Christopher Rouse (composer)

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Christopher Rouse (born February 15, 1949 in Baltimore ; † September 21, 2019 there ) was an American composer . In 1993 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music .

Life

Rouse began his first attempts at composition in 1956. From 1967 to 1971 he studied with Richard Hoffmann at the Oberlin Conservatory . From 1971 he took private lessons with George Crumb in Philadelphia . In 1972 and 1973 the BMI Foundation honored him with the BMI Student Composer Awards . He completed a postgraduate course that began in 1973 with a doctorate under Karel Husa at Cornell University in 1977 . Rouse taught at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1981 , and from 1981 to 2002 at the Eastman School of Music (from 1991 as Professor of Composition). In 1988 he won the renowned Kennedy Center Friedheim Award with his 1st Symphony, composed two years earlier . In 1993 Rouse received the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his trombone concerto . In 1997 he was composer in residence in Tanglewood . Since the same year he taught at the Juilliard School . In 2002 Rouse became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters . From 2012 he was composer in residence with the New York Philharmonic for three years .

His students included Marc Mellits , Nico Muhly and Kevin Puts . Rouse had two children, Alexandra and Adrian.

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Rouse is usually classified among the neo-romantic composers. Many of his works combine diatonic scales with contemporary techniques. Rouse is considered an excellent orchestrator. A predilection for percussion instruments and specific rhythmic formations reflect his exploration of rock music (Rouse taught rock history at the Eastman School of Music for several years). Rouse also uses quotations from other composers; Bruckner and Shostakovich are quoted in his 1st symphony from 1986 .

Rouse, who counted Beethoven , Wagner , Mahler , Varèse , Led Zeppelin and Jefferson Airplane among his models, was one of the most successful contemporary American composers of his time. The conductors who performed and recorded his works included Leonard Slatkin , Christoph Eschenbach , Leif Segerstam , David Zinman and Joshua Weilerstein .

Works (selection)

orchestra

  • Gorgon (1984)
  • Phantasmata (1981/85)
  • Phaethon (1986)
  • 1st Symphony (1986, awarded the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award in 1988)
  • Jagannath (1987)
  • Iscariot (chamber orchestra, 1989)
  • Concerto per Corde (string orchestra, 1990)
  • 2nd symphony (1994)
  • Envoi (1995)
  • Rapture (2000)
  • The Nevill Feast (2003)
  • Friandises (ballet, 2005)
  • Odna Zhizn (2009)
  • Concerto for orchestra (2008)
  • 3rd symphony (2011)
  • 4th Symphony (WP 2014)
  • 5th Symphony (premiere 2017)
  • 6th Symphony (posthumous world premiere in October 2019)

Orchestra with soloists

  • Violin Concerto (1991)
  • Trumpet Concert (1991, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1993)
  • Cello Concerto (1992–93)
  • Flute Concerto (1993, WP 1994)
  • The rescued Alberich (drums, 1997)
  • Seeing (piano, 1998)
  • Concert de Gaudí (guitar, 1999)
  • Clarinet Concerto (2001)

Singing and orchestra

  • Karolju (choir, 1990)
  • Kabir Padavali ("Kabir Songbook", soprano, 1997-98)
  • Requiem (2001-02)

Chamber music

  • Ogoun Badagris (drum ensemble , 1976)
  • Quattro Madrigali (8-part choir, 1976)
  • Ku-Ka-Ilimoku (drum ensemble , 1978)
  • Midnight Songs (bass baritone and mixed ensemble, 1979)
  • Rotae Passionis (mixed ensemble, 1982)
  • 1st string quartet (1982)
  • Lares Hercii (violin and harpsichord, 1983)
  • The Surma Ritornelli (mixed ensemble, 1983)
  • Artemis (brass quintet, 1988)
  • Bonham (drum ensemble, 1988)
  • 2nd string quartet (1988)
  • Compline (flute, clarinet, harp and string quartet, 1996)
  • Rapturedux (cello ensemble, 2001)

Solo compositions

  • Morpheus (cello, 1975)
  • Liber Daemonum (organ, 1980)
  • Little Gorgon (piano, 1986)
  • Ricordanza (cello, 1995)
  • Valentine (flute, 1996)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Composer Christopher Rouse Dies At Age 70. In: BroadwayWorld.com. September 21, 2019, accessed on September 24, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Rouse, Christopher
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American composer
DATE OF BIRTH February 15, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Baltimore
DATE OF DEATH September 21, 2019
Place of death Baltimore