Samuel Adler (composer)
Samuel Adler | |
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Born | Samuel Hans Adler 4 March 1928 |
Citizenship | American |
Alma mater | |
Occupation(s) | Composer, conductor, author, and professor |
Years active | 1952–2016 |
Known for | Founder of the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra |
Spouses | Carol Starker
(m. 1960; div. 1989)Emily Freeman Brown (m. 1991) |
Children | 2 |
Awards | American Academy of Arts and Letters![]() |
Military career | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1950–1952 |
Rank | ![]() |
Unit | ![]() |
Website | samuelhadler |
Samuel Hans Adler (born March 4, 1928) is an American composer, conductor, author, and professor. During the course of a professional career which ranges over six decades he has served as a faculty member at both the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music and the Juilliard School. In addition, he is credited with founding and conducting the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra which participated in the cultural diplomacy initiatives of the United States in Germany and throughout Europe in the aftermath of World War II. Adler's musical catalogue includes over 400 published compositions. He has been honored with several awards including Germany's Order of Merit – Officer's Cross.
Biography
Adler was born to a
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After completing his academic studies in 1950, Adler served as a
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He is also the author of three books, Choral Conducting (Holt Rinehart and Winston 1971, second edition Schirmer Books 1985), Sight Singing (W.W. Norton 1979, 1997), and The Study of Orchestration (W.W. Norton 1982, 1989, 2001, 2016; Italian edition edited by Lorenzo Ferrero for EDT Srl Torino, 2008).[7] He has also contributed numerous articles to major magazines, books and encyclopedias published in the U.S. and abroad. Adler also reflected upon six decades of teaching in his memoirs Building Bridges with Music: Stories from a Composer's Life which was published by Pendragon Press in 2017.[16][8]
Over the decades Adler's musical legacy has been interpreted by several orchestral ensembles including: the
Adler is married to Emily Freeman Brown, who is currently serving as Music Director and Conductor of the Bowling Green Philharmonia.[21][9][22][23][24]
Compositional style
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Musicologists have noted that Adler's works incorporate a wide range of compositional techniques including: free
It has also been observed that Adler's compositions illustrate a "midstream modernism", which is characterized by interwoven contrapunctal musical lines which form the foundation for a tonal harmonic complex punctuated by tangential atonal episodes. In addition, his music is said to be inspired by the liturgical cantilena featured in the Jewish musical tradition as well as oriental inflections.[25]
Awards
Adler has been awarded many prizes, including a membership into the
The Music Teachers' National Association selected Adler as its "Composer of the Year 1986–87" for Quintalogues, which won the national competition. In the 1988–89 year, he has been designated "
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In May, 2018, Adler was awarded the German Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Order of Merit – Officer's Cross), presented to him in New York by Consul General David Gill.[36] On June 1, 2018, Adler was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters,[37] and presented the graduation address at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion's Cincinnati graduation ceremony.[38]
Works
Adler's catalogue includes over 400 published works in all media, including three
Solo instrumental
- Four Composer Portraits (Birthday Cards for Solo Piano), for unaccompanied piano
- Bassoonery (Study for Bassoon Solo), for unaccompanied bassoon (1965)
- A Bonnie Tune (A Scherzo for Solo Flute), for unaccompanied flute (2012)
- Bravura (A Concert Piece for Bass Trombone), for unaccompanied bass trombone (2012)
- Bridges to Span Adversity, for harpsichord (1991)
- Cantilena, for solo F horn (2018)
- Canto III, for solo violin
- Canto V
- Canto VII Unaccompanied tuba solo // ungraded (1976)
- Canto VIII, for solo piano (1976)
- Canto IX, for Multiple Percussion Solo (1979), co-composed with John H. Beck calling for 5 timpani and 6 rototoms
- Clarinon, for unaccompanied B-flat clarinet
- Fantasy, for solo piano (2014)
- Festschrift, for solo piano
- Flaunting, for unaccompanied flute
- From Generation to Generation, for solo organ
- In Memory of Milton, for solo violin (2012)
- In Praise of Bach, for solo organ (2003)
- Meadowmountetudes (Four Studies Of 20th-Century Techniques), for solo violin (1996)
- Oboration, for unaccompanied oboe (1965)
- The Sense of Touch (Eight Short Pieces Introducing the Young Pianist to Techniques Used in Twentieth-Century Music), for solo piano (1983)
- Solemn Soliloquy, for solo violin (2015)
- Sonata, for solo guitar (1990)
- Sonata, for harpsichord (1984)
- Three Piano Preludes, for solo piano
- Thy Song Expands My Spirit (A Tribute to Aaron Copland on His 80th Birthday), for solo piano (1983)
- Two Meditations, for organ (1965)
Chamber ensemble
- Acrostics (Four Games for Six Players)
- Be Not Afraid: The Isle Is Full Of Noises, for brass quintet
- Brahmsiana
- Caccia, for two flutes
- Concert Piece
- Contrasting Inventions
- Diary of a Journey
- Divertimento
- Divertissement, for viola and marimba
- Divertissement, for violin and marimba
- Festival Fanfare and Dance, for brass ensemble
- Fidl-Fantazye: A Klezmer Concerto, for violin and piano (2017)
- Five Movements
- Five Vignettes, for 12 trombones (1968)
- Four Dialogues for Euphonium, for euphonium and marimba
- Into the Radiant Boundaries, for viola and guitar
- Introit & Toccatina
- L'Olam Vaed, for cello and piano
- Let the Trumpet Sound, for trumpet and organ (2015)
- Life Is an Ecstasy, for trumpet and organ (2017)
- Pasiphae, for piano and percussion
- Pensive Soliloquy, for E-flat alto saxophone and piano (1998)
- Ports Of Call, for violin duet
- Praeludium
- Primavera Amarilla
- Quintet, for piano and string quartet
- Recitative and Rondo Capriccioso, for flute and piano (2014)
- Romp, for string quartet
- Scherzo Schmerzo, for trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, and percussion
- Sonata, for horn and piano (1948)
- Sonata, for flute and piano (2006)
- Sonata, for viola and piano (1987)
- String Quartet No. 6 (A Whitman Serenade for medium voice and string quartet)
- String Quartet No. 9 (2010)
- String Quartet No. 10 (2015)
- Three Pieces, for cello and piano (2016)
- Time in Tempest Everywhere
- Trio ("5 Snapshots"), for string trio
- Trumpetry
- Two Southern Appalachian Folk Songs, for violin and piano (2014)
Vocal/choral
- Five Choral Scherzi, for mixed chorus, viola, and guitar
- In Praise Of Labor, for voice and piano
- Jonah (The Man Without Tolerance), for SATB chorus and orchestra
- Nuptial Scene (1975)[40]
- Of Love and Dreams, for voice and piano (2018)
- Of Saints & Sinners-Mez
- Passionate Sword-Fl/Cl
- A Psalm Trilogy, for a cappella SATB chorus (1997)
- Recalling The Yesterdays, for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion
- Serenade
- Sixth String Quartet
- Song Of Songs Fragments, for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, and piano
- Those Were The Days, for voice and piano
- Two Shelley Songs, for SATB chorus and piano (1982)
- To Remember: To Be Remembered
- Todesfuge, for tenor voice and piano
- We Believe A Hymn Of Faith
- Five Sephardic Choruses (1991)[40]
- The Binding, An Oratorio in Three Parts, for soli, chorus and orhestra[40]
Orchestra
- All Nature Plays
- American Airs and Dances
- Art Creates Artists
- A Bridge to Understanding
- Centennial
- Drifting on Wind and Currents
- Elegy, for string orchestra
- In Just Spring
- In The Spirit Of Bach, for string orchestra (2015)
- Jonah (The Man Without Tolerance), for SATB chorus and orchestra
- Man Lebt Nur Einmal (Darum Tanzen Wir), for large orchestra
- Serenade
- Seven Variations on 'God Save the King', for small or chamber orchestra
- Shadow Dances
- Show An Affirming Flame
- Symphony No. 1 (1953)
- Symphony No. 2 (1957)
- Symphony No. 3 ("Diptych", 1960, rev. 1980)
- Symphony No. 4 ("Geometrics", 1965)
- Symphony No. 5 ("We Are the Echoes"), for mezzo-soprano and orchestra (1975)
- Symphony No. 6 (1985)
- Time in Tempest Everywhere, for soprano, oboe, and chamber orchestra
- We Believe: A Hymn of Faith
Orchestra with soloist(s)
- Arcos Concerto (A Bridge between the Old and the New), for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and string orchestra
- Beyond the Pale (A Portrait of a Klezmer), for clarinet and string orchestra
- Concerto, for cello and orchestra (1999)
- Concerto, for viola and orchestra (2002)
- Concerto, for violin and orchestra (2015)
- Concerto "Shir Ha Ma'alot", for woodwind quintet and orchestra
- Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra (1998)
- Concerto for Horn and Orchestra
- Concerto for Organ and Orchestra
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1983)
- Concerto No. 2, for piano and orchestra (1997)
- Fidl-Fantazye: A Klezmer Concerto, for violin and orchestra
- Lux Perpetua, for organ and orchestra
- Piano Concerto No. 3, for piano and string orchestra
- Those Were the Days
Band/wind ensemble
- American Airs and Dances
- Concerto for Guitar and Wind Ensemble
- Concerto for Winds, Brass and Percussion
- Dawn to Glory
- A Little Night and Day Music (1977)
- Pygmalion
- The River That Mines the Silences of Stones (2016)
- Rogues and Lovers
- Serenata Concertante, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, alto saxophone and wind ensemble
- Solemn March
Stage works
- The Outcast of Poker Flat, 1959, opera, staged Dallas, April 1961
- The Wrestler, 1971, opera, staged Dallas, June 1972
- The Disappointment, 1974, opera [reconstruction of an early ballad opera]
- The Lodge of Shadows, musical drama for baritone solo, dancers and orchestra
- The Waking, 1978, ballet
Liturgical music
- B'shaaray Tefilah: A Sabbath Service (1963), for Cantor, SATB and Organ[39]
- Call to Worship (1995), for cantor, SATB and organ
- Hashkiveinu (1981), for cantor, SATB, and organ
- L'cha Dodi(1984), for solo, SATB, organ and flute
- Ma Tovu (2011), for tenor, SATB and organ
- Psalm 24 (2003), for SATB and organ
- Psalm 40, for SATB and organ
- Psalm 67, for SATB and organ
- Psalm 96, for SATB and organ
- Psalm 146 (1985), for SATB and organ
- Shir Chadash – A Friday Eve Service, for organ and 3 part choir (SAB)
- The Twenty-Third Psalm – Hebrew and English (1981), for tenor, SATB and organ
- Yamim Naraim I and II – A Two-Volume Anthology for the High Holy Days (1990–91), for cantor, SATB and organ
