My collection concentrates on the Renaissance and the 20 th century. I've been collecting records – all kinds of music – since 1960. Currently, I am working on several things at once: a string quartet (which I may finish in my lifetime, just as soon as I learn how to write for strings), a chacony for string quartet, a setting of Jared Carter's "After the Rain" for string trio and voice, arrangements of two Scott Joplin songs for male quartet, and a project that's taken me years with no end in sight – a setting of Wordsworth's "Intimations of Immortality" ode. I am always looking to write a perfect song. I have had performances at Oberlin and the University of Michigan, mostly theater pieces, and although I liked them at the time, I find them very hard to listen to now. My music lacks originality, except that which comes from unsuccessful imitation of my models: Stravinsky, Martinů, and Vaughan Williams (for the lyric bits). My creative heart belongs to tonality, although I listen to and love the Second Viennese School and its followers. I can turn out reams of the stuff quite quickly (homework was never a problem), but I have no more emotional connection to it than I do to working crossword puzzles – interesting while I'm doing it, but nothing much when I'm done. At that time, post-Webernian serialism was all the rage and that's what I learned. While at Oberlin, I took several theory, counterpoint, and composition courses. I continued to compose through high school. I was in the Oberlin College Choir conducted by the legendary (to me, anyway) Robert Fountain, the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus conducted by Shaw and Krehbiel, the University of Michigan Chamber Choir conducted by Hilbish, and formed and led several small vocal ensembles. I started singing in choirs in fifth grade and continued until about 10 years ago, when the dismal choral situation in New Orleans made me say the hell with it. After it broke, I was, I believed, the best bass since Pinza. I am trying to buckle down and work through piano finger exercises, but I always seem to find an excuse not to practice. To this day, I play written piano music like a klutz, though I can play pretty well by ear. As a kid, I had 6 months of piano lessons, but got very bored, since the music I wrote interested me far more than the pieces I had to study. This seems to me a good way to learn music. Really hit the Cleveland Public Library's record collection, heard a lot of music, and read a lot of liner notes. Taught myself sight-reading and the rudiments of theory. My mother was a concert pianist and my father an amateur violinist. My musical life: Started composing at 5 and listening to all sorts of music. She thinks I'm a god, with messy personal habits. Why she hasn't thrown me out of the house by now, I'll never know. Married since 1972 to a woman far too good for me. Taught university English for 12 years before I burned out.ĭrifted into the Bermuda Triangle of computer programming. (1974) all degrees in English Literature. Oberlin, AB (1968) University of Michigan, MA (1969) University of Michigan, Ph.D.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |