milan in April of '75 conducted by Claudio Abbado. Also incorporating electronic tape, the libretto by Yuri Lyubimov and himself refers to texts by Bertolt Brecht, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; live performance conducted by Claudio Abbado]. 'Io, Fragment from Prometheus' w libretto by Massimo Cacciari arrived to Venice on 24 September 1981, another electronic opera incorporating magnetic tape [1, 2; Prometheus]. 'Quando Stanno Morendo: Diario Polacco N. 2' ('When They Are Dying: Polish Diary N. 2') premiered in Venice on 3 Oct 1982 [1, 2, 3; audio]. Come his electronic 'Prometheus: Tragedy of Listening' to the Church of San Lorenzo in Venice in Sep 1984 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]. Nono's last composition was 'Hay que caminar': 'Soñando' ('You Have to Walk': 'Dreaming') for two violins arriving to Milan on 14 Oct 1989 w Irvine Arditti and David Albermann at violins [1, 2; interpretation by Désirée Pousaz & Andreas Kunz]. Nono passed away the next year on 8 May 1990 [obits: 1, 2]. References: 1, 2, 3. Chronology. Compositions: chronological: 1, 2; by genre: 1, 2. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Luigi Nono' (w 'Quando Stanno Morendo'); 'Prometeo'. IMDb (film). Further reading by source: interviews w Nuria Nono (wife): 1999, 2014, 2015, 2016; John Warnaby. Further reading by topic: Luigi Nono Memorial Composition Competition; musical space by Hyun Höchsmann. Bibliography: 'Utopian Listening'. Books/ documents/ scores: Deutsche National Bibliothek. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Book stores: Canada, Europe, USA. Other profiles: Czech; Deutsch: 1, 2. English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. French: 1, 2, 3. Japanese.

Luigi Nono

 Composizione per orchestra 1

   
1951

    Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

    Peter Hirsch

 Guai ai gelidi mostri

    1983   Ensemble Diagonal

 Intolleranza

    1960   Opera   1 act 2 parts

    Chor der Staatsoper Stuttgart

    Staatsorchester Stuttgart

 Risonanze erranti a Massimo Cacciaris

    1986-87   Ensemble Experimental

 ...Sofferte onde serene...

    1976 Tape collage with piano

    Maurizio Pollini




Birth of Classical Music: Luigi Nono

Luigi Nono

Photo: Grazia Lissi

Source: Luigi Nono Archive
  Born on 26 March 1925 in Montbrison, France, Pierre Boulez played piano as a child and studied at the Paris Conservatoire beginning in 1945 under Messiaen. Boulez began examining twelve-tone serialism about the same time beneath Schoenberg recruit, René Leibowitz. His catalogue begins, however, in 1945 w 'Douze Notations' ('Twelve Notations') pour piano examined as an approach to Stravinsky's "realm of restriction" at Explore the Score [1, 2, 3; Boulez on: 1, 2; interpretation by Pi-Hsien Chen or Antoine Ouvrard; live performance by Gun Chaikittiwatana or Ran Dank]. 'Trois Psalmodies' pour piano arrived in early 1945 as well. Peter Nelson-King notes their similarity to Messiaen [piano by Yvette Grimaud]. 'Variations' pour piano main gauche (left hand) was also of '45. Boulez' first twelve-tone composition was 'Piano Sonata No.1' of 1946 which ended his association w Leibowitz upon the latter finding overmuch fault with his works [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; piano by Idil Biret; live performance by Matt Bengtson]. His twelve-tone 'Sonatine' for flute and piano was written around the same time, later revised in '49 [1, 2; Sophie Cherrier (flute) & Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano) w score; live performances: Jonathan Henderson (flute) & Carlos Sanchis Aguirre (piano) *, Jiro Yoshioka (flute) & Hiroshi Nagao (piano) *]. Boulez' 'Piano Sonata No.2' was an iconoclastic approach to Beethoven in which he applied serial technique to multiple elements beyond pitch (such as rhythm) [1, 2, 3; piano by Maurizio Pollini]. Twelve-tone composers weren't the most popular on the globe, Boulez' serial 'Polyphonie X' for 18 instruments received w contempt at its premiere at the Donaueschingen Festival in Oct of 1951. The work was nevertheless premiered across the water in Los Angeles by Robert Craft in the autumn of '52 and had been recorded a couple of times before Boulez withdrew it from his catalogue [1, 2; SWR Symphony Orchestra w Hans Rosbaud 1951, Orchestra Alessandro Scarlatti w Bruno Maderna 1953]. It was about the time of Boulez' involvement w 'Polyphonie X' that he met another of the major figures of his early career, that John Cage who was in Europe at the time. Boulez followed Cage back to New York City in latter '51 but their approaches to aleatoric music (use of chance in the composing and/or performing of) would elementally differ, Cage interested to remove the composer altogether from compositions, Boulez preferring that a composer be more evident in chance music. Upon returning to Europe, Boulez finished his first electronic work using magnetic tape that was 'Deux Etudes' written from '51 to '52 for Pierre Schaeffer's Groupe Recherche de la Radiodiffusion Française. 'L'Orestie' for voice and ensemble was incidental music to Jean-Louis Barrault's 1955 stage production of Aeschylus' 5th century BC trilogy titled 'Oresteia'. Boulez performed his serial 'Piano Sonata No.3' for the first time at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse in Cologne in 1958. Consisting of five movements (called formants by Boulez), 'No.3' was an examination of open form in "perpetual expansion" [1, 2, 3; piano by Idil Biret: Formants I-IV, Formant V; Christina Petrowska; live performance by James Iman]. Open form refers to the freedom that performers are given to interpret a work [1, 2, 3]. Resonance [1, 2, 3] was of central concern to 'Eclat' of 1965 [1, 2, 3; Ensemble InterContemporain conducted by Boulez w IRCAM at the Festival D'Automne December 1981 (recording); Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Simon Rattle at Royal Albert Hall, London, Proms 2016 (live)]. Boulez had made his conducting debut in the United States in 1965 leading the Cleveland Orchestra, remaining principal guest conductor until February 1971. He succeeded Colin Davis as principal conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in '71 to 1976 when Rudolf Kempe took the helm. He also served as artistic director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from '71 to 1978. He began teaching at the College de France in 1976 where he instructed to as late as 1995. He also founded the Ensemble Intercontemporain [1, 2] in '76 which he led until '78 when Peter Eötvös took over. During that period he opened IRCAM [Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique-Musique: 1, 2; BRAHMS] in 1977, having been assigned the project of building an institute for the scientific study of music, sound and electro-acoustical art by President Georges Pompidou back in 1970 [1, 2]. IRCAM would simplify the laborious taping process in electronic music through computerization as well as assist in concert performances. 'Répons' ('Dialogue') was Boulez's first composition using IRCAM, that premiering at the Donaueschingen Festival on 18 Oct 1981. The theme of response in the work occurs largely between acoustic and electronic sound via speakers placed in strategic locations in the concert hall [1, 2, 3; performances by the Ensemble Intercomporain w Boulez: Salzburg Festival live 1992, Tokyo Bay live 1995, Paris recording 1996; Ensemble Intercomporain w Matthias Pintscher live 2015; score]. Like 'Eclat" twenty years earlier, Philippe Albèra describes resonance to again be the primary concern of Boulez' 'Dérive 1' ('Deviation 1') for six instruments first performed in London on 30 Jan 1985 [1, 2; recording by the Ensemble Intercontemporain w Pierre Boulez 1984; live performances by the Ensemble Intercontemporain w Pierre Boulez, the Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players w Eduardo Leandro, the Ensemble Offspring w Roland Peelman; score]. 'Dérive 2' for eleven instruments arrived in 1988 toward revisions in 2002 and 2006 [1, 2; live performance by the Ensemble Intercontemporain w Pierre Boulez or the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra w Daniel Barenboim; score]. Forwarding the calendar into the nineties, Boulez' 'Anthèmes' for violin arrived in 1991 toward revision in '94 [violin by Eric Rynes; live performance by Elissa Cassini]. 'Anthèmes II' for violin and live electronics followed in 1997 [1, 2; live performance by Michael Barenboim w live electronics by IRCAM]. Boulez' 'Incises' ('Interpolations') for solo piano had first been performed at the Umberto Micheli Piano Competition for which it was written on 21 October 1994. Like 'Répons' and 'Dérive 1', Boulez employed the Sacher hexachord to compose the pitch of 'Incises' which he revised in 2001 [Version 2001 w David Ezra Okonsar at piano]. 'Sur Incises' followed at Usher Hall in Edinburgh on 30 August 1998 by the Ensemble InterContemporain conducted by David Robertson [Ensemble InterContemporain with: Pierre Boulez (recording 1999); Matthias Pintscher (live 2017): score]. Boulez' final composition was 'Une Page d’Éphéméride' for piano in 2005. "Éphéméride" refers to (events of) a section of astronomical time alike a page selected or removed from a calendar [piano by Hidéki Nagano; live performance by Hayk Melikyan]. Boulez died at home in Baden-Baden on 5 January 2016 [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. References: 1, 2, 3. Compositions: chronological: Akademie der Künste, BRAHMS, CUNY, France Musique, Universal Edition, Wikipedia: French, Japanese; by genre: BRAHMS (electronic et al), Musicalics, RYM. Authorship. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'Œuvres Complètes | Complete Works' by various (Boulez, Ensemble InterContemporain, et al) on Deutsche Grammophon 2013: review; 'Repons' by the Ensemble InterContemporain w Boulez on Deutsche Grammophon 1998. Videography (YouTube) . IMDb (film). IBDB (Broadway). Documentaries: 'Tribute' by the Cleveland Orchestra 1995; 'Eclat | Sur Incises' 2000: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Iconography: 1971. Interviews w Boulez: KPFA-FM San Francisco 16 February 1986 *; Bruce Duffie 20 February 1986 & 26 October 1987 *; Jorge Lima Barreto 1987 *; Andy Carvin for WNUR-FM Chicago 14 November 1993 * (alt); Wolfgang Schaufler for Explore the Score May 2012 *. Interviews w various: George Benjamin 2015, Gerard McBurney 2016. Further reading by source: Jean-Louis Barrault; PB Project; DW World: 1, 2; Laurent Bayle presented by Marie-Aude Roux; Tom Service. Further reading by topic: the 'Anthèmes'; the 'Incises'; numbered piano sonatas; reviews; as a student of Messiaen and Leibowitz. Bibliography: 'Open Form and Two Combinatorial Musical Models' by Sluchin & Malt; 'Pierre Boulez and the Foundation of IRCAM' by Peter O’Hagan. Collections. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Book stores: Canada; Europe; USA: Amazon, Biblio, Good Reads. Other profiles: Deutsch; English: cultural (French); encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4; radio: BBC, NPR; French: 1, 2; Japanese; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish.

Pierre Boulez

 Éclat/multiples

   1970 Unfinished

   Ensemble Intercontemporain

 2 Notations pour piano

   
1945

   Piano: Pierre Laurent-Aimard

 Le Marteau sans maître

   1953–55 Revised 1957

   Ensemble intercontemporain

 Messagesquisse

   1976   For 7 cellos

   D'Addario Orchestral

 Repons

   1980 Revised: '82 '84

   Ensemble Intercontemporain

 Le soleil des eaux

   1948 Revised: '50 '58 '65

   BBC Symphony Orchestra


   Pierre Boulez

   Sopran: Elizabeth Atherton

 Structures I & II

   I: 1951–52   II: 1961

   Both for 2 pianos


   Pianos: Alfons & Aloys Kontarsky



Birth of Classical Music: Pierre Boulez

Pierre Boulez

Source: AFO
Birth of Classical Music: Luciano Berio

Luciano Berio

Source: Bach Cantatas
Born on 24 Oct 1925 in Oneglia, Italy, experimental composer Luciano Berio was taught piano by his father who was an organist. He was conscripted into the Italian Army during World War II, then entered Milan Conservatory in 1945. War injuries to his hand prevented him from becoming a pianist so he focused on composition. Following the Centro Studo Luciano Berio website, Berio is traced to as early as 1947 per 'Quattro Canzoni Popolari' for female voice and piano, not premiering until 1952 by himself w mezzo-soprano, Cathy Berberian, for whom he wrote it [1, 2; interpretation by Maria Eleonora Caminada (soprano) & Yuko Ito (pianoforte)]. 'Petite Suite' for piano was also written in 1947 to premiere in 1948 [piano by Andrea Bacchetti]. It was upon his visit to the United States in 1952 that he became interested in serialism. It was in 1955 Milan that Berio helped found the electronic music studio, Studio di Fonologia [1, 2, 3, 4, video], also publishing the annual electronic music periodical, 'Incontri Musicali', from 1956 to 1960. In the meantime his first of fourteen Sequenzas [1, 2] arrived to Darmstadt in 1958 titled 'Sequenza I' for flute performed by Severino Gazzelloni [flute by Nora Shulman']. 'Sequenza III' for female voice was written in 1965 for Berberian (above) [1, 2, 3, 4, note by Berio; interpretation by Tony Arnold or Barbara Hannigan; live performance by Laura Catrani or Sarah Maria Sun]. 'Sequenza XIV' arrived 44 years later in 2002 for violoncello [live performances by Darrett Adkins, Éric-Maria Couturier, Zlatomir Fung]. 'XIVb' is an arrangement for double bass written by Stefano Scodanibbio toward a collaborative comp for cello and double bass which realization was preempted by Berio's death [1, 2; double bass by Scodanibbio]. Backing up to 1960, Berio became composer in residence at Tanglewood (summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937) in Massachusetts, also teaching at the Dartington International Summer School. He began instructing at Mills College in Oakland, California, in 1962. 'Folk Songs' of various countries arrived in 1964 again with Berberian (above) in mind with whom he premiered them in Oakland that year [1, 2, 3, 4, note by Berio; audio with vocals by Cathy Berberian (Berio directing) or Stella Doufexis (Gourzi conducting); live performance by Andreas Schmidt (Gourzi conducting) or Sage DeAgro-Ruopp (Kim conducting)]. Berio became a professor at Juilliard in 1965, where he founded the Juilliard Ensemble to address contemporary music. Sometimes symphonies are a revealing way to follow a composer's career. With Berio one hasn't that option since among numerous orchestral works he conceived only one called 'Sinfonia' commissioned for the 125th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra which premiered it w the Swingle Singers in NYC on 10 Oct 1968 w Berio conducting [1, 2, 3, 4; audio w score of Berio conducting Movements I-IV and Ludovic Morlot conducting Movement V; live performance by the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra led by Christian Baldini]. From 1974 to 1980 Berio directed the electro-acoustic division of IRCAM in Paris [1, 2]. In the meantime he premiered his 'Coro' for forty voices and forty instruments on 24 Oct 1976 conducting the WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln w the WDR Rundfunkchor Köln [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, note by Berio; Berio conducting the Radio Symphony Orchestra Cologne w Herbert Schernus directing the Radio Chorus Cologne Oct 1979: I-VIII, IX-XX, XXI-XXVII, XXVIII-XXIX, XXX-XXXI]. Berio established Tempo Reale in 1987 in Florence to research electronic music [1, 2, 3, 4]. 'Continuo' for orchestra premiered on 30 Nov 1989. His 'Rendering' that premiered in Amsterdam in April 1990 was a symphonic work based on Schubert's unfinished 'Symphony No.10' in D major [1, 2, 3, 4, note by Berio; interpretations by the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi w Riccardo Chailly or the Orchestre de Paris w Christoph Eschenbach; live performances by the Stagione Sunfonica w Luciano Berio or the Orquesta Sinfónica de Radiotelevisión Española w Aldo Ceccato]. Becoming Composer in Residence at Harvard in 1994, his 'Continuo II' for orchestra titled 'Ekphrasis' arrived in 1996 [Berio directing the Radio Sinfonie Orchester Frankfurt 1997; Peter Eötvös directing the Göteborgs Symfoniker]. Berio became President of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia [1, 2] in 2000. A prolific composer whilst thought to be an atheist, Berio died on 27 May 2003 while hospitalized in Rome [obit]. His publisher had been Universal Edition [1, 2]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Chronologies: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: 1, 2, 3; by genre 1, 2; see also international sites below. Authorship. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Internet Archive: 1, 2. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'The Complete Sequenzas & Works for Solo Instruments' by various; 'The Complete Works for Solo Piano' by David Arden; 'Coro' by the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir & Radio Orchestra w Grete Pedersen; 'Sinfonia' | 'Ekphrasis'' by the London Voices w the Göteborgs Symfoniker conducted by Peter Eötvös. IMDb (film). Documentaries: 'Folklore Privé' directed by Edna Politi 1984. Videography. Iconography: 1, 2. Further reading by source: interviews: Bruce Duffie 1993; nmz; Tom Service; John Whiting. Further reading by topic: students of; television ('C'è musica & musica'). Books/ documents/ scores: 1, 2, 3, 4. Bibliography. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Other profiles: Czech; Deutsch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Francais: 1, 2, 3. Italian: 1, 2; Japanese; Spanish.

Luciano Berio

 Circles

   1960

   For voice, harp and 2 percussion


   Ensemble Itinéraire

 Differences

   1959   Juilliard Ensemble

 Epifanie

   1961   Revised 1965

   For voice & orchestra


   Orchestra della RAI di Roma

   Luciano Berio

   Voice: Cathy Berberian

 Visage

   1961   Tape music w voice

   Voice: Cathy Berberian

 Sequenza I

   1958   For flute

   Flute: Sophie Cherrier

 Sequenza II

   1963   For harp

   Harp: Yinuo Mu

 Sequenza III

   1965   For voice

   Voice: Cathy Berberian

 Sequenza IV

   1966   For piano

   Piano: Florent Boffard

 Sequenza V

   1966   For trombone

   Trombone: Dave Day

 Sequenza VI

   1967   For viola

   Viola: Christophe Desjardins

 Sequenza VII

   1969   For oboe

   Oboe: Heinz Holliger

 Sequenza VIII

   1977   For violin

   Violin: Jeanne-Marie Conquer

 Sequenza IXa

   1980   For clarinet

   Clarinet: Gleb Kanasevich

 Sequenza X

   1984

   For trumpet & piano resonance

   Trumpet: Håkan Hardenberger

 Sequenza XI

   1988   For guitar

   Guitar: Andrea Monarda

 Sequenza XII

   1995   For fagotto (bassoon)

   Fagotto: Pascal Gallois

 Sequenza XIII

   1995   For accordian

   Accordian: Domenico Sciajno

 Sequenza XIV

   2002   For cello

   Cello: Benjamin Glorieux

 Sinfonia

   1968   Recorded live 1997

   Swingle Singers

   Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

   Direction: Luciano Berio

 Stanze

   
2003

   Baritone: Dietrich Henschel


   Orchestre de Parisdiretta

   Christoph Eschenbach

 String Quartets

   1: Notturno 1993

   2: Sincronie 1964


   3: Glosse 1997

   4: Quatuor No 1

   Arditti String Quartet

   Recorded February 2002




 
  Born on 22 Nov 1925 in New York City, Gunther Alexander Schuller had studied at the St. Thomas Choir School, first picking up flugelhorn and flute. At fifteen ('43) he was playing professionally with the American Ballet Theatre, followed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from '43 to '45. He had composed 'Concerto No. 1 for Horn and Orchestra' in '43 to premiere in 1945 in Cincinatti with that orchestra. Schuller next joined the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra with which he kept until 1959. While with that organization Gunther married pianist, Marjorie Black, in 1948 with whom he remained through two children until her death in 1992. Gunther made his first recordings with Miles Davis in March 1950, appearing on 'The Birth of the Cool' in 1957 ('Rocker', 'Deception', 'Darn That Dream', 'Moon Dreams'). In 1955 Schuller formed the ensemble, the Modern Jazz Society, with pianist, John Lewis, releasing 'The Modern Jazz Society Presents a Concert of Contemporary Music' the next year. Addressing the fusion of classical music with jazz, Schuller coined the term "Third Stream" [1, 2, 3] in 1957 during a lecture at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Works which example what Schuller meant by Third Stream are such as 'Transformation' ('57), 'Concertino' ('59), 'Abstraction' ('59) and 'Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk' ('60). It was 1959 when Schuller ceased performing to focus on composition, teaching and writing, albeit he continued conducting. During the sixties Schuller became president of the New England Conservatory. He began serving as a director for the Tanglewood Music Center in 1965 (summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Lenox, Massachusetts). 1968 saw the publication of his tome, 'Early Jazz'. He was Artistic Director for the Tanglewood Music Center from 1970 to 1984, creating the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music. An orchestration of Scott Joplin's opera, 'Treemonisha', premiered in 1975 in Houston [*]. The next year he acquired a Laurel Leaf Certificate of Appreciation from the ACA (American Composers Alliance). In 1989 he recorded his highly regarded 'Phantasmata' [1, 2, 3] performed by the duo, Marmolin, that issued in '97 w Nancy Zeltsman at marimba and Sharan Leventhal on violin. In 1991 Schuller published his book, 'The Swing Era'. He was also recipient of a MacArthur Foundation genius award (grant) that year, making him a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. In 1993 he became Artistic Director for the Northwest Bach Festival in Spokane Washington, holding that position until his death. In 1994 he drew a Pulitzer Prize for 'Of Reminiscences and Reflections' premiering 2 Dec of 1993 in Louisville, Kentucky, w the Louisville Orchestra. The NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) named Schuuler a Jazz Master in 2008. The Boston Symphony premiered his 'Where the Word Ends' in 2009. His memoir, 'A Life in Pursuit of Music and Beauty', got inked in 2011 by U of Rochester Press [1, 2]. Schuller died on 22 November 2015 in Boston of leukemia [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. References encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Compositions: GSS (182 classical-relevant). Sessions: Lord (81 jazz-relevant). Catalogs: 45Cat, AllMusic, Discogs, RYM, Wikipedia. Schuller in visual media. Reviews. Criticism: Ethan Iverson. Major institutional affiliations. Interviews: Bruce Duffie 1981/88; NEA 2008; Steve Schwartz 2008 (pdf); Frank Oteri 2009; NPR 'Weekend Edition Sunday' 2009; Marc Myers 2010: 1, 2, 3, 4; Ethan Iverson 2010: 1, 2; NAMM 2011. Books authored by Schuller: 1, 2. Further reading: Anthony Cheung; IHS; WBUR: 1, 2; Logan Young. In 'Variants on a Theme by Thelonious Monk' below, Schuller references Monk's 'Criss Cross', thought to have been first recorded in 1951.

Gunther Schuller

 Abstraction

     Composed 1959   This release 1961

     Album: 'Jazz Abstractions'

     Alto sax: Ornette Coleman

 An Arc Ascending

    
Composed 1996   This release 1998

     Radio Philharmonic of Hannover

     Director: Gunther Schuller

 Concerto No 1 for Horn & Orchestra

    
Andante

     Composed 1945   This release 1994

     Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra

    
Director: Richard Todd

 Darn That Dream

    
Recorded 1950   Released 1957

     Album: 'Birth of the Cool'

     Miles Davis Nonet

    
Schuller: French horn

     Vocal: Kenny Hagood

     Composition: Jimmy Van Heusen

      Lyrics: Eddie DeLange

     
Arrangement: Gerry Mulligan

 Django

    
Recorded 1955   Released 1956

     Album:

     'The Modern Jazz Society Presents'


     Schuller: Arrangement/French horn

     Composition/Piano: John Lewis

  Little David's Fugue

    
Recorded 1955   Released 1956

     Album:

     'The Modern Jazz Society Presents'


     Schuller: French horn

     Composition/Piano: John Lewis

 Moon Dreams

    
Recorded 1950   Released 1957

     Album: 'Birth of the Cool'

     Miles Davis Nonet

     Schuller: French horn

     Composition: MacGregor/Mercer

      Arrangement: Gil Evans

 Symphony for Brass & Percussion

    
Op 16 Composed 1950

     Summit Brass

     Conducting: Gunther Schuller

 Transformation

     
Composed 1957: Russell/Schuller

     Piano: George Russell

     Conducting: Gunther Schuller

  Variants . . . Thelonious Monk

    
Variants I & II   Composed 1960

     With Ornette Coleman & Eric Dolphy

     1961 album: 'Jazz Abstractions'

 Variants . . . Thelonious Monk

    
Variants III & IV   Composed 1960

     With Ornette Coleman & Eric Dolphy

     1961 album: 'Jazz Abstractions'

 Where the Word Ends

    
Variants III & IV   Composed 2007

     WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne

     Conductor: Semyon Bychkov



Birth of Classical Music: Pierre Boulez

Gunther Schuller

Photo: Murdo MacLeod

Source: Jazz Wax
Birth of Classical Music: David Tudor

David Tudor

Photo: NEW WORLD RECORDS

Source: Chicago Reader
Born on 20 Jan 1926 in Philadelphia, David Eugene Tudor was an avant-garde composer who began to study piano w Irma Wolpe and composition with Stefan Wolpe in 1944. Though a pianist, Tudor's first professional employment was as an organist. After piano, the second thing to know about Tudor is electronics which were his musical realm. The third thing to know about Tudor is Indeterminate composer, John Cage, with whom he began to work as a pianist at Black Mountain College [1, 2] in North Carolina in 1951. Tudor was a major interpreter of Cage with whom he collaborated on multiple works. Going by the David Tudor Pages and Pytheas (below), his first composition of 1952 at Black Mountain goes without title. 'The Whole World - The Run: The Juggleress' was performed at Black Mountain on 24 August 1953. By its description as "19th century piano music selected by David Tudor" it sounds like an arrangement. Tudor made his first journey to Europe in 1954. He taught at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse from 1956 to 1961. In the meantime, his first composition arrived as his realization of Cage's chance work, 'Solo for Piano for Indeterminacy' performed at the International World's Fair in Brussels on 9 Oct 1958. It was 1960 when he met future collaborator, George Mumma [1, 2, 3, 4], while performing w Cage in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mumma contributed to 'Reunion' in '68, 'First Week of June' in '70 and '52/3' in 1972. Tudor collaborated w Lowell Cross [1, 2] on numerous works beginning w 'Bandoneon!' ('A Combine') premiering in NYC for '9 Evenings' [1, 2, 3] in October 1966 w Cross projecting video images [audio]. Tudor initially worked w dancer, Merce Cunningham [1, 2], on the electronic work, 'Rainforest', their first to merge music w choreography debuting in Buffalo, New York, on 9 March 1968 [1, 2; audio]. Driscoll & Rogalsky examine 'Rainforest' in terms of resonance [1, 2, 3]. In 1969 Tudor designed the electronic music studio at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India [*]. In 1970 Tudor joined Cross (above) and Carson Jeffries in the creation of the exhibit, 'Video Laser II'. Come 'Rainforest II' to Radio Bremen on 5 May 1972. 'Untitled' was another work for live electronics that followed on 8 May for Radio Bremen, later revised in 1982 [audio]. Come Rainforest III' in 1973. Tudor was a founding member of Composers Inside Electronics (CIE)  as of 1973 [1, 2, 3] w which he collaborated on 'Rainforest iV' in 1976 [1, 2; audio]. CIE interpreted Tudor for decades to come until a self-performing sound installation was created by Arte Alameda in Mexico City in 2009 called 'Rainforest V' ('Variation 1') [1, 2, 3]. Backing up a little, Tudor's electronic 'Pulsers' arrived to the Festival d'Automne in Paris in 1976 [recording]. 'Video Pulsers' arrived to the Fort Worth Art Museum for television broadcast by KERA (Dallas) in 1977, shown w 'Brazos River' composed by Tudor w choreographer, Viola Farber, and painter, Robert Rauschenberg. Tudor's 'Pulsers II' arrived to NYU in New York City in 1978. His last collaborations with Cross (above) were 'Laser Concert' of '79 and '80. 'Phonemes' was another collaboration between Cunningham at choreography and Tudor at live electronics first performed at the City Center Theater in NYC on 24 March 1981 [recording]. The electronic sources for 'Dialects' are alpha waves and the beating of insects' wings as the performer plucks a table sculpture of wire flowers created by Jackie Mattise, first performed at Mills College in Oakland on 5 Oct 1985 [realization by Mark Trayle 2001]. 'Coeffcient: Frictional Percussion and Electronics' was written for percussionist, Michael Pugliese, w a feedback system that distinguishes between percussive friction and percussive impact first performed at the Paula Cooper Gallery in NYC on 26 Feb 1991. Upon the death of Cage in 1992 Tudor assumed his role as music director for Cunningham's Dance Company. Their last work together was 'Soundings: Ocean Diary' performed in Bruxelles on 17 May 1994 w Cunningham adding choreography to the electronic work that Tudor had already premiered in January [film by Molly Davies of the Mercer Cunningham Dance Company w Tudor at his table]. 'Toneburst: Maps and Fragments' is the last work to show up in Tudor's catalogue, that a collaboration w visual artist, Sophia Ogielska, getting performed posthumously in September 1996 at Wesleyan University in Connecticut [1, 2, 3, 4; discussion moderated by John Driscoll (CIE); realization by John Adams]. Tudor had died in Tomkins Cove, New York, on 13 August 1996 [obit]. References: 1, 2. Compositions: chronological: DT Pages, OAC, Pytheas; by genre. Audio: 1, 2, 3. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; DT Pages: as composer, as pianist; select: 'The Art of David Tudor 1963 - 1992': 1, 2; 'From The Kitchen Archives No. 4' recorded '77/'78/'07 on Orange Mountain Music OMM-0046 *; 'Music for Piano'; 'Neural Synthesis Nos. 6-9' *; 'Three Works for Live Electronics': 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, liner notes; 'David Tudor' ('Rainforest'); 'David Tudor | John Cage' ('Rainforest II' & 'Mureau') *. IMDb (film). Sheet music. Further reading by source: interviews: Bruce Duffie 1986, Matamoros & Frehling 1995; Lovely (Tudor's label); Michael Rosenstein. Further reading by topic: collaborators: 1, 2: John Cage: at Black Mountain, 'Solo for Piano', 'Variations II'; CIE; Gordon Mumma; electronics: 1, 2: neural network synthesizer; Tudor's table for live electronics: 1, 2; Tudor as pianist. Bibliography: 'David Tudor's Apprenticeship: The Years with Irma and Stefan Wolpe' by Austin Clarkson; 'Introduction: Composers inside Electronics: Music after David Tudor' by Nicolas Collins ('Leonardo Music Journal' 2004). Authorities research: VIAF, Worldcat. Collections: Getty: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Daniel Langlois Foundation: 1, 2; OAC. Other profiles: Catalan; English: 1, 2, 3, 4.

David Tudor

  Klavierstück VI

    1954-55   For piano

    Piano: David Tudor


    Recorded 1960

  Rainforest Version 1

   
Versions 1-4: 1968-73

   
Electronic

  Microphone Mix A

   
1973   Electronic piece

    First recorded 1973

    This release 1978

  Neural Synthesis 2

    Neural Syntheses
1-9: 1992-1994

    For neural network synthesizer


    Recorded 1993

  Pulsers

   
1970   Electronic

    Recorded 1976




 
Birth of Classical Music: Hans Henze

Hans Henze

Source: Arts Journal
Born in Gütersloh, Westphalia, on 1 July 1826, Hans Werner Henze had been enrolled in the Hitler Youth as a child. He began formal training in music in 1941 in Braunschweig. His father, a World War I vet, died at the Eastern Front in World War II before Henze was himself conscripted in 1944, only to be captured by the British. Deutsch, English and Spanish Wikipedia have Henze composing several titles as early as 1945 either lost or withdrawn, the latter being 'Kleines Quartet' for oboe, violin, viola and cello, and 'Sechs Lieder'. In 1946 he enrolled into Heidelburg Univerisity, the year BRAHMS (below) picks him up with his first works published by Schott, 'Kammerkonzert' pour piano, flûte et cordes, and 'Sonatine' for violin and piano ['Sonatine' by Ginevra Petrucci (flute) & Bruno Canino (piano)]. Henze composed ten numbered symphonies from 1947 to 2000. Due to a surprising problem with illegible scores the premiere of 'Sinfonia No.1' in 1947 was a helter-skelter affair in which only one movement saw performance. The work not performed completely until the next year, it is thought Henze's first composition in which twelve-tone serial method [1, 2] was employed [1, 2; Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken directed by Henze 1976: Movements 1 & 2, Movement 3]. 'Sinfonia No.2' is a twelve-tone work that saw its first performance on 1 December 1949 in Stuttgart by the South German Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Müller-Kray [audio]. Henze started conducting for ballet in 1950 at the Hessisches Staatstheater in Westbaden. His 'Sinfonia No.3' was premiered at the Donaueschingen Festival on 7 October 1951 by the South German Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Rosbaud [1, 2; Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin led by Marek Janowski 2010]. Henze works were largely atonal until leaving Germany for Italy in 1953 where he lived on the island of Ischia until Jan of 1956 when he headed for Naples to absorb a Neapolitan way of doing things. Come 'Sinfonia No.4' ('Stag Party') in 1955 though it wasn't premiered until 9 Oct 1961 at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Henze [1, 2]. In 1958 Henze completed 'Kammermusik' in Greece, a setting to Friedrich Hölderlin's 'In Lieblicher Bläue' of 1808 which premiere was recorded minus its final 'Adagio' on 26 Nov 1958 in Hamburg [recording]. Its 'Adagio' wasn't performed until December of 1963. Henze taught composition at the Mozarteum in Salzburg from '62 to '67. In the meantime the premiere of 'Sinfonia No.5' was recorded at Avery Fisher Hall Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on either 16 [BRAHMS] or 18 May 1963 by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, by which it had been commissioned, led by Leonard Bernstein [1, 2, 3; recorded premiere]. Henze began teaching in the U.S. in 1967 at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire. As a Marxist member of the Italian Communist Party, Henze wrote music to political themes such as 'Das Floß der Medusa' ('The Raft of Medusa') dedicated to Che Guevara which intended premiere on 9 Dec 1968 at the Planten un Blomen Hall in Hamburg was preempted by riot between Communists and anarchists that police were called in to quell. Aborted before the music got started, it was finally performed at the Musikverein in Vienna on 29 January 1971 [1, 2, 3]. Be as may, prior to the cancelled premiere Henze had conducted the Sinfonieorchester des NordDeutschen Rundfunks in a recorded dress rehearsal (1968). Henze conducted the premiere of 'Sinfonia No.6' for two chamber orchestras at the University of Havana on 26 November 1969 w 3 Parts of several movements each. He recorded it w the London Symphony Orchestra 1972 [Part 1 No.3 of 5 'Meno Mosso', Part 2 No.3 of 6 'Largo', Part 3 No.1 of 4 'Piu Messo']. It was 1971 when Henze finished his first three electronic works, one of which was incidental music for 'Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer' ('The Tedious Way to Natascha Ungeheuer's Place') premiering w the Gunter Hampel Free Jazz Group among others on 17 May 1971 at the Teatro Olimpico in Rome. 'The Tedious Way' is a work incorporating jazz w libretto by Chilean poet, Gaston Salvatore, cautioning against bourgeois socialist propaganda [1, 2; No.9 of 11 'Geodesy' (premiere)]. Henze founded the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte in Montepulciano in 1976, a summer school for actors, artists, musicians and the like [1, 2]. He taught composition at the Cologne Music School from 1980 to 1991, also establishing workshops and festivals in Austria during the eighties. His first trip to the United States was made in 1983, meeting Cop, the same year he met Fausto Moroni in Rome, his queer partner for the next twenty-four years. Henze's 'Requiem' that was a set of nine Sacred Concertos had been begun in 1991 toward their premiere on 24 Feb 1993 [interpretation by the Ensemble Intercontemporain w Matthias Pintscher]. His 'Sinfonia No.7' saw its recorded premiere by the Berliner Philharmoniker under Gianluigi Gelmetti on 1 Dec 1984 [Berliner Philharmoniker led by Gianluigi Gelmetti 1984; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra led by Simon Rattle]. Henze's 'Sinfonía No.8' was premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, which had commissioned it, on 1 October 1993, that led by Seiji Ozawa [1, 2; interpretation by the Gurzenich Orcherster Koln w Markus Stenz]. Henze's 'Sinfonía No.9' in nine movements was for chorus and orchestra w a text by Hans-Ulrich Treichel based on Anna Seghers' 1942 'Das Siebte Kreuz' ('The Seventh Cross') concerning an attempted escape from the Westhofen concentration camp through which only six of seven lived. That premiered in Berlin on 11 September 1997 by the Berlin Radio Choir and Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Ingo Metzmacher in a performance recorded by EMI [1, 2; interpretations by the New York Philharmonic led by Kurt Masur 2001: Movement 2 'Bei den Toten' ('Among the Dead'), Movement 4 'Der Platane Spricht' ('The Plane Tree Speaks')]. Henze's final 'Sinfonia No.10' had been commissioned by Paul Sacher and Simon Rattle. Henze dedicated the work to Sacher who died in 1999, Rattle to premiere the first movement only with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in March 2000. Rattle premiered the full work in Lucerne on 17 August 2002 [interpretation by the Orchestre National de Montpellier con Friedemann Layer]. Deeper into the new millennium Henze tuned in to opera again via his two-act 'Phaedre' premiering at the Berlin State Opera on 6 September 2007 w a libretto by Christian Lehnert in reference to the Greek myth [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; audio w the Ensemble Modern directed by Michael Boder: Act 1, Act 2]. 'Elogium Musicum' of 2008 is a work for chorus and orchestra w a text by Franco Serpa which Henze dedicated to his partner, Moroni, who died of cancer the previous year [interpretation of Movements 3 & 4 of 4 by the Concertgebouw Orchestra w Riccardo Chailly; score]. 'Gisela!: The Strange and Memorable Ways of Happiness' was an electronically assisted work for stage w libretto by Henze, Christian Lehnert and Michael Kerstan that was first performed on 25 September 2010 w conducting by Steven Sloane. 'Gisela!' is the last composition listed in the Henze catalogue in IRCAM's BRAHMS. Henze died a couple years later on 27 October 2012 in Dresden [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. References: 1, 2. Chronologies: 1, 2, 3. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics, RYM, Wikipedia, symphonies; Henze Stiftung (Deutsch, Italiano): chamber; concerti; film; incidental; works lost; orchestral; radio plays; theatrical: ballets; operas: for radio; for television; for youth; vocal works; works withdrawn. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'Das Floß der Medusa' by the SWR Symphonieorchester w Peter Eötvös et al 2017: 1, 2; 'Das Floß der Medusa' by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra w Ingo Metzmacher et al 2018; 'Hans Werner Henze' by the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin w Daniel Harding ('Kammermusik 1958' et al): 1, 2; 'Hans Werner Henze' by the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln w Markus Stenz ('Symphony No.8' et al); 'Henze' by the Orchestre National de Montpellier w Friedemann Layer ('Symphony No.10' et al): 1, 2; 'Der Langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer': 1, 2; 'Violin and Viola Works' by Peter Sheppard Skaerved (strings) w Roderick Chadwick (piano). IMDb (film). Documentaries: 'Memories of an Outsider' directed by Barrie Gavin 2001. Iconography. Interviews: Bruce Duffie in Chicago November 1981. Further reading: Eleonore Büning, Martin Kaltenecker (BRAHMS), Peter Petersen, Tom Service (Guardian), Imogen Tilden (Guardian). Books/ documents/ scores: Gallica. Bibliography. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Book stores: Canada; Europe; USA: 1, 2, 3, 4. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4; Wikipedia international: Deutsch; Italian; Russian; Spanish.

Hans Werner Henze

 Symphony 1   [Part 1]

    1947 Revised 1963 1991 2005

   
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken

    Conductor: Hans Werner Henz

    Recorded live 1976

 Symphony 1   [Part 2]

    1947 Revised 1963 1991 2005

    Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken

    Conductor: Hans Werner Henze

    Recorded live 1976

  Symphony 4

    1955   Recorded 1966

    Berlin Philharmonic

    Hans Werner Henze

 Symphony 7

    1983-84

    Berliner Philharmoniker

    Gianluigi Gelmetti

 Symphony 10

    1997–2000

    Orchestre National de Montpellier

    Friedemann Layer

 Variationen für Klavier

    1948   Op 13

    Piano: Jan Philip Schulze

  Violin Concerto 2

    1971   Revised 1991

    Recorded 1971


    London Sinfonietta

    Hans Werner Henze




 
Birth of Classical Music: Notation by Earle Brown

Notation Folio: December 1952   1954

Source: Marina Buj


Birth of Classical Music: Notation by Earle Brown

Notation Folio II   1982

Source: Canisius College
Born on 26 Dec 1926 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Earle Brown had initially been inclined to jazz. He studied engineering and mathematics at Northeastern University before enlisting in the Air Force to be a pilot in 1945. The war ended, however, while Brown was in basic, making a trumpeter of him in the Army Air Force Band instead. He served in that capacity alongside saxophonist Stan Getz. From 1946 to '50 Brown studied at what is now the Berklee College of Music in Boston. The Earle Brown Music Foundation lists his first composition during that period as 'Home Burial' of 1949, that a setting to a poem by Robert Frost for choreography by Carolyn Brown commissioned by Carolyn Rice [piano by Adam Tendler]. Upon graduating from college in 1950 Brown moved to Denver for a short time before heading to New York City in 1951 to assist John Cage with tape music, there to become a member of the loose affiliation of artists, authors, dancers and musicians known as the New York School. Brown's major claim to fame was his scoring of "sonic events" via graphic notation, be they abstract w meaning conveyed via such as horizontal and vertical bars of varying width, or calligraphic. His early graphic notation for his initial open form composition (referring to performer choices), 'Twenty-Five Pages' of 1953, is a structure for multiple elements such as mobility, page sequence, time, et al [piano by Sabine Liebner]. Scores would become more abstract by such as erasing stems. Come 'Folio' of 1954 [interpretations by various: 1, 2, 3]. His best-known piece included in that is likely 'December 1952' which graphic notation is top left [interpretations by various: 1, 2, 3]. 'Four Systems' also arrived in 1954. Its graphic notation to the far is what Brown called a "graphic situation" again defining such as mobility (possible combinations) et al [interpretation by Eberhard Blum (flute) w Steffen Schleiermacher (piano]. Brown worked as an editor and recording engineer for Columbia from '55 to '60, then as a producer for Mainstream-Time Records from 1960 to '73. His open form 'String Quartet' had been premiered on 16 October 1965 by the LaSalle String Quartet for which it had been written [1, 2; live performance by the Callithumpian Consort or the FLUX Quartet. 'Cross Sections and Color Fields' for orchestra arrived a decade later in 1975 [graphic notation]. 'Folio II' arrived w calligraphic graphic notation in 1982, one sample of which is to the bottom near. Catalogues list 'Special Events' for cello and piano of 1999 as Brown's last composition [score]. He died of cancer in Rye, New York, on 2 July 2002. References for Brown: 1, 2. Chronology. Compositions: chronological: 1, 2; by genre: 1, 2, 3. Authorship. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4. 5. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: Contemporary Sound Series: 'A Life in Music'. Further reading by source: Christopher Cox; interview w Bruce Duffie 2002. Further reading by topic: graphic notation: 1, 2, 3; scoring graphic situations of mobility within continua (alt); indeterminacy and. Bibliography: 'Beyond Notation: The Music of Earle Brown' ed. by Rebecca Kim (U of Michigan Press 2017): review; 'Performer Choice and Earle Brown's 'String Quartet' (1965): The Formal and Aural Implications of Open Form' by Bradley Green ('Indiana Theory Review' 2018). Authority research: BNF, Worldcat. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. See also graphic notation: The Guardian, New Music Box, See This Sound, The Smithsonian, Tumblr, WFMU Radio, Wikipedia.

Earle Brown

 4 Systems

   
1954

   Flute: Eberhard Blum

   Piano: Steffen Schleiermacher

 25 Pages

   1953   For 1-25 pianos


   Interpreted for 4 pianos

   Steffen Schleiermacher

 Available Forms I

   1961   Callithumpian Consort

 Folio

   1952   Cello: Frances-Marie Uitti

  Flute: Eberhard Blum

   Piano: Nils Vigeland

 Novara

   1952   Director: Earle Brown

 String Quartet

   1965   Callithumpian Consort

 Syntagm III

   1970

   Ensemble Proton Bern

   Matthias Kuhn

 Times Five

   1963   Callithumpian Consort



Birth of Classical Music: Earle Brown

Earle Brown

Source: Sequenza 21


Birth of Classical Music: Notation by Earle Brown

Notation 4 Systems   1954

Source: Graphic Notation
Born on 22 August 1928 at the castle of the village of Mödrath near Cologne, Germany, Karlheinz Stockhausen was the son of wealthy farmer. His first formal piano lessons at the cathedral in Altenberg would lead to a composing career that emphasized avant-garde twelve-tone serialism, aleatoric music (chance music) and electronics. After Stockhausen's mother was gassed as a "useless eater" in 1941 he was drafted into the German Army as a stretcher bearer in 1944. By the end of World War II his father had come up missing in action. After the War Stockhausen studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Köln until 1951, during which period his first compositions arrived in 1950. Referring to BRAHMS, Pytheas, the KS Pages and Sounds in Space listed below, 'Chöre für Doris' ('Choruses for Doris'), were settings to poems by Verlaine which Stockhausen wrote for his bride to be, Doris Andreae, whom he married on 29 Dec 1951. Having four children by Doris, they would divorce in '65 whence he married one Mary Bauermeister in '67 toward two children and divorce in 1972. 'Chöre für Doris' is No.1/11 in Stockhausen's numbering system, written as a fraction since he regarded it as an early work of small significance [soprano by Irmgard Jacobeit; scores; 'Die Nachtigal'; soprano by Antonia Marikhina]. 'Drei Lieder' of 1950 is No.1/10 [1, 2]. 'Choral' of 1950 is No.1/9 [1, 2]. Stockhausen's 'Kreuzspiel' No.1/7 is a serial work w a system departing from Schoenberg's called "permutational" written for oboe, bass clarinet, piano and four percussionists in 1951 [score]. Fractions in the numbering of Stockhausen's early substandard works become larger until 'Punkte' No.1/2 of 1952 which Stock withdrew, though he later revised it for premiere on 20 October 1963 at the Donaueschingen Music Festival by the Orchestra of the SWF conducted by Pierre Boulez [1, 2; Version 1966 by the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra w Stockhausen: Movements I-VI, Movements VII-XII; see 'Stockhausen' Deutsche Grammophon 2530 641 of 1976]. Stockhausen assigned his first mature work as 'No.1' (not fractioned) to 'Kontra-Punkte' ('Counter-Points') for ten instruments first performed on 26 May 1953 [1, 2, 3; Solistes du Domaine Musical w Pierre Boulez 1956; score: 1, 2]. Stockhausen had begun to study under Olivier Messiaen in Paris in 1952, the same year of 'Étude' No.3, his initial electronic work (magnetic tape for sound projection) first realized in '52 by Pierre Schaeffer at the latter's studio [1, 2, 3; realization by Pierre Schaeffer 1952]. In March of 1953 Stockhausen acquired employment at the electronic music studio of the NordwestDeutscher Rundfunk (a German public broadcasting system) as an assistant to Herbert Eimert. It was also '53 when he began to lecture at the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik in Darmstadt. Lecturing and giving concerts were his main focus throughout his career. From 1954 to '56 Stockhausen studied phonetics, acoustics and information theory with Werner Meyer-Eppler at the University of Bonn. Along with Eimert, he edited the music journal, 'Die Reihe', from '55 to '62 [1, 2, 3]. During that period his electronic 'Gesang der Jünglinge' ('Song of the Adolescents') No.8 arrived to Radio Cologne on 30 May 1956 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Stockhausen performing at a considerably advanced table for the Polar Music Prize Ceremony 2001]. Stockhausen founded Cologne Courses for New Music in 1963. He taught at the University of Pennsylvania in 1965, then at the University of California, Davis, in 1966-67. 'Stimmung' for six vocalists and six microphones saw its first performance in part by the Collegium Vocale in Cologne on 9 December 1968 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Stockhausen directed a recording of the Paris version of 'Stimmung' in Cologne on 30 and 31 October of 1969 [discogs]. Paul Hiller conducted a recording of the Copenhagen version in 2003. Among the highlights of Stockhausen's life was his participation for West Germany at the 1970 World's Fair in Osaka which Pavilion he helped to design w its spherical auditorium. Stockhausen began to replace his serial technique with formula composing in 1970. Though the method had been conceived back in 1951 per 'Studie für Orchester' its first full expression didn't premiere until 18 Oct 1970 per his electronic 'Mantra' for two pianists and Morse code [1, 2, 3, 4; recordings: Alfons & Aloys Kontarsky 1971, Xenia Pestova & Pascal Meyer 2010]. Upon revising his earlier 'Studie für Orchester' in 1971, it got retitled to 'Formel' though remained catalogued as No.1/6 to indicate his earlier invention of the formula method [Stockhausen directing the Southwest German Radio S O date unknown; score]. Stockhausen had joined the faculty at the Hochschule für Musik in Köln in 1971. Among Stockhausen's most famous works is 'Licht: The Seven Days of the Week' consisting of a cycle of seven operas [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, super formula]. Each opera is named after a day of the week composed in the following order: 'Tuesday' 1977–1991 [1, 2], 'Thursday' 1978–1980 [1, 2], 'Saturday' 1981–1983 [1, 2], 'Monday' 1984–1988 [1, 2], 'Friday' 1991–1994 [1, 2], 'Wednesday' 1992–1998 [1, 2], 'Sunday' 1998–2003 [1, 2]. Lucifer was the theme of multiple works by Stockhausen, the first arriving w multiple versions in 1981, one particularly for the opening scene of 'Saturday' titled 'Lucifer's Traum' ('Lucifer's Dream') also called 'Klavierstück XIII' [1, 2, 3; piano by Bernhard Wambach date unknown; live performance by Nino Jvania 2010]. 'Traum-Formel' for basset horn saw premiere by Suzan Stephens in Cologne at the WDR Radio Grand Auditorium on 29 January 1983 [1, 2, 3; basset horn by Suzanne Stephens or Michele Marelli]. Another of Stockhausen's better known works is 'Helicopter String Quartet' for four helicopters and string quartet first performed in 1995 [live performance by the Elysian Quartet 2012]. He began 'Klang' ('Sound: The 24 Hours of the Day') in 2004, but lived long enough to complete only 21 of 24 intended Hours [1, 2, 3; 'Ninth Hour' ('Hope'), 'Twenty-first Hour' ('Paradies': 'Paradise'), excerpts from The Met 2006]. Stockhausen died of heart failure on 5 Dec 2007 at his home in Kürten, Germany, this column but some foam from the numerous major events of his career [obits: 1, 2, 3]. References: Wikipedia. Chronologies: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical: All Music; Sounds in Space; chronological: BRAHMS (IRCAM); KS Foundation: 1, 2; Pytheas; soClassiQ; Sounds in Space; by genre: BRAHMS (electronic et al); Musicalics; RYM; KS Foundation: choral, ensemble, individual instruments, orchestral: 1, 2. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Top Six. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, La Folia: 1, 2; select: 'Complete Edition'; 'Stimmung' by Singcircle w Gregory Rose 1983: 1, 2. IMDb (film). Documentaries: 'Music for a New World' written and directed by Norbert Busè & Thomas von Steinaecker 2009. Iconography. Interviews: Maryvonne Kendergi 1958, Special Radio 2005, Réjean Beaucage Dec 2005, Björk Gudmundsdottir unknown. Further reading by source: Richard Barrett, Holger Czukay, Ralf Dombrowski, Ivan Hewett, Gillian Moore, Tom Service. Further reading by topic: 9/11 and: 1, 2, 3; choral works; films; instrumentation: Heaven's Door; lectures: 'Four Criteria of Electronic Music' 1972; 'Licht' opera cycle: 1, 2; megalomania of; extensive reviews (Menu: Recordings); students of. See also the Stockhausen Society. Books/ documents/ scores: Gallica. Sheet music. Bibliography: 'Klang Bilder' pub by Verlag Kettler; 'Lucifer and Morality in Stockhausen's Opera Cycle 'Licht'' by Thomas Ulrich ('Perspectives of New Music' 2012); 'Stockhausen: Life and Work' by Richard Wolfson w trans. by Bill Hopkins (U of California Press 1973). Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Book stores: Canada, Europe, USA. Other profiles: Deutsch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, NPR Radio; French: 1, 2; Italian; Japanese; Russian: 1, 2, 3; Spanish; Swedish. 'Donnerstag aus Licht', below, is an opera composed between 1977 and 1980. It was recorded in 1982 with the WDR Rundfunkchor Köln and sopran, Annette Merriweather with Stockhausen conducting.

Karlheinz Stockhausen

 Donnerstag aus Licht   [Part I]

 Donnerstag aus Licht   [Part 2]

 Donnerstag aus Licht   [Part 3]

 Donnerstag aus Licht   [Part 4]

 Gesang der Jünglige

   1955-56   Electronic music


   Live performance by Stockhausen 2001

 Klang  Hour 9 (Hope)

   'Klang': 2004-07   Hour 9: 2007

   London Contemporary Orchestra

 Kontakte

   1958–60

   Electronics: Gottfried Michael Koenig

                   Karlheinz Stockhausen


   Percussion: Christoph Caskel

   Percussion & piano: David Tudor

   Released 1992

 Licht: Luzifer's Tanz (Lucifer's Dance)

   1981-83   Scene 3 of Saturday

   Opera


   Recording unknown

 Licht: Luzifer's Traum (Lucifer's Dream)

   1981-83   Scene 1 of Saturday

   Opera


   Recording unknown

 Mikrophonie 1

   1964

   Film by Francois Béranger 1966

 Sirius

   1975–77   Opera

   Soprano: Annette Meriweather

 Strahlen (Rays)

   2002   Electronic music

   Vibraphone: László Hudacsek

 Unsichtbare Chöre

   1979   Electronic music/opera

   Chor des Westdeuschen Rundfunks

   Karlheinz Stockhausen




Birth of Classical Music: Karlheinz Stockhausen

Karlheinz Stockhausen

Source: Logos Foundation
Birth of Classical Music: Henri Pousseur

Henri Pousseur

Source: David Byers
Born  1929 in Malmedy, Belgium, Henri Pousseur received training at academies in Liege and Brussels where he studied twelve-tone method between 1947 and '52 [Wikipedia, Le Monde]. 'Sonatine' of 1949 pour piano which begins his catalogue at BRAHMS [Comps below] and the HP Website was performed in Liege by Marcel Druart in '50, apparently to the disfavor of the Royal Conservatory. Pousseur is known to have attended a Webern concert in Brussels in 1950, prior to meeting Pierre Boulez in Royaumont in 1952 who thought his 'Missa Brevis' of 1950 too like Stravinsky ['Kyrie']. Pousseur graduated from the Brussels Conservatory in 1953 [Great Russian], the year before his first of numerous electronic works [BRAHMS] titled 'Seismograms' which composition Pousseur explains as an emphatic departure, in alliance w Stockhausen, from Paul Gredinger ['die Reihe' 1955 below]. His electronic 'Scambi' first performed in Milan in May 1957 was written open form in sixteen paired segments ("layers") for arrangement in any manner so long as the ending characteristics of the last match the beginning characteristics of the next [realizations: 1, 2]. Pousseur addressed the theme of Faust in eight works, the first titled' Miroir de Votre Faust' performed in Berlin by Frederic Rzewski (piano) et Joan Carroll (soprano) in 1965. 'Echo I de Votre Faust' for violoncello also arrived in 1965. 'Jeux de Miroirs de Votre Faust' for piano and soprano arrived in 1967 [recording by Marcelle Mercenier (pianoforte) w Basia Retchitska (soprano); see also 1, 2]. His first work for orchestra, 'Couleurs Croisées' ('Cross Colors'), was written the same year for premiere in Brussels by the RTB Orchestra in '68 conducted by Boulez. 'Votre Faust' is a two-act fantasie opera that arrived to Milan on 15 January 1969 w a variable structure permitting the audience to democratically choose Act II from among five possibilities [1, 2, 3]. Come 'Écho de Votre Faust' pour voix de femme, flûte, violoncello et piano arrived to Brussels in 1969. 'Les Voyages de Votre Faust' of 1970 was electronic music w an aleatory (chance) structure for theatre and film directed by Jean Antoine. 'Parade de Votre Faust' was written for orchestra in 1974 [score]. 'Tales and Songs from the Bible of Hell' saw its first performance in June 1980 by the ensemble, Electric Phoenix, by which it had been commissioned together with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation [*; Electric Phoenix; text]. Pousseur directed the premiere of 'La Rose des Voix' in Namur on 6 August 1982, that a reworking of 'Couleurs Croisées' for four speakers, four vocal quartets, four choirs and eight improvisational instruments [recording by Pousseur in collaboration w Michel Butor 1982; see also Igloo ‎IGL 028]. Pousseur began his four volumes of 'Méthodicare' in 1988, works of a didactic nature for beginners through professionals on which he worked as late as 2008 subtitled 'Studies of understanding, interpretation and invention of contemporary music' [Tome I, Tome II, Tome III]. 'Il sogno di Leporello' ('Leporellos Dream' or 'Leporello's Traum') is 'Parade 2 de Votre Faust' for orchestra premiering on 26 January 2006 in Freiburg. In addition to above 100 compositions, Pousseur had taught at Cologne, Basel, SUNY Buffalo and in Belgium, also publishing ten books on music theory before his death on 6 March 2009. He had left 'Stele in Memory of Pierre Froidebise' for clarinet unfinished, that task left to Jean-Pierre Peuvion [interpretation by Stephan Vermeersch 2020]. References for Poussier: 1, 2. Compositions: chronological; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics, RYM; see also international websites below. Authorship: 'Ecrits Théoriques' (aleatory composition) 1954-1967 Editions Mardaga 2004; 'Formal Elements in a New Compositional Material' 'die Reihe' 1955 (scroll); 'Méthodicare' (Tome I: Clavier); 'Série et Harmonie Généralisées' (composition) 1968-1998 Editions Mardaga 2009. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4; Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. IMDb (film). Iconography. Further reading: Pierre Bartholomée; Pierre Boulez; Grande Encyclopédie Larousse: 1, 2; Helmut Lachenmann; John Whiting: 1, 2; Hans Zender. Bibliography: 1, 2; 'Dynamic Programming Algorithms Applied to Musical Counterpoint in Process Composition' by Cochrane & Gatherer. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Book stores: Canada, USA. Other profiles: Deutsch: 1, 2; Francais: 1, 2; Russian; Spanish.

Henri Pousseur

  Caractères

    1961   Piano: Steffen Schleiermacher

  Jeu de Miroirs de Votre Faust

   
1960   Electro-acoustic tape music

    Piano: Marcelle Mercenier

    Sopran: Basia Retchitska

 Petit Mausolée

    2005

    Cello: Yvonne Timoianu

    Piano: Alexander Preda

 Quintette à la memoire d'Anton Webern

    1955   Direction: Hans Rosbaud

 Rhymes for Different Sound Sources

    1958   Electro-acoustic tape music

    Rome Symphony Orchestra

    Bruno Maderna

    Performed 1967

 Seize Paysages planétaires

    2000   Tape music

 Trois Visages de Liege

    1961   Tape music



  Born on 24 Oct 1929 in Charleston, West Virginia, avant-garde composer, George Crumb, wrote his first composition as an adolescent in 1944 titled 'Two Duos' for flute and clarinet [BRAHMS, Pytheas]. 'Piano Sonata' and 'Four Pieces' for violin and piano followed in 1945. He began to study at the Interlochen Arts Camp [1, 2] in Michigan in 1947. 'Gethsemane', a work for small orchestra, emerged that year along w 'Three Early Songs' for voice and piano consisting of 'Night', 'Let It Be Forgotten' and 'Wind Elegy' [live performances by: Kennedy & Carter, Newman & Rohlfing, Niederloh & Ho, Zaniboni & Ito; text]. Crumb received his bachelor's in 1950 from the Mason College of Music in Charleston. His master's followed in 1952 from the University of Illinois. Crumb studied a little in Berlin and taught a bit in Virginia before moving to Boulder to teach piano and composition at the University of Colorado in 1958. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in 1959 from the University of Michigan. By that time he'd written a couple of sonatas ('53/'55), a string quartet ('54) and an unpublished 'Diptych' for orchestra in 1955. In 1959 he composed 'Variazioni' for large orchestra which eventually premiered in Cincinnati on 8 May 1965. BRAHMS [Comps below] identifies Crumb's initial electronic work as 'Five Pieces' for piano w an amplification device, that premiering in Boulder on 12 February 1963 by David Burge [live performance by Younkyung Rhea Kim]. Crumb began teaching composition at the University of Pennsylvania in 1965 where he would remain for decades, becoming Professor of Humanities in 1983 until his retirement in '97. Among his major works were his settings to poetry by Federico García Lorca titled 'Madrigals'. Book I of 'Madrigals' for soprano, double bass and vibraphone had been composed in '65 in Parts I-III toward premiere at the LOC (Library of Congress) in Washington DC on 11 March 1966 [live performance 2009]. Book II arrived in '65 in Parts I-III for performing w Book I in Washington DC [interpretation of Part I & Part II by Jan DeGaetani (mezzo-soprano) est. 1986]. Book III Parts I-III was premiered on the other coast at the University of Washington in Seattle by soprano, Elizabeth Suderburg, on 6 March 1970 [live performance by Tony Arnold]. Book IV Parts I-III arrived to Seattle w Book III [interpretation of Part I by Jan DeGaetani (mezzo-soprano) 1986?]. We need back up to '65 for 'Eleven Echoes of Autumn' ('Echoes I') for alto flute, clarinet, piano and violin [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Ensemble für Neue Musik Zurich; live performances by the Playground Ensemble 2009 & the Schallfeld Ensemble 2013]. 'Echoes of Time and the River' ('Echoes II') was first performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Irwin Hoffman at the University of Chicago on 26 May 1967 [interpretation by the Louisville Orchestra w Jorge Mester; score]. 'Echoes II' brought Crumb a Pulitzer in 1968. Among numerous electronic works, 'Black Angels' for electrified string quartet saw performance by the Stanley Quartet in Ann Arbor on 23 Oct 1970. 'Black Angels' comes in three parts of several movements each titled 'Departure', 'Absence' and 'Return' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; recording by the Miro Quartet 2003; live performance by the Ensemble intercontemporain 2011]. 'Ancient Voices of Children' Parts I-V w more poetry by Lorca arrived a week later to the LOC on 31 Oct 1970 [1, 2, 3, 4; 'Todas las tardes' (Part 4 of 5]. Another electronic work, its premiere was performed by the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble featuring Gilbert Kalish (piano) w Jan DeGaetani (mezzo-soprano) and Michael Dash (boy soprano) who recorded it in January of 1970 for Nonesuch Records [Side 1, Side 2]. That's one of the best selling records in 20th century classical music at above 70,000 copies. See also live performances w soprano by Justine Aronson, Keren Motseri or Adrianne Pieczonka. 'Makrokosmos' was written in four volumes from 1972 to '79. 'Volume I' is a cycle of Parts 1-3 each containing four signs of the Zodiac written for amplified piano which premiered on 8 February 1973 in Colorado Springs [piano by Laurie Hudicek 2002; live performance by Alfonso Gómez 2009]. 'Makrokosmos II' is also a cycle of Parts 1-3 for amplified piano addressing the twelve signs of the Zodiac. That saw premiere at Alice Tully Hall in NYC on 12 November 1974 [piano by Laurie Hudicek 2002]. 'Makrokosmos III' for two amplified pianos and two percussionists consists of five movements dispensing with the Zodiac, titled rather 'Music for a Summer Evening'. Its premiere preceded that of 'II' above, being held on 30 March 1974 at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania [live performances at Pomona College 2011 & Purchase College (Yarn/Wire Quartet) 2018]. 'Makrokosmos IV' was written in four movements for amplified piano four-hands w the title 'Celestial Mechanics' and was first performed by Gilbert Kalish et Paul Jacobs on 18 Nov 1979 at Alice Tully Hall in New York City [live performances with piano by Silvia Dabul & Lucas Urdampilleta Sep 29 2011 or Sarah Gibson & Thomas Kotcheff 23 May 2017]. 'Star-Child' [1, 2] consisting of seven movements for soprano, antiphonal (interacting) children's choir, spoken male choir with bells and large orchestra had been commissioned by the Ford Foundation, the work requiring four conductors for its premiere by the New York Philharmonic on 6 May 1977. Revised in '79, 'Star-Child' won a Grammy twenty years later in 2001 for Best Contemporary Composition [interpretation by Susan Narucki (soprano) w the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Thomas Conlin for Bridge Records 1999: Crumb at bells w Paul Cesarczyk]. Crumb had also written a few works for guitar, his first titled 'Quest' in 1990 for performance w an ensemble of soprano saxophone, harp, double bass and two percussionists. 'Quest' brought Crumb a Cannes Classical Award in 1998 for the Best CD of a Living Composer [1, 2; guitar by David Starobin w Speculum Musicae 1996 for Bridge Records issued 1997; live performances w guitar by Jordan Dodson 21 Nov 2014 & Jacob Kellermann 13 May 2017]. Into the new millennium Crumb worked on his 'American Songbook' in Volumes I-VII from 2003 to 2011. 'Volume I' is titled 'The River of Life' consisting of nine songs for soprano, piano and percussion quartet of which 'Shall We Gather at the River?' is the first [soprano by Ann Crumb (daughter) for Bridge Records 2003; live performance by Lena Seikaly]. 'American Songbook II' is called 'A Journey Beyond Time' consisting of nine songs for soprano, piano and percussion quartet premiered by Ann Crumb w Marcantonio Barone at piano on 15 November 2003 at Trinity Center in Philadelphia [baritone by Randall Scarlata 13 January 2015; live performance conducted by Kyle Brightwell 2016]. 'American Songbook III' ('Unto the Hills') consisting of nine songs (shown as eight at BRAHMS) had been written before the first ('I'), also premiering first on 5 Oct 2002 by Ann Crumb w the same configuration as above [Ann Crumb for Bridge Records 2003: No.3 'Ten Thousand Miles', No.8 'The Riddle']. 'American Songbook IV' ('Winds of Destiny') arrived in 2004 w nine songs for the same configuration of soprano, piano and percussion. 'American Songbook V' ('Voices from a Forgotten World') contains ten songs composed in 2006 for voice, amplified piano and percussion quartet. 'American Songbook VI' ('Voices from the Morning of the Earth') also arrived w ten songs in 2006 for the same configuration w No.1 as 'My Lord, What a Beautiful Morning!' [soprano by Ann Crumb Dec 2013 issued on Bridge 9445]. 'American Songbook VII' ('Voices from the Heartland') w eight titles saw premiere on 28 Jan 2012 at Trinity Center in Philadelphia. Crumb had also composed 'Spanish Songbooks I-III' from 2008 to 2012, those titled 'The Ghosts of Alhambra' ('08), 'Sun and Shadow' ('09) and 'The Yellow Moon of Andalusia' ('12) ['Farewell' (5 of 5) from 'Spanish Songbook II' by Ann Crumb w Marcantonio Barone (piano) recorded July 27-28 2013]. Book I of 'Metamorphoses' for amplified piano was first performed and recorded on 5 May 2017 by Margaret Leng Tan, that consisting of settings to ten modern paintings [recording by Tan 21 October 2017 Germany; live performances by Gabi Sultana April 2020: No.1 'Black Prince' (Paul Klee), No.4 'The Fiddler' (Marc Chagall)]. Book II of 'Metamorphoses' was finished in 2019 w settings to ten more paintings, but Covid-19 has delayed production as this is written. Crumb had married one Elizabeth in 1949. Their daughter, soprano Ann Crumb, who was born in 1950, died on 31 Oct 2019. The Crumbs also parented composer, David Crumb, born in 1962 [1, 2] and Peter Crumb who works in media. Crumb himself is the oldest composer in this history yet active, presently residing in Pennsylvania w Elizabeth. References: 1, 2. Compositions: GC Website, Edition Peters 2014; alphabetical; chronological: BRAHMS, Pytheas; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics, Pytheas. Authorship. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; select: 'Ancient Voices of Children' by Jan DeGaetani (mezzo-soprano) w the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble conducted by Arthur Weisberg *; 'The Complete Crumb Edition' 'Volumes I-XVIII' (Volume 19 delayed); 'George Crumb' ('Variazioni' | 'Echoes of Time and the River'): 1, 2, notes; 'Madrigals'; 'Madrigals' by Jan DeGaetani (mezzo-soprano) & Zizi Mueller (flute) w the University of Pennsylvania Chamber Players directed by Richard Wernick: liner notes; 'Makrokosmos I & II' w piano by Yoshiko Shimizu; 'Makrokosmos I & II' w piano by Margaret Leng Tan: 1, 2, 3, notes; 'Metamorphoses' (Book I) by Margaret Leng Tan. IMDb (film). Videography. Iconography. Further reading by source: interviews: Bruce Duffie 1988, Marc Medwin 2009, David Starobin for the LOC April 2011 (video); Tom Purdom; Tom Service. Further reading by topic: augenmusik (music for the eyes: graphic notation); Library of Congress; 'Madrigals': 1, 2; 'Macrokosmos I & II' [Matthews]; performance history w the Boston Symphony. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Book stores: Canada; Europe; USA: 1, 2. Other profiles: Deutsch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, NPR Radio; Wikipedia international: French; Japanese; Russian; Spanish.

George Crumb

 American Songbook III

    2001   'Unto the Hills'

    Director: Paolo Bortolameolli

 Black Angels

    1970   Filmed with Abraxas Quartet

 Echoes II

    'Echoes of Time and the River'

    Louisville Orchestra

   
Director: Jorge Mester

 Five Pieces for Piano

    1962   With score

 A Haunted Landscape

   
1984   For orchestra

     Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra

 Lux Aeterna

   
1971

    Penn Contemporary Players

    Mezzosoprano: Jan DeGaetani

 Madrigals Book II

   
1965

     Flute: Chloe Schnell

     Percussion: Dori Raphael

     Soprano: Xing Xing

 Makrokosmos I

   
1972   Piano: Alfonso Gómez

     Filmed performance

 Makrokosmos III

   
1974   Director: Pablo Izquierdo

 Sonata for Solo Cello

   
1955   Cello: Ketevan Roinishvili

 Star-Child

   
1977   Revised '79

    Warsaw Philharmonic C & O

    Conducting: Thomas Conlin

    Soprano: Susan Narucki

 Three Early Songs

   
1947

    This filmed performance: 2015

    Seully Hall   Boston Conservatory

    Piano: Michael Strauss

    Soprano: Samantha Schmid

 Vox Balaenae

    'Voice of the Whale'

    1971

    This filmed performance: 2012

    Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern

    Atlanta Chamber Players:

    Cello: Brad Ritchie

    Flute: Christina Smith

    Piano: Paula Peace




Birth of Classical Music: George Crumb

George Crumb

Source: Michigan Live
Birth of Classical Music: Theo Loevendie

Theo Loevendie

Photo: Teo Krijgsman

Source: Bimhuis
Theo Loevendie began his career as a jazz musician touring European jazz festivals. Among the more obscure musicians and composers on this page, he began his classical career in the latter fifties, about the time classical music proper began its decline as tastes moved to film, television, popular music and rock n roll. Modern classical music sold a minor fraction as well. Another reason for his relative obscurity was his professorship at various conservatories, education the major portion of his career. Yet another cause that he isn't well-known in the United States was his birth across the Atlantic on 17 Sep 1930 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Lovendie studied composition at the Amsterdam Conservatory, but would also play clarinet and saxophone (alto and soprano) as a jazz musician. As a classical composer Loevendie emphasized chamber and orchestra. BRAHMS at IRCAM begins Loevendie's classical catalogue with 'Twee Liederen op Franse Tekst' ('Two Songs on French Text') in 1957. In 1958 he entered the studio to perform alto sax with the Jacobs Brothers on 'Four' and 'You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To', those appearing on the album, 'In Jazz', that year. In 1959 he is found leading his orchestra behind vocalist, Rita Reys ['The Nearness of You' (Carmichael & Washington 1938)]. Come 'String Quartet' in 1961 followed in '64 by 'Three Pieces' for youth ensemble. 1966 found him composing 'Confluxus' for both jazz and symphony orchestra. Loevendie is likely the best known for his jazz album, 'Stairs!', in 1967 with the Loevendie Three consisting of Maarten Altena (bass) and John Engels Jr (drums). He began teaching composition at the Rotterdam Conservatory in 1970. The next decade would see the issue of further jazz LPs with small formations: 'Mandela' recorded Dec '69, 'Chess!' recorded June '72 [1, 2], 'Theo Loevendie 4tet' recorded April '74 and 'Orlando' recorded Oct '77. He meanwhile published classical works such as the fairy tale, 'The Nightingale', for narration w seven instruments in 1974. His opera, 'Naima', surfaced in '85 from which he also pulled its 'Suite' [interpretation by the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra w David Porcelijn]. The jazz LP, 'Theo Loevendie Quintet', was recorded in December of '85. Loevendie exchanged the Rotterdam Conservatory for the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague in 1988. He began teaching at the Sweelinck Conservatory of Music in Amsterdam in 1995. Among titles composed in '96 was 'Concerto' for piano and orchestra in 1996 [piano by Ronald Brautigam w the Royal Concertgebouw directed by Riccardo Chailly]. Titles in '97 included such as 'Dome' for piano and 'Shuffle' for violin and piano. 'Violin Concerto' ('Vanishing Dances') arrived among other titles in '98. Among Loevendie's most recent works was the opera, 'Rise of Spinoza', premiering on 11 Oct 2014 in Amsterdam w libretto by himself [1, 2; interpretation w Katrien Baerts at soprano]. Having toured both Europe and the United States, Loevendie is among the oldest classical composers in this history yet active at ninety years of age as this is written (Oct 2020). References: Wikipedia. Classical compositions: chronological; by genre: BRAHMS, RYM; instrumentation. Audio: Deezer, Muziekweb, Presto. Recordings of: discographies: Discogs, Loevendie Website; select: 'Bayram' w the Kristina Fuchs Sonic Unit; 'Erik Bosgraaf AND Theo Loevendie' on Brilliant Classics 95906. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Wkipedia international: Dutch, Francais, Italiano, Spanish.

Theo Loevendie

 Ackermusik

    
1997

 Chess

     1972   LP: 'Chess'

 Esmee

     1998   Opera

 Flexio

     1979

     Hague Philharmonic Orchestra

     Conductor: Peter Eötvös

 Lady Penelope II

    1967   LP: 'Stairs!'

 Music for Bass Clarinet and Piano

    1971

 Naima

   1986

    1986   Orchestral suite

 The Nearness of You

     1959   With Rita Reys

  Piano Concerto

     1996

  Rise of Spinoza

     2014   Opera

  Timbo

     1974   For percussion

 

 
  These histories little address composers whose chief occupation was creating music for film or television, that a genre all to itself. Though popular music for the screen has its origins in classical music, they weren't classical composers in especial who created for that new medium. Henry Mancini, for instance, was of a jazz background. John Towner Williams (not to be confused with the classical guitarist born 1941) was among exceptions, having also produced a strong number of concertos and works for chamber as well as orchestra. He also composed jazz, but they are his film scores for which he is famous. He would be at home for that reason in the Popular genre, but to include him here while treating his film scores as a branch of classical is equally proper. Born on 8 Feb 1932 in Floral Park, New York, he began to study piano at age eight before moving with his family to Los Angeles. Williams studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, as well as privately with Castelnuovo-Tedesco. BRAHMS begins Williams' classical catalogue w 'Piano Sonata' of 1951, not identified just when and never performed. He was drafted into the Air Force in 1951, arranging and conducting the Air Force Band until discharged in 1954 [*]. He composed his first film score during that period for the tourist information office of Newfoundland, 'You Are Welcome', to be recorded for the film by the Northeast Air Command Band in 1952 [1, 2, 3, 4; film]. Pytheas [below] appears to have him writing for television as well during that period, citing 'Today' in '52 and 'General Electric Theater' [1, 2] in '53. Entering Juilliard in 1955, he studied piano while working as a jazz pianist in New York clubs. He also first worked with Henry Mancini during that period. Williams attended the Eastman School of Music before returning to Los Angeles where he began working for film studios as a pianist. His first feature film score for the silver screen followed in 1958 with 'Daddy-O' [1, 2]. He rolled out the sixties with scores for 'I Passed for White' [1, 2] along with 'Because They're Young' [1, 2]. Williams'  'Prelude and Fugue' incorporating jazz arrived in 1965 [recording by the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra led by Stan Kenton 1965; see also Capitol MAS 2424]. 'Essay for Strings' also emerged in '65 [audio']. Williams' first Academy Award nomination was for 'Valley of the Dolls' directed by Mark Robson in 1967 in collaboration w André and Dory Previn [1, 2, 3; 'Theme']. Williams' first Academy Award of five was for 'Fiddler on the Roof' w direction by Norman Jewison in 1971, Williams' adaptations from the musical of 1964 w music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and book by Joseph Stein [1, 2, 3; '4']. 'Flute Concerto' of 1969 was William's initial of numerous concerti for various instruments, that not premiering until 1981 by the Saint Louis Symphony led by Leonard Slatkin. William's first score for director, Steven Spielberg, was in 1974, 'The Sugarland Express', that Spielberg's directorial debut [1, 2]. He acquired his second Academy Award for Spielberg's 'Jaws' released on 20 June 1975 ['Shark Theme': live performance by the Film Symphony Orchestra conducted by Constantino Martinez or the Boston Pops conducted by Williams; soundtrack]. Williams has scored all but four of Spielberg's films, including 'E.T.' of 1982 for which he received his fourth Academy Award ['Flying' from the soundtrack]. His first score for George Lucas had been 'Star Wars' in 1977 which brought him his third Academy Award [Wagner and]. Williams has directed nine 'Star Wars' films since then to as late as Episode IX, 'The Rise of Skywalker', in 2019 [Episodes (Wikipedia): I '77, II '80, III '83, IV '99, V '02, VI '05, VII '15, VIII '17, IX '19]. Along the way he composed such as the score to Richard Donner's 1978 'Superman' [1, 2; 'Superman March' (original soundtrack theme performed by the London S O conducted by Williams)]. In 1980 Williams succeeded Arthur Fiedler as principal conductor of the Boston Pops, which capacity he held until 1993 [1, 2, 3]. He has since conducted on occasion as Laureate Conductor. Wiliams scored all four of the 'Indiana Jones' films directed by Spielberg w the fifth episode directed by Kasdan and Fogelman currently in delayed production as this is written (Oct 2020) [Episodes (Wikipedia): I '81, II '84, III '89, IV '08; 'Raiders March' (main theme by the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Sir Simon Rattle 28 June 2015)]. Williams arrived to his fifth and thus far last Academy Award for 'Schindler's List' in 1993 again directed by Spielberg and featuring violinist, Itzhak Perlman [live performance of 'Theme' by Simone Lamsma; by Perlman: w Gustavo Dudamel 2014, w Williams (date unknown)]. Among numerous classical fanfares, 'Variations on Happy Birthday' surfaced at Tanglewood in Massachusetts by the Boston Symphony conducted by Williams on 23 July 1995 [Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles directed by Williams Dec 1999; Boston Symphony directed by Williams at Tanglewood 2012]. 'Happy Birthday to You' is disputably credited to Patty and Mildred Hill as of 1893. After the turn of the century William's scores appeared in films directed by Bryon Singer titled 'X-Men' in 2000 [1, 2] and 'X2' in 2003 [1, 2]. Williams also scored the first three of eight 'Harry Potter' films in 2001, 2002 and 2004. 'Music for Brass' pour ensemble de cuivres (brass band) et percussion arrived on 12 June 2014 by the National Brass Ensemble for which it was written [live performance by the US Marine President's Own conducted by Lt. Col. Jason Fettig on 14 Dec 2016]. 'Scherzo' pour piano et orchestre saw performance in Peking, China, by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Chine w conducting by Long You and Lang Lang at piano on 1 July 2014 [1, 2; premiere recording]. Having scored above 100 cinematic works and more than 200 for television, Williams is yet active as of this writing (Oct 2020) as the recipient of innumerable film and television awards both in Great Britain and the United States [1, 2; 3]. References: 1, 2. Compositions: film, by genre, television; IRCAM B.R.A.H.M.S.: chronological, by genre; Pytheas: chronological, concerti, film & tele, by genre; Wikipedia: concerti, film, Olympic games, et al; JW Website: classical by genre, film, tele. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recordings of: Billboard ranking; discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 45Cat: w the London S O; 45Worlds: w the Boston Pops; CDs; cinema; w the London S O: CDs, vinyl; vinyl; select: 'Fiddler on the Roof' (original soundtrack): 1, 2; 'A Tribute to John Williams: An 60th Birthday Celebration' *. IMDb (film). Interviews: Alex Ross 2010, Bruce Handy 2015, Juliet Simon 2015, Col. Larry Lang 2016 (video). Further reading by source: The Conversation, JW Fan Network. Further reading by topic: 'The Adventures of Tintin'; family; piano works; 'Star Wars' themes. Sheet music. Bibliography: 'John Williams's Film Music' by Emilio Audissino (U of Wisconsin Press 2014); 'A Musical Biography of John Williams' by Tom Barton (Mall Productions 2013). Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

John Williams

 Concerto for Bassoon

   1993   'The Five Sacred Trees'

   London Symphony Orchestra

   Bassoon: Judith LeClair

 Concerto for Flute

   1969

   London Symphony Orchestra

   Flute: Peter Lloyd

 Concerto for Harp

   2009   'On Willows and Birches'

   Boston Symphony Orchestra

   Shi-Yeon Sung

   Harp: Ann Hobson-Pilot

 Concerto for Trumpet

   1996

   London Symphony Orchestra

   Ronald Feldman

   Trumpet: Arturo Sandoval

 Jaws

   1975

   Main theme to the film 'Jaws'


   Boston Pops Orchestra

  Jurassic Park

   1993   Soundtrack

 Lincoln

   2012   Soundtrack

   Chicago S O & C

 The Raiders March

   1981

   From the film 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'

 Schindler's List

   1993   Main theme

   
New World Philharmonic

   Iain Sutherland

   Violin: Tasmin Littl

  Star Wars

   1977   Soundtrack theme

   Boston Pops

   Conducting: John Williams

 The Witches of Eastwick

   1987

   1: Ballroom Scene

   2: Devil's Dance


   Piano: Jonathan Feldman

   Violin : Gil Shaham



Birth of Classical Music: John Williams

John Williams

Source: WMAC
Birth of Classical Music: Claudio Abbado

Claudio Abbado

Source: Flo'n the Go
Claudio Abbado was a conductor rather than composer. But among the major figures of the modern period his presence was too significant to here neglect. Born in Milan on 26 June 1933, Abbado's father was a violinist who taught at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory. He thus learned piano as a child at home, his mother a pianist. His father's position at the Conservatory early lubricated his Abbado's entry into the musical culture of Milan. He attended performances at La Scala and orchestral rehearsals, meeting Leonard Bernstein at age fifteen. Abaddo studied piano, composition and conducting at the Milan Conservatory, graduating in 1955 in piano. He spent time at a couple other academies in Vienna and Siena before his conducting debut in 1958 in Trieste. He first conducted at La Scala in 1960. His first visit to America was as an assistant to Leonard Bernstein, his American debut occurring in April 1963 conducting the New York Philharmonic. His first performance with the London Symphony Orchestra followed in 1966, the same year he made his debut with the Berlin Philharmonic. He debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1968 with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's 'Don Carlo' [Abbado conducts the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala in Milan w Bruno Prevedi as Don Carlo 7 Dicembre 1968]. Abaddo became principal conductor at La Scala in 1969, its director in 1972. He became musical director for the city of Vienna, as well as the Vienna State Opera, in 1986, then founded the Wien Modern Music Festival in 1988. Abbado took the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester to South America in 1999, the same year of the release of 'Verdi | Abbado' on Deutsche Grammophon 4196222 [1, 2]. Abbado had first recorded with pianist, Martha Argerich, back in 1967 w concerti by Prokofiev and Ravel [*]. Their release of 'Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3' on Deutsche Grammophon in 2004 won a Grammy in 2005. Abbado died on 20 January of 2014 in Bologna and was buried in Switzerland [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, NPR Radio]. Like Bernstein, Abbado had been a champion of Beethoven and Mahler as an interpreter of largely romantic works. References: 1, 2, 3. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4 5. Recordings: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; select: 'Complete Concerto Recordings' w Martha Argerich on Deutsche Grammophon 479 4149 (compilation 1967-2013): 1, 2; 'Mahler - Symphony No.4' for Deutsche Grammophon 1978; 'Mozart - Mass K.139' for Deutsche Grammophon 1976. IMDB (film). Documentaries: 'Hearing the Silence' directed by Paul Smaczny 2005: Deutsch w Spanish subtitles, English subtitles. Iconography: 1, 2. Further reading: Berliner Philharmoniker; Claudio Abbado Composition Prize: 1, 2; interview w Bruce Duffie 1965; James Jolly; Tom Service: 1, 2; Julia Spinola: 1, 2; Wiener Staatsoper. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Italiano: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Czech, Deutsch, Francais, Japanese, Russian.

Claudio Abbado

 Il Barbiere Di Siviglia

   Rossini: premiere 1818

   Opera buffa   2 acts

   La Scala Orchestra and Chorus

   Direction: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

 La Cenerentola (Cinderella)

   
Rossini: premiere 1817

   Opera   2 acts

   Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

 L'Europa della Musica

   1: Beethoven: Overture to 'Prometheus'

       1800-01   Op 43


   2
: Beethoven: 'Concerto 4'

       1805-06   Op  58

   3: Schoenberg: 'A Survivor from Warsaw'

       1947

   4: Stravinsky: Suite from 'The Firebird'

       1910   Ballet

   London Symphony Orchestra

   Piano: Maurizio Pollini  

   Live in Rome 1978

 Hearing the Silence

   'Sketches for a Portrait'

   Film by Paul Smaczny 2005

 Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien

   Debussy: 1911   Incidental music

   Schweizer Kammerchor/Fritz Näf

   Lucerne Festival Orchestra

   Recorded live 2003

 La Mer

   Debussy: 1903-05

   Revised 1908   L 109

   Lucerne Festival Orchestra

   Recorded live 2003

 Piano Concerto 1 in D minor

   
Brahms: 1854–59   3 movements

   London Symphony Orchestra

   Live performance 1986

 Requiem Mass in D minor

   Mozart: 1791   K 626   Unfinished

   Berliner Philharmoniker

   Live performance

 A Russian Night

   1: Tchaikovsky:

       'The Tempest'   1873

       Op 18   Symphonic poem

   2: Rachmaninoff:

       'Piano Concerto 2 in C minor'

       1900-01   Op 18

   3: Stravinsky:

       'L'Oiseau de feu' ('The Firebird')

       1910   Ballet
 
   Lucerne Festival Orchestra
   
   Piano: Hélène Grimaud

   Recorded 2008

 Symphony 4 in E flat major

    Bruckner: 1874 Final revision 1888

    Wiener Philharmoniker

 Symphony 7 in E major

   Bruckner: 1883   Revised 1885

   WAB 107


   Lucerne Festival Orchestra

  Symphony 8 in B minor

   Schubert: 1822

   'Unfinished Symphony'   D 759


   Chamber Orchestra of Europe




 
  Born in Shreveport, Louisiana on 12 July 1934, Harvey Lavan Van Cliburn Jr. was neither a composer nor a modernist. But he was of the period and a pianist of major renown during the Cold War, serving as a cultural envoy to the Soviet Union as an American musician. Playing piano at age three, Cliburn's father was in the oil industry, taking Van at age six with his family to Kilgore, Texas. Making his piano debut in 1946 with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Cliburn entered Juilliard at age seventeen where studied the romantics toward graduation four years later in '55. He was twenty when he won the international Leventritt Competition in 1954, followed by his debut at Carnegie Hall later that year where he performed Tchaikovsky's 'Piano Concerto No.1' w the New York Philharmonic led by Dmitri Mitropoulos [*]. Cliburn's star began rising high with his trip to Moscow in 1958 where he won the first international Tchaikovsky Competition [1, 2] on 11 April w the Moscow Philharmonic led by Kirill Kondrashin [1, 2, 3], again performing Tchaikovsky's 'Piano Concerto No.1 w Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 [1, 2]. That prize is held in cello, piano, violin and voice, 1st place worth 20,000 euros now, or nearly $22,000. Cliburn's return to the States was to another performance at Carnegie Hall on 19 May 1958, now with the Symphony of the Air w Kirill Kondrashin conducting again, the latter permitted to leave Russia to work w Cliburn. Their performance of Rachmaninoffs 'Piano Concerto No.3' was broadcast live by Radio WQXR and recorded for issue in 1959 on RCA Victor 2355 [audio: 1, 2]. He appeared on the NBC 'Steve Allen Show' on 25 May of '58 followed by another major date five days later on 30 May when he recorded Tchaikovsky's 'Piano Concerto No.1' w the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, again conducted by Kondrashin. That was Cliburn's first record release preceding the issue of his 19 May recording above in '59. It also won a Grammy, went gold in 1961, and was the first in the classical genre to go platinum in 1989 (1,000,000 sales) [1, 2, 3, 4]. That's in high contrast to the modernistic recordings of diehard composers of serial, aleatory or electronic music which were considered best-sellers if they reached 70,000 copies like George Crumb's electronic 'Ancient Voices of Children' of 1970. Classical didn't sell as well as rock n roll, et al, in general, but Cliburn put it on the the charts like Elvis Presley. Cliburn had also been received by President Eisenhower in 1958. The first Van Cliburn International Piano Competition was held in 1962 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Cliburn returned to the Soviet Union several times before he performed for President Reagan and General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev, in 1987. He played the hundredth anniversary of Carnegie Hall before his 1994 tour of the States. Like many musicians, Cliburn preferred the graveyard shift, his general routine to work until four or five in the morning, the next day not beginning until after noon. As a champion of largely romantic composers, he died on 27 February 2013 in Ft. Worth, TX [obits: 1, 2, 3, NPR Radio]. References: Wikipedia. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. IMDb (film). Iconography. Interviews: Bruce Duffie 16 June 1994, Christie's 17 May 2012 (video). Further reading: New York Times. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Dutch, Francais, Japanese.

Van Cliburn

 Fantasy in F minor

   Composer: Chopin   1841   Op 49

   Live performance in Moscow 1962

 Piano Concerto 1 in B flat minor

   Composer: Tchaikovsky   1874-75

   Op 23


   Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

   Kiril Kondrashin

   Live performance in Moscow 1962

 Piano Concerto 1 in E minor

   Composer: Chopin   1830   Op 11

   Budapest Symphony Orchestra

   Istvan Szekely   Released 1988

 Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor

   Composer: Rachmaninoff   1900-01

   Op 18


   Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

   Kirill Kondrashin

   Live performance in Moscow 1972

 Piano Concerto 3 in D minor

    Composer: Rachmaninoff   1909

    Op 30


    Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

    Kirill Kondrashin

    Live performance in Moscow 1958

 Piano Concerto 5 in E flat major

    Composer: Beethoven   1809-10

    Op 73


    Moscow Philarmonic Orchestra

    Kiril Kondrashin

    Live performance in Moscow 1962

 Sonata in B minor

    Composer: Franz Liszt   1852-53

    S 178

    Live performance in Moscow 1960




Birth of Classical Music: Van Cliburn

Van Cliburn

Photo: CSU Archives/Everett/REX

Source: Classical Review
Birth of Classical Music: Alfred Schnittke

Alfred Schnittke

Source: Radio Me la Sudas
Born a Jew on 24 Nov 1934 in Engels, Russia, postmodern (polystylistic) composer, Alfred Schnittke began his musical training in Vienna in 1946, taken there on a trip with his father, a journalist and German translator. Expergo [Comps below] has him writing his first composition in '46, an unpublished piano piece in A major later used in a cartoon piece. His family moving to Moscow in 1948, he there wrote a lost concerto for accordion in 1949. Attending the Moscow Conservatory in 1953, he that year wrote his first work for orchestra, 'Poeme' for piano, a setting to a poem by Pushkin called 'The Passing Line of Clouds Grows Thinner', and 'Fugue' for violin [interpretation by Vadim Gluzman, Feliks Harutyunyan ou Mark Lubotsky; live performance by Pablo Díaz Sánchez]. Following Schnittke's symphonies, his disowned 'Symphony No.0' saw performance by the Moscow Conservatory Symphony Orchestra conducted by Algis Zhiuratis in 1957 [recording by the Cape Philharmonic w Owain Arwel Hughes 2006: *; audio: 1, 2, 3, 4]. Graduating from the Conservatory in 1961, Schnittke started teaching there the next year. Schnittke's initial film score was for 'Вступление' ('Vstuplenie' or 'Introduction') released in 1963. Among those things with which Schnittke had to deal as a Russian composer was the Soviet Composer's Union [1, 2, 3] which banned his 'Symphony No.1' begun in 1969 toward premiere on 9 February 1974, that a polystylistic work including aleatoric (chance) method [1, 2; interpretations by the USSR Ministry of Culture S O w Gennady Rozhdestvensky or the Royal Stockholm P O w Leif Segerstam]. Schnittke's choral 'Symphony No.2' ('St. Florian' or 'Invisible Mass') arrived in six movements in 1979 [1, 2; interpretation by the Russian State Symphony Orchestra led by Valeri Polyansky or Gennady Rozhdestvensky]. 'Symphony No.3' premiered in Leipzig on 5 November 1981 with Kurt Masur leading the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester [interpretation by Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin w Vladimir Jurowski or Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra w Eri Klas: 1, 2]. Come 'Symphony No.4' to Moscow on 12 April 1984, that in one movement rolling w 22 variations [interpretation by the Stockholm Sinfonietta led by Okko Kamu or the Russian State S O w Valéry Polyansky 1996; score]. 'Symphony No.5' surfaced in 1988, that identical to 'Concerto Grosso No.4', beginning as a concerto grosso that assumes symphonic form [1, 2; interpretation by the Gothenburg Symphony w Neeme Järvi: 1, 2]. Schnittke was permitted to leave Russia for Hamburg in 1990 where he remained the rest of his life. His 'Symphony No.6' was in the meantime commissioned by Mstislav Rostropovich and the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington who first performed it in Moscow on 25 September 1993 [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Russian State S O w Valeri Polyansky 2001]. Schnittke dedicated 'Symphony No.7' to Kurt Masur who conducted its premiere with the New York P O on 10 February 1994 [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Russian State S O w Valeri Polyansky 1999 or the NDR Sinfonieorchester led by Gennady Rozhdestvensky 1999]. 'Symphony No.8' was dedicated Gennady Rozhdestvensky who conducted the Royal Stockholm P O at its premiere in Stockholm on 10 Nov 1994 [interpretation by the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra directed by Lü Jia or the Russian State Symphony Orchestra w Valeri Polyansky: 1, 2]. Schnittke died in Hamburg on 3 August 1998 leaving 'Symphony No.9' unfinished, to which task Irina Schnittke (widow) put Alexander Raskatov. That had been sketched with considerable difficulty, left-handed, after another of multiple strokes left Schnittke partially paralyzed [1, 2; interpretation by the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russell Davies 2008]. Along with orchestral works like his symphonies traced above, Schnittke wrote for stage (ballets, operas), chamber, choral works, concerti, solo instrumentals and soundtracks [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. References: Wikipedia. Chronologies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: 1, 2; alphabetical; chronological: Expergo, Pytheas; by genre: Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM, AS Organization, Wikipedia. Authorship: 'A Schnittke Reader' (essay compilation pub by Indiana U Press 2002). Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Symphony No.2' by the Royal Stockholm P O w Mikaeli Kammarkör: 1, 2; 'Symphony No.3' by the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin w Vladimir Jurowski: 1, 2; ''Symphony No.4' | 'Requiem'': 1, 2; 'Symphony No.8' by the Royal Stockholm P O w Gennady Rozhdestvensky recorded 14-17 November 1994 (4 days after premiere on 10 Nov by the same): 1, 2; 'Symphony No 9': 1, 2; 'Violin Concertos No.3 & No.4' by Oleh Krysa (violin) backed by the Malmo S O led by Eri Klas. Video: Vimeo, YouTube. Documentaries: 'The Unreal World of Alfred Schnittke' by BBC 1990: 1/3, 2/3, 3/3. Iconography: 1, 2. Further reading: Laurie Grove; I.V. Kondakov (polystylism Russian); Roman Mints; interview w Irina Schnittke 2006; Adrian Searle; Tom Service; Vasily Shumov; Yellow Barn. Further reading exhaustive: Conversations (Russian); Sikorski. See also the Alfred Schnittke Akademie International: 1, 2, 3. Bibliography: 1, 2, Kirsten Peterson (polystylistics University of Connecticut 2000). Authority research: 1, 2. Sheet music. Book stores: Canada; Europe; Russia; USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: Czech; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; exhibition ('Instances' of Schnitkke); Italiano; Polish; Russian: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Alfred Schnittke

 Clowns und Kinder

   1976   Soundtrack

   Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

   Frank Strobel

 Concerto Grosso 1

   1976-1977

   Chamber Orchestra of Europe

   Heinrich Schiff

 Labyrinths

   1971   Ballet

  
Bolshoi Orchestra

   Alexander Lazarev


   Plastic Drama Theatre Moscow

 Nagasaki

   
1958   Oratorio

   London SO & C/Valery Gergiev

 String Quartet 2

   1981   Kronos Quartet

 The Story of an Unknown Actor

   1977   Soundtrack

 Symphony 1

   1969-72   4 movements

   State S & O

   USSR Ministry of Culture

   Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky

 Symphony 3

   1981

   Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

   Eri Klas

 Symphony 4

   1984

   Russian State Symphony Orchestra

   Valéry Polyansky

 Symphony 9

   1997   3 movements

   Dresden Philharmonic

   Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies




 
Birth of Classical Music: Terry Riley

Terry Riley

Source: Vinyl World
Born on 24 June 1935 in Colfax, California, Terrence Mitchell Riley studied at San Francisco State College from 1955-57. He attended the University of California at Berkeley in 1960-61. In the meantime he performed jazz at night clubs while writing his first compositions. His early interest in jazz would later develop into improvisatory performances lasting hours long. BRAHMS and Pytheas [Comps below] begin Riley's catalogue with 'Trio' for violin, clarinet et piano in 1957. Come 'Two Pieces' for piano in 1959 along with 'Spectra' for three woodwinds and three strings. 'String Quartet' surfaced in 1960, 'String Trio' in '61 [interpretation by the Calder Quartet; score]. Riley worked at the San Francisco Tape Music Center in 1961, the year he composed his initial electronic work for two pianos and four tape recorders called 'Concert'. Riley fairly defines minimalist composing [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] at once wedded with heavy exploration of electronic music. Riley was in Paris in 1963 when he recorded each member of the Chet Baker Quartet performing Miles Davis' 'So What?' for tape manipulation ending up as 'Music for the Gift'. Per Discogs that wasn't released until 2000 by the Cortical Foundation which is not a reissue [*], as other discos seem to support. Riley came to prominent note in 1964 with his electronic composition, 'In C', in which he employed his method of repetition that he examined throughout his career as essential to his brand of minimalism. 'In C' consists of 53 fragments to be played in any order at any tempo by any combination of any number of performers [1, 2, 3; live performance by Third Coast Percussion 25 June 2018]. Riley's recording of 'In C' in NYC in 1968 was his second album release. His debut LP had been the electronic 'Reed Streams' recorded on 4 and 5 of November 1966 toward issue on Mass Art M-131 in a limited edition of 1000 copies [1, 2, 3, 4; recording]. He plays soprano sax on 'Poppy Nogoods All Night Flight' recorded at the Philadelphia College of Art on 17 November 1967 toward issue on reel tape to 25 copies. 'All Night Flight' saw recording again at SUNY Buffalo on 22 March 1968 credited as Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band, the latter being his echo-inducing time-lag accumulator [recording]. The electronic 'Rainbow in Curved Air' was Riley's third LP released in 1969 [1, 2, 3] including 'Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band' [recording (alt)]. The next year brought the electronic 'Keyboard Study 2' and 'Initiative 1' on the LP, 'Germ', issued on BYG 529.327 in 1970. Among the more important events in Riley's life was his initial trip to India to study with pandit and singer, Pran Nath [1, 2, 3, 4], in 1970. He then taught Indian classical music at Mills College in Oakland in 1971 while beginning to sing raga at piano or organ. Jazz influence would develop into improvisational performances of indefinite length. Another of Riley's most important associations was the Kronos Quartet [1, 2, 3] which members he met in 1978 when they were artists in residence at Mills. Riley's first commission for a string quartet from the Kronos Quartet was 'G-Song' in 1980 [score], that based on an earlier composition of '73. The initial Kronos Quartet album of Riley compositions was 'Cadenza on the Night Plain' recorded 23-24 October 1984 toward issue in '85 [1, 2, 3; audio of 'G Song', 'Mythic Birds Waltz' and 'Sunrise of the Planetary Cole']. Numerous quartets for Kronos followed to the notable 'Sun Rings' commissioned by NASA in 2000 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the launching of the Voyager 1 space probe. That premiered in 2002 incorporating sounds from space prerecorded by NASA plasma wave receivers [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 'Beebopterismo']. Riley had begun composing for orchestra in 1990 with 'Jade Palace' written for synthesizers [see BRAHMS below; recording]. Into the 21st century the Kronos Quartet recorded 'The Cusp of Magic' with pipa player, Wu Man, on 4 Feb 2008 [1, 2, 3, 4; 'Buddha's Bedroom', 'The Cusp of Magic', 'Emily and Alice']. Riley composed 'Transylvanian Horn Courtship' toward premiere by the Kronos Quartet on 28 March 2009 at the University of Notre Dame. Also notable is 'Live' released in 2011 with guitarist and son, Gyan Riley [Gyan: 1, 2; live performance of 'G Song' by Terry and Gyan on 10 Oct 2011]. Among titles written in 2015 was 'Bell Station III' for choir and orchestra. Riley is yet active as of this writing (Oct 2020) upon a career of composing for chamber, orchestra, string ensemble, theatre, song, saxophone, organ and piano. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: chronological: BRAHMS, Pytheas; by genre: BRAHMS (electronic et al), Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM, TR Domain; orchestral. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Muziekweb: albums, songs; YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; TR Domain: 1, 2; essential; select: 'The Cusp of Magic'by the Kronos Quartet 2004: 1, 2; 'Music for the Gift' for two pianists and five tape recorders w Chet Baker. Film. Interviews: pub at mu:zines 1989, Rhythmos Magazine 1992, Howard Hersh 1993, pub at mu:zines 1993, Frank Oteri 2001, Dan Collins 2009, Anil Prasad 2014, Joseph Ghosn 2018 Paris: text, video; Bluefat date unknown: 1, 2. Further reading: Gloria Cheng; iconography: 1, 2; TR Domain; Tom Service. Sheet music. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, NPR Radio; Russian: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Catalan, Czech, Dutch, Japanese.

Terry Riley

 Cadenza on the Night Plain

   1983   Recorded 1984

   Kronos String Quartet

 Cusp of Magic   [Part 1]

   Released 2008   'The Cusp of Magic'

 Cusp of Magic   [Part 2]

   Released 2008   'Buddha's Bedroom'

 Cusp of Magic   [Part 3]

   Released 2008   'The Nursery'

 Cusp of Magic   [Part 4]

   Released 2008   'Royal Wedding'

 Cusp of Magic   [Part 5]

   Released 2008   'Emily and Alice'

 Cusp of Magic   [Part 6]

   Released 2008   'Prayer Circle'

 The Discovery

   Released 1986

   The New Albion Chorale

 Embroidery

   1983

   Album: 'Songs for the Ten Voices'

 G-Song

   1973 saxophone melody

   Transcribed for viola 1980


   Kronos String Quartet

 In C

   1942–47

   Robert-Schumann-Kammerorchester

 Persian Surgery Dervishes

   Performed 1971/72   Album

 Rainbow in Curved Air/Poppy Nogood

   2003   Album

  
Phantom Band La Repubblica

 Shri Camel

   1978   Album



 
  Born on 14 October 1935 in Bern, Idaho, La Monte Thornton Young was raised a Mormon toward becoming a major name in minimalist composing [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Upon graduating from high school he studied twelve-tone composition under Leonard Stein at Los Angeles City College while playing piano in jazz clubs. Stein had been an assistant to Arnold Schoenberg. Moving over to UCLA (University of California Los Angeles), Young acquired his BA in '58, then attended UC Berkeley until 1960, during which period he also studied in Darmstadt, Germany, in '59. Young's catalogue at BRAHMS [Comps below] begins with a 'Scherzo' in A minor and 'Rondo' in D minor circa 1953 about age eighteen. Such as 'Wind Quartet' followed in '54. In 1960 Young moved to New York City where his experimental 'Compositions 1960' was written as a set of 14 pieces with instructions for performers such as to build a fire or release a butterfly while interpreting the piece. No.2.6 (#7) consists of only two notes, B3 and F#4, coming with instruction to hold them a long time [1, 2, 3; live performance VENI Academy]. That piece lends early witness of what would become known as Young's drone music [1, 2], having been inspired by sounds with long sustained tones such as the wind or buzzing telephone lines. Wikipedia has Young writing his first specifically droning piece in 1957 per the middle section of 'For Brass' (octet). Come 'Trio for Strings' for violin, viola and cello in 1958, his first complete work composed for continuous tones [interpretation by the La Monte Young Trio for Strings 2013]. 'Four Dreams of China' was a droning work arriving in 1962 for instruments of the same timbre in multiples of four which could sustain sound. Young wrote subsequent 'Dreams of China' to as late as 1993 including, per BRAHMS, three melodic versions in 1984 [interpretation of 'The Second Dream of the High-Tension Line Stepdown Transformer' issued in 1991 by Gramavision (Discogs, Musicbrainz)]. Young formed the group, Theatre of Eternal Music, in 1962 [1, 2], the year before he married musician and visual artist, Marian Zazeela [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] who would be instrumental in the creation and presentation of their 'Dream House' installation, in which they also lived, for decades to come. Prior to that, however, Young's 'The Well-Tuned Piano' of 1964 became the longest piano piece in history, requiring several hours to play. It's also one of the longest compositions written insofar as it isn't finished yet. Young didn't premiere the work until 1974 in Rome [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. He recorded 'The Well-Tuned Piano 81 X 25 6:17:50 - 11:18:59 PM NYC' on 25 October 1981 in NYC as indicated in the title [1, 2]. Young's first recording is thought to have arrived in the summer of 1961, a duet called 'Blues in B-Flat' with Terry Jennings [1, 2] on saxophone and himself at piano recorded by himself [*]. Jennings' 'Tune in E' surfaced at the same session. Young's composition, 'Studies in the Bowed Disc' for gong, is dated 1 Sep 1963, the sustained tone of bells or gongs technically referred to as tintinnabulation. On 29 September 1963 Young recorded unidentified titles with John Cale at viola [*]. Cale later brought Young's droning concept to Velvet Underground resulting in the 1966 album, 'Loop'. Back in 1960 Young had written two versions of 'Dorian Blues', one in B flat and one in G [1, 2, BRAHMS]. The former saw recording on 19 October 1963 by the Theater of Eternal Music [*; recording (alt)]. Young later recorded 'Dorian Blues in G' on 14 January 1993 w his Forever Bad Blues Band issued on 'Just Stompin'' [recording]. 'The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys' in 9 parts for voice, instruments and sine wave generators took its time arriving in 1964, another of a continuous nature taking a long time to compose since it isn't finished yet w the title indicating altering iterations with each performance [1, 2, 3, BRAHMS; interpretation by the Minimalist Dreamhouse 2019]. On 23 August 1964 Young and Zazeela recorded the second track of what is called the 'Black Album' or 'Black Record', the first track going down on 31 July of 1969 in Munich toward issue in 1969 on Edition X 1079 [1, 2; recording (alt)]. It was 1966 when Young and Zazeela built the prototype of their electronic 'Dream House' in their loft on Church Street in New York City, that a sound and light environment of continuous sine waves w floating sculptures [1, 2]. The initial 'Dream House' saw installation at the Friedrich gallery in Munich in July of 1969. It traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 71 and has since seen installation throughout the decades in various locations in Europe and the U.S.. While working on the prototype to 'Dream House' Young composed 'Drift Studies' for sine waves in 1967, another composition unfinished with the title indicating altering iterations with each performance. Young recorded an excerpt from that on synthesizer on 5 August 1968 for a limited edition of reel tapes to SMS ['Shit Must Stop': 1, 2, 3] subscribers [Pouncey]. That has seen issue on cassette in 1988 and LP in 2005. Young recorded from 'Drift Studies' again on 31 January 1969 for release with 'Aspen' Issue 8 ['Aspen': 1, 2, 3, 4; recording]. 'Dream House 78' 17"' arrived in 1974 by Young, Zazeela and the Theatre of Eternal Music recorded in Jan and July of '73 [1, 2, recording]. Among Young's various interests since his college and jazz club years (: Gregorian chant, Japanese gagaku, Indonesian gamelan) were cannabis and psychedelics. Considering such an important element in composition, Young and the Theatre of Eternal Music made it a point to perform high on marijuana as well. Also of strong significance to Young was Indian classical music with which he'd begun to acquaint himself back in 1957 at UCLA. In 2002 he, Zazeela and Jung Hee Choi [1, 2, 3] formed the Just Alap Raga Ensemble, performing to as recently as 2017 as documented at Wikipedia [1, 2]. In 2002-03 Young wrote 'Just Charles & Cello in The Romantic Chord' for cello, pre-recorded cello drones and light projection for use in collaboration with Zazeela's 'Abstract No.1' from 'Quadrilateral Phase Angle Traversals' [*; recording; 'Abstract No.1': 1, 2]. Young is yet active as of this writing (Oct 2020). References: Wikipedia. Compositions: chronological: BRAHMS, MELA Foundation; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics. Authorship: 1, 2. Audio: 1, 2, 3. Discographies: 1, 2, 3. Interviews: David Doty 1989, Seth Colter Walls 2015, Rob Tannenbaum 2018. Further reading by source: Kyle Gann; interview w Jeremy Grimshaw 2012; MELA Foundation (exhaustive); M.H. Miller; Graham Reid; Tom Service, Tim Summer, UbuWeb. Further reading by topic: awards; commissions; 'Dream House': 1, 2, 3; Marian Zazeela and: 1, 2; education; film; installations; recordings. Bibliography: 'Draw a Straight Line and Follow It' by Jeremy Grimshaw pub by Oxford U Press 2011 (This biography has seen bad reviews by Young and others. I list it with reviews for information it holds apart from areas contested. Grimshaw also writes for the AllMusic website.): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; '...the Just Alap Raga Ensemble' by Jeremy Grimshaw ('American Music' 2009). Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Collections: 1, 2. Other profiles: English: encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3, 4; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4; French: 1, 2; Italian: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Czech; Espanol; Japanese; Russian.

La Monte Young

 Black Album

   Issued 1969

   With Marian Zazeela

 Compositions 1960 #7

   1960   Any instrument

   Ensemble for Experimental Music & Theater

 Dorian Blues in B flat 19 X 63

   1960/61?   Recorded 1963

   Theatre of Eternal Music

 13 I 73 5:35 - 6:14:03 PM NYC

   1974   Theatre of Eternal Music

   Album: 'Dream House 78' 17"'

 The Second Dream

   1962

   From 'The Four Dreams of China'

 The Well Tuned Piano

   
1964>



Birth of Classical Music: La Monte Young

La Monte Young

Source: Onda Rock
  Born on 11 Dec 1935 in Paide, Estonia, Arvo Pärt is an avant-garde composer who began his formal classical music education at the Rakvere Music School in 1945, followed by Rakvere Secondary School from 1950 to '54 where he studied flute, oboe and piano. Studies at the Tallinn Music Middle School were interrupted by a period in the military from '54 to '56 during which he played oboe and percussion in the Army band. Resuming his studies at Tallinn, in '57 he acquired work as a sound producer for Estonian radio. He there remained for eleven years, meanwhile studying at the Tallinn Conservatory from 1958 to 1963 Going by the Arvo Part Centre, January 1958 had brought 'Sonatina No.1' Op 1 for piano. 'Sonatina No.2' followed in '59 [piano by Jeroen van Veen] . 'Partita' Op 2 had also been written in '58 for piano [live performance by Irina Zahharenkova Estonia Concert Hall Feb 2018]. 'Four Easy Dances' for children for piano begun in '57 were finished in '59. Encountering dodecaphonic [serial: 1, 2, 3] method at the Conservatory, 'Nekrolog' arrived in 1960 [1, 2; Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra w Paavo Järvi]. 'Symphony No.1' ('Polyphonic'), the first of four, is also a twelve-tone work that premiered on 7 Feb 1964 [interpretation by the Estonian Radio S O w Neeme Järvi]. Part's 'Collage sur B.A.C.H.' of '64 for strings, oboe, harpsichord and piano was an important development in twelve-tone in which Part quotes baroque passages from Bach [1, 2, 3; audio w score]. Come 'Symphony No.2' in 1966 [1, 2] followed by the premiere of "Symphony No.3' on 21 Sep 1972 by Neeme Jarvi. Jarvi later led the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra through a Dec 1997 recording of 'No.3' in Sweden [audio; interpretation by the Azusa Pacific University Symphony Orchestra w Christopher Russell 22 April 2018]. Part transitioned from Lutheranism to Russian Orthodox in 1972. 'Für Alina' of Feb '76 for piano, written for his daughter and wife, represents Part's tintinnabular style in early development, that a more proper description of his composing than minimalist. See tintinnabulation broad (lingering sound of a bell) and in reference to Part: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ['Für Alina': 1, 2, 3, 4; piano by Rea Beaumont w score or Jürgen Kruse]. 'Tabula Rasa' was another tintinnabuli work performed in two parts, 'Ludus' and 'Silentium', on 30 Sep 1977 by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra led by Eri Klas [1, 2]. Its recording in Nov of 1977 by the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra led by Saulius Sondeckis was Part's debut release on ECM in 1984, the label he has retained ever since [audio of 'Ludus' ('Game') by the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra]. Part's 'Fratres' ('Brothers') of 1977 is a tintinnabuli work witnessing derivation from Gregorian chant. Its title may refer to both the monastic life and the ensemble, Hortus Musicus, for which it was composed.'Fratres' has been used in numerous films well into the 21st century ['Fratres': 1, 2, 3, 4; Béla Nagy at violin backed by the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra conducted by Tamás Benedek]. Part wrote another version of 'Fratres' for violin and piano to be performed at the Strasbourg Festival in 1980 by violinist, Gidon Kremer [interpretation by Tasmin Little (violin) & Martin Roscoe (piano) w score; live performance by Giovanni Guzzo (violin) w Anne Lovett (piano) Cadogan Hall 15 April 2011 or Anne Akiko Meyers (violin) w Akira Eguchi (piano) Phillips Collection 23 April 2017]. Also representative of Part's tintinnabular method is 'Spiegel im Spiegel' ('Mirror in the Mirror') of 1978 [1, 2]. BRAHMS [Comps below] at IRCAM identifies as many as ten versions of that for various pairs of instruments plus one for solo organ [Jürgen Kruse (piano) w Benjamin Hudson (viola) *; violin interpretation by Guy Braunstein (live) or Tasmin Little]. Part was allowed by the Soviet administration to move to Vienna in 1980, where he became an Austrian citizen before settling in Berlin the next year. 'Miserere' saw its first performance on 17 June 1989 at St. Georges de Boscherville monastery in Rouen by Paul Hillier leading the Hilliard Ensemble for whom it had also been written. 'Miserere' was another tintinnabuli work written for choir, ensemble, organ and solo voices with text from two liturgical hymns, the 'Miserere' and 'Dies Irae' [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Latvian Radio Choir & Doelen Ensemble w direction by Kaspars Putnips 12 January 2015]. Another of his sacred works is 'Kanon Pokajanen' for a cappella SATB choir w liturgical text from the Eastern Orthodox Canon of Repentance. BRAHMS [Comps below] has that consisting of Odes I-IX followed by 'Prayer after the Canon'. Written to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the Cologne Cathedral, it was there premiered on 17 March 1998 by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir led by Tõnu Kaljuste to whom it was dedicated [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Chamber Choir Aquarius led by 'Marc Michael De Smet; Prayer after the Canon' by the Ars Nova Singers; live performances by the Zbor HRT (Croatian Radio Television Choir) w Tonči Bilić: 'Ode IX', 'Prayer after the Canon']. About the turn of the millennium Part returned to Estonia, thereafter living alternately between Berlin and Talinin. His final symphony, 'Symphony No.4', surfaced 37 years after his third, premiering on 10 Jan 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen [1, 2, 3, 'Deciso' Movement III of III by the Los Angeles Philharmonic w Salonen; score]. Part's last composition as of this writing is 'Für Jan van Eyck' in reference to the 1432 painting by Hubert and Jan van Eyck titled 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] also known as the Ghent Altarpiece of St. Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium, where the work was performed by the Collegium Vocale Gent led by Philippe Herreweghe on 22 Sep 2020 [1, 2]. Part presently resides in Laulasmaa near Tallinn, a prolific composer of works for chamber, orchestra, solo instruments and orchestra as well as voice and chorus. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Chronologies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: BRAHMS, AP Centre, Pytheas; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Espanol. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, arrangements of Bach; select: 'Arvo Part' (compilation by various 2017); 'Arvo Part Live'; 'Kanon Pokajanen' by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir w Tõnu Kaljuste; 'Part: Piano Music' by Ralph van Raat. Further reading: awards; Arvo Part Centre; The Conversation; film; Grammy nominations; iconography; interview sometime 21st century Russian; Anneli Ivaste; Bill McGlaughlin; performances; periods; Tom Service, speeches; symphonies. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Book stores: Canada; Europe; USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English: biographic: 1, 2; didactic; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4; NPR Radio; Estonian: 1, 2; French; Spanish.

Arvo Pärt

 Fratre

   Version unknown

   Piano: Yoko Misumi

   Violin: Lana Trotovsek

 Für Alina

   1976   Piano: Haskell Small

 Magnificat

   1989

   Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

 Passio (St. John Passion)

   1989   Cantata

   Mogens Dahl Kammerkor

   Direction: Mogens Dahl

 Sarah Was Ninety Years Old

   1977/89

   For 3 voices, percussion & organ


   Hilliard Ensemble

 Spiegel im Spiegel

   1978

   Piano: Sergej Bezrodny

   Violin: Vladimir Spivakov

 Symphony 3

   1971

   Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

   Neemi Jarvi

 Te Deum

   1984–85/92

   For chorus & string orchestra


   Akademisk Orkester

   Nenia Zenana

 Trisagion

   1992/94   For string orchestra

   Estonian National S O

   Paavo Järvi




Birth of Classical Music: Arvo Part

Arvo Part

Source: Classic FM
Birth of Classical Music: Steve Reich

Steve Reich

Photo: Alice Arnold

Source:  Jewish Journal
Born on 3 Oct 1936 in New York City, Steve Reich is a minimalist composer who played piano as a youth and studied jazz drumming before graduating in philosophy in 1957 from Cornell in New York, his thesis on Wittgenstein. That same year he began studying composition privately with Hall Overton, then entered Juilliard from 1958 to 1961. French Wikipedia begins his catalogue in 1961 w a twelve-tone work titled 'Music for String Orchestra'. He earned his master's in composition at Mills College in Oakland, California in 1963. Of the three works with which BRAHMS (below) begins his catalogue, his first electronic venture was 'The Plastic Haircut' for magnetic tape in 1963 for a film by Robert Nelson, one of several on which they collaborated [audio]. Electronics were Reich's sled and "phasing" his "Mush!" perpetually echoing disjointedly along his trail with some assistance from "phase shifting" of which he early took note. Phase shifting occurs of playing the same tune with two tape loops of slightly different lengths which gradually go out of phase (sync) to eventually return to phase if played long enough. Reich has commented on its relevance to the round also called the perpetual or infinite canon (: 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat'). Reich's electronic 'It's Gonna Rain' of 1965 is an apt example of his early phase music [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Reich on; recording]. 'Come Out' with a civil rights theme saw production at the San Francisco Tape Center in 1966 [1, 2, 3, 4; recording]. 'Melodica' for melodica and tape was another phase work of 1966 [recording]. It was also 1966 when Reich formed a trio that would eventually become the Steve Reich Ensemble also known as Steve Reich and Musicians. Up to this point Reich had been composing for magnetic tape. 'Piano Phase' for two pianos or marimbas of 1967 was his first composition to apply phasing to acoustic performance [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; piano by Art Murphy w Steve Reich 1967 or Edmund Niemann w Nurit Tilles 1987]. A version was also written for piano and tape. 'Violin Phase' for four violins followed the same year along w a version for violin and tape [1, 2; recording of tape w violin by Paul Zukofsky from 'Live/Electric Music' on Columbia Masterworks MS 7265 issued 1968; recording by the Jagdish Mistry ensemble in May 2002 toward issue on 'Eight Lines | City Life' in Dec 2002 on RCA Red Seal 74321 66459 2]. In 1969 Reich wrote 'Pulse Music' for his sequencer called the Phase Shifting Pulse Gate, but was apparently displeased with the work [MinimalEffort]. Reich studied percussion in Ghana in 1970 followed by his electronic "Drumming' for nine percussionists, female voices and piccolo in 1971 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Reich on; Steve Reich and Musicians at Town Hall NYC 16 Dec 1971; Discogs]. 'Clapping Music' is phase music written for two performers in 1972 [1, 2, 2; Reich on; performances by Reich w Russell Hartenberger in May 1987 toward issue on Nonesuch 79169 or Kristjan Järvi live at the Salle Pleyel in Paris 2014]. From 1973 into 1974 Reich studied gamelan (Indonesian percussion) in Seattle. His 'Music for 18 Musicians' saw performance on 24 April 1976 at Town Hall in New York City followed by the album in 1978 [1, 2, 3, 4; audio: 1, 2]. Reich's orchestral works began to arrive in the eighties with 'Variations' composed in '79 toward premiere on 19 Feb 1980 at Carnegie Hall, first recorded by the San Francisco Symphony led by Edo de Waart in 1984 [1, 2, 3; recording]. 'Tehillim' ('Psalms') of 1981 which addressed Reich's Jewish heritage was composed for both ensemble and orchestra [1, 2, 3, 4]. Reich recorded a version in Ludwigsburg in October 1981 toward release on ECM 1-1215 in 1982. 'The Desert Music' arrived for both chamber and orchestra in 1984 w text by Puerto Rican poet, William Carlos Williams [liver performances conducted by Reinbert de Leeuw on 28 June 1987 or Kristjan Järvi in 2014; text: 1, 2, 3]. Come more tape music in 1988 per 'Different Trains', now with string quartet premiered by the Kronos Quartet at the First Presbyterian Church in Miami that year. "Different Trains" refers to trains that Reich took between New York City and Los Angeles with his governess when his parents divorced in 1939, that Movement 1 of three titled 'America Before the War'. Those would have been different trains per Movement 2 tiltled 'Europe During the War'. Movement 3 wraps it up as 'After the War'. 'Different Trains' won a Grammy in 1989 for Best Classical Contemporary Composition [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Reich on; live performance by the London Contemporary Orchestra at the Boiler Room 2016]. Among Reich's most distinctive works were his operas. In 1993 he collaborated with his wife, video artist, Beryl Korot, on the religious multi-media opera, 'The Cave' [1, 2; 'Genesis XXI' Act I No.10 by the Steve Reich Ensemble conducted by Paul Hillier in 1989 toward release by Nonesuch in 1995]. Voice by Korot in 'The Cave' makes inquiries such as 'Who Is Abraham?' Act I No.2 answered by music. In May 2002 their video opera, 'Three Tales', premiered at the Vienna Festival addressing the advance of science in three acts titled 'Hindenburg', 'Bikini' (Atoll) and 'Dolly' (cloned sheep). That, too, was an electronic work, now using historical prerecorded interviews concerning each topic. Reich recorded 'Three Tales' the next month in June [1, 2, 3, 4; recording of 'Hindenburg']. Reich received a Polar Music Prize in 2007 along with soprano saxophonist, Sonny Rollins. It was a Pulitzer in 2009 for 'Double Sextet' which premiered at the University of Richmond on 26 March 2008, commissioned for eighth blackbird [1, 2] which recorded the work for release in 2010 on Nonesuch ‎524853-2 et al [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; live performances by eighth blackbird 2011, Ensemble Paramirabo 2015, Ensemble Offspring 2018]. Reich's 'Quartet' for two vibes and two pianos premiered on 12 Oct 2014 by the Colin Currie Group [live performance by the Icarus Quartet]. 'Pulse' arrived to its premiere by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) on 1 Nov 2016, recorded by ICE toward issue on Nonesuch 565676 in 2018 along w 'Quartet' by the Colin Currie Group [recording of 'Pulse' by ICE; Nonesuch: 1, 2; reviews: 1, 2, 3]. Among more recent works is 'Music for Ensemble and Orchestra' first performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Susanna Mälkki at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on 1 Nov 2018 [1, 2, 3, Reich on (alt); live performance by the Lithuanian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Karolis Variakojis 2019]. Reich’s latest work for large ensemble as of this writing is 'Reich/Richter' in 2019 in collaboration with painter, Gerhard Richter, and filmmaker Corinna Belz [1, 2, 3, 4; Reich on; Ensemble Intercontemporain 2020]. 'Reich/Richter' is part of a greater project called 'Reich Richter Pärt' (Arvo Pärt) which premiered at The Shed in NYC on 6 April 2019 [1, 2]. Reich is yet active as of this writing. His son is musician, Ezra Reich. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Brief chronology. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: BRAHMS, Pytheas, SR Website; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Japan; select: 'The Cave' by the Steve Reich Ensemble conducted by Paul Hillier 1995: 1, 2; 'Drumming'; 'Music for 18 Musicians' by Erik Hall; 'So Percussion'; 'Three Tales' on Nonesuch 79662-2 issued 2003: 1, 2; 'Works: 1965-1995' 10 x CD compilation on Nonesuch ?79451-2. Film. Documentaries: 'A New Musical Language' 1987; 'Phase to Face' by Eric Darmon & Franck Mallet 2009: 1, 2, 3, 4; 'Reich on Reich' 2011. Interviews: Reich would have been at home w two cans and a string as well. A partial list of interviews numerous at Note 1 below. Further reading by source: Articles about Reich are extensive, a partial list by author at Note 2 below. Further reading by topic: analysis: 'Illusion / Anti-Illusion' by Ross Graham Cole; process music: 1, 2; 'Music as a Gradual Process' by Reich; reviews (Top Ten); systems music: 1, 2. Iconography. Social media: Facebook, Twitter. Bibliography: 'Searching for Harmony in All the Wrong Places: Steve Reich's Music for String Orchestra (1961)' by K.W.F. van der Linden (Master Thesis 2010). Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Sheet music: Boosey (Reich's publisher): 1, 2. Book stores: Canada, Europe, USA. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Boosey (publisher): 1, 2; NPR Radio; Espanol: 1, 2; French: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Catalan, Czech, Deutsch, Dutch, Finnish, Italiano, Japanese, Russian.

Steve Reich

  The Cave   [Part 1]

     Musica Strasbourg

  The Cave   [Part 2]

     Musica Strasbourg

  The Cave   [Part 3]

     Musica Strasbourg

  The Cave   [Part 4]

     Musica Strasbourg

  Drumming

     1971

     First recorded 1971

     This recording: 1987

  Music for 18 Musicians

     1978   Recorded 1978

  Proverb

     1995   This performance 2014

     Text: Wittgenstein

     Conductor: Joel Chapman

  Three Tales   Act I   Hindenburg

     2002   Performance 2011

     Festival INTERRA Novosibirsk

  Three Tales   Act III   Dolly

      2002


^ Note 1: interviews with Reich: Bruce Duffie 1985/95; Bruce Duffie in Japanese: 9 Oct 1985, 9 Nov 1995; Richard Kessler July 1998; Robert Davidson 1999; Jason Gross April 2000; Marc Weidenbaum Jan 2004; Richard Kessler 21 June 2004; Christopher Wright 2005; Andrew Clements Oct 2005; Hermann Kretzschmar Oct> 2005; NPR Oct 2006; Joshua Klein Nov 2006; Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker 2008; Emma Warren 2010; Alexis Petridis March 2013; Javier Ansorena June 2014 (Espanol); 'At the Swimming Pool' 2015 (Czech); Library of Congress 4 April 2018; Christopher Abbot unknown (sometime 21st century).


^ Note 2; Further reading on Reich: Javier Blánquez (Espanol), David Grossman, Carter Horsley, Taylor Kaplan, Norman Lebrecht, Diego Manrique (Espanol), MoMA, New York Times, Opera Plus, Steve Reich Website, Tom Service, Tom Strini, Roger Sutherland, Daniel Verdu (Espanol).






  Born of Jewish immigrants in Baltimore, Maryland, on 31 Jan 1937, Philip Glass had a father with a record shop from which he was able to glean his own collection of classical titles from unsold recordings. His mother was a librarian who involved herself with assisting Holocaust survivors adapt to life in the United States (board, language, employment). Glass played flute before entering the University of Chicago at age fifteen to study math and philosophy. He there began composing in twelve-tone a la Anton Webern before graduating with a bachelor's in 1956. Keyboard became his preferred instrument at Juilliard which entered in 1957 after working as a crane operator between schools. A summer break from Juilliard in 1960 he took him to the summer school of the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado where he received instruction from Darius Milhaud and wrote 'Violin Concerto' for fellow student, Dorothy Pixley-Rothschild, who there premiered it. Glass withdrew this work from his catalogue. A later 'Violin Concerto' appeared in 1987 [interpretation by Karen Gomyo w the Residentie Orkest 8 Feb 2014]. Upon graduating from Juilliard in '61 (est.), Glass moved to Pittsburgh where he composed for the public school system in 1962. Glass began 'Brass Sextet' in '62 toward completion in 1964, another of numerous early works withdrawn from his catalogue although it was published by Novello & Co. in England in 1966 and recorded by the London Gabrieli Brass Ensemble led by Christopher Larkin on July 14/15 1991 toward issue on 'From the Steeples and the Mountains' (Hyperion ‎CDA66517) in '92 [audio]. A 1964 Fulbright Scholarship found Glass in Paris studying with Nadia Boulanger. Via journey to India in 1966, Glass returned to the States in 1967, working at performance art largely in lofts and art galleries in SoHo (lower Manhattan). It was during that period that he made a period-defining shift to minimalist composition upon the bare repetitive structure of 'One + One' for amplified tabletop [live interpretation by Jan van den Boomen or Dustin Woodard; score]. The Philip Glass Ensemble saw forming in 1968, the main interpreting force of works by Glass to this day [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Glass' first record label, Chatham Square Productions, was founded in 1970 with partner and owner of the Bykert Gallery, Klaus Kertess [1, 2]. The label issued 'Music with Changing Parts' by the Philip Glass Ensemble in 1971 on #1001/2, that written for ensemble [live interpretation by Cluster Ensemble 2015? or Dedalus 18 March 2016]. 'Music in Eight Parts' premiered at the Guggenheim on 16 January 1970 and was performed a few times before it was lost. Its discovery at Christie's Auction House in 2017 saw sale for $43,750. It was subsequently recorded separately by each member of the PG Ensemble, then assembled by Michael Riesman toward release in 2020 [1, 2, 3; excerpt]. Come 'Music in Twelve Parts' to its debut in 1974 at Town Hall in New York City [1, 2, 3; PG Ensemble for Radio WNYC 14 Feb 1981]. It was 1975 when Glass began his 'Portrait Trilogy' consisting of operas that brought and perpetuated his fame: 'Einstein on the Beach', 'Satyagraha' and 'Akhnaten'. 'Einstein on the Beach' premiered on 25 July 1976 at the Festival d’Avignon with w direction by Robert Wilson with whom Glass wrote the libretto. With this work Glass employed a device called "knee plays" (joints) to open and close each of four acts [Knee 5 ending Act IV]. Glass wasn't yet able to support himself nor his family on music alone during the seventies, also working as a mover, plumber and cab driver [*]. He finally left the day job behind with a commission from the city of Rotterdam for the Netherlands Opera for 'Satyagraha', the second of Glass' 'Portrait Trilogy' which premiered on 5 Sep 1980 in Holland w the assistance of the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bruce Ferden. With libretto by Glass and Constance DeJon, the title refers to Gandhi's concept of nonviolent resistance [1, 2, 3, 4; Act I premiere 1980]. 'Glassworks' was one of a couple titles composed in 1981 for his debut issue by CBS ‎on FM 37265 in '82 [1, 2, 3, 4; audio]. The third part of his 'Portrait Trilogy', 'Akhnaten', premiered on 24 March 1984 by the Stuttgart State Opera Chorus & Orchestra Chorus conducted by Dennis Russell Davies featuring Paul Esswood as Akhnaten and Milagro Vargas as Nefertiti [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; audio of premiere]. Glass released 'Songs from Liquid Days' in 1986 w titles by rock musicians such as Paul Simon and David Byrne of the Talking Heads [recording (alt)]. Harper & Row published Glass' first memoir, 'Music by Philip Glass', in 1987. Glass began his 'Cocteau Trilogy' of operas in 1991 after three titles by Jean Cocteau: 'Orphée', 'Les Enfants Terribles' and 'La Belle et la Bête'. 'Orphée' w libretto by Glass was first performed on 14 May 1993 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts [Act I Scene 1 'Le Café' performed live at the Herbst Theatre San Francisco by the Opera Parallèle on 26 Feb 2011; audio of Act II Scene 8 'Le Retour d'Orphée']. 'Les Enfants Terribles' w libretto in Francais by Glass saw performance on 18 May 1996 at the Theater Casino in Zug, Switzerland [1, 2, 3; arrangements for two pianos by Joe Hisaishi performed live by Maki Namekawa & Dennis Russel Davies at Kioi Hall, Tokyo, 25 Oct 2019 or Michael Riesman performed by Katia & Marielle Labèque 2020 (Scene 2 of 20: 'Paul Est Mourant')]. 'La Belle et la Bête' premiered in Seville on 4 June 1994 based on Cocteau's 1946 film ['Overture' arranged by Michael Riesman for the Ensemble SORI performed live 28 Sep 2016 in Seoul]. We step back a little for the first of Glass' 'Bowie Trilogy' consisting of the symphonies 'Low', 'Heroes' and 'Lodger', each after a record album by David Bowie. 'Symphony No.1' ('Low') had premiered in Munich on 10 August 1992 by the Junge Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, that addressing Bowie's 'Low' issued in Jan 1977. It saw recording in 1993 by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra led by Dennis Russell Davies [1, 2; recording 1993]. Glass formed his second record label, Point Music, in '93 [1, 2]. 'Symphony No.4' which is 'Heroes' addressed Bowie's 'Heroes' album released in Oct '77 [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra led by Marin Alsop]. In 1997 Glass supplied new music for 'Streets of Berlin' appearing in the film adaptation of Martin Sherman's 1978 drama concerning homosexuality in Nazi Germany, 'Bent' [1, 2, 3], that performed by Mick Jagger as Greta [interpretation by Tara Hugo 2012]. It was 2002 when Glass formed his third record label, Orange Mountain Music [1, 2]. His score for among numerous films, 'The Hours', which premiered in Dec 2002, saw release as a soundtrack by Elektra Nonesuch. In 2003 Michael Riesman and Nico Muhly published an arrangement for piano [live performance by Branka Parlic 2005]. Glass' highly popular 'Songs and Poems' of 2007 was written for cellist, Wendy Sutter [1, 2], who recorded them in July and August of 2007 [1, 2; 'Song I', 'Song III']. Glass' second autobiography, 'Words Without Music', was published in 2015 [excerpt; reviews: 1, 2]. The third of Glass's 'Bowie Trilogy' was his 'Symphony No.12' ('Lodger') which was first performed on 10 Jan 2019 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, that based on lyrics in Bowie's 'Lodger' of 1979 [1, 2, 3, 4]. 'Circus Days and Nights' is an opera w libretto by David Henry Hwang slated for premiere w direction by Tilde Björfors on 29 May 2021 at the Malmö Opera in Sweden [1, 2]. Glass is yet active as of this writing with homes in New York and Nova Scotia. As a Buddhist he is vegetarian and has long been a supporter of Tibetan independence from China. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: BRAHMS, Pytheas; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM; Wikipedia: Anglais, Espanol, Francais; Wise Music; concerti; operas: 1, 2; symphonies. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Complete String Quartets' by the Smith Quartet; 'Heroes Symphony' 1997; 'Music in Twelve Parts' 1993; 'Songs and Poems for Solo Cello' by Wendy Sutter 2007: 1, 2; 'Tara Hugo Sings Philip Glass' 2012. Film: 1, 2, 3, 4, Deutsch, Japanese, Russian. Iconography: 1, 2. Interviews: Bruce Duffie 1982/87; ToniMarie Marchioni May-August 2012; Sep 2012: 1, 2; Master Class 2014 w Niklas Rydén: English (video), Russian (text); Lola Fadula 20 April 2018; Studio 360 2019; various. Social media: Facebook, Twitter. Further reading by source: Elizabeth Bloom, Christopher Fox, Patrick Freyne, Anne Midgette, John O'Mahony, Daniel Verdu (Espanol). Further reading by topic: essential compositions, essential recordings, recordings 21st century. Bibliography. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Book stores: Canada, Europe, USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles (English): encyclopedic: 1, 2, 3; musical: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; NPR Radio. Wikipedia international: Czech, Deutsch, Dutch, Espanol, French, Japanese, Russian. Per below, all tracks for the opera, 'Akhnaten' (1983), are performed by the Stuttgart State Opera Orchestra. All Knee Plays are taken from the opera, 'Einstein on the Beach' (1975) and recorded in 1979 by the Philip Glass Ensemble, except 'Knee Play 4' which was performed at Greene Space for New York Public Radio in 2012.

Philip Glass

 Akhnaten   Act 1

 Akhnaten   Act 2

 Akhnaten   Act 3

 The Illusionist

   2006   Soundtrack suite

 Knee Play 1

 Knee Play 2

 Knee Play 3

 Knee Play 4

 Knee Play 5

 Koyaanisqatsi

   1982   Soundtrack

 The Light

   1987   Symphony

   Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra


   Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies

 Music in Twelve Parts

   
1971-74

 Music With Changing Parts

   1970    Album    1994 issue

 Violin Concerto 1

   1987   3 movements

   Hague Residentie Orchestra/Brad Lubman

   Violin: Karen Gomyo



Birth of Classical Music: Philip Glass

Philip Glass

Source:  TAIS Awards
Birth of Classical Music: John Harbison

John Harbison

Source: Wisconsin Public Radio
Born in Orange, New Jersey, on 20 Dec 1938, John Harbison was born to historians, Elmore and Janet Harbison. Christie Finn has him playing piano in a jazz band at age eleven. He was composing as a teenager, winning a BMI Student Composer Award at age sixteen in 1954 for 'Caprichio' for trumpet and piano. Dutch Wikipedia [Comps below] has him writing 'Confinement' in '54 as well, which George Crumb in a paper for the University of Michigan places in 1956. Harbison is thought to have employed twelve-tone method in 'Confinement' written for large ensemble. Its title refers to both illness and the interplay of strict versus free shapes. He apparently returned to the work in 1965 to finish it for twelve performers toward eventual premiere in 1967 by the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble conducted by Arthur Weisberg [Wikipedia, Wise Music]. The recording by the latter saw issue in 1969 on 'Spectrum: New American Music Volume III' per Nonesuch H-71221 [audio]. That is thought to have been the first composition by Harbison to see record shops. Another of Harbison's early works was 'In Spiritu' in 1955 for male voices, tenor, baritone, bass and chorus. Harbison's career to come would be heavy with song. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in music in 1960. He later began instructing, to include jazz, at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in 1969 where he has remained to this day. Harbison's debut orchestral composition was 'Diotima' of 1976 commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation, that more a parallel than setting to text by poet, Frederick Holderlin. Harbison's first of three operas was 'Full Moon in March' of 1977 [1, 2; interpretation by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project led by Gil Rose in 2003-04 toward issue in 2009: score]. Harbison's second opera, 'Winter's Tale' of '79, was based on the eponymous work by Shakespeare [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project led by Gil Rose on March 2009 toward issue in 2012: 1, 2]. His solitary ballet, 'Ulysses', surfaced in two acts titled 'Ulysses' Raft' and 'Ulysses' Bow' in 1983 ['Ulysses' Bow' by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra directed by André Previn]. Of Harbison's six symphonies, 'Symphony No.1' was premiered in Boston on 22 March 1984 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the conductor Seiji Ozawa [audio: 1, 2]. 'Remembering Gatsby' was a foxtrot for orchestra which arrived in 1985 to see revision in 1990 [live performance by the GSU Symphony Orchestra led by Andrea Botelho]. His 'The Flight Into Egypt' was a sacred ricercar for solo soprano, solo baritone, chorus and chamber orchestra commissioned by the Cantata Singers and Ensemble in 1987. This work which won Harbison a Pulitzer Prize [1, 2, 3, 4; audio by the Los Angeles Phil w Andre Previn issued 1990: 1, 2]. 'Symphony No.2' of 1987 is a highly regarded work commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony to celebrate its 75th anniversary. Harbison chose Herbert Blomstedt, a conductor he deemed with particularly strong qualities, to lead the premiere of above twenty minutes [1, 2; recording of the SF Symphony w Blomstedt; score]. That was followed in 1989 with a grant from the MacArthur Fellowship worth $305,000 which helped to bring 'Symphony No.3' to its premiere on 26 February 1991 by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra directed by David Zinman. 'Symphony No.3' had been commissioned to mark the 75th anniversary of the Baltimore S O [1, 2, 3]. Seven years later Harbison received the Heinz Award in 1998, that followed by his third and final opera in '99, 'The Great Gatsby', after the novel about the sensitivities of the wealthy by Fitzgerald [1, 2, 3; score]. In 2004 he was commissioned by the Pontifical Council to write a work for the Papal Concert of Reconciliation in reference to the three Abrahamic faiths which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It was Sir Gilbert Levine who directed the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at the event held on 17 Jan 2004 to which 7000 people in particular had received invitation from John Paul II. Also traveling to Rome to perform were the Krakow Philharmonic Choir, the London Philharmonic Choir and the Ankara Polyphonic. Commencing this program which saw broadcast on PBS and release on DVD was Harbison's sacred motet, 'Abraham' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 'Abraham': 1, 2; score; Levine conducting 'Abraham']. Harbison's 'Symphony No.4' was commissioned for the Seattle Symphony by philanthropists Richard and Constance Albrecht toward premiere on 17 June 2004 beneath the baton of Gerard Schwarz [1, 2; 'Fanfare' 1/5 by the Boston S O led by Ludovic Morlot 2011, 'Finale' 5/5 by the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic under David Alan Miller issued 2018]. 'Milosz Songs' was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic toward premiere on 23 February of 2006 for soprano, Dawn Upshaw, singing settings to poems by Czesław Miłosz [1, 2, 3]. Harbison's 'Concerto for Bass Viol' saw performance on 1 April 2006 by the Toronto S O led by Hugh Wolff with Joel Quarrington at bass. Its premiere in the States arrived on 5 May 2006 by the Houston S O directed by Hans Graf with Tim Pitts at bass. Harbison's interest in writing this piece arose of his background in jazz and having conducted above fifty Bach cantatas [1, 2; live performance by the Minnesota Orchestra w Fora Baltacigil at double bass: 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4; score]. Harbison became Acting Artistic Director of Emmanuel Music in Boston in 2007. Harbison's 'Symphony No.5' arrived to Boston on 17 April 2008 for performance by mezzo-soprano, Kate Lindsey, and baritone, Nathan Gunn, backed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra directed by James Levine [1, 2, 3, 4]. In 2009 Harbison wrote a unique piece called 'Leonard Stein Anagrams' consisting of thirteen miniatures for piano first performed by Gloria Cheng in Los Angeles on 14 Oct 2009. Stein had died in 2004, a pianist and musicologist whose work Harbison held in high regard. Come 'Symphony No.6', Harbison's last, to its initial performance on 12 Jan 2012 by mezzo-soprano, Paula Murrihy, backed by David Zinman directing the Boston Symphony Orchestra by which it was commissioned [1, 2, 3, 4; 'Con Moto' 1/4 featuring Paula Murrihy]. On 20 Oct 2018 Harbison's 'IF' was premiered at the Kresge Auditorium in Cambridge by soprano, Lucy Fitz Gibbon, that a setting to Holderlin's 'If from the Distance' [1, 2]. Harbison is yet active as of this writing in association w MIT. His publisher has long been Associated Music Publishers / G. Schirmer which come to Wise Music [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. References: 1, 2, 3. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: Pytheas, Dutch Wikipedia; by genre: Encyclopedia, Klassika, Musicalics, Pytheas, RYM, Wise Music; symphonies. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Symphonies 1 & 2' by the Boston Symphony Orchestra w James Levine 2010. Interviews: Bruce Duffie 13 June 1991 text, Peter Jacobi 2006 radio. Further reading: Thomas May, Gayle Worland (alt). Authority research: 1, 2. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; French: 1, 2; Italian.

John Harbison

 Abraham

   premiere 2004 for Pope John Paul II

   Papal Concert of Reconciliation

   Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

   Sir Gilbert Levine

 Abu Ghraib

   2006   For cello & piano

   Cello: Julia Yang

   Piano: Patricia Au

 Confinement

   1965

   Contemporary Chamber Ensemble

   Arthur Weisberg

 Darkbloom

   2004

   'Overture for an Imagined Opera'

   Albany Symphony

   David Alan Miller

  Remembering Gatsby

   1985

   GSU Symphony Orchestra

   Andrea Botelho

 Symphony 2

   1987

   San Francisco Symphony

   Herbert Blomstedt

 Twilight Music

   1985

   Horn: Robert Ward

   Piano: Ian Scarfe

   Violin: Jorja Fleezanis




 
Birth of Classical Music: Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

Source:  Florida State University
Born in Miami on 30 April 1939, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich studied piano, violin and trumpet as a youth. She had begun composing as a youth as well. Zwilich received her bachelor's in music from Florida State University in 1960, her master's in '62. She taught music a bit in South Carolina before heading to New York in 1964, there to be employed by the American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. Zwilich earned her doctorate in composition in music from Juilliard in 1975. She presently holds six honorary doctorates. Pytheas [Comps below] begins her catalogue w 'Einsame Nacht' ('Lonely Night') for baritone and piano in 1971. 'Im Nebel' (In the Fog') for contralto and piano emerged in 1972. The debut performance of her first of numerous symphonic works was on 31 Jan 1975 by the Juilliard Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pierre Boulez: 'Symposium for Orchestra' [score]. Of her five numbered symphonies, 'Symphony No.1' ('Three Movements for Orchestra') premiered on 5 May 1982 at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC by the American Composers Orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller. The work won Zwilich a Pulitzer Prize in 1983 [interpretation by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra led by John Nelson at the Circle Theatre Nov 1984: I Allegro, II Song Form, III Rondo]. 'Symphony No.2' ('Cello Symphony') was commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony toward its first performance on 13 November 1985 w conducting by Edo de Waart [interpretation by the Louisville Orchestra led by Lawrence Leighton Smith]. Zwilich's 'Concerto Grosso' for chamber orchestra was commissioned by the Washington Friends of Handel for the 300th anniversary of the birth of Handel. That was premiered by the Handel Festival Orchestra conducted by Stephen Simon on 9 May 1986 [1, 2; interpretation by the New York Philharmonic led by Zubin Mehta in latter 1988: 1/5 Maestoso, 2/5 Presto]. 'Symphony No.3' was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic to celebrate its 150th anniversary, first performed by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Jahja Ling on 25 February 1993 [1, 2; recording of premiere; album; score]. 'Symphony No.4' ('The Gardens') was written for chorus, children's choir and orchestra toward premiere at Michigan State University on 5 Feb 2000 [score]. 'Symphony No.5' ('Concerto for Orchestra') was commissioned for the Juilliard Orchestra which premiered it under the wand of James Conlon at Carnegie Hall on 27 October 2008 [score]. Among more recent works is 'Concerto Elegia' for flute and string orchestra premiered by Trudy Kane at the University of Miami on 18 April 2015 backed by the Frost Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Sleeper [score]. Zwilich currently teaches at Florida State University per a Krafft Distinguished Professorship and works with the BMI Foundation. Along with orchestral works like symphonies mentioned above, Zwilich has written for band, chamber, solo and duo, voice and orchestra as well as concerti. References: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical: 1, 2; chronological; by genre: Pytheas, RYM. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, YouTube. Videography: chamber & solo, concerti & orchestra. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Violin Concerto' | 'Rituals' featuring Pamela Frank (violin). Interviews: Bruce Duffie 13 Jan 1986, Emer Nestor July 2015. Further reading: Tim Smith. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Wikipedia international: Deutsch, Dutch, French, Italiano, Japanese. Per 'Concerto Grosso' below, all tracks are performed by the New York Philharmonic. Per 'Symphony No 1' below, its three movements are performed by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with John Nelson directing.

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

 Concerto Grosso   Movement 1

   
1985   Maestoso

 Concerto Grosso   Movement 2

   
1985   Presto

 Concerto Grosso   Movement 3

   1985   Largo

 Concerto Grosso   Movement 4

   1985   Presto

 Concerto Grosso   Movement 5

   1985   Maestoso

 Concerto per Violino e Orchestra

    1998

   
Saarbrücken Radio Orchestra

    Direzione: Michael Stern

    Violino: Pamela Frank

 Flute Concerto No 1

    1989

    London Symphony Orchestra

    Conducting: James Sedares

 Symbolon

    1988   New York Philharmonic

 Symphony No 1   Movement 1

    premiere 1975   This release 1986

 Symphony No 1   Movement 2

    premiere 1975   This release 1986

 Symphony No 1   Movement 3

    premiere 1975   This release 1986

 Symphony No 3

    1993   New York Philharmonic

    Directing: Jahja Ling




 
  Born in Madrid on 12 Sep 1942, Tomás Marco Aragon was an avant-garde composer who early studied violin, composition and law. His relative obscurity in the United States belies his rank as one of Spain's finest composers, Spanish culture among major themes in his oeuvre. Having begun to compose in 1958, he also studied psychology, sociology and German culture in France and Germany. Psychology and dialogue would be important elements in his work. Marco's catalogue commonly begins in 1959 when he began to write his orchestral 'Los Caprichos' in reference to Goya's etching series, 'Los Caprichos', published in 1799. Goya was among the major figures along Marco's intellectual journey to whom multiple compositions would refer. Howsoever, Marco didn't finish 'Los Caprichos' until 1967. In 1962 Marco began writing as a music critic for 'SP' magazine. Authorship was to remain a major aspect of his career. 'Trivium' was a work for piano, tuba and percussion (vibraphone or marimba) that premiered in Madrid on 21 March of 1963, a comp that Marco withdrew from his catalogue as unsatisfactory. 'Tensión' of 1963 joins other early works which Marco destroyed, though that was an early instance of a structural method Marco developed which Roberto Alonzo Trillo discusses as a dialectical tension-over-time. His since withdrawn 'Roulis-Tangage' ('Roll-Pitch') saw performance in Madrid on 13 June 1963 written for a combo of horn, piano, cello, guitar, electric guitar, vibraphone and percussion. 'Voz' presumably for solo voice was also withdrawn since '63. Marco had graduated from the University of Madrid and received his license to practice law in 1963, the same year incidental music for 'El Acuerdo' ('The Deal') was heard in Madrid at the University Theater (TEU) of Industrial Engineers directed by David Ladra to text by Berthold Brecht. Incidental music for 'Narisco' arrived in 1964 to text by Maux Aub. Among Marco's earlier important developmental relationships were members of an association called Zaj [1, 2 3, 4], a Spanish neo-Dada group of experimental composers and performance artists with which Marco hung for a time in '65. Zaj had been formed in Darmstadt in 1958 with John Cage its major figure. Zaj paralleled Fluxus [1, 2, 3, 4], an international association surrounding Cage. Marco's first of several electronic works, 'Su', arrived in 1965. His 'Piraña' for solo piano premiered in Madrid on 26 Dec 1965. He'd composed 'Albayalde' for solo guitar in '65 as well, though it wasn't performed until 20 November 1969 in Amsterdam. Marco had also written 'Car in Effet' in '65 for an interesting combination of three clarinets and three saxophones, that not premiered until 28 June 1968 in Washington, by which I hazard Trillo [above] to mean the District of Columbia. Marco began working for Spanish Radio in 1966. In 1967 he contributed a flute composition to Karlheinz Stockhausen's 'Ensemble', issued in 1972 w flute performed by Ladislav Šoka. The same year he became assistant to Stockhausen he founded the journal on contemporary music, 'Sonda', w Ramón Barce. Marco's initial work for theatre was his opera, 'Jabberwocky', from Lewis Carroll’s 'Through the Looking Glass' of 1871. Marco directed both the music and staging of its premiere on 23 Feb 1967 at the French Institute in Madrid. 'Paso a Dos' for two pianos saw its first performance on 17 Jan 1968 by Carles Santos and Tomás Marco at the Instituto Italiano in Madrid. 'Fetiches' for solo piano surfaced in Amsterdam on 31 March 1968 [interpretation by Manuel Escalante recorded Jan 2003]. His orchestral work featuring trumpet titled 'Mysteria' saw premiere in Netherlands on 16 Sep 1972. Marco had begun to write his one-act opera, 'Selene', back in '65. It premiered w libretto by himself at the Teatro de a Zarzuela in Madrid on 14 May 1974 including four saxophones [1, 2; interpretation of Scene 1 by the Musikene Sinfonietta w José Luis Temes]. Marco's solitary ballet, 'Llanto por Ignacio Sánchez Mejías', was completed for violin, violoncello and orchestra in 1985 in reference to the 1921 eponymous poem by Federico García Lorca concerning the bullfighter, Mejías, who died of one too many justice-minded goring bulls not in it for sport in 1934. 'Pulsar' is a work for orchestra which arrived to the Metz Festival on 22 Jan 1986. Temes led the Orquesta Filarmónica de Poznań in a recording of 'Pulsar' in August of '89 [I, II, III]. Among Marco's several books, he addressed the zarzuela (Spanish opera) in 'Spanish Music in the Twentieth Century' which saw print in 1993 [1, 2]. 'Tarots' is a set of 22 pieces for solo guitar that saw performing in Madrid on 10 April 1992 by a guitarist unidentified. 'Tarots' saw issue by Juan Carlos Laguna in 1995 which was recorded on a date unidentified [audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Into the 21st century Marco premiered his one-act opera, 'El Viaje Circular', at the Principal Theatre in Alicante on 29 Sep 2002 w libretto by himself after Homer’s 'Odyssey'. Marco's 'Sinfonía No.7' ('Comoedia Milenni') received its first performance on 17 Nov 2005 in Ljubljana by the Choir and Orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic conducted by George Pehlivanian [live performance by the Coro y Orquesta Sinfónica RTVE led by Michal Nesterowicz]. Marco's 'Musical Creation in the XXI Century' was published by Cuadernos de la Cátedra Jorge Oteiza in 2007 [*]. 'Tránsito del Señor de Orgaz' for string orchestra arrived to the La Mancha Festival in Castilla on 11 July 2010 [live performance by the Camerata del Prado conducted by Tomás Garrido]. Marco's last numbered symphony is thought to be 'Sinfonía No.10' ('Infinita') which the Marco website gives a date of 2012. Continuing to write several works each year, Marco's 'Dream of Viral Reason' premiered on YouTube on 20 April 2020, an electronic address of Covid-19 named after Goya's etching, 'The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters'. Among Marco's latest compositions as of this writing is 'Ligetoven', a conflation of Ligeti and Beethoven, which saw its premiere, probably recorded, on 20 July 2020 by pianist, Mario Prisuelos [1, 2]. Marco's prolific composing has wrought six operas along w works for chamber, orchestra, voice and instruments like piano, guitar and other strings as well as saxophone et al. Having lectured at various institutions, he is also recipient of numerous awards. His book, 'Music on Stage', saw publishing in 2020 by the Asociación de Directores de Escena de España in 'Serie Debate No.27' [1, 2]. References: Thomas Marco Website in frames containing a thorough catalogue of comps, authored publications, a discography, bibliography, iconography and current news; Wikipedia. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological; by genre: Musicalics, RYM, Trillo (scroll). Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3; select: 'El Grupo Círculo Interpreta a Tomás Marco' on Gasa 9G0444 issued 1991: 1, 2; 'Piano Works' by Mario Prisuelos on IBS Classical IBS-112017 issued 2017: 1, 2, 3. ''Sinfonia No. 5' - 'Sinfonia No. 4'' on Col Legno AU 31812 CD issued 1990; 'Works for Guitar' by Marcello Fantoni on Dynamic CDS 708 recorded 2010 issued 2011: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. IMDb (film). Interviews: w Esther Martín 2017. Further reading: analysis: comps for violin: Trillo; essential catalogue; 'El Pais'. Bibliography: 'ZAJ and Futurism: from Henri Bergson to Tomás Marco' by Roberto Alonso Trillo ('Hispanic Research Journal' 2016). Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: Catalan; Czech; Spanish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Tomás Marco

 Agni

    
1990   Guitar: Marcello Fantoni

    From 'Sonata de Fuego'

 Arcadia

    
1975   Camerata Musica Nova

 El Caballero de la Triste Figura

    
2004   Chamber opera

 Concierto del Agua

    
1993   For guitar & orchestra

 Diwanes y Qasidas

    
1987   Grupo Círculo

 Fetiches

   
1967   Piano: Luis Aracama

 Sonata de Madrid

   
premiere 2007

 Symphony No 7

   
1999   For Choir & orchestra

 Tarots

   
1991   Guitar: Jose Jaimes




Birth of Classical Music: Tomas Marco

Tomas Marco
Birth of Classical Music: Gavin Bryars

Gavin Bryars

Source:  Henry Moore Foundation
Born in Yorkshire, England, during World War II on 16 Jan 1943, composer, Gavin Bryars, wrote works for chamber, chorus, voice and solo instruments along w scores for film, theatre, opera and dance. From minimalism to medieval inspirations, his is a wide-ranging catalogue. Bryars took up the double bass for life while studying philosophy at Sheffield University from which he graduated in 1964. He had that year written and performed the score for Stephen Dwoskin's film, 'Naissaint', released in 1967 [Bryars on; film]. Beginning his musical career as a jazz bassist, Bryars was yet a student when he formed the improvisational Joseph Holbrooke Trio, named after the early 20th century English composer, with Tony Oxley (drums) and Derek Bailey (guitar). That ensemble recorded a number of rehearsals in 1965 which they didn't issue, though their rendering of Charlie Parker's 'Miles Mode' later saw release by Incus in 1999 on 'Rehearsal Extract 10' 26' [1, 2; audio]. They reassembled an age later in Cologne in October 1998 to record 'Joseph Holbrooke '98' toward issue on Incus CD 39 in 2000 [1, 2]. Another recorded session was held in London in December 1998 to realize 'The Moat Recordings' issued in 2006 on Tzadik ‎TZ 7616-2 [1, 2; audio: 1, 2]. After the Joseph Holbrooke Trio separated in '66 Bryars journeyed to the United States to work with the team of aleatory composer, John Cage, and choreographer, Merce Cunningham [Bryars on]. Upon returning to England he wrote 'Mr. Sunshine' in 1968 for pianist, John Tilbury, to be played on at least one prepared piano. Bryars' non-traditional score [1 (top), 2] indicates indeterminate and looping sections. The year of '68 also brought the formation of the Promenade Theatre Orchestra w composer, John White. Experimental pieces beginning about that time arrived more as textual instructions than scores. Bryars' 'Marvellous Aphorisms Are Scattered Richly Through These Pages' was for an overcoat fitted w electrical devices which saw its first performance in Cardiff, Wales, in Nov 1969. Bryars had begun instructing in fine arts at Portsmouth in January of 1969. The original version of 'The Sinking of the Titanic' [1, 2] was composed in 1969 for an art exhibition, that more a set of instructions than a score. Not until 13 December 1972 did he realize the concrete [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] version at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The album recorded in 1975 by Bryars leading the Cockpit Ensemble toward issue on Brian Eno's Obscure No.1 was both Bryar's first and a name-maker. Though released as a limited edition it saw reissue in 1982 [1, 2, recording; live performance by the Psappha Ensemble 2 Feb 2014]. Bryars gives 'A Must For All Sibelians' a composing date of February 1969, that a work for tape referring to composer, Jean Sibelius. Come the score for the horror film directed by Franco Brocani, 'Necropolis', which premiered in Belgium in 1970, the United States in Jan of '71 [1, 2; excerpt]. Bryars began instructing at the Leicester Polytechnic (De Montfort University) in Sep 1970. Just so, he was a founding member of the Portsmouth Sinfonia in 1970, among the more usefully useless orchestras around [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. His best-known work is his minimalistic concrete 'Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet' [1, 2] which premiered on 13 Dec 1972 at Queen Elizabeth Hall with 'The Sinking of the Titanic' (above). 'Jesus Blood' features the looping of a pre-recorded stanza sung by homeless man. It was recorded in 1975 w 'The Sinking' for issue on Obscure No.1 (above) [recording]. Both the Psappha Enemble and Tom Waits [1, 2, 3] recorded versions in 1993. St Martin in the Fields more recently performed the work in April 2019 at Trafalgar Square in London at a memorial service for who've died homeless. Bryars returned to the piece in 2020 to compose an orchestral version. Another among Bryars' experimental works requiring text rather than score was 'Far Away and Dimly Pealing' in 1972 which is more a quiz for "performers" on how to ring a bell a mile away than a composition [* (alt); realization 2008]. In 1974 Bryars joined the Parisian society, Collège de Pataphysique founded in 1948 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], and has been a member ever since. Pataphysiques is self-described as the useless science of imaginary solutions, yet possibly useful since neither the science nor society are wholly in earnest. Bryars and White (above) formed the Gavin Bryars Ensemble to record 'Hommages' on 28 Feb 1981 [recording]. Upon the death of audio engineer, Bill Cadman, in Dec 1988, Bryars wrote one of his works for voice, 'Cadman Requiem', toward premiere at the Conservatoire de Lyon on 17 May 1989 [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the Hilliard Ensemble [1, 2] recorded Nov 1997: 'Requiem' 1/14, 'Agnus Dei' 4/14]. Toward the latter part of his career Bryars' interest in early music brought him to an arrangement of Henry Purcell's c. 1680 'In Nomine' for the viol consort, Fretwork [1, 2], which saw its first performance at the Purcell Room in London in May of 1995. Fretwork recorded it at Westminster Cathedral on 21 December 1998 for the Lockerbie Memorial Concert. The Hilliard Ensemble also performed Bryars' 'Cadman Requiem' and the first three titles of the 'First Book of Madrigals' set in '98 to poems by Blake Morrison. Those were issued in 2003 on GB Records BCGBCD03 [Fretwork: 'Il Nomne': recording; Hilliard Ensemble: 'Web' No.1 of 'Madrigals': recording]. 'Biped' was among works for Merce Cunningham (above) decades after their days in New York together with Cage who had died in 1992. Cunningham and his Dance Company performed that at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley on 11 April 1999 [1, 2, 3]. Bryars recorded it in 2001 to become the first release on his own record label, GB Records, in April 2003 per BCGBCD02 ['Part I' of VI, 'Part II' of VI]. Bryars began writing his numerous sacred 'Laude' ('Songs') in 2002 per 'Laude Cortonese' containing 29 pieces, numerous of which are contained on 'Oi Me Lasso' of 2004 on GB Records BCGBCD05 featuring Anna Maria Friman (soprano), John Potter (tenor), Nick Cooper (cello), Morgan Goff (viola) and Bryars at double bass [1, 2, 3, 4; audio of 'Oi Me Lasso' Laude 4]. Bryars' numbered 'Laude' have been composed to as late as No.54 ('Stella Nuova') for three voices on 23 Jan 2020. It was 20 Nov 2004 when Bryars premiered 'From Egil's Saga' for BBC Radio 3 w bass sung by Rúni Brattaberg backed by the the London Sinfonietta. Based on 'Egil's Saga' about the Viking poet-warrior written c. 1230 by Snorri Sturuson [1, 2], the work saw later recording in Nov 2011 in the Faroe Islands toward issue on GB Records BCGBCD20 [audio of 'Prologue']. Bryars finished 'Tre Laude Dolce' for solo cello on 13 December 2006, that dedicated to cellist and colleague since the early nineties, Audrey Riley [1, 2], who presumably premiered it in Spain. Bryars and his Ensemble recorded 'No.1' of the three on 5 September 2008 at the Punkt Festival in Kristiansand, Norway, toward issue on 'Live at Punkt' per GB Records BCGBCD15 issued in 2009 [audio of 'No.1' from 'Live at Punkt'; other interpretations: Matthew Barley: recording 2012, live 2013; Louise McMonagle live 9 June 2020]. Riley twice recorded all three on an unknown date toward issue on '1:3' per AR Records ARR 04 in 2015, first for solo cello, next w James Woodrow at guitar. Bryars' most recent comp as of this writing is 'Lauda col legno III' for solo bass clarinet finished on 30 June 2020 with dedication to clarinetist, Roger Heaton, alike the first two in 2004 and 2009 [live performance in Rome of 'Lauda col legno I' by Paolo Ravaglia at bass clarinet and Francesco Dillon at cello on 31 Oct 2007]. Others w whom Bryars has worked over the years include such as jazz musician, John Surman, and the British a cappella trio, Juice. Of recent dividing his time between Canada and England, he is yet active as of this writing (Oct 2020). His publisher has been Schott Music for well above 30 years. References: 1, 2. Chronology. Compositions: Bryars' Website: chronological, dance & theatre, film, opera, unfinished; by genre at Musicalics, RYM. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Biped' dance music by Bryars for Merce Cunningham; 'Hommages' 1981: 1, 2; 'The Marvellous Aphorisms of Gavin Bryars: The Early Years' comps 1969-71: 1, 2; 'Live at Punkt' 2008: 1, 2; 'Lockerbie Memorial Concert' Westminster Cathedral Dec 1998; 'The Sinking of the Titanic' Gavin Bryars Enesemble live in Bourges April 1990: 1, 2. Film: 1, 2, 3. Videography. Interviews: Culture Kiosque 2000, BBC 2004, Melony Dodson for WUOT Radio March 2017, Ethan Iverson May 2017, Wiener Zeitung Apriil 2018, Eamon Sweeney Nov 2018, ECM50 April 2019. Further reading: GB Webite; collaborators: vocalists; GMG Classical Music Forum; publishers. See also: Modern Composition with Gavin Bryars (instruction): 1, 2; old GB Website in frames. Authority research: 1, 2. Book stores: Canada, Europe, USA. Other profiles: English: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Catalan, Deutsch, Espanol, Francais, Italiano, Japanese.

Gavin Bryars

 1, 2, 1-2-3-4

    
1971

    With John Adams & Christopher Hobbs

 After the Requiem

    
1991

 After the Underworlds

    
premiere 2012

    National Youth Brass Band

    Conducting: Bramwell Tovey

 The Black River


    1991   For soprano & organ


 Farewell to Philosophy

    1995   Cello concerto


 Farewell to St. Petersburg

    2002   Filmed live

      Double bass: Božo Paradžik


 Four Elements

    1994   LP: 'Vita Nova'


 Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

    1971


 Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

    1993   Album with Tom Waits

 Miles Mode

    Joseph Holbrooke Trio

    Improvisational rehearsal taped 1965

    Not issued until issued 1999

 My First Homage

    1981   LP: 'Hommages'


 The North Shore

    1993 For viola and strings


 On Photography

    1984   Latvian Radio Choir


 Sinking of the Titanic

    1969   This revision 1975


 Sinking of the Titanic


    1969   This filmed live 2012

    Vancouver Aquatic Centre

    Aventa Ensemble




 
  Born in Coventry, England, on 16 Jan 1943 (same day as Bryars), new complexity composer, Brian Ferneyhough, nigh composed himself off the face of the Earth as his compositions developed into dense structures that were difficult to understand and sometimes impossible to perform. He began his musical education in 1961 at the Birmingham School of Music (now the Birmingham Conservatoire) until 1963. His catalogue commences in 1963 with 'Sonatina' for three clarinets and bassoon or bass clarinet. 'Inventions' for piano arrived in 1965. He studied serial composition at the Royal Academy of Music (University of London) in 1966-67, of which 'Epigrams' for piano of '66 was first performed in London in Feb 1967. The author(s) at Japanese Wikipedia [Refs below] describes his First Period as serial into 1973. 'Coloratura' for oboe and piano was written in '66 though not performed until 1972 in Zurich by Heinz Holliger (oboe) and Klara Körmendi (piano) [interpretation by Peter Veale (oboe) and James Avery (piano) date unknown; score]. On 1 July 1967 Ferneyhough premiered 'Prometheus' for wind sextet at Mahatma Gandhi Hall [interpretation by the Ensemble Contrechamps led by Zsolt Nagy date unknown; score]. Another title of 1967, 'Sonatas for String Quartet', didn't see performance until 23 March 1975 in Royan, France [interpretation by the Arditti Quartet date unknown; w score; score]. Ferneyhough won a Mendelssohn scholarship in 1968, after which he studied in Europe with Ton de Leeuw in Amsterdam and Klaus Huber in Basel. In 1969 Ferneybough wrote his 'Missa Brevis' for twelve voices in three quartets, eventually premiering on 24 March 1974 in Royan by the Hilversum Radio Choir led by Marinus Voorberg [1, 2; BBC Singers led by Odaline de la Martinez w an issue date of 2005 at Discogs: I-II, III-V]. 'Sieben Sterne' for solo organ is a work of '69 which was first performed in Royan on 27 March 1974 [interpretation by Kevin Bower]. Come 'Cassandra's Dream Song' for solo flute in 1970, performed in Royan by Pierre-Yves Artaud on 29 March 1974 [1, 2, 3, 4; live performances: Robin Meiksins 2016, Emmanuelle Ophèle 2014]. Ferneyhough had begun writing 'Time and Motion Study I' for solo bass clarinet in 1971, eventually premiering in Royan in March 1977 by Harry Sparnaay [1, 2; interpretation by Armand Angster recorded 2 July 2014; live performance by Hugo Queirós May 2015]. By the time 'Cassandra's Dream Song' arrived Ferneyhough's composing had become a daunting task to figure for a single instrument. He raised the bar w his electronic 'Firecycle Beta' in 1971 toward premiere in Oct 1976 in Venice. 'Firecycle Beta' had been written for two pianos w orchestra, two ensembles and two sections of 30 strings each, the entire body wanting a conductor along with four subconductors. 'Firecycle Beta' brought Ferneyhough his first prize from the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) [interpretation by the hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt (Frankfurt Radio Symphony) 13 Aug 2016]. Ferneyhough began teaching at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg [1, 2] in Germany in 1973, where he would keep until 1986. Among elements making the electronic 'Time & Motion Study II' unique is its "dialogue" between performer and self, an interaction between a recording cellist and the manipulated playback of the same, each at once frustrated (psychological element) by the work's fragmentary scheme. Begun in 1973, the comp was later premiered by Werner Taube on 21 October 1977 at Musiktage in Donaueschingen [live performances on cello by: Séverine Ballon, T.J. borden; Neil Heyde, w score]. See also 'Electric Chair Music' of 2007, a documentary directed by Colin Still and featuring Neil Heyde w Paul Archbold (electronics) 2007 [1, 2]. 'Time & Motion Study III' was composed for sixteen voices and electronics in '74 toward premiere in Oct '75. It brought Ferneyhough his second prize from the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) [unknown recording]. The larger scale 'Transit' for six voices, flute and clarinet w orchestra begun in 1972 was finally completed in '76 [unknown recording]. Japanese Wikipedia begins Ferneyhough's Second Period in 1973 to include the preparatory 'Time Motion Study II' while noting that it properly begins with 'Unity Capsule' for solo flute begun in '75 toward premiere in Royan on 23 March of '76 [*]. 'Unity Capsule' bears similarity to 'Time Motion Study II' in that various articulations (breaths, clicks, et al in addition to flute) challenge the performer who is again frustrated by Ferneyhough's employment of gestural patterns meant to make the piece impossible to play. One would be entirely correct to think that Ferneyhough lived to make life hard on virtuosos with gauntlet-like schemes, a guy who gives you the keys to the kingdom if you can survive it. Happily, most performers of Ferneyhough have lived through it, including Kolbeinn Bjarnason (audio w score) and Matteo Cesari (live). 'Unity Capsule' is further fragmented in open form: the entirety of the composition is never played, but only those parts as the performer has chosen. 'Lemma Icon Epigram' for solo piano w voice was premiered in La Rochelle by Massimiliano Damerini on 29 June 1981. By this time Ferneyhough's notation is become more complex by micro-management of all variety of elements from rhythm to trills. Once again, the work was written expressly to make life difficult for virtuosos, such as the speed at which parts of it must be played along an inhibiting structure [1, 2, 3; interpretation by Massimiliano Damerini or Marino Formenti; live performance by Nicolas Hodges or Lukas Huisman; score]. 'Superscriptio' that premiered on 1 Sep 1981 by Roberto Fabbriciani is what Ferneyhough called his "basic" compositional procedure at the time married in detail with what is super "emblematic" of the piccolo [live performance by Rachel Beetz, Orlando Cela or Matteo Cesari]. Ferneyhough left England for the United States in 1987 to instruct at the University of California at San Diego where he remained until 1999. Japanese Wikipedia renders Ferneyhough's Third Period as computer assisted, beginning with 'Bone Alphabet' for percussion of '91 with which he transitioned from writing scores by hand to using computer software [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Such was helpful in particular with the minutiae of Ferneyhough's scores, the caveat being the requirement a program that could do it at that early phase of software development. He has long since used Finale [1, 2, 3], of which Sibelius [1, 2, 3] is main competitor ['Bone Alphabet' live by Ross Karre: 1/2, 2/2]. 'String Trio' was premiered in Paris on 21 November 1996 by the Contrechamps Trio [1, 2]. Though always able to cover with other reasons for writing some work, that was Ferneyhough's first comp to incorporate computer generated possibilities set to such parameters as to best intimidate courageous virtuosos. Ferneybough used the open source software program, Patchwork, for that, which main alternative is OpenMusic: 1, 2. Ferneyhough began instructing at Stanford University in California in 2000 where he teaches composition to this day. He also instructs at the Darmstadt School in Germany during summers. His solitary opera which is 'Shadowtime' of 2004 also received computer generated assistance. Four of its scenes had been preceded by prior works. 'Opus Contra Naturam' (Scene 4) had originally been written for piano toward performance in Louvain, Belgium, in October of 2000 by Ian Pace [1, 2, 3]. 'Stelae for Failed Time' (Scene 7) had first been written for twelve voices and electronics toward premiere on 13 June 2001 in Paris [live performance by the Helsingin kamarikuoro led by Nils Schweckendiek on 3 July 2015 Finland]. 'Les Froissements d'Ailes de Gabriel' ('The Crumpled Wings of Gabriel' - Scene 2) had been written for guitar and ensemble in 2003 [*; audio of Geoffrey Morris (guitar) w the Elision Ensemble led by Franck Ollu; score]. 'Seven Tableaux Vivants Representing the Angel of History as Melancholia' had originally been composed for ensemble and spoken voice toward its first performance in Paris on 13 Jan of 2004. 'Shadowtime' itself arrived to Munich, which had commissioned the work, on 25 May 2004 with a libretto [1, 2] by Charles Bernstein addressing the life of philosopher, Walter Benjamin [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the Neue Vocalsolisten w the Stuttgart Nieuw Ensemble on 9 July 2005 at the London Coliseum: Scene 1, Scene 3; scores: Scene 3, Scene 7, whole]. 'Renvoi/Shards' was another work for guitar that arrived in 2010, this time for quarter-tone along w quarter-tone vibraphone, that commissioned by the Asamisimasa Ensemble [live performance by Travis Andrews (guitar) w Andy Meyerson (vibes) 2015]. Ferneyhough's latest works documented in 'Edition Peters' of 2018 [Comps below] is a collection of eleven compositions for ensemble or string quartet begun in 2001 called 'Umbrations' which premiere of the whole together arrived on 5 May 2017 by the Arditti Quartet w the Ensemble Modern conducted by Brad Lubman [recording; score to 'Christus Resurgens' (No.7 of 11) composed for string quartet and double bass in 2016]. Among Ferneyhough's greater works not here mentioned are of his numerous string quartets. Ferneyhough is yet active residing in sunny California as he likely continues to scheme the dark doom of musicians. For all anyone knows he may have a few bound up behind a wall or under the floorboards like in Edgar Allen Poe. His publisher is long since Edition Peters (alt)]. References: Links to IRCAM BRAHMS, an important site for information on Ferneyhough et al, are correct in this article. If a glitch misdirects to a bad gateway try the same link later. References: All Music, Wikipedia, Wikipedia (Japanese). Compositions: Edition Peters 2018 (alt); alphabetical; chronological; by genre: BRAHMS, Composers 21, Musicalics, RYM. Authorship: 'The Collected Writings of Brian Ferneyhough' (Harwood Academic Publishers 1995); 'Words and Music'. Audio: 1, 2, 3; YouTube: Contemporary Classical, Hering. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3; select: 'Choral Works' by the BBC Singers: 1, 2, 3, 4; 'Complete Works for String Quartet & Trios' by the Arditti Quartet & Claron McFadden: 1, 2. Interviews: Joshua Cody 1996, Molly Sheridan 2005, Jeffrey Arlo Brown for VAN Magazine 2017, James Gardner 2020. Further reading by source: Matthias Kriesberg, Radio 3 Forum, Tom Service. Further reading by topic: complexity (Powell), computer technology, 'Gesture, Mimesis and Image' by Diego Castro-Magas, new complexity, notation for solo flute, patterning (gestural composition). Bibliography: 'Brian Ferneyhough' by Jonathan Harvey ('The Musical Times' Sep 1979); by compositions addressed: 'Bone Alphabet': Steven Schick; 'Cassandra's Dream Song': Ben Sledge, Ellen Waterman; 'Lemma Icon Epigram': Richard Toop; 'String Quartets': Lois Fitch; 'Superscriptio': David Toop; 'Time and Motion Study II': Martin Iddon; ‘Transit': Roddy Hawkins (alt). Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Books/ docs/ scores: Canada; Europe: 1, 2; USA. Other profiles: English: 1, 2; Russian: 1, 2; Wikipedia Europe: Catalan, Deutsch, Espanol, Francais.

Brian Ferneyhough

 Brian Ferneyhough

    
LP suite   Issued 2000

    Nieuw Ensemble/Ed Spanjaard


 Cassandra's Dream Song

    
1971   With score

    Flute: Denizcan Eren

 Chronos Aion

    
2007-08   This performance 2011

    Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

    Ensemble Linea

    Conducting: Jean-Philippe Wurtz


 Coloratura

    1966

 
Firecycle Beta

    1971   premiere 1976


 Incipits

    1996

 Inconjunctions

    2014   Ensemble Modern Frankfurt

 Lemma Icon Epigram

    1982   With score


 Liber Scintillarum

    2012


 Renvoi/Shards

    2008   This filmed performance 2013

    The Living Earth Show

    Tribeca New Music Festival

    Filmed at Cell Theatre Manhattan


 Renvoi/Shards

    2008   With score

 Sonatas for String Quartet

    1967


 String Quartet No 3

    1987


 String Quartet No 5

    2006

 String Quartet No 6

    2010

    Filmed with the Arditti Quartet

 
La Terre est Un Homme

    1979   This performance: 2011

    Barbicon Centre London


 Time and Motion Study I

    1971–77   This performance 2013

    Bass clarinet: Vincent Hering

 Time and Motion Study II

    
1973-76   For cello   With score



Birth of Classical Music: Brian Ferneyhough

Brian Ferneyhough

Source: Twitter/Ferneyhough
  Born in Chicago on 22 March 1943, Joseph Schwantner, studied classical guitar as a youth, tuba in high school as well. Most of his compositions were based on his or someone else's poetry. Schwantner was initially drawn to free jazz when he wrote his atonal serial work, 'Offbeat', which won the National Band Camp Award in 1959. He graduated with a degree in composition from American Conservatory in Chicago in 1964. Pytheas [Comps below] commences its catalogue of Schwantner with an obscure 'Nonet' for piano and chamber ensemble composed 1964-65. Schwantner earned a master's degree in music in 1966 from Northwestern University (Chicago). The Schwantner Website begins its catalogue with his published work for chamber, 'Diaphonia Intervallum', composed for sax, flu in 1965 toward premiere by the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble at Rutgers U in New Jersey as well as New York in 1967 [recording on album]. Schwantner acquired his doctorate in music from Northwestern University in 1968. Beginning his career as a professor at Pacific Lutheran University in '68, he would instruct at several institutions throughout the decades including Juilliard and Yale, he remaining at the latter since 1999. Schwantner began writing for ensembles which he called consortiums in 1970. 'Consortium I' consisted of flute, clarinet, violin, viola and violoncello commissioned by the Boston Musica Viva which recorded it under the direction of Richard Pittman toward issue on Delos DEL 25406 in 1975 [recording on album]. Schwantner's 'Consortium III' arrived as the subtitle of 'Modus Caelestis' which saw premiere on 29 April 1972 by the Zeitgeist in Musik with Bruce Hangen conducting at Kilbourn Hall for the 50th anniversary of the Eastman School of Music (U of Rochester New York) where Schwantner was on the faculty. That consortium consisted of twelve flutes, six violins, three violas, three cellos, piano, celeste and three percussionists [recording by the New England Conservatory Orchestra w Richard Pittman 1970 on album]. 'Consortium IV' was the subtitle of 'In Aeternum' for solo cello solo w alto flute bass clarinet, viola and percussion. The Boston Musica Viva recorded it under the direction of Richard Pittman toward issue on Delos DEL 25406 in 1975 [recording on album which lends a comp or pub date of 1973]. His 'In Aeternum II' for organ had already arrived in 1972, published in '74, the year he received the first of several grants from the NEA [National Endowment for the Arts: 1, 2]. That valued at $3,500, he received another in '75 worth $5,000. Others followed in '77 and '79. Schwantner's final 'Consortium IX' was the subtitle for 'Canticle of the Evening Bells' commissioned by the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble that had arrived in 1976, that consisting of flute, piano, strings and percussion [on album]. Wind instruments were of special emphasis to Schwantner whose major work titled 'and the mountains rising nowhere' was commissioned by the Eastman Wind Ensemble with a grant from the NEA toward its debut in 1977 [Note: links to the Wind Repertory Project, an important site for information on Schwantner et al, are correct in this article. If a glitch misdirects to a bad page try the same link later: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation by the North Texas Wind Symphony w score issued 2006 of recording unknown; interpretation by the United States Marine Band President's Own 2017; live performance by the University of Michigan Symphony Band led by Michael Haithcock 31 March 2017; on albums]. Schwantner's orchestral 'Aftertones of Infinity' caught up on 29 Jan of 1979 at Tully Hall, NYC, conducted by Lukas Foss. premiered by the American Composers Orchestra by which it had been commissioned, the work won a 1979 Pulitzer Prize [on album]. It saw later recording by the Juilliard-Orchestra toward issue on New World Records NW 381-1/2 in 1989 [recording w score]. Come 'Sparrows' for voice and chamber to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC on 18 March 1979. That was premiered by sopran, Lucy Shelton, to fifteen haiku by Issa Kobayashi translated to English by Lewis Mackenzie [1, 2; live performances: Halcyon at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music 18 Sep 2011, Shari Feldman backed by New Music Delaware 2013, Rachel Sparrow backed by the Northwestern Chamber Ensemble; on albums]. 'From a Dark Millennium' was a work for wind orchestra first performed by the Northern Illinois University Wind Ensemble in Feb 1981 [1, 2, 3; interpretation by the North Texas Wind Symphony issued 2006 recording unknown; live performance by Colorado University Wind Symphony led by Donald McKinney or Austin State University Wind Ensemble led by David Campo; on album]. 'Music of Amber' in Parts I and II arrived to the Chicago Civic Center on 10 April 1981, performed by the New York New Music Ensemble [on album; live performance by the Northwestern Chamber Ensemble conducted by Dominic Talanca]. Also in 1981 Schwantner wrote a work for chamber called 'Through Interior Worlds' which appears withdrawn from the Schwantner catalogue [Comps below]. That was later developed into a ballet for orchestra in 1991, also missing from Schwantner's catalogue. Encyclopedia gives that a date of 9 Oct 1992 presumed here to mean its premiere. If Schwantner considers that a substandard work, he compensated for it with his orchestral 'New Morning for the World' ('Daybreak of Freedom') commissioned by AT&T for the Eastman Philharmonia which premiered it at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on 15 Jan 1983 w John Effron conducting. That was also written for narration of text by Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-68) [on albums; live performance by University of Michigan Symphony Band conducted by Michael Haithcock w narration by Daniel Washington 6 April 2018]. About twenty years later Schwantner wrote other versions, one for chamber orchestra which premiered at Harvard University on 25 Jan 2004 by the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston directed by Isaiah Jackson, another for wind orchestra which was performed in Tallahassee on 20 April 2007 by the Florida State University Wind Orchestra led by Nikk Pilato. Percussion is another area that was emphasized by Schwantner throughout his career, by which is meant all variety from vibraphone and bells to chimes and water gongs. He wrote several versions of concerto for percussion, one his major 'Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra' which premiered at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York on 6 Jan 1995 [1, 2, 3, Schwantner on; on albums; interpretation by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra directed by Giancarlo Guerrero w Chris Lamb at percussion; live performances with percussion by: Thomas Burritt w the U of Texas Wind Ensemble, Claire Edwardes w the SCM Wind Symphony]. Another of Schwantner's favored works arrived into the new millennium via the Ford Motor Company's 'Made in America' project, the first of which went to Joan Tower for her 'Made in America' which she took on tour through all fifty states employing 65 orchestras along the way [NPR]. That had been launched in Glens Falls in Oct 2005. Next up was Schwantner for 'Chasing Light', that tour launched by the Reno Chamber Orchestra on 20 Sep 2008 to see performances in all fifty states ['Crystal Light': Schwanter on: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; on album; Ford commission: 1, 2, 3, Shwantner on]. The last composition to date in Schwantner's catalogue is 'Daydreams...' of 2018 for violin, vocal quartet and glass harmonica which was recorded by violinist, Yevgeny Kutik, toward issue in 2019 on 'Meditations on Family' per Marquis Music MAR 81493 [1, 2]. Schwantner is yet active as of this writing, living in Spofford, New Hampshire. References: 1, 2, 3. Chronology. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: New Music, Pytheas, Schwantner; by genre: EAM, Pytheas, RYM, Schwantner. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'Looking Back' w flute by Jennie Oh Brown; ''New Morning' | 'The Passion'' (Flagello's) by the Oregon Symphony directed by James DePreist on Koch International Classics; 'Schwantner' by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Litton; ''Sparrows' | 'Music of Amber'' by the Holst Sinfonietta conducted by Klaus Simon American Classics Naxos 8.559206: notes: 1, 2. Interviews: Bruce Duffie 13 March 2002. Further reading: 'Unity and Pluralism' by Cynthia Folio; ''A Conductor's Guide to the Wind Music of Joseph Schwantner' by Nikk Pilato w transcription of 'New Morning for the World'; ''From a Dark Millennium' Comes the 'Music of Amber'' by James Popejoy (comparative study); students of. Sheet music (Europe). Bibliography: ''Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra'' by Shawn Michael Hart 2008. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Other profiles in English: 1, 2, 3. Wikipedia international: Deutsch, Dutch, French, Italiano.

Joseph Schwantner

 Aftertones of Infinity

    
1978

 and the mountains rising nowhere

    
1977

    Colorado State University Wind Symphony

 Concerto for Percussion

    
1994


    Nashville Symphony Orchestra

    Director: Giancarlo Guerrero


 Diaphonia Intervallum

    
1966

 From a Dark Millennium

    
1981

 Luminosity

    
2014

 New Morning for the World

    
1982

 Recoil

    
2004

 Sparrows

    
1978

    Ensemble: New Music Delaware

    Soprano: Shari Feldman


 Velocities

    
1990   Revised 2007

    Marimba: Doug Perry




Birth of Classical Music: Joseph Schwantner

Joseph Schwantner

Source: Alabama Media Group
  Born in Moquegua, Peru, on 18 April 1943, Alejandro Núñez Allauca grew up in a Roman Catholic household toward joining those latter composers who arrived to classical music during its decline about midway through the 20th century in the wake of such as rock n roll, and its transformation via the advent of film and television which finds it categorized as popular music. Such wasn't generally the case, however, for niche modernistic composers invisible to Billboard charts in the best of locations. As for Allauca, as a largely autodidactic Peruvian avant-garde composer with a little early study of magnetic tape, he is largely unknown in the United States for the additional reason that he had a strong lean toward Catholic sacred music not recorded for commercial reasons, nor the least concerned w Billboard which had no cause to care what popes might favor. Allauca began training on accordion in 1956. He studied music theory at the Cathedral of Lima under organist, Manuel Cabrera Guerra, violoncello at the National Conservatory of Lima, then electronics for music at CLAEM (Latin American Center for Advanced Musical Studies at the Torcuato di Tella Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina). The author(s) at Wikipedia commences an incomplete directory in 1965 per 'El alba para coro' ('Dawn for Choir') for mixed choir. His first work for orchestra was a suite titled, 'Koribeni', appearing in 1967. Allauca later wrote a version for guitar as 'No.2' in '88, revised in 2003 [*; interpretation by Alexander-Sergei Ramirez; live performance by Bruno Coz Núñez]. Worldcat finds him publishing a version for piano in 2001 [audio sample by Simonetta Tancredi]. All of which were in a different direction from his album issued by Iempsa in 1969, 'El Primer Acordeonista del Perú', on which he performed Creole and Peruvian folk tunes on accordion along with a couple of his own compositions. Allauca's electroacoustic 'Gravitación Humana' arrived in 1970, an early electroacoustic investigation the likes from which he moved away as he further developed [*; audio (alt)]. His debut ornamental work arrived in 1970 for piano: 'Moto Ornamentale and Perpetual'. Ornamentation is the decoration of a basic melody with such as grace notes, trills, etc.. Such would become a concern of major emphasis for Allauca which he later examined in the treatise, 'La Composición Musical Ornamental', in 1978. Allauca traveled back and forth between Peru and the United States delivering concerts from '72 to '79 when he began to teach composition at the National Conservatory of Lima. Moving to Milan, Italy, in 1987, among the various instruments for which he composed was harp per 'Rapsodia y Serenata' in 1988. Allauca's 'Wiesbaden Konzert' premiered in 1994 in Chisinau, Moldova [interpretation by pianist, Michele Fedrigotti, backed by the Orchestra Nazionale della Radio di Bucarest led by Daniel Pacitti Feb 1997: Movement 1 Allegro con brio, Movement 2 Lento, Movement 3 Allegro con brio]. Allauca's 'Sonrisa de Jesus' ('Smile of Jesus') premiered at the Vatican on 15 Dec 1995 w text by Francisco Estrello sung by tenor, Luigi Alva, backed by the Choir of Rome and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra [live performance by Olatz Gorrotxategui (soprano) w Simonetta Tancredi (piano)]. Allauca composed his Catholic 'Missa Andina' ('Andean Mass') dedicated to Pope John Paul II in 1997-98 [historic performances: 31 March 2015: 1, 2, 3; complete live interpretation on 4 Nov 2016; 2018]. Allauca's religious 'Missa Populus Dei' ('Mass for the People'), was premiered on 27 July 2012 in Bern, Switzerland, by mezzosoprano, Jimena Llanos, and pianist, Alicia Arce [live performance by Josefina Brivio (mezzo-soprano) w Mattia Marelli (organ) Jan 2017 (alt)]. Among Allauca's more recent works is 'Meditazione e Allegro' for bass clarinet in 2017. He is yet active residing in Milan a long distance from his youth in South America but more at home with his fundamentally European works, profane or sacred. References: Filarmonia, Pizzicato, Wikipedia. See also Spanish Wikipedia for an abbreviated catalogue. A list at Klassika in a stage of stunted growth. The most complete directory of Allauca's works is 'Alejandro Nunez Allauca: Catalogo delle Opere' by Bruno Rossi (Adliswil [CH]; Udine: Pizzicato 1999): 1, 2. Further reading: Meza. See also authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: Italiano.

Alejandro Núñez Allauca

 Gravitación Humana

    
1970   For magnetic tape

 Koribeni No 2

    
1988

 Llora Llora Corazón/Evocación

    
1969

     Accordion: Allauca


 Moquegua

    
1998

 Sonrisa de Jesus

    Song composed 1995

    Pianoforte: Simonetta Tancred

    Soprano: Olatz Gorrotzategui

 Wiegenlied

    
Song composed 1991

    Pianoforte: Simonetta Tancred

    Soprano: Olatz Gorrotzategui




Birth of Classical Music: Alejandro Núñez Allauca

Alejandro Núñez Allauca

Source Vice/Noisey
Birth of Classical Music: Peter Eotvos

Peter Eotvos

Source:  Orlando Records
Born on 2 Jan 1944 in Odorheiu Secuiesc, Transylvania (then Hungary, now Romania), Péter Eötvös, is among the most toasted of contemporary classical composers. He early studied composition at the Budapest Academy of Music and conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne. Pitching quick to glove that is Eötvös' compositions in this article, at age twelve ('56) he composed the vocal work for boys' or women's' choir, 'Solitude / Egyedül', revised fifty years later in 2006. He began training at the Music Academy in Budapest at age 14. The next year he began composing for piano, five pieces from '59 to '61 cited at his website [Refs 3 below]. Those were 'Adagio' ('59), 'Hommage à Haydn' ('59), 'Scherzo' ('60), 'Improvisation' ('61) and 'Rondo' ('61). He started composing and conducting for theatre and film in Hungary in 1961 upon being hired at the Vígszinház (Gaiety Theatre). His initial compositions for theatre in '61 were for 'Leonce and Lena' and 'The Silver Tassie'. A couple of vocal works arrived in 1963: 'Hochzeitsmadrigal' and 'Moro Lasso'. His was the score for István Szabó's film, 'Age of Illusions' [*], released in 1965. His first of several explorations into the early seventies with electronic tape was 'Mese' premiering in Darmstadt in Sep 1968. 'Cricket Music' for band and tape premiered in Budapest in December 1970 using prerecorded natural cricket sounds [Farkas (bottom at "Tücsökzene")]. Eotvos was a member of the Stockhausen Ensemble from 1968 to 1976, during which period he also worked as a sound engineer in Cologne, Germany. During that time he began to distinguish himself via Japanese culture. His first of several operas, 'Harakiri', arrived in 1973 with libretto in Hungarian by István Bálint concerning the 1970 ritual suicide (seppuku) of author, Yukio Mishima. Eötvös borrowed from traditional Japanese music in writing for Japanese vocals and instruments [1, 2; live interpretation 2015; text]. Eötvös drew the idea for his chamber opera of 1975, 'Radames', from Japanese puppet theatre known as bunraku. That saw its first performance w libretto by himself in March 1976 in Köln [1, 2]. Eötvös was director of the Ensemble InterContemporain [EIC: 1, 2] from 1979 to '91, and later worked as a guest conductor for several orchestras, including the BBC and, in the 21st century, the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna. In the meantime another Oriental opera arrived in 1986 called 'Chinese Opera' which Eötvös recorded at Casino Zögernitz in Feb 1999 toward issue on 2000 on Kairos 0012082KAI [album, audio, score]. Another of numerous film scores, 'Tüske a Köröm Alatt' ('Thorn Under the Nail'), arrived in 1987 directed by Sándor Sára [1, 2, 3] from the novel by Sándor Csoóri [1, 2, 3]. It was Sara's 'Könyörtelen Idök' ('Relentless Times') in 1991. Eötvös wrote 'Atlantis' for baritone, boy soprano, cimbalom, virtual choir (synthesizer) and orchestra with text by Sándor Weöres toward premiere on 17 Nov 1995 by the WDR S O conducted by himself. That was recorded toward issue in 1998 on Budapest Music Center BMC CD 007 [audio of Parts I-III of III]. Rolling into the new millennium, Eotvos' orchestral 'Zero Points' ('zeroPoints') of 1999 saw premiere in London on 27 Feb 2000 by the Orchestre Symphonique de Londres, by which it was commissioned, directed by Pierre Boulez to whom it was a tribute [1, 2]. Eötvös recorded 'zeroPoints' w the Swedish GSO (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra) toward issue on BMC CD 063 in 2001 [0.1 of 9, 0.2 of 9]. The Raúl channel at YouTube has Eötvös conducting 'zeroPoints' at La Scala in Milan on 30 Sep 2012 [*]. 'IMA' for choir and orchestra was first performed on 13 September 2002 by the WDR Choir & Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sylvain Cambreling and issued on BMC CD 085 [recording]. That addressed Biblical Creation based on poetry by Gerhard Rühm and Sándor Weöres. In 2004 Eötvös wrote the work for solo piano called 'Un taxi l'attend, mais Tchékhov préfère aller à pied' ('There's a taxi waiting, but Chekhov would rather go on foot') [*; interpretation by Hayk Melikyan 2013, w score]. Come the string quartet, 'Encore', on 11 June 2006 by the Athena Quartet. The violin concerto, 'Seven', premiered in Lucerne, Switzerland, on 6 Sep 2007 again conducted by Boulez. 'Seven' is a memorial to the astronauts of the Columbia space shuttle who died in flight on 1 February 2003. 'Seven' saw recording at the Budapest Spring Festival on 30 March 2008 by violinist, Akiko Suwanai, backed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra [1, 2, 3]. Violinist, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, performed the work on 27 March 2013 backed by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by François-Xavier Roth at the Helsinki Music Centre [1/2, 2/2]. Suwanai performed 'Seven' again on 23 Feb 2016 backed by the Gürzenich-Orchester Köln directed by Roth [live performance]. Eotvos' latest opera was his one-act 'Senza Sangue', premiering on 1 May 2015 in Cologne by Alan Gilbert conducting the New York Philharmonic by which it had been jointly commissioned with the KölnMusik GmbH. With libretto by Mari Mezei based on the eponymous novel by Alessandro Baricco, that was intended as a double billing w Bartók's 1918 one-act 'Bluebeard's Castle' [1, 2, 3, 4; live premiere 1 May 2015]. Eötvös's oratorio, 'Halleluja - Oratorium Balbulum', saw performance w libretto compiled by Péter Esterházy on 30 July 2016 in Salzburg by the Hungarian Radio Choir directed by Zoltan Pad w the Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Daniel Harding [1, 2, 3]. Narration was by Peter Simonischek w Iris Vermillion (mezzo-soprano) and Topi Lehtipuu (tenor). MusicWeb International has it recorded in 2017 toward issue on WERGO WER73862 by Eötvös leading the WDR Sinfonieorchester w Matthias Brandt narrating along w Vermillion and Lehtipuu [audio: 1, 2]. Eötvös' 'The Sirens Cycle' for soprano and string quartet was an electronic work arriving to London's Wigmore Hall on 1 October 2016 realized by Piia Komsi (soprano) w the Calder Quartet [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. MusicWeb International has it recorded at IRCAM Studios in Paris in 2016 by the Calder Quartet w Audrey Luna (soprano) toward issue on Budapest Music Center BMCCD249 [audio: 1, 2]. Eötvös conducted the premiere of 'Multiversum' for (pipe) organ, Hammond organ and orchestra on 10 October 2017 in Hamburg. Again in tribute to Boulez, that came in three parts titled 'Expansion', 'Multiversum' and 'Time and Space' [1, 2; Eötvös on: text (Bachtrack interview 2019, video w Tamás Sándor; live performance by the hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony) directed by Eötvös 8 Dec 2017; score (alt)]. It was 8 December 2019 when 'Aurora' for solo double bass, accordion and string ensemble saw performing by Matthew McDonald at the Kammermusiksaal in Berlin [1, 2; McDonald on]. Other recent works include the piano concerto, 'Cziffrhapsodie', that saw performance in 2020. Eötvös is yet active as of this writing, residing in Budapest since 2004. References: Bach Cantatas; Eötvös Website: Deutsch, English, Francais, Hungarian; Wikipedia. Chronology at Schott (Eötvös' publisher). Compositions: alphabetical; chronological; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, operas. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Eötvös channel YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'Chinese Opera' by the Klangforum Wien w Peter Eötvös recorded 1999 issued 2000; 'Concertos' issued 2014 on BMC CD 170: 1, 2; 'Gliding: Four Works for Symphony Orchestra' issued 2019: 1, 2, 3, 4; ''zeroPoints' | 'Beethoven Symphony No.5'' issued 2001 on Budapest Music Center BMC CD 063: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Film. Interviews: 'The Globe and Mail' 2012, Jeffrey Arlo Brown 2019. Facebook. Further reading: 'Frankfurter Allgemeine'; A.S. Ivanoff; Arnold Whittall. See also: agents & publishers; concert performances 1998-present; PE Contemporary Music Foundation: 1, 2. Bibliography (Eötvös Website). Authority research: 1, 2. Books & scores: Canada, Europe, USA. Other profiles: Deutsch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Hungarian: 1, 2, 3; Japanese. Per below, the full title for Eotvos' piano piece of 2005 is 'Un taxi l'attend, mais Tchékhov préfère aller à pied' ('There's a taxi waiting, but Chekhov would rather go on foot').

Péter Eötvös

 Angels in America

    
2004   Opera for film

 Chinese Opera Part 1

    1986


 Chinese Opera Part 2

    1986


 IMA

    2002

    For choir & orchestra


 Intervalles-Intérieurs

    1981
   For magnetic tape

 Jet Stream

    2002

    Trumpet: Markus Stockhausen


 Korrespondence

    1992   For string quartet


 Kosmos

    1961   Revised '99

    For two pianos

 Love & Other Demons   Part 1

    2007

 Love & Other Demons   Part 2

    2007


 Natasha

    2006   Ensemble Linea

    Soprano: Allison Bell

 Psy

    1996

 Seven   Part 1

    2006

    Violin: Patricia Kopatchinskaja


 Seven   Part 2

    2006

    Violin: Patricia Kopatchinskaja


 Un taxi . . . à pied

    2005   For piano


 Windsequenzen

    1975   Revised 1987




 
  Born on 23 March 1944 in London to Jewish furriers, Michael Nyman entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1961 where he studied piano and 17th century baroque. Among his four compositions there were 'Introduction and Allegro Concertato for Wind Quartet' lost since its first performance in January 1963, and 'Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet', performed in June and December of '63. Nyman won the Howard Carr Memorial Prize for composition in 1964, the year he commenced his career as a music critic, writing for such as newspapers and weekly magazines. A 'Cadenza' for flute arrived in 1965, the year he secured a residency from the British government to study folk song in Romania from '65 to '66. Nyman's first of numerous film scores for Peter Greenaway was '5 Postcards From Capital Cities' in 1967. The next year he coined the term "minimalism' as applied to music in 1968 in an article for 'The Spectator' [*; see also minimalist art; minimalist music: 1, 2, 3, 4]. As Nyman pursued his literary career, writing above 100 articles between '68 and '78, he also performed with and wrote about Cornelius Cardew's experimental Scratch Orchestra formed in '69 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Distinguished among avant-garde compositions is Cardew's 'The Great Learning' which takes its title from Book 1 ('Daxue') of the Four Books of Confucianism. Cardew recorded 'Paragraphs' 2 and 7 of 7 toward issue on Deutsche Grammophon 2561 107 in 1971 by which Nyman's review in 'London Magazine' that year it acquired reputation as the first minimalist recording [Cardew's 'The Great Learning' containing 'Paragraphs 1-7' issued 2010 1, 2, 3. It was June of 1971 when Nyman completed his open form 'Bell Set No.1' for percussion premiering at the Cockpit Theatre in London in 1973 [1, 2]. Nyman recorded the work with Nigel Shipway toward issue on 'Decay Music' [1, 2; audio] for Brian Eno's Obscure label in 1976 [audio; interpretation by the PVD Keyboard Ensemble 2 July 2014]. Eno's is among the more important figures in experimental music, whose career path is an education in it. 'Bell Set No.1' was Nyman's initial exploration of what he called the "decay" process in which tintinnabulation (continuing tone as like in the resonant ring of a triangle) is a major element together with performers mechanistically trading off individual rhythmic units. It was Nyman's book, 'Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond', saw publishing in 1974 in which he addressed experimental music, Fluxus (association), electronic systems, indeterminacy and minimalism [2nd Edition 1999: 1, 2, 3, 4]. Nyman pursued his ideas as to decay from 'Bell Set' in a work for four to six pianos titled '1-100', finished on 19 December 1975 to appear in another Greenaway film in 1976, '1-100'. Nyman recorded both 'Bell Set No.1' and '1-100' toward issue in 1976 on the LP, 'Decay Music' (above) ['1-100' audio (alt)]. Nyman's rendition of 'Faster Decay' was included on the 2004 reissue of 'Decay Music' on Virgin CDVE 964 [audio: 1, 2]. Nyman formed the Michael Nyman Band in '76 with which he would tour internationally during his career. The Nyman Band issued its first album, ''The Masterwork' Award Winning Fish-Knife'', in 1979 to accompany a performance sculpture by Paul Richards and Bruce McLean that premiered at Riverside Studios in London in Nov that year [audio]. The Nyman Band next recorded the 'Michael Nyman' album in 1981 toward issue in November on Victor VIP6798. That included one of his waltzes of 1976, 'Waltz in F' [audio]. It also included his 'In Re Don Giovanni' of 77 which Nyman describes as a deconstruction of the first sixteen bars of the 'Catalogue Song' in Mozart's 1787 'Don Giovanni' [1, 2; audio]. 'A Neat Slice of Masterwork' in 1980 consisted of excerpts from 'The Masterwork' (above) arranged for solo piano [audio]. 'A Neat Slice of Saraband' for clarinet, trombone, piano et violoncello was written about the same [score] along with 'A Neat Slice of Time' for choir a cappella with text from Leonardo da Vinci. Nyman returned to his neat slice theme as late as 2019 per 'Neat Slice of Tango' for solo piano as documented by IRCAM's BRAHMS and WiseMusic, indicating this live performance by Silas Bassa should be sometime 2019>. But I'm unable to jive a composition date of 2019 w Bassa's 'Oscillations' said released in 2015 also containing Nyman's 'Neat Slice of Tango' [1, 2]. I leave that mystery unsolved to back up to 1980 for a couple more films by Greenaway, 'The Falls' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] and 'Act of God' (a documentary about being struck by lightning). Come Greenaway's film, 'Terence Conran' in 1981 concerning the interior designer. In 1982 it was Nyman's score borrowed from lesser known works by Henry Purcell for Greenaway's debut feature-length film, 'The Draughtsman's Contract' [1, 2, 3, 4; soundtrack issued on Charisma ‎CAS 1158 1982 in 1982; audio selection including 'Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds' and 'An Eye for Optical Theory']. Nyman recorded 'The Draughtsman's Contract' again in April and August of 2005 toward issue on 'Composer's Cut Vol I': [1, 2]. What is 'Composer's Cut Vol II' is 'Nyman / Greenaway Revisited' recorded in 1992 and April 2005 [1, 2]. In 1984 Nyman composed an orchestral 'Basic Black' for the Houston Ballet [BRAHMS, Wikipedia] as well as the first of multiple versions of 'Water Dances' for another Greenaway film called 'Making a Splash', this time about synchronized swimming. Tracks of that arrived on the 1985 album, 'The Kiss and Other Movements' [album; audio of 'Water Dances']. Another version of 'Water Dances' later arrived to Ludwigshafen in 2013, that his 'Symphony No.8' [interpretation by the German State Philharmonic of Rhineland-Palatinate directed by Karen Kamensek 14 April 2016]. 'Zoo Caprices' for violin had appeared in 1985, written for violin virtuoso, Alexander Balanescu, who premiered it in Paris on 8 April 1986. Balanescu features on the 1986 album, 'And Do They Do / Zoo Caprices' issued on That's Entertainment Records ‎TER 1123 [1, 2]. Nyman's initial of several operas, 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat', arrived to the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London on 27 October 1986. The libretto [1, 2] by Christopher Rawlence borrowed from the eponymous case study of visual agnosia of 1985 by neurologist Oliver Sack [1, 2; adaptation for television 1987]. It was another Greenaway film in 1988 titled 'Drowning By Numbers' which soundtrack was released in 1988 containing titles like 'Trysting Fields', 'Drowning by Number 2' and 'Drowning by Number 3' [1, 2]. 'Not Knowing the Ropes' (aka '2M6') was erroneously titled 'Knowing the Ropes' [audio]. Nyman returned to 'Drowning by Numbers' in '92 and '98 for other versions for strings and chamber orchestra. It was Greenaway's 'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover' in 1989 including 'Memorial' which addressed the 39 largely Italian deaths at Heysel Stadium in Brussels on 29 May 1985 that resulted in the banning of England from football on the Continent for the next five years. Nyman had premiered his 'Memorial' on 5 June 1985 from which he culled for the film score that he then donated toward the film [Heysel riot: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; film; soundtrack: 1, 2, 3; 'Memorial': audio (alt)]. Although Nyman is best known for his film scores, he wrote numerous works otherwise such as concertos for cello, trombone, harpsichord, sax and violin. A couple piano concertos arrived in 1993 one for solo piano, one for a pair. The former premiered at the Festival de Lille in France on 26 Sep 1993 along with 'MGV' ('Musique à Grande Vitesse' - 'High-Speed Music') ['Piano Concerto': 1, 2; audio by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jonathan Carney w Peter Lawson at piano; 'MGV' complete recording ('Regions 1-5')]. Nyman's 'Flute Concerto No.2' was composed as recently as 2019 [score]. 'Gattaca' concerning eugenics arrived in 1997 directed by Andrew Niccol [1, 2, 3, 4; soundtrack: w review]. Into the new millennium, Nyman and his band premiered the score for 'Man with a Movie Camera' on 17 May 2002 at London's Royal Festival Hall. The original 'Man with a Movie Camera' was a 1929 avant-garde Russian silent documentary purveying Russian society written and directed by Dziga Vertov which Nyman set to music [1, 2]. Nyman later directed and produced his own expanded global version of the film released in Sep 2010 with newer footage titled 'NYman with a Movie Camera' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; trailer cut by Nyman (alt); film locations 1929 v 2015 w Nyman].  Discogs has the orchestral version of 'When Ingrid Met Capa' issued in April 2016 by the German DO.GMA Chamber Orchestra on 'DO.GMA #4' per Berthold Records ‎912 1944-6 [recording]. BRAHMS has him composing another version for string quartet as recently as 2019, one of numerous such quartets written by Nyman. Albeit Nyman's popularity has seen decline into the 21st century, he is yet active dividing his calendar between Milan, London and Mexico City, the latter a favored place to be since before filming 'NYman with a Movie Camera' a decade earlier. Having published 378 works to date [publisher], Nyman has also released well above seventy name albums. Among other awards such as an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick Coventry in 2007, he was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008. References: Wikipedia, All Music. Compositions: chronological: Academic, BRAHMS, Pytheas; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics (sheet music), Pytheas, RYM. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, YouTube. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; select: 'Complete Piano Music' by Jeroen van Veen recorded 18/19 January 2015 Netherlands toward issue 2016 on Brilliant Classics ‎95112: 1, 2; audio; 'The Essential Michael Nyman Band' 1992: *; audio; 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat' by the Nashville Opera conducted by Dean Williamson issued on Naxos 8.660398 in 2016: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; audio: 1, 2, 3; 'Mozart 252' recorded 2005/06 issued 2008 by MN Records; 'The Piano' by Nyman 1993 (Czech); 'The Piano Concerto | MGV' 1994 (reissue 2008); 'The Very Best of Michael Nyman: Film Music 1980 - 2001' by Virgin Records 2002: 1, 2, 3, 4; 'Water Dances' by the Zoo Duet recorded 1994 issued 2004. Films: 1, 2. Interviews: Jed Distler 1996, Dan Goldwasser 2000, Topology 2003, John Leeman 2005, Chris Broughton 2009, Enrique Giner de los Ríos for 'Apartamento' 2019. Facebook. Further reading: films: 1, 2, 3, 4; Anthony Venutolo. Bibliography: 'Michael Nyman: Collected Writings' ed. by Pwyll ap Siôn (Routledge 2016): 1, 2; 'The Music of Michael Nyman' by Pwyll ap Siôn (Routledge 2017). Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Books & scores: Canada, Europe, USA: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Italian; Wikipedia international: Czech, Deutsch, Dutch, French, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Swedish.

Michael Nyman

 A La Folie

    
1998   'To Madness'

    Film: 'Six Days Seven Nights'


 Cine Opera

    
2010

    Cinematography: Michael Nyman

 Decay Music

    1976   Album

    '1 - 100' & 'Bell Set No 1'


 The Departure

    1997   Film: 'Gattaca'

 An Eye for Optical Theory


    1982  

    This performance 2010

    Filmed in Halle, Germany

 Drowning . . . Ropes

    2009   Accordions: Motion Trio


 Love Doesn't End

    1999

    Film: 'The End of the Affair'

 Memorial

    1989   Soundtrack


 Nyman/Greenaway Revisited

    
2006

    Soundtracks revised for orchestra:

 
Chasing Sheep . . . Shepherds

 Miranda

 Time Lapse

 The Piano

    
1993   Soundtrack

 Prospero's Magic

    
1991   Film: 'Prospero's Books'

 A Sixth Part of the World


    2009   Soundtrack

 Stroking Synchronising


    1984   Soundtrack

  
Water Dances


    
1984   Film score

   
This filmed concert: 2010

  Wonderland

    1999   Soundtrack





Birth of Classical Music: Michael Nyman

Michael Nyman

Source: Oxonian Review
Birth of Classical Music: John Adams

John Adams

Photo: Deborah O'Grady

Source: All Music
Born on 15 February 1947 in Worcester, Massachusetts, though John Coolidge Adams (not to be confused w John Luther Adams b. '53) began composing at age ten. Upon graduating from Concord High School in 1965 he entered Harvard to study composition. He earned his bachelor's in '69, his master's in '72. Works composed during Adams' Harvard period include 'Study' ('Dolls and Dreams') for piano and violin ('66), 'Er Kommt' for piano ('67), 'Moment' for piano ('67), 'Seven Canons' for clarinet and bass clarinet ('68), 'Electric Wake' for soprano ('69), 'Genesis' for chorus and orchestra ('70), 'Sonata' for piano ('70), 'For Tomorrow' for chamber ('71) and 'Three Pieces' for piano ('71: 'Prelude', 'Reflections I' and 'Reflections II') ['Boston Composers Project' ed. by Linda Solow (MIT Press 1983)]. BRAHMS (below) begins its catalogue w 'Piano Quintet' performed in May of 1970 by Luise Vosgerchian, and an electronic work for tape called 'Heavy Metal' in 1970. 'Electric Wake' (above) had been the first composition accepted at Harvard for a senior thesis. 'Heavy Metal' was non-commercially recorded and is featured in a 1973 interview w Charles Amirkhanian for KPFA Radio [Part 1: 06.52 to 20.32]. Adams began teaching at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music [1, 2, 3] in 1972 until 1983. it was during that period that he began to delve into the minimalism for which he is known, commencing its development a la such as Steve Reich. In the meantime his experimental open form 'American Standard' premiered on 23 March 1973 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art by the Conservatory's New Music Ensemble which Adams directed [Wikipedia]. Named after the plumbing fixture manufacturer, 'American Standard' was recorded toward release in 1975 on an LP titled 'Ensemble Pieces', issued on Brian Eno's label per Obscure #2 [Wikipedia, Discogs also giving a date of 23 March 1973]. 'American Standard' was earlier featured during the same 1973 interview as above (Part 1) w Amirkhanian who comments in Part 2 without correction by Adams that its performance was recorded on 22 March [Part 2 audio 0.00 to 19.28]. Part 2 also contains audio of 'Period 1' of Adam's 'Hockey Scene' written for tape [23.23 to 40.40]. 'American Standard' itself is a work in three parts consisting of a march by Sousa, a hymn and a jazz ballad by Ellington, each described by Adams in Part 2 of the interview above ("audio"). The hymn titled 'Christian Zeal and Activity' is also featured at NPR. Though Adams isn't catalogued by opus, 'China Gates' [1, 2, 3] for solo piano would be his No.1, everything before it formative but wanting grasp of a new language with possibilities. Adams composed the repetitive 'China Gates' for teenage Sarah Cahill who premiered it on 17 March 1978 at Hellman Hall in San Francisco. To what Adams refers by "gates" are transitions of modes [analysis; interpretation by Fraser Graham or Kris Lennox; live performance by Sarah Cahill May 2019 SF Conservatory]. 'China Gates' supplied the right combination of elements to more thoroughly pursue in his longer 'Phrygian Gates' for solo piano composed for Mack McCray who premiered it at the same concert as 'China Gates' on 17 March '78 [1, 2, 3, 4; harmony in; macro and micro processes; interpretation by Connie Cheng w score in parts 1, 2, 3; live performance 2004 by Emanuele Arciuli in parts 1, 2, 3; live performance by Jeroen van Veen 30 Sep 2012]. Adams had written an earlier minimalist 'Wavemaker' for string quartet in 1977 inspired by the rippling of water. In 1978 he developed that into 'Shaker Loops' for string septet which title refers to tremolos, trills and Shakers dancing [1, 2]. Adams withdrew that work upon revising it for orchestra in 1983 [Version 1978 recorded 15 Dec 1978 by the SFC New Music Ensemble directed by Adams; Version 1983 by the San Francisco Symphony [1, 2, 3] led by Edo De Waart]. In '78 Adams had assumed the post of composer-in-residence for the San Francisco Symphony until 1985. That period brought the premiere of 'Harmonium' for choir et grand orchestra on 15 April 1981 by the San Francisco Choir & Symphony led by De Waart. 'Harmonium' is Adam's self-described second mature work, building upon ideas of pulse and ripple previously employed in 'Shaker Loops'. 'Harmonium' is an essentially carnal expression of texts by John Donne and Emily Dickinson. Adams' emphasis on harmony led to his orchestral 'Harmonielehre' ('Study of Harmony') which saw performance on 21 March 1985 by the San Francisco Symphony led again by De Waart [BRAHMS]. Adams' title refers to the 1911 eponymous text in music theory by Arnold Schoenberg of which it is a rejection of having set the ultimate trajectory in contemporary music, Adams embracing tonality within the greater context of harmony [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. 'Harmonielehre' became Adams' first recording for the Nonesuch record label gone down w De Waart conducting the SF Symphony on 23 March 1985 toward issue on 79115 [Discogs, Nonesuch; presumed recording]. If BRAHMS and Discogs both refer to the premiere then one is incorrect. Musicbrainz also gives a recording date of 23 March [other recordings: audio w score by the City of Birmingham S O led by Simon Rattle 1994; live performance by the American Modern Orchestra led by Ward Stare 28 June 2019]. Adams' first opera, 'Nixon in China', was first performed at the Houston Grand Opera on 22 October 1987. Concerning President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit w premiere Zhou Enlai commencing diplomatic relations nonexistent since the end of World War II, the work's premiere was produced by Peter Sellars w conducting by John DeMain to a libretto written by Alice Goodman and choreography by Mark Morris [1, 2, 3; videos of the 22 October premiere: arias w libretto, scenes of Nixon w libretto]. In Dec 1987 the work was recorded by the SF Symphony again conducted by De Waart toward a Grammy Award in 1989 for Best Contemporary Classical Composition, an award made to no one from 1967 to 1984, reflecting on the popularity of modernistic classical music, which wasn't very. Excepting scores for the silver screen and recordings of old masters from baroque to romantic, classical music had entered its decline upon the advent of such as rock n roll and television, its golden age of three hundred years since the Bach dynasty come to a close. Such as Cage, Reich and Glass were big names amidst the special languages of contemporary classical, but they were a long distance, all put together plus a few more, from Elvis Presley or 'I Love Lucy' in the head of the average Joanna. Though such had always been the case, with the largest exception of Church music, between folk and the rarified worlds of classical, even the democratized waltz or parade march shrank in public embrace before the onslaught of electric recording which created huge markets for folk and jazz, and Hollywood making the movie theater rather then the opera theatre the place to go on Saturday night, not to mention the drive-in and, especially, television. The explosion of media, excepting happy wedding with the screen, spelled the doom of classical music which twelve-tone composing a la Schoenberg or anyone else of modernistic ilk wasn't going fix, even if it mattered to such dedicated diehards. As for Adams, it was another collaboration with Sellars, Goodman and Morris toward 'The Death of Klinghoffer' which premiered on 19 March 1991 at the Théatre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels with conducting by Kent Nagano [1, 2]. This work addressed the 1985 Palestinian hijacking of the cruise liner, 'Achille Lauro', resulting in the death of Jewish passenger, Leon Klinghoffer. It has also endured controversy that continues to this day, charged by some to be anti-Semitic such that various venues yet refuse to stage it. Adams nevertheless acquired another Grammy in 1998 for his orchestral work, 'El Dorado', which had been premiered by the San Francisco Symphony on 11 Nov 1991. Adams does a lot with a little in his minimalist 'Hallelujah Junction' for two pianos which was premiered by Grant Gershon and Gloria Cheng at the Getty Center in Brentwood, CA, in 1998. Dedicated to Ernest Fleischmann, general manager of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, 'Hallelujah Junction' was named after a truck stop on the California-Nevada border, its title also referring to the work's tight intercourse between two pianos [1, 2; live performances: Thomas Ang and Joseph Havlat at St John's Smith Square 13 October 2018 *; Jake DeBacher and Sydney Kjerstad at Luther College 4 Nov 2011 *]. Turning the page into the new millennium, 'El Nino' is a Nativity opera-oratorio which was first performed at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 15 Dec 2000 by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin,with Kent Nagano conducting [1, 2, 3, 4; audio of 'I Sing of a Maiden' (Part 1 No.1)]. Adams' orchestral work for chorus, children's choir and fixed sound, 'On the Transmigration of Souls', brought a Pulitzer worth $7,500 [1, 2] in 2003 followed by three Grammys in 2005. The work was premiered by the New York Philharmonic on 19 September 2002 at Avery Fisher Hall to mark the first anniversary of 9/11 for which occasion it had been commissioned [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, texts, Adams on; interpretations by the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra conducted by Federico Cortese; New York Philharmonic conducted by Lorin Maazel issued on Nonesuch 2004; the Atlanta Symphony Chorus & Orchestra directed by Robert Spano]. After winning his Pulitzer in April '83, Adams became composer-in-residence at Carnegie Hall in September [*]. It was 1 October of 2005 when Adams' major opera in two acts, 'Doctor Atomic', arrived to San Francisco with libretto contributed by Sellars. This work addresses the development of the atomic bomb per the Manhattan Project headed by Robert Oppenheimer at Los Alamos, New Mexico, the first detonation of which was on 16 July 1945 codenamed Trinity [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 'Batter My Heart' from Act 1 Scene 3 by Gerald Finley as Oppenheimer backed by the BBC Singers & Symphony Orchestra conducted by Adams 2018]. Adams' 'Doctor Atomic Symphony' followed on 21 August 2007 by the BBC Symphony conducted by Adams, that wrought of the overture to 'Doctor Atomic' [audio with score by the Juilliard Orchestra conducted by Adams 2018 (alt)]. Among Adams' string quartets was one called 'Absolute Jest' for which he borrowed variously from Beethoven, made the more difficult in juxtoposition with texture supplied by orchestra. Commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony for its hundreth anniversary, the same performed its premiere along w the St. Lawrence String Quartet on 15 March 2012, after which Adams revised it toward the premiere of that on 1 December 2012 by the St. Lawrence String Quartet w the New World Symphony. Michael Tilson Thomas had directed the first version, Adams the second. "Jest" refers not to humor, but to its etymology from Latin for "gesta" meaning deed (act) [1, 2, 3, 4; audio by the St. Lawrence String Quartet w the SF Symphony directed by Thomas 4 May 2013; live performance by the Brentano String Quartet w the Yale Philharmonia conducted by Adams 17 Oct 2014]. 'The Gospel According to the Other Mary' is a major opera-oratorio in two acts with libretto compiled by Sellars (above) which premiered on 31 May 2012 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles by Gustavo Dudamel conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic [1, 2, 3, 4, Adams on; audio of 'En un día de amor yo bajé hasta la tierra' ('In a day of love I came down to earth') from Act 1 Scene 2]. Adams' orchestral 'Scheherazade 2' concerns the first, being the character in 'One Thousand and One Nights', Scheherazade. This nice work addressing the situation of womankind in a patriarchal world was written for violinist, Leila Josefowicz, and was first performed by the New York Philharmonic beneath Alan Gilbert at Avery Fisher Hall on 26 March 2015 [1, 2, 3, 4; audio of Movement IV of IV by the St. Louis Symphony led by David Robertson w Josefowicz at violin]. Sellars again contributed the libretto for 'Girls of the Golden West', also directing its stage premiere on 21 Nov 2017 by the San Francisco Opera led by Grant Gershon. This is a trip into Americana set in a mining camp in the Sierras during the California Gold Rush (1848-55) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; live performance of 'Ven esta Noche Amado Querido' ('Come Tonight Dear Beloved') by J'Nai Bridges (mezzo-soprano) w Ernst Munneke (piano) 27 March 2019]. 'Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?' was written for virtuosic pianist, Yuja Wang, who premiered it at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on 7 March 2019 backed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. A later performance in November saw recording toward issue on Deutsche Grammophon ‎483 8950 in 2020 [1, 2, 3; audio of Movement I, Movement II, Movement III]. Having received nigh as many awards as works he's composed, five include honorary doctorates from Northwestern University, Harvard, Yale, Cambridge and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Adams is yet active as of this writing, residing in California. References: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Compositions: chronological: 1, 2, 3; by genre: 1, 2, 3, 4; John Adams Earbox: arrangements & orchestrations; chamber; choral; electronic; orchestral; orchestral w voice; opera & theatre; piano; ensembles various. Authorship: memoir: 'Hallelujah Junction' (Farrar Straus & Giroux Oct 2008): excerpt; on Steve Reich. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, Nonesuch (Adams' label); select: 'Absolute Jest' recorded 4 May 2013 w 'Grand Pianola Music' recorded 18 January 2015: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 'Complete Piano Music' by Ralph van Raat (American Classics 2007); 'Doctor Atomic' by the BBC Singers & S O conducted by Adams 2018 on 2xCD per Nonesuch 7559-79310-7: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; 'Doctor Atomic Symphony' on Nonesuch 468220-2 issued 2009: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 'John Adams' containing 'Absolute Jest' w 'Naive and Sentimental Music' of 1998 (steel guitar); 'Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?' by Yuja Wang at the Walt Disney Concert Hall November 2019 toward issue April 2020: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 'The John Adams Earbox' 10xCD on Nonesuch 79453-2 issued 1999: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 'Scheherazade 2' by Leila Josefowicz (violin) backed by the St. Louis Symphony led by David Robertson Feb 2016; 'Transmigration' on Telarc 80673 issued 2009: 1, 2; 'Violin Concertos' (one by Roy Harris) by Tamsin Waley-Cohen (violin) backed by the BBC S O led by Andrew Litton. IMDb (film). Interviews: KPFA Radio 1973, David Beverly 1995, Robert Davidson 1999, Frank Oteri 2000, Gramophone 2008, Mercury News (topic: jazz) 2014, Noah Bendix-Balgley 2017. Further reading by source: Guy Dammann; Andrew Druckenbrod; Nathan Heller; John Kapusta; Joshua Kosman; Cory Walsh; World Heritage. Further reading by topic: earlier works; Erasmus Prize 2019; later works; music for strings; symmetry. See also: BBC; management; NPR; publisher <1987; publisher 1987>. Authority research: 1, 2, 3, 4. Other profiles (English): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Wikipedia international: Danish, Dutch, French, Spanish.

John Adams

 American Standard

    1973


 China Gates


    
1977   For piano

      Piano: Olivier Lattiono


 City Noir


    
2009   For orchestra

 Grand Pianola Music


    
1982

 Hallelujah Junction


    
1996   For two pianos

 Harmonium


    
1980   For chorus

 Lollapalooza


    
1995   For orchestra

 Naive and Sentimental Music

    
1998   For orchestra

 Nixon In China


    1987   Opera

  On the Transmigration of Souls


    2002   For chorus & orchestra

    
Atlanta Symphony C & O

    
Directing: Robert Spano

  Phrygian Gates


    1977–78   For piano

  Son of Chamber Symphony


    2007

     Asko/Schönberg Ensemble   Netherlands

     Conducting: Reinbert de Leeuw


  Tromba Lontana

    1986   Fanfare

    
San Francisco Symphony

    
Conducting: Edo de Waart



 
  Born on 14 April 1948 in Montreal, Quebec, Claude Vivier was a spiritual composer who had been adopted at age three. Ten years later he was studying for the priesthood in Marist Brothers boarding schools [1, 2, 3, 4]. It's said he was asked to leave the novitiate at age eighteen, Wikipedia suggesting that he was unsuitable for being gay. Thought to have begun composing by then, he began to study under Gilles Tremblay in 66/67 for the next few years at the Conservatoire de Musique in Montréal [1, 2, 3]. His first catalogued compositions arrived in 1968: 'Quatuor a Cordes' for string quartet considered his Op 1 which premiered in Magog, Quebec, on 10 August 1968 [1, 2, 3] and 'Ojikawa' for soprano, clarinet and percussion. Vivier withdrew 'Musique pour une liberté a bâtir' of 1968 from his catalogue. His works during this period were formative, yet several years shy of his own mature language. 'Proliferation' of 1969 was an experimental electronic work for percussion, piano and Martenot waves [audio by Louis-Philippe Pelletier (pianoforte), Serge Laflamme (percussion) and Jean Laurendeau (ondes Martenot)]. Vivier's 'Hiérophanie' was a graduation work required of the Conservatoire completed in 1971 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. 'Hiérophanie' was a broad statement on human existence. His next work addressed the verifiable end of human existence: 'Musik für das Ende' of 1971 was written for twenty voices and percussion. With 'Musik für das Ende' Vivier commenced what would become a current for him, that being the end of things, or, death insofar as anyone yet alive knows, the living of whom Vivier conceives in this work to be of two threads, rhythm and word: one's last heartbeat bringing verifiable silence, "verifiable" a qualifier. 'Musik für das Ende' itself went silent for forty-one years (as a curiosity, one beyond forty known variously as a limit). This work wasn't premiered until 20 Jan of 2012 in Berlin by the RIAS Kammerchor directed by Hans-Christoph Rademann. This unidentified audio to which the Vivier website points may or may not be the same. 'Musik für das Ende' is an important advance along Vivier's way in its ritualistic coming and going repetitions. Ritual in Vivier will be broadly relevant to the various ways that such might apply from sexual to Church music to eternal recurrence, et al. Obtaining a government grant to study abroad in 1972, he traveled to Utrecht, Netherlands, and enrolled into the Institute for Sonology to explore electroacoustic composition. His piece for electronic tape, 'Hommage a un Vieux Corse Triste', arrived the same year. His Utrecht period was followed by some time under Karlheinz Stockhausen in Cologne, Germany, the latter of major significance in his career [Gilmore: 1, 2, pdf; Tilley, review by Braes]. Vivier pursued his ideas in 'Musik für das Ende' toward 'Chants' in 1973 while with Stockhausen, a work which Vivier describes as his first real composition [audio (Atelier de Musique Contemporaine de la Faculté de Musique U de Montréal)]. 'O! Kosmos' for soprano and choir also arrived in 1973 [audio by the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal]. A couple versions of 'Disintegration followed in '74, one for two pianos and one for two pianos w four violins and two violas w the latter first performed in Darmstadt [audio w Kristi Becker e Ursula Kneihs at pianos]. Upon returning to Quebec in 1974. He there composed 'Lettura di Dante' while teaching at the University of Ottawa [1, 2; audio w Pauline Vaillancourt (soprano)]. 'Siddhartha' of 1975 is Vivier's largest orchestral work based on the Buddhist character in the 1922 eponymous novel by Herman Hesse. Commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Company for the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the work was written for orchestra in eight groups but wasn't performed in Vivier's lifetime, its premiere not arriving until 14 March 1987 by the Orchester Métropolitain du Grand Montréal conducted by Walter Bourdeau [1, 2, 3; audio which may or may not be the premiere issued in 1988 on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CMC-CD 3188]. Vivier's next work, 'Learning', was composed for four violins, percussion and tape, another that didn't see premiere in Vivier's lifetime, not performed until 12 June 2005 in Amsterdam [1, 2; live performance Paris 1 Feb 2016]. Following 'Learning', Vivier traveled in Japan, Bali and Thailand in '76 and '77. His Bali experience was another major influence on his composing [Tilley, review by Braes] as evidenced in 'Pulau Dewata' ('The Island of the Gods'), written for any combo of instruments, that premiered on 28 January 1978 in Toronto [1, 2, 3, 4, live performance by the Fujii Trio et al 5 March 2003 in Toronto]. Vivier's short visit to Iran in 1977 brought about 'Shiraz' for piano. Named after the city, 'Shiraz' saw premiere in Toronto by Christina Petrowska-Brégent on 4 April 1981 [audio by Kristi Becker found on Pianovox ‎PIA 529-2 recorded Jan 1999 or Alessandro Soccorsi (w score) found on Brilliant Classics 96082 recorded in Netherlands 2019: 1, 2]. Vivier completed his mystic opera in two acts, 'Kopernikus: Ritual de Mort', toward its premiere at the Théâtre du Monument National in Montreal on 8 May 1980 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; interpretation by the Dutch National Opera in Netherlands 15 April 2014]. 'Zipangu' (as Japan was known during the middle ages) is a lesson in coloration, as described by Vivier, that was premiered at the U of Toronto on 4 April 1981, revised in 1985 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; audio w score by the Musici de Montréal directed by Yuli Turovsky]. 'Lonely Child' for soprano and orchestra saw its first performance on 7 of Jan 1981 by Marie-Danielle Parent (soprano) backed by the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra conducted by Serge Garant [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; audio w score by Parent backed by the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra conducted by Garant]. Vivier's final finished work was 'Trois airs pour un opera imaginaire' composed toward its premiere that he didn't live to see on 24 March 1983 in Paris. Vivier's composing career was a continuous experiment with new techniques. With 'Trois Airs' Vivier continues with a method first explored in 'Wo Bist du Licht! of '81 which Emilie Marshall identifies as sinusoïdale or, the repetitive contour of a wave [1, 2, 3, 4; recording by the Quebec Contemporary Music Society w Walter Boudreau issued 2012]. Vivier was working on an opera in Paris concerning the death of Tchaikovsky (1840-93) which he set aside to write 'Glaubst du an die Unsterblichkeit der Seele' ('Do you believe in the immortality of the soul?') of which only a fragment exists due to his murder on 7 March 1983 only 34 years old [1, 2, 3; live performance by the Psappha Ensemble conducted by Nicholas Kok 2008]. Vivier had brought home a nineteen-year old serial killer from a pub who had previously stabbed to death a couple of other people. His corpse was discovered five days later with 45 stab wounds for good measure. A number of coincidences attend Vivier's death which may or may not suggest a naiveté in general in our expressions. The most obvious curiosity was the score to his unfinished opera discovered as far as its last line (by "Claude" the narrator): "Then, without any further introduction, he took a dagger out of his deep black jacket (probably bought in Paris) and stabbed it right into my heart." Vivier left behind 49 works during the fifteen years of his catalogue. References: 1, 2, 3. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological: BRAHMS, Vivier website w video references; by genre: BRAHMS, Musicalics, RYM; Boosey & Hawkes: 1, 2, 3. Audio: 1, 2, 3. recordings of: discos: 1, 2; select: 'Marco Polo' (1981) by the Asko & Schoenberg Ensembles led by Reinbert de Leeuw on Opus Arte OA 0943 D 2xDVD 2006: 1, 2; 'Vivier' by Alessandro Soccorsi (piano) on Brilliant Classics 96082 issued 2019: 1, 2. Usage in film. Further reading: Therese Desjardins; Pierre Gervasoni; Jonathan Goldman; Alfred Hickling; Catherine Kustanczy: 1 (ritual in 'Kopernikus'), 2; Iain Morley ('Ritual and Music' U of Oxford); Martine Rhéaume ('Stylistic Transitions in Vivier’s Emergent Musical Style'). Bibliography: 'Claude Vivier: A Composer’s Life' by Bob Gilmore (U of Rochester Press 2014): 1, 2, 3, review by Bryan Christian ('Journal of the American Musicological Society' 2016). Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Collections: 1, 2. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4; French.

Claude Vivier

  Chants

    1973

 Et je reverrai cette ville étrange


    'And I will see this strange city'
 
       1981   Filmed performance

 Glaubst . . . der Seele?


  
1983   Opera   Incomplete upon death

     Filmed performance


 Greeting Music


    
1978   Filmed performance

 Journal


   
1977   Filmed performance

      Psapphe Ensemble

      Conducting: Nicholas Kok

 Kopernikus


    'Rituel de la Mort'

    1979   Opera   2 acts

    Filmed performance

 Lettura di Dante


    1974

    Society of Contemporary Music Québec

    Directing: Serge Garant

    Soprano: Pauline Vaillancourt


 Lonely Child


    1980   Filmed performance

    Asko & Schonberg Ensembles

    Conducting: Reinbert de Leeuw

    Soprano: Susan Narucki


 Musik für das Ende


    1971

 O! Kosmos


    For soprano & choir

 Orion


    For orchestra

 Paramirabo


    1978

 Pianoforte


    1975   Piano: Kristi Becker

 Proliferation


    
1969   For piano & percussion

 Prologue pour un 'Marco Polo'


    
1981

 Pulau Dewata


    
1977   Filmed performance

 Shiraz


    
1977   For piano

    
Filmed with Alessandro Soccorsi

 Siddhartha


    
1976

 Zipangu


    1980   Filmed performance

    Asko & Schonberg Ensembles

    Conducting: Reinbert de Leeuw




Birth of Classical Music: Claude Vivier

Claude Vivier

Source: Claude Vivier
  Major contemporary composer, Christopher Rouse, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 15 Feb 1949. He decided to become a composer at age six upon hearing Beethoven's 'Symphony No.5', that leading to a legacy of neoromantic and expressionistic symphonic works. Just so, Rouse's six numbered symphonies provide the path followed in this writing. Rouse enrolled into the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio in 1967, graduating in 1971. He then studied privately with George Crumb before earning his graduate degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1977. Rouse's first significant work was 'Morpheus' for cello in 1975, though not premiered until 10 Nov 1983 in NYC by Chris Finckel of the Atlantic Quartet [interpretation by Virginia Kron]. Morpheus is the god of dreams in Greek mythology. In 1976 he addressed Haitian voodoo in 'Ogoun Badagris' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] for five percussionists including four congas with its theme tied to an examination of Haitian rhythm, particularly in the Juba dance [1, 2, 3]. Ogoun Badagris is one among numerous manifestations of Ogoun, a voodoo [1, 2, 3] loa [deity: 1, 2, 3]. Live performances of 'Ogoun Badagris': Austin State U Percussion Studio 16 April 2018 *, Berklee Percussion Ensemble 2014? *, Oklahoma City Philharmonic 2013 *, U.S. Marine President's Own Percussion Ensemble 14 Dec 2016 *. 'Quattro Madrigali' had also been written in '76, Rouse reaching back to the Renaissance for contemporary settings to four texts by anonymous (I), Tasso (II), Guarini (III) and Michelangelo Buonarotti ('IV'). Specified for eight solo voices SSAATTBB, those saw recording astman Musica Nova Ensemble on 22 Feb 1984 toward issue on Albany Records ‎TROY 192 in 1996 [audio: 'I' by Anon, 'II' by Tasso; see also madrigal]. 'Ku-Ka-Ilimoku' of 1978 for four percussionists addresses the Polynesian god, Ku-Ka-Ilimoku, who is the warring manifestation of Ku, this work thus composed as a war dance [live performances of 'Ogoun Badagris': Daidalos Percussion Quartet 2015 *, Humboldt State U Percussion Ensemble May 2010 *, IUPUI Percussion Ensemble 22 Nov 2010 *]. Rouse' first orchestral work, 'Phantasmata', was written in part while teaching at the University of Michiganin 1981, finished as a set of three in '85 containing 'The Evestrum of Juan de la Cruz in the Sagrada Familia at 3 A.M.', 'The Infernal Machine' and 'Bump'. Its premiere entire was at Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis by the Saint Louis S O conducted by Leonard Slatkin on 25 Oct 1986. This is a surreal work inspired by dream images and couched in concepts found in the writings of Paracelsus. "Phantasmata" are variously described as haunting nocturnal entities, spirits or hallucinations wrought by imagination in Chapter V ('Pneumatology' [alt]) of Franz Hartmann's 1896 'The Life of Paracelsus'. (Though not mentioned by Rouse, dream, imagery or hypnogogic images are pursued existentially by Sartre in his 1940/48 'The Imaginary: A Phenomenological Psychology of the Imagination' [1, 2, 3]. See also Schacter's 'The Hypnagogic State' of 1976; additional biblio: Ellis, Sauer, Stawarska, Trifonova.) About 'Phantasmata': 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 [audio by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra directed by David Zinman issued 1989]. Rouse had also begun teaching at the Eastman School of Music in 1981, there to remain until 2002 [1, 2]. Rouse completed his 'Symphony No.1' in Indianapolis on 6 August 1986 toward premiere on 21 Jan 1988 by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra directed by David Zinman. This work is in a single adagio movement written in homage to various composers whose adagios he admired, recognizably quoting the opening to the second movement of Bruckner's 'Symphony No.7' [1, 2, 3, 4; audio by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra directed by David Zinman issued 1989]. Before Rouse boarded the classical train at age six such as Elvis Presley and Little Richard were heard in his parents' household. Rouse taught rock music at Eastman and quotes from rock music are on occasion dropped into his compositions. On 13 Nov 1988 Rouse finished 'Bonham', another work for percussionists, now eight of them, that was commissioned by the New England Conservatory of Music. 'Bonham' is a tribute to rock drumming, particularly John Bonham's of Led Zeppelin who had died on 25 Sep 1980. 'Bonham' was debuted in April 1989 in Boston by the New England Conservatory of Music Percussion Ensemble conducted by Frank Epstein [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; recording by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra led by David Zinman issued on 'Dance Mix' Argo 444 454-2 in 1995; live performances by: Rune Halvorsen & Friends 2010 *, Temple University Percussion Ensemble *, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Percussion Ensemble 10 March 2016 Singapore *]. Rouse's 'Trombone Concerto' [1, 2, 3, 4] was written in honor of Leonard Bernstein who had died on 14 Oct 1990. premiered by the New York Philharmonic featuring Joseph Alessi at trombone on 10 Dec 1992, Alessi later recorded the work in Feb 1995 w the Colorado Symphony Orchestra directed by Marin Alsop, that bringing Rouse a Pulitzer worth $3000 in 1997 [audio]. 'Trombone Concerto' is the initial of what the author(s) at Wikipedia identifies as a death cycle consisting of works written upon deaths significant to him. Those include William Schuman ('Violoncello Concerto' of '93), the murder of James Bulger ('Flute Concerto' of '93), Stephen Albert ('Symphony No.2' of '94) and his mother ('Envoi' of '95). Rouse completed his 'Violin Concerto' on 18 Aug 1991 in Fairport, New York, toward its first performance on 12 July 1992 at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado by Cho-Liang Lin at violin backed by the Aspen Festival Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin [1, 2, 3; Cho-Liang Lin backed by the Shepherd School S O conducted by Larry Rachleff 13 Feb 2014]. Per above, 'Violoncello Concerto' [1, 2, 3] was finished on 27 Oct 1992 in Fairport in honor of William Schuman who had died on 15 Feb 1992. That was premiered on 26 January 1994 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles by Yo-Yo Ma backed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by David Zinman. Yo-Yo Ma later recorded the work in studio in January 1996 backed by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Zinman [audio]. Per above, another work in Rouse's death cycle was 'Flute Concerto' concerning the killing of young James Bulger (above) by two ten-year old boys. That saw its debut performance on 27 October 1994 at Orchestra Hall in Detroit by Carol Wincenc backed by the Detroit S O led by Hans Vonk [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; audio by Katherine Bryan backed by the Royal Scotttish National Orchestra led by Jac van Steen; live performance by Jasmine Choi backed by the KBS Symphony Orchestra led by Yoel Levi August 2014 * or Carol Wincenc backed by the Texas Festival Orchestra led by JoAnn Falletta 2 July 2011 *]. Per above, Rouse's 'Symphony No 2' is also included in his death cycle, its 'Adagio' (Movement 2 of 3) written in tribute to composer, Stephen Albert (above) who died on 27 Dec 1992. The work was dedicated overall to Christoph Eschenbach, director of the Houston Symphony, who performed it on 4 March 1995 at Jones Hall in Houston [1, 2, 3; unidentified recording by the Houston Symphony w Eschenbach]. Though dedicated to his mother who died in 1993, 'Envoi' addresses death itself rather than her. The work was commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra which performed its premiere on 9 May 1996 w conducting by Yoel Levi [1, 2, 3]. Rouse began teach at Juilliard in 1997, where he remained until 2019. 'Concert de Gaudí' [1, 2, 3] is a work for guitar and orchestra first performed on 2 January 2000 at Hamburg Music Hall by Sharon Isbin backed by the NDR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eschenbach. This is a surrealistic work inspired by Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudí. Isbon et al later recorded the work at the Gulbenkian Grand Auditorium in Lisbon in May 2000 which issue on Teldec 8573-81830-2 won Rouse a Grammy [audio: 1, 2; album: 1, 2]. It was light rather than darkness which Rouse wished to represent in 'Rapture' completed at his home in Pittsford, NY, on 9 January 2000. That resulted in a tonal work employing next to no dissonance. "Rapture" in this isn't religious in meaning, but refers to bliss. Dedicated to Mariss Jansons, director of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra by which it was commissioned, it premiered in May 2000 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; interpretation by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Leif Segerstam]. It was birth rather than death which Rouse commemorated w 'Requiem', marking the bicentenary of Hector Berlioz' arrival to Earth. Regarded by Rouse to be his finest work, it was completed in Aspen, CO, on 25 July 2002, though didn't premiere until 25 March 2007 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles which performance featured baritone, Sanford Sylvan [1, 2, 3, 4, 5; interpretation featuring Jacques Imbrailo at Carnegie Hall 2014]. 'Symphony No.3' was composed in homage to Sergey Prokofiev, that performed on 5 May 2011 at Powell Hall in St. Louis by the Saint Louis S O conducted by David Robertson [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Alan Gilbert on 20 June 2013]. Rouse completed 'Symphony No.4' in Baltimore on June 30, 2013 toward premiere on 5 June 2014 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Alan Gilbert [1, 2, 3; premiere recording by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Alan Gilbert on 5 June 2014]. Rouse's symphonic 'Supplica' ('Supplication') was finished as a companion piece to his Fourth symphony on 2 Sep 2013 toward its first performance on 4 April 2014 at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh Symphony conducted by Juraj Valčuha. Like his Fourth, the reasons that Rouse wrote the work are personal and not divulged [1, 2, 3, 4; interpretation by the Nashville Symphony led by iancarlo Guerrero sometime 11-13 April 2019 issued on Naxos 8.559852]. Come 'Thunderstruck' [1, 2, 3] completed on 29 December 2013, an orchestral tribute to seventies rock music named after Jay Ferguson's 1978 'Thunder Island'. 'Thunderstruck' was premiered by the the New York Philharmonic conducted by Alan Gilbert on 9 October 9 2014 at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. Beethoven's 1808 'Symphony No 5' is the topic of Rouse's 'Symphony No 5' which was premiered on 9 Feb 2017 at Meyerson Hall in Dallas by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jaap van Zweden [1, 2, 3, 4]. Rouse borrowed architecture from Mahler's 1912 'Symphony No.9' to crowned his symphonies with 'No.6', another personal work with a theme about which Rouse preferred to remain silent. This work's recorded premiere by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducted by Louis Langrée was on 18 October 2019 at Music Hall in Cincinnati [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; recorded premiere]. Rouse was seventy years of age when he died on 21 September 2019 of renal cancer complications in Towson, Maryland [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. He had married once in 1983 (Ann), again in 2016 (Natasha), and had four children (Angela, Jillian, Alexandra and Adrian). His main publisher has long been Boosey & Hawkes. References: 1, 2. Chronology. Compositions: chronological; by genre: LCP, Pytheas, RYM; Rouse Website: alphabetical, chamber & ansemble, orchestral, orchestral w solo instrument, orchestral w voice, solo instrumental, wind ensemble. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4; select: 'Christopher Rouse' by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Zinman containing 'Phantasmata' & 'Symphony No.1': about; 'Christopher Rouse' by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra led by Leif Segerstam containing 'Violin Concerto', 'Der Gerettete Alberich' & 'Rapture': about; 'Christopher Rouse' by the Nashville Symphony led by Giancarlo Guerrero containing 'Concerto for Orchestra', 'Symphony No.5' & 'Supplica': 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; audio: 1, 2, 3, 4. Usage of Rouse in film. Documentaries: 'Rouse on Rouse' directed by Elena Primost for Boosey & Hawkes 2013. Interviews: Bruce Duffie April 1994; Phil Oliver? 2012? (on composing); David Dies 2014?. Further reading: Facebook; performances 2001-present; program notes; Richard Whitehouse. Sheet music. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, NPR; Wikipedia international: Deutsch, Dutch, Francais, Italian.

Christopher Rouse

 Bump

    Movement 3 of 'Phantasmata'

    1981   Revised 1985


 Concerto for Orchestra

    2008

    Cabrillo Festival Orchestra

    Director: Marin Alsop

  The Evestrum of Juan

    Movement 1 of 'Phantasmata'

    1981   Revised 1985


 Flute Concerto

    1993   Filmed performance

    Texas Festival Orchestra

    Conducting: JoAnn Falletta


 Gorgon

    1984   Symphony

    Colorado Symphony Orchestra

     Director: Marin Alsop


  The Infernal Machine

    Movement 2 of 'Phantasmata'

    1981   Revised 1985


 Ku-Ka-Ilimoku

    1978   This filmed performance 2015

    Daidalos Percussion Quartet


 Der Gerettete Alberich

    'The Rescued Alberich'

    1997   This filmed performance 2015

    Bob Cole Conservatory Symphony

    Conducting: Johannes Müller-Stosch


 Ogoun Badagris

    1976   Berklee Percussion Ensemble

 Phaethon

    1986

    Houston Symphony Orchestra

    Director: Christoph Eschenbach


 Symphony No 2

    1994

     Houston Symphony Orchestra

    
Director: Christoph Eschenbach


 Trombone Concerto

    1991

    Colorado Symphony Orchestra

    
Director: Marin Alsop


 Seeing

    1998   For piano

 Violin Concerto

    1991   Violin: Cho-Liang Lin

    Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra

    
Conducting: Larry Rachleff


 Wolf Rounds

    2006   For wind ensemble




Birth of Classical Music: Christopher Rouse

Christopher Rouse

Photo: Boosey & Hawkes/Jeffrey Herman

Source:  New Music Box
Birth of Classical Music: Stephen Paulus

Stephen Paulus

Photo: MPR/Tim Post

Source: Classical MPR
Born on 24 August 1949 in Summit, NJ, Stephen Paulus was raised in Minnesota, perhaps in a magic circle of reindeer chanting that he must write songs for Christmas. He began training on piano at age ten, experimenting with composition as an adolescent. Wrapping up his bachelor's in music at the University of Minnesota in 1971, his master's in music theory ensued in '74, then a doctorate in composition in '78. It was  1973 that Paulus helped found the Minnesota Composers Forum, now the American Composers Forum, the largest of its kind connecting composers and performers with community orchestras [1, 2]. Pytheas [Comps below] begins its catalogue of Paulus with 'Three Elizabethan Songs' for soprano and piano premiered by a group from the Minnesota Composers Forum at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis on 25 Oct 1973, also published that year. 'Duo for Clarinet and Piano' was performed in May of 1974 at the same venue and published that year. A few titles in 1975 included the Christmas carol, 'Hallelu' [interpretation by the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers led by Philip Brunelle issued 2010; live performances by the Lutheran High School Jubilate Choir 2015 or the U of Utah Chorus 2013]. 'Personals' and 'All My Heart This Night Rejoices' had also been written in '75. Paulus completed 'Lunar Maria', his first work for orchestra, in 1976. His 'Mad Book, Shadow Book' of '76 saw premiere by Vern Sutton (tenor) and Julie Himmelstrup (piano) at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis on 17 Feb 1977. That was a song cycle of six w texts by Michael Dennis Browne [1, 2, 3], the latter a major figure throughout Paulus' career, they collaborating numerously over the decades into the new millennium. In 1977 Paulus set texts by Browne for 'Canticles: Songs and Rituals for the Easter and the May'. Written for the United Methodist Church, those included 'As Adam in the Morning', 'Not Dead but Sleeping' and 'For a Wedding' first performed by the Sanctuary Choir and Orchestra of the Hennepin Avenue church on 15 May of 1977. Browne also wrote the text for 'North Shore' commissioned by the Minnesota State Arts Board and published in 1977, composed for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and small orchestra. Paulus is most famous for his opera, 'The Postman Always Rings Twice' [1, 2], w libretto by Colin Graham from the 1934 eponymous novel by James Cain concerning sex and murder at a roadside diner. Commissioned by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, its initial of endless performances arrived on 17 June 1982 w conducting by C. William Harwood. Paulus became Composer-in-Residence with the Minnesota Orchestra in 1983. Come 'All My Pretty Ones' (alt), a cycle of 8 songs for soprano and piano in 1984 w texts again by Browne [recording of 'All My Pretty Ones' (8/8) by Ruth Jacobson first issued 1990 on Albany Records TROY036: 1, 2, 3]. Paulus' 'An American Medley' was performed at the May Festival, venue unidentified, in 1988 [audio by the Colombia Pro Cantare, date unidentified; score]. Paulus also assumed the post of Composer-in-Residence with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1988. Paulus served as a board member of ASCAP from 1990 to 2014 [1, 2]. ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) was founded in 1914 in New York City to protect the copyrights of songwriters in association with Tin Pan Alley, long since the hub of sheet music publication and sales by that time. Just so, today ASCAP handles licenses and royalties, and monitors performances. BMI [1, 2] and Global Music Rights are similar organizations, SESAC in Europe [1, 2]. As for Paulus, among his most favored works is 'Pilgrims' Hymn' in D-flat of 1997, premiered by singers of the House of Hope Presbyterian Church by which it was commissioned [1, 2; audio: All Saints Choir 2018, U of Utah Singers w score; live performances: Concordia Choir, Mormon Tabernacle Choir 19 Oct 2014, UWEC Choral University of Wisconsin Eau Claire]. Among Paulis' endless works for chorus were numerous masses, such as 'Mass' which was debuted by the New Choral Society of Central Westchester on 15 and 16 May of 1999. Come another of Paulus' top works called 'The Road Home' of 2002 premiered by the Dale Warland Singers conducted by Warland with text again by Browne [1, 2; audio by the King's College Choir 2017; live performances: The Singers led by Matthew Culloton, VOCES8 at Gresham Centre London; King's College Choir on album: 1, 2]. Paulus 'Mass for a Sacred Place' of 2003 was premiered by the Cathedral Choral Society of Washington DC led by Reilly Lewis at the National Cathedral [1, 2; audio: 1, 2]. 'Prayers and Remembrances' of 2011 was a memorial to friends lost in the 9/11 attacks, premiered by the Tucson Chamber Artists and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra w Eric Holtan conducting. For this work Paulus set music to texts by various from Henry Vaughan to William Blake. Paulus won a posthumous Grammy in 2016 upon its recording on 22-24 May 2013 by the True Concord Voices w the True Concord Orchestra led by Eric Holtan toward issue on 'Far in the Heavens' [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. 'TimePiece' of 2011 was an electronic wedding of classical and jazz in collaboration with son and trumpeter, Greg Paulus [1, 2], which saw premiere by the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vänskä [1, 2, 3]. It was another libretto by Browne in the one-act opera, 'The Shoemaker', which was first performed on 29 and 30 of Sep 2012 at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. That was a companion piece based on Tolstoy's 1835 'What Men Live By' intended as a companion work to Paulus' 1997 'The Three Hermits' [* (alt); audio: premiere rehearsal: * (alt: 1, 2)]. 'Concerto No.3' for violin and orchestra saw its first performances on 11 and 13 of October of 2012 by violinist, William Preucil, backed by the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero [1, 2; audio: 1, 2]. Per Classical MPR 'A Refined Reflection" for organ was Paulus' final finished composition, that premiering on 14 August 2013 by Caron Farmer at Pillar Church in Holland, Michigan [audio: 1, 2]. Having endured a stroke in July of 2013, Paulus died on 14 October of 2014 [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. References: Wikipedia. Brief chronology. Compositions: by genre: EAMC (Firefox only), Pytheas, RYM, Schott, Subito; choral; SP Website: band, chamber, choral, Christmas, opera, orchestral, organ, piano, solo instrumental, top 5, top 8. Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Further reading: choral works by Sean Linfors; interview w Bruce Duffie 10 June 1988; premieres 2007-13. Sheet music: Europe; USA: 1, 2. Licensing. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: English, French.

Stephen Paulus

  Age of American Passions

    1999   For orchestra

  Awakening

        1999

      Festival Singers of Florida

  Concertante

       1989   For orchestra

  Concerto for Two Trumpets

        2004   Director: Osmo Vänskä

        Trumpets:

    
    Doc Severinsen & Manny Laureano

 
  Grand Concerto for Organ

       2004   Organ: Nathan Laube

       Nashville Symphony Orchestra

  Violin Concerto No 3

       2012    Violin: William Preucil

       Directing: Giancarlo Guerrero

 


 
Birth of Classical Music: Steven Stucky

Steven Stucky

Source: Ithaca
Though Steven Stucky was born on 7 December 1949 in Hutchinson, Kansas, he grew up in Abilene, Texas. He studied music in public schools as well as viola, conducting and composition privately. He attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, prior to earning his doctorate in composition from Cornell in 1978, the year he won a fellowship from the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts). Stucky composed largely for orchestra, chamber and choir. What's thought his first published work had arrived eight years earlier in 1970: 'Movements, 4 Cellos'. 'Spring and Fall: To a Young Child' for chorus followed in 1972. 'Quartet for Clarinet, Viola, Cello and Piano' was finished in '73. Come 'Movements III: Seven Sketches for Flute and Clarinet' in '76 followed by 'Schneemusik' for soprano and piano in '77. Stucky's last two years at Cornell saw 'Kenningar' ('Symphony No 4') published in '78 [score]. Stucky also won a fellowship from the NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) that year. Come the motet for chorus, 'Drop, Drop, Slow Tears', in '79, that an arrangement of a motet by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) with text by Phineas Fletcher (1582-1650) that arrived in '79 [live performance by the U.C. Alumni Chorus directed by Mark Sumner 11 November 2017]. 'Refrains' for percussion emerged in '79 [live performance by the Hamiruge - LSU Percussion Group 28 November 2016]. His book, 'Lutoslawski and His Music', saw publishing in 1981 [*]. 'Voyages' for solo cello and wind orchestra surfaced in 1983 [live performance by Richard Narroway (cello) backed by the U of Michigan Symphony Band conducted by Michael Haithcock]. A fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation was acquired in 1986, the same year he wrote his 'Concerto for Orchestra' which nearly won a Pulitzer in 1988. This concerto, of multiple, had been commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra with funding by Johnson & Higgins for the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. It was premiered by the same on 27 October 1988 beneath the wand of Riccardo Muti [audio by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project led by Gil Rose recorded 31 March 2014: Allegro 1/3, Adagio 2/3, Comodo 3/3]. 'Pinturas de Tamayo' was a work commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra which premiered it on 28 March 1996 under the baton of Michael Gielen. This work was based on the paintings of Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991). It was later recorded in August of 2006 by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra led by Lan Shuiat at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore toward release by BIS Records on BIS-CD-1622: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. While teaching at Cornell Stucky directed Ensemble X from 1997 to 2006. Of particular note in 1999 is 'American Muse' for baritone and orchestra. Come his 'Second Concerto for Orchestra' commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic (Stucky composer-in-residence) in 2003 for the opening of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. It was premiered on 12 March 2004 w Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting. This concerto brought Stucky a Pulitzer [1, 2] in 2005 [1, 2, 3; score; audio by the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic led by David Alan Miller recorded 2017: Overture (with Friends) 1/3, Variations 2/3, Finale 3/3]. Stucky's 'Rhapsodies' premiered by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Lorin Maazel on 28 August 2008 [Stucky on; audio by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project led by Gil Rose recorded 2 July 2013]. Stucky's 'Symphony' of 2012 [1, 2, 3] was a joint commission by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic. The former premiered the work at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles with conducting by Gustavo Dudamel on 28 Sep 2012. The latter performed it in NYC w conducting by Alan Gilbert on 29 Nov 2012. Stucky served as composer-in-residence at the Aspen Music Festival and School in 2013, Professor Emeritus at Cornell University in 2014) and professor of composition at Juilliard in 2014. His 'The Music of Light' for double chorus arrived in 2015. 'Cantus' of 2015 was written for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion. Stucky was only 66 when he died at his home in Ithaca, New York, of brain cancer on 14 February 2016 [obits: 1, 2, 3, 4]. References: 1, 2, 3. Compositions: alphabetical; chronological; by genre: arias & fanfares (alt), band & orchestra, chamber, choral & voice, solo instrumental, wind ensemble. Authorship. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Recordings of: discos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; select: 'American Muse' recorded 2010/13/14 by Sanford Sylvan (baritone) and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project led by Gil Rose: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; audio: 1, 2, 3. Documentaries: LA Phil 2016. Interviews: Bruce Duffiie 1992, Sound Post News 2009, Franklin Crawford 2005, Keith Fitch 2012, Esa-Pekka Salonen 2013. Further reading: Richard Ginell; Stucky Website. Sheet music. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Collections: Library of Congress. Other profiles: Dutch; English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, NPR; French; Italian.

Steven Stucky

 Meditation and Dance

    
2004

    Clarinet: Jessica Blaza

 Piano Quartet

    
2005

 Radical Light


    2006–07   For orchestra

     Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra


     Director: Xian Zhang     

 Refrains


    1979   For percussion

    Conducting: Tyler Bragg

 Silent Spring

    2011   Symphonic Poem

 Sonata for Piano

    2014   Piano: Gloria Cheng

    Filmed performance

 Sonata for Violin and Piano

    2013   Violin: Cho-Liang Lin

    
Filmed performance

 Symphony


     2012   Director: Gustavo Dudame

    Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

 Threnos

    1988   Director: Mark Scatterday

    Eastman Wind Ensemble




 
Birth of Classical Music: Elena Firsova

Elena Firsova

Source: Repertorio Compositoras Piano
As classical music becomes contemporary composers from America, Europe (France, Germany, Great Britain) and Russia would dominate. Relative newcomers to classical music, the Japanese, would to hog the show w virtuosos as well. Elena Firsova, being from Russia, had some tough acts to follow (Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, et al) when she was born in Leningradon 21 March 1950, then raised in Moscow since 1956. Firsova's father was an atomic physicist. She began experimenting with composition at age eleven, trained at a music school from '63 to '66, a music college from '66 to '70, then studied at the Moscow Conservatory until 1975. Russian Wikilivres [Comps below] commences Firsova's early works with 'Sail' for voice and piano in 1962, setting verses by Mikhail Lermontov. Firsova was in college when from 1966 to '67 she composed 'Invention à Two' for piano, 'Two Polyphonic Pieces' for piano, and 'Two Romances' for piano and voice per poems by Boris Pasternak. By Firsova's time most composers had dispensed with the use of opus numbers, but Firsova continued the practice, her Op 1 being 'Scherzo' in 1967. Her Op 2 was 'Suite' for viola the same year. Several titles without number arrived until her Op 3 in 1970, 'Three Poems', her last work before entering the Moscow Conservatory. 'String Quartet No 1' Op 4 of 1970 was her first piece at the conservatory. Her final was 'Stanzas' for orchestra (Op 13) in 1975. She had married composer, Dmitri Smirnov [1, 2], in August 1972. Lending a little context here, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn published his first 'The Gulag Archipelago' in 1974. The Cold War was yet too cool for wind chill during the first decades of Firsova's career. In that climate she composed six titles in 1976, her first upon graduation from the Conservatory: 'Concerto' for violin Op 14, 'Capriccio' for flute and saxophone quartet Op 15 and 'Sonata for Clarinet' Op 16 [audio by Anne Piirainen 13 May 2015 Helsinki]. 'Petrarcha’s Sonnets' for voice and ensemble Op 17 of 1976 was premiered in Moscow by soprano, Anna Soboleva, on 9 January 1978 [audio by Jane Manning (soprano) 1979 Paris]. 'The Bell' for choir had also been composed in '76. Firsova has worked extensively in Europe, Great Britain and the United States. Her penchant for destinations beyond Soviet Russia got her blacklisted in 1979 by the Sixth Congress of the Union of Soviet Composers for an unauthorized performance in Cologne, Germany. Roaming off location wasn't her only problem: she and Smirnov (husband) were two of seven composers identified by the Union who composed "pointless" music, so much "noisy mud" not representative of Soviet music. That group was known as Khrennikov's Seven whose work was banned from Russian radio and television. Nor were their scores permitted publishing. On 8 April 1985 Firsova gave birth to artist, Philip Firsov [1, 2]. On 24 July of 1986 Firsova gave birth to composer, Alissa Firsova [1, 2]. The family moved to England in 1990. Come 'Seven Haiku' for voice and lyre/guitar Op 47 in '91. Her earliest of several symphonic works was 'Cassandra' Op 60 of 1992 which was premiered in Swansea by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales led by Tadaaki Otaka on 8 Oct 1993 [audio of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Otaka]. 'Evening Music' Op 77 surfaced in '96. 'Requiem' for soprano Op 100 saw premiere in Berlin on 6 Sep 2003 by Claudia Barainsky backed by the Berlin Radio Choir & Symphony Orchestra led by Vasily Sinaisky. 'For Alissa' for piano Op 102 arrived in 2002 [live performance by Alissa Firsova (daughter) June 2009 Wisconsin]. Her Op 104 was 'Winter Songs' for soprano and cello of 2003 [live performance by Judith Spiesser (soprano) w Philipp von Morgen (cello) 6 May 2019 Musik-Forum in München]. 'Euphonisms' for euphonium and piano Op 108 emerged in 2003 followed by a version for tuba and piano Op 108a [audio by Stephanie Frye (tuba) w Kirstin Ihde (piano)]. Her 'For Slava' Op 120 of 2007 was written in memory of cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich, who died on 27 April 2007 [live performance by Anatole Liebermann 3 Dec 2009 London]. Russian Wikilivres traces Firsova to as late as several works in 2016, of which the last is 'Burlesque' for flute and piano Op 163. She has more recently written 'A Fearful Fairy Tale' ('Prophetic Birds') Op 171 for piano which was premiered on 13 August 2019 at the Danish festival by Helena Basilova. Basilova had already recorded and released the work on TRPTK TTK 0041 [1, 2] on 2 August 2019 [audio; live performance by Basilova 29 Sep 2019]. Yet active as of this writing, Firsova resides with Smirnov in Great Britain. Her publisher is Boosey & Hawkes. References: 1, 2. Compositions: alphabetical; by genre Musicalics, Smirnov-Firsova Website, Wise Music; by Opus: Onno van Rijen (1-100), Wikilivres (1-163). Authorship: 'Composing Music' (email 15 May 2011); 'Uznitsa' (1992 translation of Proust's 'Prisoner'). Song texts. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4. Discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4. Further reading: Smirnov-Firsova Website. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Other profiles: Deutsch, English, Espanol, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian: 1, 2.

Elena Firsova

  Amoroso

   'String Quartet No 4'   1989   Op 40

   Chilingirian Quartet

  Concerto-Elegy

   'Cello Concerto No 4'

  Earthly Life

   1984   Op 31   Cantata for soprano

 
Euphonisms

   2003   Op 108   4 movements:

   1: Moderato

   2: Vivo

   3: Andante Cantabile

   4: Moderato

   Piano: Kirstin Ihde

   Tuba: Stephanie Frye

  In the World of Beauty

   1998    Revised 2007    Op 89

  Leaving

   
1998   Op 86   For strings 

 Music for Twelve


   
1986   Op 34

 Sonata for Cello & Piano

   1971   Op 5

   Movement 1

   Movements 2 & 3

   Cello: Alatole Liebermann

   Piano: Elena Firsova

 Tristia

   1979   Op 22   Cantata for soprano

   Moscow Conservatory Orchestra

   Conducting: Eduard Serov

   Soprano: Irina Muratova



 
  Like his earlier counterpart, Henry Mancini, Alan Silvestri was a film composer whose early days were jazz oriented before arriving to the classical orchestra which would be the major vehicle of the soundtracks that made his name synonymous with Hollywood. My attempt to place him in the Popular chapter where he more belongs got derailed by too long an argument with code. But lucky me: though not a classical composer per se, Silvestri drew ideas and used methods from the classical domain, which adaptations to the silver screen had become the major branch of modern (not modernistic) classical music, all grown up now and heading into space, postmodern in availing itself of what genres or means as it may. Born in New York City on 26 March 1950, his grandparents were immigrants from Italy. Silvestri played drums and woodwinds as a youth before beginning guitar at age fifteen. Following high school, Silvestri attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1970 to study composition. He later dropped out, however, and headed for Las Vegas where he joined Wayne Cochran's outfit for a brief time as a guitarist, largely at the Flamingo. Wayne Cochran was a soul shouter received less than seriously as the "white James Brown". Blue-eyed and conspicuously blonde, Cochran was billed as the White Knight of Soul. Silvestri wasn't with Cochran long before heading to Los Angeles with false expectations of work as an arranger. Serendipity nevertheless found him composing his first film score, 'The Doberman Gang', w Bradford Craig, that released in May of 1972 [1, 2]. As is often the case w soundtracks which emphasize visual drama, suites are oft written as well to better convey the music itself for recording ['Honest Man Suite']. Silvestri's education in composing for film at that time consisted of an overnight reading of Earle Hagen's 1971 'Scoring for Films'. Hagan was a major composer for television, such as 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' and 'I Spy'. He both wrote and whistled the theme for 'The Andy Griffith Show'. A few more films followed in the seventies with consistent work in television beginning in 1978 for the series, 'CHIPs' [1, 2]. That program presented 139 episodes into 1983, Silvestri composing for 109 of them. After 'CHIPs' was cancelled he fell in with producer, Robert Zemeckis [1, 2], with whom he would work to the present day on at least sixteen major films, beginning with 1984's 'Romancing the Stone' [musical settings to individual scenes]. Self-taught at orchestration, Silvestri composed his first classically oriented orchestrated score for 'Fandango' of 1985 directed by Kevin Reynolds and starring Kevin Costner [1, 2; soundtrack]. It was Zemeckis again per 'Back to the Future' of 1985 [1, 2, 3, 4; live performance of the 'Suite' by the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna conducted by Silvestri 2011]. 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' of '88 was a mesh of human characters with an animated rabbit [1, 2; musical settings to individual scenes]. 'Forrest Gump' of '94 starring Tom Hanks saw the issue of 'The Soundtrack' along with the orchestral 'Original Motion Picture Score' not so popular as the soundtrack [1, 2; audio]. 'Contact' was based on the 1985 novel by physicist, Carl Sagan, that arriving in '97 starring Jodie Foster [Main Theme]. 'What Lies Beneath' was a horrible way to begin the new millennium in 2000 [Silvestri on; soundtrack]. 'The Polar Express' arrived in 2004 [Aguilar on; 'Suite']. It didn't take long for the main character of 'Beowulf' to journey from not yet to he was in 2007 [audio from soundtrack: 'What We Need Is a Hero' 4/17, 'He Was the Best of Us' 15/17; soundtrack reviews: 1, 2, 3]. Excepting 'Fandango', all of the films above since 'Romancing the Stone' were directed by Zemeckis. Also collaborating with director, James Cameron [1, 2], 'Predator' starring Arnold Schwarzenegger had been released to theaters in 1987 [soundtrack; audio: 1, 2; analysis; review]. It was Cameron's horror under water, 'The Abyss', in '89 [soundtrack audio: 1, 2; musical settings to individual scenes; reviews: 1, 2, 3]. Silvestri's first score for director, Stephen Sommers [1, 2], was 'The Mummy Returns' per 2001 [soundtrack; reviews: 1, 2; 'Suite']. Come 'Van Helsing' in 2004 [soundtrack; audio; reviews: 1, 2]. Silvestri's first of four scores for Marvel Studios was 'Captain America: The First Avenger' released to theaters in July 2011 [soundtrack]. 'The Avengers' followed in 2012 [soundtrack], 'The Avengers: Infinity War' in 2018 [soundtrack] and 'The Avengers: End Game' in 2019 [soundtrack; musical settings to individual scenes; Silvestri on]. Another director with whom Silvestri worked was Russell Mulcahy [1, 2], writing the score to 'Ricochet' starring Denzel Washington in 19'91 ['Suite']. It was 'Eraser' starring Schwarzenegger in 19'96 w director, Chuck Russell [soundtrack; reviews: 1, 2, 3; 'Suite']. Also working in television, Silvestri's compositions include three episodes of the cop series, 'Starsky and Hutch' in '78-79. Carl Sagan's astronomy documentary directed by Adrian Malone, 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage', saw broadcasting in 1980 toward two Emmy Awards and a Peabody [Episodes 1-13; musical settings to individual scenes; Silvestri on]. Seven episodes of 'Tales from the Crypt' arrived in the early nineties. Sagan's documentary, 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey', saw premiere in March of 2014 by 21st Century Fox, that also winning a couple of Emmys along with a Peabody [musical settings to individual scenes; Silvestri on; 'Suite']. 'Cosmos: Possible Worlds' saw launching in March 2020 on 'National Geographic'. As of this writing, Silvestri's latest soundtrack was for 'The Witches' [1, 2] released in October 2020, that again directed by Zemeckis (above) [soundtrack; review]. Beyond music, Silvestri is father to two sons and a daughter, has a pilot license and resides in California with his wife, Sandra, where they run Silvestri Vineyards at Carmel. References: 1, 2, 3 (alt). Compositions. Audio: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, YouTube, Top 7 soundtracks, Top 30 soundtracks. Recordings of: discographies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; select: 'Fandango' issued 1985 by Intrada but no longer available (first orchestrated film score - not a soundtrack): 1, 2, 3, 4 ; 'The Mummy Returns' special collection 2001: audio; 'The Polar Express' ('Original Motion Picture Score'); soundtracks: 'Beowulf' by the Hollywood Studio Symphony w Silvestri: 1, 2; 'Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey' Volumes I-IV on Intrada 2017; 'The Polar Express': 1, 2; 'What Lies Beneath': audio, review; 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' by the London Symphony w Silvestri. Reviews: 1, 2, Italiano, Spanish. Film references: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Danish, Japanese, Russian. Interviews: Daniel Schweiger pub 1 May 2012, Ted Drozdowski pub 1 Aug 2012. Social media: Instagram, Twitter. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Books & scores: Canada, Europe, USA: 1, 2. Other profiles: English: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Espanol: 1, 2; Wikipedia international: Asturian, Catalan, Czech, Deutsch, Dutch, Francais, Italiano, Japanese, Russian.

Alan Silvestri

  The A-Team

    2010   Score

 Back to the Future

    2011   Live performance   Film: 1985

    ORF Radio-Symphony Orchestra Vienna

    Conducting: Alan Silvestri


 Cast Away

    2000   Theme

 CHIPs

    'Supercycle'   1978

 Cosmos

    2014    Soundtrack

 Delta Force

    1986   Theme

  The Doberman Gang

    'Dog Honest Man Suite'   1972

 Erasure

    1996   Suite

  Father of the Bride

    1991   Theme

 Flight of the Navigator 

   1986   Soundtrack

 Forrest Gump

  1994   Theme

  Ricochet

    1991   Soundtrack

 Van Helsing

    2004   Soundtrack

  The Walk

    2015   Live performance   Film: 2015

    Brussels Philharmonic/Flemish Radio Choir

    Conducting: Alan Silvestri



Birth of Classical Music: Alan Silvestri

Alan Silvestri

Source:  Berklee College of Music
  As classical music entered into its contemporary decades classical composers of strong regional note had appeared as far south as Bulgaria. Music in the Balkans, however, was largely sacred, distant by culture from the avant-garde and remaining quite obscure to audiences of such as modernist, John Cage, or huge names in traditional classical like conductor, Leonard Bernstein. Across the border to Turkey music becomes distinctly other than Western classical, entering Ottoman regions which neither Eastern Orthodox Church organs in the Balkans nor these histories address. Israel and Japan (most largely and notably) are the only nations in the Middle East and Asia where classical music of the Western variety has been strongly cultivated. It does exist, though barely, in India, but forget Africa altogether, with the exception of South Africa where its presence has been too exclusive atop already meager to have much relevance to the populace. Down African way it was jazz rather than classical that crossed borders. Across the ocean toward the Americas the influence of classical largely ceased at Mexico on down. Though Brazil has produced some classically oriented composers, again, it is jazz (bossa nova) rather than classical that has there merged cultures. As for Otomar Kvech, he composed neither jazz nor avant-garde graphic scores nor music for the Church, partly by choice, partly because he was born on 25 April 1950 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. That is, he was born in Communist Czechoslovakia absorbed into the Soviet Bloc in 1948 where Church music was less than encouraged. Kvech was himself concerned to keep the traditional masters, from JS Bach to Shostakovich, safe from the avant-garde. He had no interest in such as developing a new language, which projects kept elitist (even if poor) modernist circles busy guessing at scores which required a doctorate in specialist minutiae only to read. Not that Kvech's was a personal reactionary crusade against modernist influences. Kvech was well aware of them and recognized their inevitable development even as a portion of his career involved keeping Soviet music free of their encroachment. To each his own in composing modern music, but for himself, keeping things in style was sufficient. These histories of classical music thus approach their end, not with such as electronic music or "compositions" of an audience coughing before a silent orchestra (Cage), but with the post-modern merging w other genres notably in film (Silvestri), and Kvetch, quite satisfied if traditional methods continue indefinitely. Albeit Kvech didn't shake Earth as a composer, the complex concerns of progressive modernists which a few "in the know" found significant didn't much either: Not a lot of people can read, nor care to purchase, graphic notations. Most people prefer rhythm to synthesizers making strange mechanistic sounds. Most would rather go to a concert than visit a sound installation with a light show at a stark and frigid art museum without beer, cigarettes and burritos at hand. Again, it's a ready analogy between modernist open form classical and the free form jazz that arose in the sixties. Had free form been the only jazz around, no bossa nova, for example, or jazz fusion to come, the general audience for jazz would have evaporated but for its forbears and some diehards. However sophisticated music might become, musical people in general just want, so to speak, a fat lady who can sing to a beat and make them click their fingers. Howsoever, with conservative Kvech one arrives to the tail end (to date) of old classical architecture yet puffing along the track. Kvech's father had been a sound engineer for Czechoslovak Radio and his mother worked in a shop. He began training at piano in 1955 before entering the State School of Music at age nine ('59). Beginning to compose at about age thirteen, he studied composition at the Prague Conservatory from 1965 to '69, then organ at the Prague Academy of Music until 1973. Kvech begins his own catalogue [Comps genre 3 below] with 'Pocta Bachovi' ('Tribute to Bach') of 1971, a work for various instruments postdating his late teen years at the Prague Conservatory [score]. His 'String Quartet No.1', the first of nine, arrived in autumn of '71, a formative work going not much of anywhere in Kvech's opinion. Kvech's earliest professional employment was at the Prague National Theatre, an opera house, as an accompanist. He married in 1972 toward two daughters, the same year he composed 'A Little Suite for Organ' [score] and 'When the Road Ended', the latter a song cycle for soprano and piano. Among other titles in '73 was his 'String Quartet No.2' which inspiration was the death of a friend in a plane crash [excerpts Prazak Quartet]. Kvech spent a year in the army before becoming musical director for Czechoslovak Radio in 1976. The Kvech website has him already composing the first of three radio operas for children, 'Spring Is Here', in 1975. Kvech joined the Composer's Union in 1980 by which he was entrusted to help shape the character of Czech music and culture in accord with Soviet standards. The Composer's Union brought its members better commissions, dissemination of publications and recording opportunities. Such as 'Sonata for Violin and Piano' Nos. 2 & 3 are representative of that period bearing the good nation-keeping seal of the Soviet Union. Kvech's 'Sonata for Violin and Piano No.1' had arrived in 1974, the first of numerous for various instruments, most involving piano and strings until a few for organ arrived in the new millennium. Upon the disunion of the Soviet Bloc in 1989 Kvech found himself back at Czechosloak Radio the next year, also instructing at the Prague Conservatory. The quick transition from composing to keep an ideology intact to now a wide range of possibilities found Kvech concentrating on smaller works like sonatas for special occasions while lending larger works an "idealistic" scenery the popularity of which he shrugged in pleasing himself. At that fresh pond into which he could cast as he liked he wrote such as 'Piano Quintet' in 1990, his 'Requiem' in 1992. Among Kvech's favorite instruments for which to compose was organ, such as his 'Čtvero ročních dob' ('The Four Seasons') with orchestra in 2001 [audio w organ by Aleš Bárta]. 'String Quartet No.9' was Kvech's last in 2008 [audio by the Pražák Quartet]. Musicbase [Comps alpha 1 below] traces him to as late as the premiere of 'Fantasy Variations' for trumpet and organ on 25 July of 2015 by Jaroslav Halíř (trumpet) and Pavel Černý (organ). Kvech also taught at the Prague Academy of Music before dying on 16 March 2018 [obit]. References: 1, 2, 3, 4. Compositions: alphabetical: 1, 2; chronological; by genre: 1, 2, 3. Authorship: 'An Introductory Note'; 'String Quartets'. Scores: vendor (Europe), free. YouTube. Discogs. Further reading: Kvech Website. See also: The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Authority research: 1, 2, 3. Iconography. Other profiles: Czech Wikipedia.

Otomar Kvech

 Carnival of the World

   1983    'Karneval Sveta'

    Czech Radio SO

    Director: Elli Jaffe

 Metamorphosis

    1976   'Promena'   Sinfonietta

 Nocturnalia

    1997   For woodwinds

    Prague Conservatory Orchestra

    Director: Jaroslav Vodnanský

 RUR: Passacaglia

    1986

    Czech Radio S O

    Director: Stanislav Bogunia

 Piano Trio


    1976   New Prague Trio

 Serenade

    2004   'Themes of Czech Carols'

    Director: Miriam Nemcová

    Filmed performance

 Sonata No 2

    1980   3 movements:

    1: Allegro Moderato

    2: Presto

    3: Grave

 Storm and Calm


    2009   'Boure a Klid'   Melodrama

 String Quartet No 2

     1973   Pražák Quartet

 String Quartet No 6

    2006   'Mozart's Nostalgia'

    Apollon Quartet

 String Quartet No 7


     2002   Herold Quartet

Birth of Classical Music: Otomar Kvech

Otomar Kvech

Source: Vyznamne Osobnosti
 

This section of the history of modern classical music suspends with Kvech.

 

 

 

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