Laderman, Ezra

Laderman, Ezra, notable American composer and teacher; b. N.Y., June 29, 1924. He studied at the H.S. of Music and Art in N.Y., where he appeared as soloist in the premiere of his First Piano Concerto with the school orch. in 1939. He pursued his training in composition with Wolpe in N.Y. (1946--9) and with Gideon at Brooklyn Coll. of the City Univ. of N.Y. (B.A., 1949), and took courses with Leuning and Moore (composition) and Lang (musicology) at Columbia Univ. (M.A., 1952). In 1955, 1958, and 1964 he was awarded Guggenheim fellowships. In 1960-61 he taught at Sarah Lawrence Coll. After holding the American Prix de Rome (1963–64), he again taught at Sarah Lawrence Coll. (1965–66). From 1971 to 1982 he was composer-in-residence and prof, at the State Univ. of N.Y. in Bing-hamton. He was also president of the American Music Center (1973–76) and director of the music program of the NEA (1979–82). In 1982-83 he was active at the American Academy in Rome. From 1987 to 1989 he was president of the American Music Coucil. He was dean of the Yale Univ. School of Music from 1989. After composing in a tonal style, Laderman turned to atonal, and later serial writing. Later in his career he came full circle by again exploring the resources of tonality in a synthetic form, utilizing a vast array of techniques and styles.

Works

dramatic: Opera: Jacob and the Indians (1954; Woodstock, N.Y., July 24, 1957); Goodbye to the Clowns (1956; N.Y., May 22, 1960); The Hunting of the Snark, opera-cantata (1958; concert premiere, N.Y., March 26, 1961; stage premiere, N.Y., April 13, 1978); Sarah (CBS-TV, Nov. 30, 1958); Air Raid (1965); Shadows Among Us (1967); And David Wept, opera-cantata (1970; CBS-TV, April 11, 1971); The Questions of Abraham, opera-cantata (CBS-TV, Sept. 30, 1973); Galileo Galilei (1978; Binghamton, N.Y, Feb. 3, 1979; based on the oratorio The Trials of Galileo); Marilyn (N.Y, Oct. 6, 1993). musical comedy:Dominique (1962). dance: Duet for Flute and Dancer (1956); Dance Quartet for Flute, Clarinet, Cello, and Dancer (1957); Esther for Narrator, Oboe, and String Orch. (1960); Song of Songs for Soprano and Piano (1960); Solos and Chorale for 4 Mixed Voices (1960). incidental music:Machinal (N.Y, April 7, 1960); The Lincoln Mask (N.Y, Oct. 30, 1972); numerous film and television scores. orch.: 2 unnumbered piano concertos (N.Y, June 1939; 1957); 2 numbered piano concertos: No. 1 (1978; Washington, D.C., May 12, 1979) and No. 2 (1989; N.Y, Oct. 13, 1991); 1 unnumbered sym. (Leipzig Symphony, Wiesbaden, May 1945); 7 numbered syms.: No. 1 (1963; Rome, July 2, 1964), No. 2, Luther (1969), No. 3, Jerusalem (1973; Jerusalem, Nov. 7, 1976), No. 4 (1980; Los Angeles, Oct. 22, 1981), No. 5, Isaiah, for Soprano and Orch. (1982; Washington, D.C., March 15, 1983), No. 6 (1983; rev. version, Houston, March 19, 1988), and No. 7 (1984; Dallas, Dec. 7, 1989); Concerto for Bassoon and Strings (1948); Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orch. (1951; rev. 1960; CBS-TV, Nov. 10, 1963); Organization No. 1 (1952); Sinfonia (1956); Identity (1959); Stanzas for 21 Solo Instruments (1959); Magic Prison for 2 Narrators and Orch. (N.Y, June 12, 1967); Concerto for Orchestra (Minneapolis, Oct. 24, 1968); Celestial Bodies, concerto for Flute and Strings (1968); Priorities for Jazz Band, Rock Band, and String Quartet (1969); Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orch. (1977; St. Paul, Minn., April 13, 1978); Violin Concerto (1978; Philadelphia, Dec. 12, 1980); Summer Solstice (Saratoga, N.Y, Aug. 15, 1980); Concerto for String Quartet and Orch. (1980; Pittsburgh, Feb. 6, 1981); Concerto for Flute, Bassoon, and Orch. (1981; Philadelphia, Jan. 28, 1983); Sonore (Denver, Nov. 10, 1983); Cello Concerto (1984; Chicago, Feb. 23, 1990); Flute Concerto (1985; Detroit, Jan. 22, 1987); Pentimento (1985; Albany, N.Y, May 16, 1986); Sanctuary: An Original Theme and Variations (1986; Louisville, April 2, 1987); Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orch. (1986; Binghamton, N.Y, Feb. 25, 1988); Sinfonia Concertante (1988; Washington, D.C., June 1, 1989); A Play Within a Play, concerto for Double Orch. (1989); Concerto for Chamber Orch. (Martinsville, N.J., May 11, 1989; based on the middle 3 movements of A Play Within a Play); Citadel (Louisville, May 30, 1990). chamber: Cello Sonata (1948); 2 flute sonatas (1951, 1957); Piano Quintet (1951); 1 unnumbered string quartet (1953); 8 numbered string quartets: No. 1 (1959), No. 2 (1962), No. 3 (1966), No. 4 (1974), No. 5 (1976; N.Y, Nov. 24, 1980), No. 6, The Audubon (1980; N.Y, April 1981), No. 7 (1983; N.Y, May 2, 1984), and No. 8 (1985); Wind Quintet (1954); Music for Winds, Strings, and Harpsichord (1955); Piano Trio (1955; rev. 1959); Violin Sonata (1956); Theme, Variations, and Finale for 4 Winds and 4 Strings (1957); Wind Octet (1957); Clarinet Sonata (1958); Sextet for Wind Quintet and Double Bass (1959); Oboe Quartet (1960); A Single Voice for Oboe and String Quartet (1967); Double Helix for Flute, Oboe, and String Quartet (1968); Nonette for Piano, Strings, Winds, and Brass (1968); 5 Trios and Fantasy for Wind Quintet (1972); Partita: Meditations on Isaiah for Cello (1972); Elegy for Viola (1973); Concerto: Echoes in Anticipation for Oboe and 7 Instruments (1975); Cadence for 2 Flutes and Strings (1978; N.Y, Oct. 23, 1979); Remembrances for Violin, Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1982); Double String Quartet (1983; Washington, D.C., April 1986); Duo for Cello and Piano (N.Y, Dec. 18, 1984); Fantasy for Viola (1985); Quintet for Clarinet and Strings (N.Y, Nov. 24, 1987); Introduction, Barcarolle, and Allegro for Flute and Harp (1987; N.Y, Dec. 9, 1989); June 29 for Flute (1987); MBL Suite for 2 Flutes and String Quartet (Woods Hole, Mass., Aug. 14, 1988); A Moment in Time for Flute (1989; N.Y, Jan. 20, 1990); Talkin’-Lovin ’-Leavin ’: Recitative, Aria, and Finale for Alto Recorder and String Quartet (N.Y, March 9, 1990); Partita for Violin (N.Y., Feb. 20, 1990). keyboard:piano: Prelude in the Form of a Passacaglia (n.d.); 2 sonatas (1952, 1955); 3 Pieces (1956); Momenti (1974). organ:25 Preludes for Organ in Different Forms (1975). vocal:The Eagle Stirred, oratorio for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1961); Songs for Eve for Soprano and Piano (1966); The Trials of Galileo, oratorio for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1967; reworked into the opera Galileo Galilei); Songs from Michelangelo for Baritone and Piano (1968); From the Psalms for Soprano and Piano (1970); Thrive Upon the Rock for Chorus and Piano (1973); A Handful of Souls, cantata for Soloists, Chorus, and Organ (1975); Visions-Columbus, cantata for Bass-baritone and Orch. (Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 10, 1975); Worship for Soprano, Tenor, and Piano (1976); Song of Songs, chamber cantata for Soprano, Flute, Viola, and Cello (1977; based on the dance score); A Mass for Cain, oratorio for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1983).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire