Hugo Weisgall

Hugo Weisgall (born October 13, 1912 in Eibenschütz , † March 11, 1997 in New York City ) was an American composer.

The son of the Jewish cantor Abba Yosef Weisgall came to Baltimore with his family at the age of eight, where his father worked at the Chizuk Amuno Congregation . Hugo Weisgall became familiar with the musical life of the community at an early age and founded and directed the Chizuk Amuno Choral Society , a choir that gave concerts and recorded an LP of classical and contemporary synagogue music with cantor Jack Barkin .

Weisgall then studied at the Peabody Conservatory while taking lessons from Roger Sessions . At the Curtis Institute he obtained diplomas in composition and conducting with Fritz Reiner and Rosario Scalero . He studied German literature at Johns Hopkins University and received his doctorate in 1940 with a thesis on primitivism in German poetry of the 16th century.

During the Second World War Weisgall was aide-de-camp with General Patton and assistant to the military attaché in London, after the war cultural attaché in Prague. During this time he also worked as a conductor and, under the influence of the war and the German concentration camps, composed works such as the Soldier Songs , The Dying Airmen and Futility (based on a poem by Wilfred Owen ).

After returning to the United States , Weisgall was director of the Baltimore Institute of Musical Arts from 1949 to 1951 , founded and directed the Chamber Society of Baltimore and the Hilltop Opera Company, and taught at Johns Hopkins University from 1951 to 1957. From 1952 to 1994 he headed the Cantors Institute and the Seminary College of Jewish Music of the Jewish Theological Seminary . From 1961 to 1983 he was Professor of Music at New York's Queens College , and he also taught at the Juilliard School of Music for 13 years . In 1975 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters . His composition students include Herman Berlinski and Miriam Gideon .

Works

Night , Opera (based on Shalom Asch ), 1932
Lillith , Opera (after L. Elman), 1934
Four Songs for high voice and piano, 1934
How Fair is Thy Love (K'felach horimon) for mixed choir, 1935
Suite from the Ballet "Quest" for orchestra, 1938
Fugue and Romance for two pianos, 1939
Graven Images for orchestra
Overture in F for orchestra, 1942
Soldier Songs for baritone and orchestra, 1946
Dances from the Ballet "Outpost" for orchestra, 1947
The Tenor , opera (libretto by Karl Shapiro and Ernst Lert based on Frank Wedekind ), 1948–50
May the Words (Yih'yu l'rotzon) for mixed choir, 1950
The Stronger , opera (libretto by Richard Henry Hart after August Strindberg ), 1952
A Garden Eastward Cantata for soprano and orchestra, 1952
Six Characters in Search of an Author , opera (libretto by Werner Gallusser based on Luigi Pirandello ), 1953–56
Praise Be Unto God (Hodu ladonoy) for mixed choir, 1954
Fortress, Rock of Our Salvation (Moos tzur) for mixed choir, 1957
Purgatory , Opera (text by William Butler Yeats ), 1958
God is Due Praise (Ki lo noeh) for mixed choir, 1958
The Gardens of Adonis , opera (libretto by John Olon based on the poem Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare and the play of the same name by Andre Obey ), 1959
Evening Prayer for Peace (Ki el shomrenu) for mixed choir, 1959
So Spake Rabbi Akiba (Omar Rabbi Akiba) for mixed choir, 1960
Athaliah , opera (libretto by Richard Franko Goldman after Jean Racine ), 1960–63
Nine Rivers from Jordan , opera (libretto by Denis Johnston ), 1964–68
Two Improvisations Graven Images No. 6 for piano, 1964
Holiday Dance No. 2 (Purim) Graven Images No. 5 for mixed ensemble, 1966
Lines Graven Images No. 1 for wind quartet, 1966
Pastoral Graven Images No. 2 for wind quartet, 1966
Sine Nomine Graven Images No. 3 for piano, 1966
Psalm 29 Graven Images No. 8 for choir, 1966
Holiday Dance No. 1 (Hanukkah) Graven Images No. 4 for wind quintet, 1968
Fancies and Inventions for baritone and five instruments, 1970
End of Summer for tenor, oboe, violin, viola and cello, 1973
Jenny, or The Hundred Nights , opera (libretto by John Hollander after Yukio Mishima ), 1975–76
The Golden Peacock Seven Popular Songs from the Yiddish for voice and piano, 1976
Four Birthday Cards for piano, 1978–83
Liebeslieder Four Songs with Interludes for high voice and piano, 1979
Psalm 118: 26 Graven Images No. 11 for unison choir and piano, 1980
Sonata for Piano , 1982
Prospect for orchestra, 1983
Arioso and Burlesca for cello and piano, 1984
Lyrical Interval , song cycle for deep voice and piano, 1984
Tangents Four Episodes for flute and marimba, 1985
Will you marry me? , Opera (libretto by Charles Kondek based on Alfred Surro ), 1989
Esther , opera (libretto by Charles Kondek ), 1990–93
Psalm of the Distant Dove Canticle for mezzo-soprano and piano, 1992

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ Members: Hugo Weisgall. American Academy of Arts and Letters, accessed May 2, 2019 (with information on awards).

personal data
SURNAME	Weisgall, Hugo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American composer and conductor
DATE OF BIRTH	October 13, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH	Ivančice
DATE OF DEATH	March 11, 1997
Place of death	New York City

[1] Members: Hugo Weisgall. American Academy of Arts and Letters, accessed May 2, 2019 (with information on awards).