Wilfred Josephs

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Wilfred Josephs (born July 24, 1927 in Gosforth , Newcastle upon Tyne , † November 17, 1997 in London ) was an English composer .

Life

Josephs was born in Gosforth , Newcastle upon Tyne , the fourth and youngest son of Russian and Jewish parents. He received his first musical training in Newcastle from Arthur Milner, where his obvious talent was evident. Nevertheless, his parents convinced him to aim for a "reasonable" career. He completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Durham , which he graduated in 1951 with a qualification as a dentist. He later studied at the Guildhall School in London.

In 1963 he won with his Requiem Op. 39 the prize of the first international composition competition of the city of Milan and the Scala . The work was subsequently performed by Nino Sanzogno in Milan, by Maurice Handford for the BBC , by Max Rudolf in Cincinnati, and by Carlo Maria Giulini in Chicago. David Measham recorded the Requiem for Unicorn Kanchana on vinyl. Due to the success, he decided to devote his life to composition from then on.

In 1978 Josephs was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Newcastle University. In October 1996 the university hosted a concert in his presence in his honor. He died in London in 1997, leaving behind his widow Valerie and daughters Claudia and Philippa. The Wilfred Josephs Society, of which Sir Charles Mackerras was president , promotes the memory of his compositional legacy.

With over 66 composed works on film, television and documentaries, Josephs also made a significant contribution to film and media culture from 1958 to 1997.

Works

His extensive work as a composer of classical music includes

The works were almost exclusively commissioned compositions. An exception is the Requiescant pro defunctis , a string quartet written by Joseph in response to the film footage of Auschwitz that was shown during the trial of Adolf Eichmann . Based on the string quartet, the Requiem was later created, which used the Hebrew Kaddish as a textual model.

He became known through numerous film and television music. Works such as his opera Rebecca (1983), based on the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier , his ballet Cyrano (1991), the Aelian Dances , which he wrote based on folk songs from the area of ​​Newcastle, the musical play A Child of the Universe op. 80 , which he wrote in memory of his nephew in 1971, and the children's opera Alice in Wonderland Op. 144 (1985-1988) Notice.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Obituary
  2. ^ The Strad: A Monthly Journal for Professionals and Amateurs Pablo de Sarasate - 1967 "In the Halle Orchestra's Mid-day Concert on September 1 in the BBC's Music Program, there was the first broadcast performance in this country of Wilfred Josephs'" Requiem " , the work which won the 1963 Milan Composition Prize. The soloist, as in ... The performance was conducted by Maurice Handford. "
  3. ↑ Glenda Abramson - Encyclopedia of Modern Jewish Culture 2013 p. 435 "a music theater piece, A Child of the Universe Op. 80, with a text by the composer and others" (1971)
  4. ↑ Listing of Joseph's works
personal data
SURNAME Josephs, Wilfred
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English composer
DATE OF BIRTH 4th July 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Gosforth
DATE OF DEATH November 17, 1997
Place of death London