Bainbridge, Simon (Jeremy)

Bainbridge, Simon (Jeremy), English composer; b. London, Aug. 30, 1952. He was a student at the Royal Coll. of Music in London (1969–72), where he received training in composition from John Lambert. He then attended the Berkshire Music Center at Tangle-wood (summers, 1973-–74). From 1983 to 1985 he was composer-in-residence for Southern Arts, and then was mainly active as a composer and teacher in London. His Ad Ora Incerta for Mezzo-soprano, Bassoon, and Orch. (London, March 29, 1995) won the Grawemeyer Award of the Univ. of Louisville in 1997.

Works

DRAMATIC: Trace, dance piece (1987). ORCH.: Heterophony (1970); 3 Pieces for Chamber Ensembles (1970-–82; also for Orch., 1997; Bristol, Feb. 7, 1998); Viola Concerto (1976); Fantasia for Double Orch. (1983-–84); The Devil’s Punchbowl for Chamber Orch., Children, and Instrumental Ensemble (1987); Cantus contra cantum (1989; rev. 1990); Double Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Chamber Orch. (1990); Toccata (Birmingham, June 26, 1992); Landscape and Memory for Horn and Orch. (London, Nov. 5, 1995); Guitar Concerto (Birmingham, Nov. 15, 1998); Towards the Bridge for Chamber Orch. (London, May 1, 1999). CHAMBER: Wind Quintet (1970–71; rev. 1974); String Quartet (1972); Music for Mel and Nora for Oboe and Piano (1979; rev. as Concertante in Moto Perpetuo for Oboe and 9 Players, 1983); Metamorphosis for Chamber Ensemble (Amsterdam, June 6, 1988); String Sextet (1988); Mari-molin Inventions for Violin and Marimba (1990); Mobile for English Horn and Piano (London, Nov. 7, 1991; also for Viola and 4 Players, London, March 25, 1994); Kinneret Pulses for Viol Consort (N.Y., Nov. 8, 1992); Clarinet Quintet (Cheltenham, July 5, 1993); For Miles for Trumpet and 6 Players (London, June 29, 1994); Henry’s Mobile for Viol Consort (London, May 2, 1995); Henry’s Rondeau for 5 Players (London, Oct. 18, 1995); 60 Seconds for Elliott (Schwarz) for Clarinet (1996). VOCAL: Landscapes and Magic Words for Soprano and Ensemble (1982); A Song from Michelangelo for Soprano and Ensemble (1989); Caliban Fragments and Aria for Mezzo-soprano and Ensemble (1991); A Song from Tagore for Children’s Voices and Ensemble (1991); From an English Folk Song for Soprano and 4 Players (London, June 7, 1992); Herbsttag for 2 Antiphonal Choruses (1993; London, April 16, 1994); Ad Ora Incerta for Mezzo-soprano, Bassoon, and Orch., after Primo Levi (1994; London, March 29, 1995); 4 Primo Levi Settings for Mezzo-soprano, Clarinet, Viola, and Piano (Cheltenham, July 7, 1996); ’Tis Time I Think for Soprano and String Quartet, after A.E. Housman (1996); Éicha for Mezzosoprano, Chorus, and 10 Players (Oxford, April 19, 1997).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire