Reynolds, Verne (Becker)

Reynolds, Verne (Becker) , American composer, horn player, and teacher; b. Lyons, Kans., July 18, 1926. He received training in violin, piano, and horn. He was a composition student at the Cincinnati Cons. of Music (B.M., 1950), of Burleigh at the Univ. of Wise. (M.M., 1951), and of Howells at the Royal Coll. of Music in London. After playing horn in the Cincinnati Sym. Orch. (1947–50), he was 1^st horn in the Rochester (N.Y.) Phil. (1959–68). He taught at the Univ. of Wise. (1950–53), the Ind. Univ. School of Music in Blooming-ton (1954–59), and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (1959–95). Reynolds publ. The Horn Handbook (Portland, Ore., 1997).

Works

ORCH.: Violin Concerto (1951); Saturday with Venus, overture (1953); Celebration Overture (1960); Ventures (1975); Festival and Memorial Music (1977); Concerto for Band (1980). CHAMBER : Serenade for 13 Winds (1958); Flute Sonata (1962); String Quartet (1967); Concertare I for Brass Quintet and Percussion (1968), II for Trumpet and Strings (1968), III for Wind Quintet and Piano (1969), IV for Brass Quintet and Piano (1971), and V for Chamber Ensemble (1976); Tuba Sonata (1968); Horn Sonata (1970); Violin Sonata (1970); Viola Sonata (1975); Signals for Trumpet, Tuba, and Brass (1976); Events for Trombone Choir (1977); Scenes Revisited for Wind Ensemble (1977); Trio for Horn, Trombone, and Tuba (1978); Fantasy-Etudes I for Trumpet and Piano (1979), II for Clarinet, Percussion, and Piano (1990), III for Euphonium or Tuba and Piano (1991), IV for Bassoon and Percussion (1992), and V for Horn and Piano (1992); Cello Sonata (1983); Quintet for Piano and Winds (1986); Brass Quintet (1987); Trio for Oboe, Horn, and Piano (1990); Clarinet Sonata (1994); piano pieces. VOCAL : The Hollow Men for Baritone, Men’s Chorus, Brass Choir, and Percussion (1954); Songs of the Season for Soprano, Horn, and Piano (1988); Letter to the World for Soprano and Percussion (1994).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire