Pleskow, Raoul

Pleskow, Raoul , Austrian-born American composer and teacher; b. Vienna, Oct. 12, 1931. He went to the U.S. in 1939, and became a naturalized citizen in 1945. He took courses at N.Y.’s Juilliard School of Music (1950–52), with Rathaus at Queens Coll. (B.M., 1956), and with Luening at Columbia Univ. (M.M., 1958). He taught at C.W. Post Coll., Long Island Univ. (from 1959). His works combine both tonal and atonal means of expression.

Works

ORCH .: 2 Movements (1968); Music (1980); 4 Bagatelles (1981); 6 Epigrams (1985); Consort for Strings (1988). CHAMBER : Movement for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1964); Music for 7 Players (1966); Movement for 9 Players (1967); 3 Bagatelles for Flute, Viola, and Piano (1969); Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1978); String Quartet (1979); 4 Pieces for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1979); Variations on a Lyric Fragment for Cello and Piano (1980); 4 Short Pieces for 7 Players (1981); Divertimento: Sua sei canzoni for 5 Players (1984); Intruda for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, and Cello (1984); Composition for 4 Instruments (1987); solo pieces for Violin, Viola, Cello, Brass, and Piano. VOCAL : 2 cantatas for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. 1975, 1979); 6 Brief Verses for 2 Sopranos and/or Women’s Voices, Strings, and Piano (1983); Paumanok for Soprano, Chorus, and Chamber Ensemble (1985); Serenade for Chorus and Orch. (1988); also many settings for Solo Voice with a variety of accompaniments.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire