Classic Ross Amico

Tag: University of Pennsylvania

James Primosch Philadelphia Composer Dies

The composer James Primosch has died.

A Philadelphia presence for many years, Primosch earned his master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a student of George Crumb and Richard Wernick.

He went on to obtain his doctorate from Columbia, where he studied with Mario Davidovsky. He also served as a teaching assistant at the Columbia Electronic Music Center.

He returned to Philadelphia to join the faculty of U of P in 1988. There he became director of the Presser Electronic Music Studio.

Earlier, he studied at Cleveland State University. Primosch was born in Cleveland in 1956.

Acclaimed for his word-setting and poetic nuance, he composed quite a bit of music for voice. His Catholic faith informed his sacred works. He was also a jazz enthusiast. His compositional language could be angular or unabashedly lyrical. His music has been much performed, much recorded, and much honored.

Among the organizations and ensembles to have programmed his pieces are the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic New Music Ensemble, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Locally, his music has been performed by The Crossing, Dolce Suono, Mendelssohn Club, Network for New Music, Orchestra 2001, the PRISM Saxophone Quartet, and Westminster Choir College.

In 1994, he served as artist-in-residence at the Marlboro Music Festival.

Primosch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2020.

R.I.P.

Meditation on “Motherless Child,” from the Piano Quintet

From his “Mass for the Day of St. Didymus,” performed by The Crossing

Here it is complete

Oboe Quartet

“Our Revels Now Are Ended” from “Songs and Dances from ‘The Tempest’”

“One with the Darkness, One with the Light”

April 28, 2021
George Rochberg A Centennial Celebration

Rock on, George!

Today is the 100th birthday of George Rochberg (born in Paterson, NJ, in 1918; died in Bryn Mawr, PA, in 2005), for decades a staple of the University of Pennsylvania music department, which he chaired until 1968. He continued to teach there until 1983.

Rochberg’s music underwent a compelling transformation, when, following the death of his teenage son in 1964, he suddenly found the serial palette he had up until then employed inadequate to express his grief. By the 1970s, he had begun incorporating tonal passages into his music, much to the dismay of his peers. Little did anyone realize at the time that this was the most avant garde approach Rochberg could have taken. His music heralded a return to tonality and the embrace of a new romanticism that has since become the norm.

Here’s his Symphony No. 2 (1955-1956), which is serial but, contrary to his later concerns, still emotionally expressive. It’s conducted by George Szell, no less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk74WLg8Iu4

The Pachelbel variations from Rochberg’s String Quartet No. 6 (1978):

And finally, his lovely “Transcendental Variations” (1971-1972, the third movement of the String Quartet No. 3, transcribed for string orchestra in 1975). Some of the variations have been blocked by Naxos, but there’s enough here to give a good idea. This luminous music could have been written at the turn of last century.

Happy birthday, George Rochberg!

PHOTOS: Rochberg (left) and a bust by his friend, the sculptor Christopher Cairns

July 5, 2018
Harl McDonald Forgotten American Composer

Today is one of those days with so many interesting birthday anniversaries, it’s hard to make a choice. Do I write about the brilliant composer-conductor Igor Markevitch (born 1912); the Hungarian composer of so much gorgeous music, Ernő – later Ernst von – Dohnányi (born 1877); or possibly my favorite of Spanish composers, Enrique Granados (born 1867)? I definitely need an air shift to do this one justice.

Faced with such an embarrassment of riches, I feel a little sheepish focusing on Harl McDonald. But since he has a number of local connections, I think it fitting.

McDonald was born in Boulder, CO, in 1899. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Redlands and the Leipzig Conservatory. In 1927, he was appointed a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. He was also director of the university’s music department, its choral society and the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club.

In addition, he worked as a business manager for the Philadelphia Orchestra for a number of years, and his compositions were performed by Leopold Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy. Both Stokowski and Serge Koussevitzky recorded selections from “San Juan Capistrano” (1938), and Stokowski a good deal else beside.

Among his other works were four symphonies, a concerto for two pianos, a violin concerto, two piano trios and an assortment of choral works, including “Lament for the Stolen,” written in commemoration of the Lindbergh kidnapping.

McDonald died in Princeton in 1955.

There’s actually a surprising number of McDonald rarities posted on YouTube. In fact, my posting this morning has been delayed by so much listening.

Here’s McDonald’s Symphony No. 1 “Santa Fe Trail”:

If it picques your interest, there’s plenty else to explore. I have no idea where this guy got some of this stuff (air checks?), but it’s fascinating. My hat’s off to you, fellow traveler!

July 27, 2014
George Rochberg A Birthday Celebration

Today is the birthday of George Rochberg (born in Paterson, NJ, in 1918; died in Bryn Mawr, PA, in 2005), for decades a staple of the University of Pennsylvania music department, which he chaired until 1968. He continued to teach there until 1983.

Rochberg’s music underwent a compelling transformation, when, following the death of his teenage son in 1964, he suddenly found the serial palette he had up until then employed inadequate to express his grief. By the 1970s, he had begun incorporating tonal passages into his music, much to the dismay of his peers. Little did anyone realize at the time that this was the most avant garde approach Rochberg could have taken. His music heralded a return to tonality and the embrace of a new romanticism that has since become the norm.

Here’s a selection from his Symphony No. 2 (1955-1956), which is serial but, contrary to his later concerns, still emotionally expressive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHf9VueIzG8

Then the Pachelbel variations from his String Quartet No. 6 (1978):

And finally, the opening of his lovely “Transcendental Variations” (1971-1972, the third movement of his String Quartet No. 3, transcribed for string orchestra in 1975):

Happy birthday, George Rochberg!

PHOTOS: Rochberg (left) and a bust by his friend, the sculptor Christopher Cairns

July 5, 2014

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