Clifton Williams (composer)

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James Clifton Williams (born March 26, 1923 in Traskwood, Arkansas , † February 12, 1976 in Miami ) was an American horn player , composer and music teacher . He was one of the leading composers for wind orchestras of his time.

Life

Clifton Williams grew up in Little Rock and began composing as a teenager ; among other things, he wrote a symphony for large orchestra and a wind orchestra piece that was played at his own high school graduation ceremony. He then studied for a year at Louisiana Tech University before joining the United States Air Force as a musician. There, too, he composed some original works for wind orchestra. He then studied composition at Louisiana State University with Helen M. Gunderson and at the Eastman School of Music with Bernard Rogers and Howard Hanson . Clifton taught at the University of Texas for 17 years before moving to the University of Miami as Head of Music Theory and Composition , where he worked until his death. His students included John Barnes Chance and W. Francis McBeth .

Williams was regarded as one of the most creative influential modern brass music composers; Today his works are part of the standard repertoire, especially of American wind orchestras. He was also a sought-after guest conductor and gave master classes with various wind orchestras.

In addition to his compositional activities, Williams was horn player with the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra , where he also appeared as a guest conductor, and with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra .

Williams died of bladder cancer in 1976. He was married.

Works for wind orchestra

  • 1956 Fanfare and Allegro
  • 1957 pastoral
  • 1957 Regal Procession
  • 1957 Symphonic Suite
  • 1957 Touchdown March
  • 1958 Arioso
  • 1958 Solemn Fugue
  • 1958 Dramatic essay for trumpet and wind orchestra
  • 1960 Concertino for percussion and wind orchestra
  • 1960 The Symphonians , symphonic march
  • 1961 Academic Processional , concert march
  • 1962 festival
  • 1962 Variation Overture
  • 1964 Castle Gap , March
  • 1964 Dedicatory Overture
  • 1964 Laredo , Paso Doble
  • 1964 The Strategic Air Command , concert march
  • 1964 trilogy
  • 1966 March Lamar
  • 1967 Border Festival , concert march
  • 1967 Symphonic Dance No. 2 The Maskers
  • 1967 Symphonic Dance No. 3 Fiesta
  • 1967 The Ramparts
  • 1969 trail scenes
  • 1970 Henderson Festival March
  • 1970 The Patriots , concert march
  • 1976 Caccia and Chorale
  • 1976 The Hermitage
  • 1979 Celestium (published posthumously)
  • Songs of Heritage
  • Pandéan Fable

Awards

Williams won the American Bandmasters Association's Sousa / ABA / Ostwald Award twice : 1956 (the first year of the award) for Fanfare and Allegro , and 1957 for the Symphonic Suite . In 1964 Williams was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Lima. In 1968 he was named a member of the American Bandmasters Association .

Recordings (selection)

  • Gould, Persichetti, Williams, Khatchaturian (Mercury, SRI 75094), Eastman Wind Ensemble , Frederick Fennell (conductor) - Fanfare and Allegro .
  • The Music and Art of J. Clifton Williams (2012, Mark Records, 8514-MCD), Roundtree Wind Symphony, Barry Ellis (conductor)
  • Curtain Call (2013, Walking Frog Records, WFR 378a), Washington Winds, Edward Peterson (conductor) - The Hermitage .

literature

  • Wolfgang Suppan , Armin Suppan : The brass music lexicon . 5th edition. HeBu-Musikverlag, Kraichtal 2010, ISBN 978-3-9806925-9-5 , p. 812 .
  • William H. Rehrig: The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. Composers and Their Music . Ed .: Paul E. Bierley. Volume 2: O – Z. Integrity Press, Westerville, Ohio 1991, ISBN 0-918048-08-7 , pp. 823 f .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 1956–1963 - ABA Sousa / Ostwald Award. University of Maryland website, accessed January 10, 2018 .
  2. ↑ a b c Biography of Clifton Williams. Website of the music publisher Maestro & Fox , accessed January 10, 2018 .
  3. ^ Raoul F. Camus:  Chance, John Barnes. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
  4. ^ Raoul F. Camus:  McBeth, W (illiam) Francis. In: Grove Music Online (English; subscription required).
  5. ^ Clifton Williams. University of Maryland website, accessed January 10, 2018 .
  6. ↑ ABA Awards. The American Bandmasters Association, accessed January 10, 2018 .
  7. ↑ Read We Forget - Membership History 2012. (PDF; 619 kB) American Bandmasters Association, archived from the original on September 10, 2016 ; accessed on January 10, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Williams, Clifton
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Williams, James Clifton (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American horn player, composer and music educator
DATE OF BIRTH March 26, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Traskwood, Arkansas
DATE OF DEATH February 12, 1976
Place of death Miami