Albert Glinsky
Albert Glinsky | |
---|---|
Born | |
Nationality | American |
Education | Juilliard School, New York University |
Known for | Music Composition; Author |
Website | http://www.albertglinsky.com |
Albert Glinsky (born December 9, 1952) is an American composer and author. His music has been performed internationally by soloists, ensembles, and dance companies. His book, Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage won the 2001 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award,
Life
Glinsky is the son of American sculptors, Cleo Hartwig and Vincent Glinsky. He grew up in Greenwich Village, attended the High School of Music and Art (now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School), and studied composition with Joan Tower and Otto Luening. He received his bachelor and master of music degrees in composition from the Juilliard School where his principal teacher was David Diamond. He earned his Ph.D. in composition from New York University, specializing in electroacoustic music.[2] Glinsky has served on the faculty of Montclair State University, was BMI Composer-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University, and is currently Professor Emeritus and Director of the Composition program at Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania. He is married to harpsichordist/pianist Linda Kobler. They have two children, son, Luka Glinsky, and daughter, Allegra Glinsky.
Musical works
Glinsky's music has been recorded on the
Since his earliest student days at Juilliard, Glinsky forged a style based on the melding of contemporary popular musics with classical traditions—one of the first composers to cross-pollinate such radically different musical styles. The American writer and music critic, Tim Page observed that, “Glinsky's work is generated by American popular music, and is cast in a traditional framework of gesture and form.” [3] The first piece to fully incorporate this idea was the Rhapsody for Solo Violin, Flute, Strings, and Timpani (1971-1974), described variously by critics as evoking, “the hoedown sound of Kentucky bluegrass,” [4] and employing, “pentatonic, a dash of Blues, Country, pop and quartal harmonies...skillfully and organically mixed."[5]The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that the Rhapsody, “effectively translates…‘folk-rock music and other popular musics’ into an orchestral format.”[6]
In a similar vein, the composer's piano Elegy (1976) was noted by
American Record Guide remarked on Glinsky's success in combining disparate styles in Sunbow (1983), which “reflects the world of unmeasured preludes beloved by his wife, Linda Kobler (the harpsichordist for whom the work was written) and his own zest for rock music (he cites Stevie Wonder as the inspiration . . .) Believe it or not, the combination works and the results are a lot more sophisticated than you'd think.” [10][11] Glinsky's blending of pop and classical influences has also been noted in Toccata-Scherzo (1988), defined by American critic Alex Ross as “an encore-like showpiece driven by a pop pulse.” [12] Similarly, Glinsky's Piano Concerto (1993) was characterized as “a modern classical work heavily influenced by contemporary pop and rock music. The synthesis of styles—a Glinsky trademark—provides not only an overall, idiomatic effect but specific musical nuggets—points of inspiration drawn from contemporary performers such as folk rocker Suzanne Vega... or British concept rocker Kate Bush.” [13]
Glinsky's Canandaigua Quartet (1996), which opens the Oregon String Quartet's CD, All That Jazz; Jazz and Rock Influences in the Contemporary American String Quartet, prompted the Journal of the Society for American Music to comment: "If we may indeed interpret this recording as a melding of two worlds, this selection is a perfect one with which to raise the curtain.” The review likened portions of the first movement to “a back-beat rhythm in a rock band,” while the last movement, "Spin Out", was noted for “especially interesting ponticello, tremolo, and glissando effects that simulate an electric guitar or synthesizer.”[14] Fanfare magazine remarked on the “folk elements in the already heady jazz and rock mix.”[15]
Another compositional area Glinsky has explored is electronic music, prompted by the work he did at the
Among Glinsky's recent works are his Allegheny Quartet (2009), commissioned for the 250th Anniversary of the city of Pittsburgh—described by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as “an immediately appealing work,” incorporating “the very effective setting of Native American, French and English folk tunes,”[17] and his Sun Chanter (2013), commissioned for the 100th Anniversary of the Erie Philharmonic—a piece which, according to the composer, integrates influences of musical theater into the harmonic language.[18]
Albert Glinsky's works have been heard throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Far East in such venues as
Recognized by
Books
Glinsky is the author of Switched On: Bob Moog and the Synthesizer Revolution, with a Foreword by Francis Ford Coppola (Oxford University Press, 2022). Switched On is the first definitive biography of the American inventor, the result of 12 years of research and exclusive access to the Moog family archives. Shortly after publication, James Hall of The Telegraph [London] called it, "[an] absorbing new biography.... a towering tribute,"[28] and the book was named a Telegraph Editorial Pick. Andy Hamilton of The Wire described it as, "a book to savour and return to,"[29] Electronic Sound called it "an inspiring read," [30] and DownBeat included it in its Top Seven recommended holiday books of 2022.[31] In connection with the book, Glinsky has appeared on such programs and podcasts as Echoes (PRX),[32] Talk Radio Europe (Spain),[33] and New Books Network.[34]
Albert Glinsky's biography, Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage, with a Foreword by Robert Moog, was published in 2000 by the
The Czech playwright and director, Petr Zelenka has cited Glinsky's Theremin as a major source for his play, Teremin;[70] American poet, David Wojahn has credited Theremin as the inspiration for his poem,Theremin: Solo and Command Performance;[71] and Canadian author, Sean Michaels has stated that his novel Us Conductors drew its major source material from Glinsky's book.[72][73] Moscow's Theremin Center director, Andrey Smirnov, quotes from Theremin in the introduction to his Generation Z exhibition which has toured in Russia, Hungary and Germany.[74] Theremin continues to receive published reviews, the most recent appearing in Russian Life magazine.[75]
Theremin has elicited interest from the intelligence community in connection with Leon Theremin's espionage activity. The biography is cited in the book Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America;
Theremin received the 2001
Glinsky has been interviewed and featured on many nationally and internationally syndicated radio and television programs, including
Selected compositions
Chamber
- Toccata-Scherzo (violin and piano)
- Canandaigua Quartet (string quartet)
- Allegheny Quartet (string quartet)
- Masquerade: Three Tableaux after Beardsley (mixed ensemble, 10 instruments)
- Duo Sonata (bassoon and piano)
Vocal
- Twilight Serenade (mezzo-soprano and piano)
- Jubilate Deo (high voice and piano)
- Prothalamion (mezzo-soprano and string quartet)
- High Flight (soprano and piano)
Choral
- Tor House (a cappella choir)
- Mass (children's voices or women's choir; 4 cellos and piano)
- Psalm 103 (SATB and organ)
- O Magnum Mysterium (SATB choir and organ)
- Morning Star (SA choir and organ or piano)
Orchestral
- Sun Chanter (full orchestra)
- Piano Concerto (piano and full orchestra)
- Throne of the Third Heaven (full orchestra)
- Rhapsody for Solo Violin, Flute, Strings, and Timpani (chamber orchestra)
- Clarion Concerto (wind ensemble)
- Corona: Fanfare for a New Millennium (full orchestra)
Solo works
- Sunbow (harpsichord)
- Six Miniatures for Solo Violin (violin)
- Elegy (piano)
- 1968 (a Fantasy-Improvisation) (piano)
- Apparition (piano)
- Silver Blue (piano)
- Isla del Encanto (Four Pictures of Puerto Rico) (piano)
Electronic works
- Timescape
- Timescape II
- Spatial Fantasy
- The Ride
- Day Walker, Night Wanderer (electronic score)
References
- ^ a b "34th Annual ASCAP Deems Taylor Award Winners Honored". Newmusicbox.org. 1 January 2002.
- ^ "Albert Glinsky - Selected Alumni Bios - NYU Steinhardt". Steinhardt.nyu.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-10-13. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ Page, Tim. CD liner notes, Fratres, RCA Red Seal, 1993.
- ^ Hanson, Twink, Variety Spices Joffrey Show, The Daily News, Rhinelander, WI, January 28, 1982
- ^ Zürcher Konzerte; Gemässigte Moderne, Tages-Anzeiger, Zurich, November 23, 1981
- ^ Keuffel, Ken, Soloist plays harp works, The Philadelphia Inquirer June 6, 1995
- ^ Tuck, Lon, Tibor Szasz's Pianistic Pizazz at the Terrace, The Washington Post, October 5, 1982
- ^ Kozinn, Allan, Neil Rutman in Schubert and Mozart, The New York Times, September 18, 1988
- ^ Glinsky, Albert, program notes for world premiere with Boys Choir of Harlem, Church of the Intercession, October 18, 1981
- ^ Haskins, Rob, Overture to Orpheus, American Record Guide, May/June 2002
- ^ Bedford, Frances, Harpsichord and Clavichord Music of the Twentieth Century, Fallen Leaf Press, 1993
- ^ Ross, Alex, Fanfare magazine, November/December 1993
- ^ Baker, Ruth Ann, Albert Glinsky's Second Chance, Erie Daily Times, April 15, 1993
- ^ Bullard, Julia, The Oregon String Quartet: And All That Jazz: Jazz and Rock Influences in the Contemporary American String Quartet, Journal of the Society for American Music, November 2011, volume 5/Issue 04, pgs. 569-571
- ^ Clarke, Colin, And All That Jazz, Fanfare magazine, July/August 2007
- ^ Glinsky, Albert, quoted in the program notes to the world premiere performance of Day Walker, Night Wanderer, Erie Art Museum, Erie, PA, March 10, 1995.
- ^ Kanny, Mark, "Bridges Festival: Biava Quartet." Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 2, 2009.
- ^ Program Notes, Erie Philharmonic concert program, November 9, 2013.
- ^ "Archives - Philly.com". articles.philly.com.
- ^ "Welcome to pittsburghnewmusicnet.com". Pittsburghnewmusicnet.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "American Academy of Arts and Letters - Award Winners". Archived from the original on 2014-07-26. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "Registrant WHOIS contact information verification - Namecheap.com". Pacouncilonthearts.org.
- ^ "Ucross Foundation :: Music". Ucrossfoundation.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-19. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
- ^ "Albert Glinsky". Composers.com. 19 February 2009.
- ^ Written statement from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in connection with Albert Glinsky's receipt of the 1998 Walter Hinrichsen Award.
- ^ Walter Hendl letter, January 31, 1994.
- ^ Bahr, Jeff and Troy Taylor and Loren Coleman, Weird Virginia, Sterling Publishing Company, 2007.
- ^ Hall, James, "Bob Moog: the genius behind the Sixties synthesizer revolution," The Telegraph, November 25, 2022.
- ^ Hamilton, Andy, "Print Run: New music books," The Wire, September 1, 2022.
- ^ "The Moog Cookbook: Long-awaited Dr Robert bio lands," Electronic Sound, September 1, 2022.
- ^ Alkyer, Frank, "Jazz To Read By," DownBeat, December 13, 2022.
- ^ "Echoes Podcast: Moog Biographer Albert Glinsky". Echoes. 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Baum, Julie (2022-11-25). "Albert Glinsky discusses 'Switched on: Bob Moog and the Synthesizer Revolution'…with TRE's Giles Brown | Talk Radio Europe". Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ "Podcast | Albert Glinsky, "Switched On: Bob Moog and the Synthesizer…". New Books Network. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
- ^ Littler, William, "Soviet pioneer unveiled." The Toronto Star, May 19, 2001.
- ^ Kostelanetz, Richard, "Disappearing Genius; The strange life of Leon Theremin – inventor, musician, spy." The Weekly Standard, December 25, 2000.
- ^ Robair, Gino, Electronic Musician, June 2001.
- ^ Warde, Ann, "Publications: Albert Glinsky: Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage." Computer Music Journal, Fall 2002, vol. 26, no. 3.
- ^ Interview with Albert Glinsky, NPR's Performance Today, nationally syndicated throughout U.S., December 2000.
- ^ Hiley, Nicholas, "Lenin and the etherphone." The Times Literary Supplement (London), May 4, 2001.
- ^ Santoro, Gene, "Weird Vibes." The Washington Post, December 17, 2000.
- ^ Lipkis, Larry, "Glinsky, Albert. Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage." Library Journal, October 1, 2000.
- ^ "If Nominated, I Will Not Run". Artsjournal.com. 17 December 2006.
- ^ Henderson, Richard, "Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage." The Wire, February 2001, Issue 204.
- ^ Taruskin, Richard, Music in the Late Twentieth Century: The Oxford History of Western Music, Oxford University Press, 2009.
- ^ Collins, Nick, et al, Cambridge University Press, 2013
- ^ Holmes, Thom, Electronic and Experimental Music; Technology, Music, and Culture, third edition. Routledge, 2008.
- ^ Pinch, Trevor, and Frank Trocco, Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Harvard University Press, 2002.
- ^ http://www.thomaspatteson.com/uploads/7/3/8/8/7388316/instruments_for_new_music.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150607084416/http://w3.stu.ca/stu/academic/departments/social_work/MacKinnon.pdf.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
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- ^ "Andrey Smirnov.Generation_Z". Asmir.info.
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- ^ Haynes, John Earl, Harvey Klehr, and Alexander Vassiliev, Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America, Yale University Press, 2009.
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- ^ "MoogFest". Electrotheremin.com.