Notable students
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Since 1997 he has been a member of the composition faculty at the
.References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d "Adler, Samuel". Milken Archive of Jewish Music. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New York NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 23 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
- ^ University of Hamburg: Institute for Historical Musicology - Biography of Samuel Adler on lexum.edu.uni-hamburg.de
- ^ University of Hamburg: Institute for Historical Musicology - Biography of Samuel Adler on lexum.edu.uni-hamburg.de
- ^ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New York NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 23 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
- ^ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New York NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 23 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
- ^ a b c d e f "Samuel Adler". Eastman School of Music. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Samuel Adler | Composer | Biography". www.samuelhadler.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Samuel Adler". The Juilliard School. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ ISBN 0-674-37299-9
- American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ ISBN 9780810847200. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9780810884014
- ISBN 9781580460 194
- ISBN 978-0-520-24755-0"Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra (1952–1962) performing works by Roy Harris, Morton Gould and Leroy Anderson"
- ^ ISBN 9781576473030
- ^ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New York NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 23 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
- ^ Fein, Evan (10 May 2012). "Adler Named Schuman Scholar". The Juilliard School. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "Samuel Adler | Composer | Recordings". www.samuelhadler.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "Samuel Adler | Composer | Orchestra". www.samuelhadler.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "REVIEWS | Samuel Adler | Composer". www.samuelhadler.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Emily Freeman Brown – Biography on efreemanbrown.com
- ^ Conductors Guild Advisory Council – Emily Freeman Brown, Guild President 2003–2004 on conductorsguild.org
- ^ Bowling Green State University (BGSU) – Emily Freeman Brown Biography on bgsu.edu
- ^ "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians: Centennial Edition". Slonimsky, Nicholas editor. Schirmer Books, New York NY, 2001. Vol.1 pg. 23 ISBN 0-02-865526-5
- ^ The American Academy in Berlin Past Fellows – Samuel Adler (2004) on americanacademy.de
- ^ The Living Composer's Project: Samuel Adler Biography
- ^ ISBN 9780253112248.
- ^ The Living Composer's Project: Samuel Adler Biography
- ISBN 978-0-19-935703-1
- ^ a b "» View Inductees | Adler, Samuel". American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ American Academy of Arts and Letters - Members on artsandletters.org
- ^ Eastman School of Music - University of Rochester Samuel Adler Biography on esm.rochester.edu
- ^ "National Arts Associates". Sigma Alpha Iota. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ "Raymond W. Brock Memorial Commission". American Choral Directors Association. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-03-27., Retrieved March 2016
- ^ PWR (29 May 2018). "Hohe Ehrung für Komponisten" (in German). Mannheimer Morgen. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. June 13, 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ^ a b "Samuel Adler | Composer | Works | Choral". www.samuelhadler.com. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ a b c CD: Naxos American Classics, 8.559415
- ^ Chute, James (2001). "Ince, Kamran". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.
- Sources
- Darryl Lyman: Great Jews in Music. J. D. Publishers, Middle Village, N.Y, 1986.
- David M. Cummings, Dennis K. McIntire (Ed.): International Who's Who in Music and Musician's Directory. In the Classical and Light Classical Fields, twelfth edition 1990/91. International Who's Who in Music, Cambridge, England 1991.
- Kurtz Myers: Index to Record Reviews 1984–1987. G.K. Hall, Boston, Ma. 1989.
- Gerry Cristol: A Light in the Prairie: Temple Emanu-El of Dallas 1872–1997. TCU Press, Fort Worth TX 1998, ISBN 0-87565-184-4.
- Marie Rolf: "Adler, Samuel". In: The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition. Edited by S. Sadie and J. Tyrrell. Macmillan Publishers, London 2001.
- Don Michael Randel (Ed.): "Adler, Samuel". In The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1996.
- R. Winston Morris, Lloyd E. Bone Jr., Eric Paull (Ed.): "Adler, Samuel". In Guide to the Euphonium Repertoire – The Euphoneum Sourcebook. Indiana University Press, IN 2007
Further reading
- Adler, Samuel (Director) (1952). The Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra (Photograph). Kassel, Germany. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- Oteri, Frank J. (April 1, 2015). "Samuel Adler: Knowing What You're Doing". NewMusicBox. Video presentation by Molly Sheridan; Translated by Julia Lu. New Music USA. Retrieved September 30, 2020.