Bernard Stevens

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Bernard Stevens (born March 2, 1916 in London , † January 6, 1983 in Colchester ) was an English composer and music teacher .

Life

He took lessons from Harold Samuel , Edward J. Dent and Cyril Rootham , studied music and English literature at Cambridge and finally at the Royal College of Music composition with Reginald Owen Morris , piano with Arthur Benjamin , orchestration with Gordon Jacob and conducting with Constant Lambert . From 1948 on he taught composition, counterpoint and harmony at the Royal College.

Stevens composed an opera , two symphonies and other orchestral works, instrumental concerts, chamber music works, song cycles and songs, cantatas and motets as well as film music in a style that combines tonal and dodecaphonic elements.

Works (selection)

Opera

Vocal music

  • Mass in A for double choir a cappella oop. (1939)
  • Four John Donne Songs for voice and piano op.5 (1943)
  • The Pilgrims of Hope , cantata after William Morris op.27 (1956)
  • Et resurrexit , cantata based on Randall Swingler op.43 (1969)
  • Hymn to Light , cantata after Rabindranath Tagore op.44 (1970)
  • The True Dark , song cycle based on Randall Swingler for baritone and piano op.49 (1974)

Orchestral works

  • Violin Concerto op.4 (1943)
  • Ricercar for string orchestra op.6 (1944)
  • Symphony No. 1 A Symphony of Liberation op.7 (1945)
  • Sinfonietta for string orchestra op.10 (1948)
  • Violoncello Concerto op.18 (1952)
  • Piano concerto op.26 (1955; new version as op.54, 1981)
  • Dance Suite op.28 (1957)
  • Symphony No. 2 op.35 (1964)
  • Variations op.36 (1964)
  • Choriamb op. 41 (1968)

Chamber music

  • Violin Sonata op. 1 (1940)
  • Piano trio op.3 (1942)
  • Theme and variations for string quartet op.11 (1949)
  • Fantasia on a Theme of John Dowland for violin and piano op.23 (1953)
  • Lyric Suite for String Trio Op. 30 (1958)
  • String Quartet No. 2 op.34 (1962)
  • Trio for violin, horn and piano op.38 (1966)

Piano music

  • Fantasia on " Giles Farnaby 's Dream" op. 22 (1953)
  • Piano Sonata op.25 (1954)
  • Concertante for two pianos op.55 (1982)

Film music

  • 1947: The upturned Glass
  • 1949: Race against Death (Once a jolly Swagman)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Stevens, Bernard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English composer and music teacher
DATE OF BIRTH March 2, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH London
DATE OF DEATH January 6, 1983
Place of death Colchester