Stucky, Steven (Edward)

Stucky, Steven (Edward), American composer, teacher, conductor, and writer on music; b. Hutchinson, Kans., Nov. 7, 1949. He received training in composition from Richard Willis at Baylor Univ. (B.M., 1971) and from Husa, Phillips, and Palmer at Cornell Univ. (M.F.A., 1973; D.M.A., 1978). He also studied conducting with Daniel Sternberg. After serving as a visiting asst. prof. at Lawrence Univ. in Appleton, Wise. (1978-80), he taught at Cornell Univ. (from 1980), later serving as a prof, and chairman of the music dept. there (1992-97). He also was composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Phil. (1988-92), and then was its new music advisor. His study Lutoslawski and His Music (Cambridge, 1981) won the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award. He also won the ASCAP-Victor Herbert Prize (1974), first prize of the American Soc. of Univ. Composers (1975), and fellowships from the NEA (1978), the American Council of Learned Societies (1979), the NEH (1979), the Guggenheim Foundation (1986), and the Bogliasco Foundation (1997). Stucky’s music is marked by rewarding craftsmanship, technical expertise, and a remarkable command of color and form.

Works

orch: Prelude and Toccata (1969); 4 syms.: No. 1 (1972), No. 2 (1974), No. 3 (1976), and No. 4, Kennigar (1977-78; Terre Haute, Ind., Sept. 25, 1980); Transparent Things: In Memoriam V. N.(Appleton, Wise, May 11, 1980); Double Concerto for Violin, Oboe or Oboe d’Amore, and Chamber Orch. (1982-85; Tallahassee, March 9, 1985; rev. 1989); Dream-waltzes (Minneapolis, July 17, 1986); Concerto for Orchestra (1986-87; Philadelphia, Oct. 27, 1988); Threnos for Wind Ensemble (1987-88; Ithaca, N.Y., March 6, 1988); Son et lumière (Baltimore, May 18, 1988); Angelus (1989-90; N.Y., Sept. 27, 1990); Impromptus (1989-91; St. Louis, April 26, 1991); Anniversary Greeting (Baltimore, May 2, 1991); Fanfare for Los Angeles (1993; Los Angeles, March 4, 1994); Fanfare for Cincinnati (1993; Cincinnati, March 10, 1995); Ancora (1994; Los Angeles, Oct. 6, 1995); Fanfares and Arias for Wind Ensemble (1994; Boulder, Colo., Feb. 22, 1995); Concerto for 2 Flutes and Orch. (1994; Los Angeles, Feb. 23, 1995); Pinturas de Tamayo (1995; Chicago, March 28, 1996); Music for Saxophones and Strings (Lorrach, Germany, May 15, 1996); Concerto Mediterraneo for Guitar and Orch. (1997-98; Baltimore, Sept. 17, 1998). CHAMBER: 4 Bagatelles for String Quartet (1969); Duo for Viola and Cello (1969); Movements for Cello Quartet (1970); Divertimento for Clarinet, Piano, and Percussion (1971); Quartet for Clarinet, Viola, Cello, and Piano (1973); Notturno for Alto Saxophone and Piano (Ithaca, N.Y., Sept. 19, 1981); Varianti for Flute, Clarinet, and Piano (1982; Ithaca, N.Y., Jan. 30, 1983); Boston Fancies for Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello (Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 15, 1985); Serenade for Wind Quintet (1989-90); Salute for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Trombone, Piano, Percussion, Violin, and Cello (Ithaca, N.Y., Nov. 2, 1997); Ad Parnassum for Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Percussion, Violin, and Cello (Cambridge, Mass., Oct. 16, 1998); Nell’ombra, nella luce for String Quartet (1999-2000; Pittsburgh, Feb. 12, 2000). VOCAL: 2 Holy Sonnets of Donne for Mezzo-soprano, Oboe, and Piano (Waco, Tex., Oct. 14, 1982); Sappho Fragments for Mezzo-soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Piano, Violin, and Cello (Syracuse, N.Y., Nov. 1, 1982); Voyages for Voice and Wind Orch. (1983-84; New Haven, Conn., Dec. 7, 1984); 4 Poems of A.R. Ammons for Baritone, Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (1992; Syracuse, N.Y., March 28, 1993); Cradle Songs for Chorus (Los Angeles, Oct. 19, 1997); American Muse for Baritone and Orch. (Los Angeles, Oct. 29, 1999). OTHER: Funeral Music for Queen Mary, transcription and elaboration of music by Purcell for Wind Orch. (Los Angeles, Feb. 6, 1992).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire