Synopsis
On today’s date in 2001, the San Francisco Symphony, under conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, gave the first performance of Ice Field, a new work by American composer Henry Brant. The piece was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2002, the year Brant turned 89.
The prize was an acknowledgment of five decades of Brant’s work as one of America’s great experimental composers. In the 1950s, when he turned 40, Brant became fascinated with the possibilities inherent in spatial music — music that positioned various groups of performers in all the corners of performing space. Moreover, he felt his music should reflect a wide variety of musical styles. As Brant put it, “I had come to feel that single-style music… could no longer evoke the new stresses, layered insanities and multi-directional assaults of contemporary life on the spirit.”
Brant cites earlier American composer Charles Ives as his major model, but also credits the experience of hearing extravagant French Romantic composer Hector Berlioz’ Requiem Mass in Paris. In the 19th century, Berlioz positioned an orchestra, brass choirs, and vocalists around a vast cathedral for a unique “surround sound” experience.
Music Played in Today's Program
Henry Brant (1913-2008): Western Springs; La Jolla Symphony and Chorus; Henry Brant, et. al. conductor; CRI 827
On This Day
Births
1887 - Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg, in Göteborg
Deaths
1707 - British composer and organist Jeremiah Clarke (Julian date: Dec. 1)
Premieres
1891 - Brahms: Clarinet Trio, and Clarinet Quintet, at the Singakadmie in Berlin, both with clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, accompanied by cellist Robert Hausmann, and the composer at the piano (in the Trio) and the Joachim Quartet (in the Quintet). A private performance of the Clarinet Trio had occurred earlier in Meiningen on November 24, 1891, with the same performers.
1902 - Rimsky-Korsakov: opera Kashchey the Immortal, in Moscow (Gregorian date: Dec. 25)
1909 - Liadov: Kikimora for orchestra, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: Nov. 29)
1926 - Shostakovich: Piano Sonata No. 1, in Leningrad, by the composer
1929 - Constant Lambert: Rio Grande for piano and orchestra, in Manchester, England
1932 - Britten: Phantasy Quartet No. 2 for oboe and strings, in London, with oboist Leon Goossens and members of the International String Quartet
1948 - Henze: Violin Concerto, in Baden-Baden
1997 - Kevin Volans: Cello Concerto, in Munich, by soloist Wen-Sinn Yang with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra
2001 - Henry Brant: Ice Field for orchestra, by the San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas conducting; This work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2002
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About Composers Datebook®
Host John Birge presents a daily snapshot of composers past and present, with timely information, intriguing musical events and appropriate, accessible music related to each.
He has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.