Hartke, Stephen (Paul)

Hartke, Stephen (Paul), American composer and teacher; b. Orange, N.J., July 6, 1952. He studied with Drew at Yale Univ. (B.A., 1973), Rochberg at the Univ. of Pa. (M.A., 1976), and Applebaum at the Univ. of Calif, at Santa Barbara (Ph.D., 1982), where he also lectured (1981-83; 1985-87); was also a Fulbright prof, of composition at the Univ. of Sâo Paulo in Brazil (1984–85). In 1987 he joined the faculty of the Univ. of Southern Calif, in Los Angeles. From 1988 to 1992 he also was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Chamber Orch. In addition to several commissions, his honors include a Kennedy Center Friedheim Award (1985), several NEA grants (1988; 1989-90; 1991-92), the American Academy in Rome Prize Fellowship (1991–92), an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award (1993), the Stoeger Prize (1998), a Guggenheim fellowship (1998), and a Commission Award from the Inst. for American Music (1998).

Works

ORCH.: Alvorada, madrigals for Strings (Pasadena, Calif., March 8, 1983); Maltese Cat Blues (1986); Pacific Rim (Los Angeles, Sept. 16, 1988); Sym. No. 2 (1990; Los Angeles, Feb. 8, 1991); Violin Concerto (1992; Troy, N.Y, March 12, 1993); The Ascent of the Equestrian in a Balloon (Washington, D.C., Nov. 2, 1995). CHAMBER: Caoine for Violin (1980; Santa Barbara, Calif., May 5, 1981); Sonata- Variations for Violin and Piano (1984; Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 1985); Oh Them Rats Is Mean in My Kitchen for 2 Violins (1985; Ojai, Calif., May 1986); Precession for 13 Instruments (1986; Los Angeles, March 10, 1987); The King of the Sun for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (Los Angeles, Nov. 15, 1988); Night Rubrics for Cello (1990; Lausanne, June 1991); Wir küssen Ihnen tausendmal die Hände, homage to Mozart for Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Fortepiano (Los Angeles, Oct. 31, 1991); Un tout petit trompe-l´oreille for Guitar (1992); Wulfstan at the Millennium for 10 Instruments (Cambridge, Mass., April 13, 1995); The Horse with the Lavender Eye for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (1997); The Rose of the Winds for String Octet (1998). piano:Post-Modem Homages, 2 sets (1984-92; first complete perf., Los Angeles, Feb. 25, 1993); The Piano Dreams of Empire (Los Angeles, July 4, 1994); Sonata (1999). VOCAL: 2 Songs for an Uncertain Age for Soprano and Orch. (1981; Sâo Paulo, Aug. 24, 1987); 4 Madrigals on Old Portuguese Texts for Soloists and Chorus or Chamber Chorus (1981; Santa Fe, N.Mex., Oct. 15, 1988); Cançôes modernistas for High Voice, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, and Viola (1982); Iglesia abandonada for Soprano and Violin (Santa Barbara, Calif., May 10, 1982); Sons of Noah for Soprano, 4 Flutes, 4 Guitars, and 4 Bassoons (1996); Tituli for 5 Solo Men’s Voices, Violin, and 2 Percussionists (1999).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire