Lomon, Ruth
Lomon, Ruth
Lomon, Ruth, Canadian-born American composer, pianist, and teacher; b. Montreal, Nov. 8, 1930. She studied at McGill Univ. in Montreal. In 1960 she went to the U.S. and continued her training with Frances Judd Cooke and Miklos Schwalb at the New England Cons. of Music in Boston. In 1964 she took a course with Lutoslawski at the Dartington Summer School of Music in England, and she also attended the Darmstadt summer courses in new music. In 1965 she became a naturalized American citizen. From 1971 to 1983 she was half of the duo-piano team of Lomon and Wenglin, specializing in the performance of works by women composers. Several of her most important works have been inspired by Native American ceremonials.
Works
dramatic: chamber opera:The Fisherman and His Soul (1963). orch.: Bassoon Concerto (1979; rev. 1993); Terra Incognita (1993). chamber: Trio for Horn, Cello, and Piano (1961); Dialogue for Vibraphone and Harpsichord (1964); Shapes for Violin, Cello, Guitar, and Piano (1964); Phase I for Cello and Piano (1969); The Furies: Erinnyes for Oboe, Oboe d’Amore, and English Horn (1977); Equinox for Brass (1978); Solstice for Brass Quartet (1978); Celebrations for 2 Harps (1978); Vitruvian Scroll for String Quartet (1981); Diptych for Woodwind Quintet (1983); latiku:“bringing to life...” for Bass Clarinet, Marimba, Vibes, Harp, Harpsichord, and Piano (1983); Janus for String Quartet (1984); Desiderata for Oboe, Marimba, and Optional Bow Chime (1984); Spells for Piano, Woodwind Quintet, String Quartet, Trumpet, and Percussion (1985); Imprints, concerto for Piano and 4 Percussion (1987; Columbus, Ohio, May 15, 1989); The Talisman for B-flat and Bass Clarinets, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Synthesizer (1988; Boston, Feb. 12, 1989); The Butterfly Effect for String Quartet (1989); Shadowing for Piano Quartet (1993). keyboard: piano:Soundings for Piano, 4-hands (1975); Triptych for 2 Pianos (1978); 5 Ceremonial Masks (1980); Esquisses (1986); Dreams and Drama (1994). organ : 7 Portals of Vision (1982); Commentaries (1988). vocal:5 Songs After Poems by William Blake for Contralto and Viola (1962); Dartington Quintet for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (1964); Phase II for Soprano, Cello, and Piano (1974); Requiem for Soprano, Chorus, and Instruments (1977); Songs from a Requiem for Soprano and Piano (1982); Winnowing Song for Chorus, Cello, and Piano (1982); Symbiosis for Mezzosoprano, Percussion, and Piano (1983); A Fantasy Journey into the Mind of a Machine for Soprano and Saxophone (1985). mixed media:Many Moons for Chamber Orch., Narrator, Mimes, and Dancers (Lexington, Mass., Oct. 14, 1990).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire