Hartzell, Eugene

Hartzell, Eugene, American-born Austrian composer; b. Cincinnati, May 21, 1932. He studied at Kent State Univ. (B.S., 1953) and Yale Univ. (B.M., 1954; M.M., 1955), and with H.E. Apostel in Vienna (1956–58). He then lived in Vienna, working in various positions only peripherally connected with music. He adopted the 12-tone method of composition; his works in this idiom include 14 Monologues for Assorted Instruments (1957–84) and 10 Workpoints (1977–82), inspired by the English writer Lawrence Durrell, for every binary combination, from the Woodwind Quintet.

Works

ORCH.: 2 Pieces (1962); 2 syms.: No. 1 for Strings (1965) and No. 2 for Wind Quintet and Strings (1968); Synopsis for Symphony (1970); Sinfonietta for Strings (1980). chamber:14 Monologues (1957–84); Trio for Flute, Bass Clarinet or Bassoon, and Piano (1969); Projections for Wind Quintet (1970); Companion Pieces to a Wind Quintet (1973); Outgrowths of a Wind Quintet (1973); 10 Workpoints (1977–82); String Quartet (1979); Clarinet Sonata (1981). piano:Suite for a Young Pianist (1963); 9 Uncritical Pieces (1968). vocal:Psalm 130 for Chorus and Organ (1973); 3 Latin Lyrics for Chorus (1976); A Keats Songbook for Tenor and Guitar (1978); 9 Haikus for Baritone and Clarinet (1978); 3 American Folksongs for Voice and Piano (1979); Grounds for John Donne for Tenor and Harp (1979); 4 Latin Lyrics for Tenor and Orch. (1981).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire