Heiden, Bernhard

Heiden, Bernhard, German-born American composer and pedagogue; b. Frankfurt am Main, Aug. 24, 1910; d. Bloomington, Ind., May 1, 2000. He studied piano, clarinet, violin, theory, and harmony. From 1929 to 1933 he studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, where his principal teacher was Hindemith. In 1935 he emigrated to the U.S. and became a naturalized American citizen in 1941. He taught at the Art Center Music School in Detroit, and was also conductor of the Detroit Chamber Orch., as well as pianist, harpsichordist, and chamber music artist. He served in the U.S. Army (1943–45); then studied musicology with Grout at Cornell Univ. (A.M., 1946). In 1946 he joined the faculty of the Ind. Univ. School of Music in Bloomington, retiring in 1981. His music was neo-Classical in its formal structure, and strongly polyphonic in texture; it was distinguished also by its impeccable sonorous balance and effective instrumentation.

Works

dramatic: Incidental music to Henry IV (1940) and The Tempest (1942); Dreamers on a Slack Wire, dance drama for 2 Pianos and Percussion (1953); The Darkened City, opera (1962; Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 23, 1963). ORCH.: 2 syms. (1933, 1954); Euphorion: Scene for Orchestra (1949); Concerto for Small Orch. (1949); Memorial (1955); Concerto for Piano, Violin, Cello, and Orch. (1956); Philharmonic Fanfare (1958); Variations (1960); Envoy (1963); Cello Concerto (1967); Concerto for Strings (1967); Horn Concerto (1969); Partita (1970); Tuba Concerto (1976); Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orch. (1981); Recitative and Aria for Cello and Orch. (1985; Pittsburgh, May 8, 1986); Fantasia concertante for Alto Saxophone, Winds, and Percussion (1987); Concerto for Recorder and Chamber Orch. (1987); Salute (1989); Concerto for Bassoon and Chamber Orch. (1990); Voyage for Symphonic Band (1991; Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 25, 1992); Symfonietta Concertante for Flute, Cello, and Chamber Orch. (1995; Ernen, Switzerland, Aug. 6, 1996). CHAMBER: Alto Saxophone Sonata (1937); Horn Sonata (1939); 2 string quartets (1947, 1951); Sinfonia for Woodwind Quintet (1949); Quintet for Horn and String Quartet (1952); Violin Sonata (1954); Quintet for Clarinet and Strings (1955); Serenade for Bassoon, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1955); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1956); Cello Sonata (1958); Viola Sonata (1959); Quintet for Oboe and Strings (1962); Intrada for String Quartet (1962); 7 Pieces for String Quartet (1964); Woodwind Quintet (1965); 4 Dances for Brass Quintet (1967); Intrada for Woodwind Quintet and Saxophone (1970); 5 Canons for 2 Horns (1971); Variations for Tuba and 9 Horns (1974); Quintet for Flute, Violin, Viola, Bassoon, and Contrabass (1975); 4 Movements for Saxophone Quartet and Timpani (1976); Variations on Lilliburlero for Cello (1976); Terzetto for 2 Flutes and Cello (1979); Quartet for Horns (1981); Sextet for Brass Quintet and Piano (1983); Quartet for Piano, Violin, Cello, and Horn (1985); Trio Serenade for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano (1987); Préludes for Flute, Bass, and Harp (1988); Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano (1992); Divertimento for Tuba and 8 Solo Instruments (1992); Serenata for 4 Cellos (1993); Prelude, Theme, and Variations for Alto Recorder (1994); Encounters for Brass Quintet (1994); Clarinet Trio (1996); 5 Inventions for Flute and Cello (1998); 4 Canons for 2 Clarinets (1998). keyboard:piano: 2 sonatas (1941, 1952); Sonata for Piano, 4-Hands (1946); Variations (1959); Fantasia for 2 Pianos (1971); Hommage à Scarlatti (1971); 3 Preludes and Fugues for Piano, Right Hand (1994). organ: Variations on The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter (1950). VOCAL: 2 Songs of Spring for Women’s Chorus (1947); 4 Songs from the Song of Songs for Soprano and Orch. or Piano (1948); Divine Poems for Chorus, after John Donne (1949); In Memoriam for Chorus (1964); Advent Song for Chorus (1965); Riddles of Jonathan Swift for Women’s Chorus (1975); Sonnets of Louise Labe for Soprano and String Quartet (1977); Triptych for Baritone and Orch. (1983); A Bestiary for Soprano, Tenor, and Chamber Orch. (1986); Dona Nobis Pacem for 3 Voices (1995).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire