Weber He was "one of the first Americans to embrace the 12-tone techniques of Schoenberg, starting in 1938";[1] he was largely self-taught.[1] He worked initially as a copyist and only came to recognition in the 1950s.[citation needed]
Weber used the twelve-tone technique but, rather than avoid tonality, he worked with it and achieved a virtuoso Romantic style: "Weber could not stifle his bent for expansive lyricism and bold gestures," wrote music critic Anthony Tommasini, adding: "One gets the sense that his adaptation of the 12-tone technique was his way of ensuring that his music would keep its cutting edge and not slip into Romanticism. There is a rather Brahmsian spirit trying to emerge here."[1] He composed chamber music for various combinations of instruments, orchestral music including concertos for violin and piano, piano music, and songs.
Weber also wrote an unpublished memoir, How I Took 63 Years to Commit Suicide (as told to Matthew Paris).[2]
op.54: The Ways, for voice and piano (text by Pauline Hanson)
op.55: Nocturne for flute, celesta and cello (1963)
op.56: Suite for piano four hands
op.57: A bird came down the walk, for mezzo-soprano and piano (1963) (text by Emily Dickinson)
op.58: Dolmen, for winds and strings (1964)
op.59: Four songs (1966)
op.60: The enchanted midnight, for orchestra (1967)
op.61: Dramatic piece for violin and orchestra (1970)
op.62: Sinfonia Clarion, for orchestra (1973)
op.63: Two songs for voice and piano (text by J. Mayhall)
op.64: Intermezzo for piano (1972)
op.65: Variazioni quasi una fantasia for harpsichord (1974)
op.66: Consort of Winds, for wind quintet (1974)
op.67: Capriccio for cello and piano (1977)
op.68: Ciaconna for piano (1979, incomplete)
Referencesedit
^ abcdTommasini, Anthony (December 4, 1999). "MUSIC REVIEW; A Serialist With a Penchant for Lyricism". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
^Son, Jeeyoung; D.M.A (2008). "Twelve-tone writing in the piano music of Ben Weber (1916–1979)". Retrieved 2015-07-19. [T]here are hardly any secondary sources found on the subject of Ben Weber and his music; however there is a very important primary source in addition to the scores, which is an unpublished memoir titled, "How I took 63 years to commit suicide by Ben Weber (as told to Matthew Paris)." Although there is not much explanation of his music, it is still very significant in terms of understanding Weber's character, personality, and philosophy.
^. Theodore Presser Company. Archived from the original on 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2015-07-19. [F]or seven years, he ran the Thorne Music Fund which awarded three-year fellowships to American composers of "mature years and recognized accomplishments." Recipients of these fellowships included Stefan Wolpe, Ben Weber, Lou Harrison, David Diamond, Jacob Druckman, Lucia Dlugoszewski, and Henry Brant among others.
[2] List of compositions published by American Composers Edition (BMI)
February 15, 2024
weber, composer, william, jennings, bryan, weber, july, 1916, louis, june, 1979, york, city, american, composer, weberbornwilliam, jennings, bryan, weber, 1916, july, 1916st, louisdiedjune, 1979, 1979, aged, york, city, occupationcomposerweber, first, american. William Jennings Bryan Ben Weber July 23 1916 in St Louis 1 June 16 1979 in New York City was an American composer Ben WeberBornWilliam Jennings Bryan Weber 1916 07 23 July 23 1916St LouisDiedJune 16 1979 1979 06 16 aged 62 New York City OccupationComposerWeber He was one of the first Americans to embrace the 12 tone techniques of Schoenberg starting in 1938 1 he was largely self taught 1 He worked initially as a copyist and only came to recognition in the 1950s citation needed Weber used the twelve tone technique but rather than avoid tonality he worked with it and achieved a virtuoso Romantic style Weber could not stifle his bent for expansive lyricism and bold gestures wrote music critic Anthony Tommasini adding One gets the sense that his adaptation of the 12 tone technique was his way of ensuring that his music would keep its cutting edge and not slip into Romanticism There is a rather Brahmsian spirit trying to emerge here 1 He composed chamber music for various combinations of instruments orchestral music including concertos for violin and piano piano music and songs Weber also wrote an unpublished memoir How I Took 63 Years to Commit Suicide as told to Matthew Paris 2 Contents 1 Awards 2 Compositions 3 References 4 LinksAwards editWeber was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowships in 1950 3 He received a Thorne Music Award in 1965 citation needed which was given to composers of mature years and recognized accomplishments 4 Compositions edit in chronological order op 1 Three songs for contralto and piano texts by Robert Browning and Edward Short 1936 40 o op To a golden haired girl for voice and piano text by Nicholas Vachel Lindsay o op Autumn o op Legende for violin and piano op 2 Five Bagatelles for piano 4 1939 o op Two pieces for clarinet and piano op 3 Pastorale and Scherzino for woodwinds op 4 Fantasie for violin and piano op 5 Violin sonata No 1 1939 op 6 Three songs for soprano and piano texts by Ben Weber and Rainer Maria Rilke 1940 op 7 Lyric piece for string quartet 1940 op 8 Suite for piano op 9 Pastorale for violin and piano op 10 Lied des Idioten for soprano and orchestra text by Rainer Maria Rilke op 11a Variations for piano violin clarinet and cello 1941 op 11b Concertino for violin clarinet and cello op 12 String quartet No 1 op 13 Five pieces for cello and piano op 14 Divertimento for 2 solo celli op 15 Five songs for voice and piano texts by Adelaide Crapsey 1941 op 16 Violin sonata No 2 1940 42 rev 1943 op 17 Cello sonata No 1 1941 o op Piece later called Ballade for oboe and orchestra 1943 op 18 Chorale and Variations for cello and piano o op Ballade for cello and piano o op Intermezzo for clarinet and piano op 19 String trio 1944 op 20 Wie kann ich bleich for voice and piano German text by Ben Weber op 21 Sinfonia for cello and orchestra 1945 op 22 Variations for oboe and string quartet 1944 op 23 Three piano pieces 1946 op 24 String trio op 25 Fantasia Variations for piano op 26 Ballet The Pool of Darkness for flute violin trumpet bassoon cello and piano op 26a Episodes for piano Piano version of Ballet Pool of Darkness 1957 op 27 Suite for piano No 2 1948 op 28 Dance for cello op 29 Concert Aria after Solomon for soprano wind quintet violin cello and piano text from the bible song of Solomon op 30 Sonata da camera for violin and piano op 31 Dance No 2 for cello op 32 Concerto for piano solo cello and woodwind quintet op 33 Symphony in four movements on Poems of William Blake op 34 Two pieces for string orchestra 1950 op 35 String quartet No 2 op 36 Closing piece for organ solo op 37 Colloquy for brass septet op 38 Ballade for 2 pianos op 39 Serenade for harpsichord flute oboe and cello 1953 op 40 Four songs for tenor or soprano and cello texts by Ezra Pound Euenus Hadrian Bhasa op 41 Concerto for violin and orchestra 1954 WP 1973 Daniel Kobialka violin Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Robert Shaw conductor op 42 Prelude and Passacaglis for orchestra 1954 op 43 1 Madrigal No 1 Ah Dear Heart for SATB chorus text by John Donne op 43 2 Madrigal No 2 Sonnet to Orpheus for SATB chorus text by Rainer Maria Rilke op 44 Serenade for string quintet op 44a New Adventures for piano op 45 Concertino for flute oboe clarinet and string quartet 1956 op 46 Serenade for strings op 47 Rapsodie concertante for viola and small orchestra 1957 op 48 Three songs for soprano and strings 1958 texts by Stefan George Rainer Maria Rilke Richard Dehmel op 49 Humoresque for piano op 50 String quartet No 3 1959 op 51 Chamber fantasie for solo violin and small ensemble 1959 op 52 Two songs for voice and piano texts by John Dowland and Ausonius op 53 Piano concerto 1961 op 54 The Ways for voice and piano text by Pauline Hanson op 55 Nocturne for flute celesta and cello 1963 op 56 Suite for piano four hands op 57 A bird came down the walk for mezzo soprano and piano 1963 text by Emily Dickinson op 58 Dolmen for winds and strings 1964 op 59 Four songs 1966 op 60 The enchanted midnight for orchestra 1967 op 61 Dramatic piece for violin and orchestra 1970 op 62 Sinfonia Clarion for orchestra 1973 op 63 Two songs for voice and piano text by J Mayhall op 64 Intermezzo for piano 1972 op 65 Variazioni quasi una fantasia for harpsichord 1974 op 66 Consort of Winds for wind quintet 1974 op 67 Capriccio for cello and piano 1977 op 68 Ciaconna for piano 1979 incomplete References edit a b c d Tommasini Anthony December 4 1999 MUSIC REVIEW A Serialist With a Penchant for Lyricism The New York Times Retrieved 2015 07 19 Son Jeeyoung D M A 2008 Twelve tone writing in the piano music of Ben Weber 1916 1979 Retrieved 2015 07 19 T here are hardly any secondary sources found on the subject of Ben Weber and his music however there is a very important primary source in addition to the scores which is an unpublished memoir titled How I took 63 years to commit suicide by Ben Weber as told to Matthew Paris Although there is not much explanation of his music it is still very significant in terms of understanding Weber s character personality and philosophy Ben Weber gf org Retrieved 2015 07 19 Francis Thorne Theodore Presser Company Archived from the original on 2019 04 23 Retrieved 2015 07 19 F or seven years he ran the Thorne Music Fund which awarded three year fellowships to American composers of mature years and recognized accomplishments Recipients of these fellowships included Stefan Wolpe Ben Weber Lou Harrison David Diamond Jacob Druckman Lucia Dlugoszewski and Henry Brant among others Links edit 1 2012 article by Roger Trefousse 2 List of compositions published by American Composers Edition BMI Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ben Weber composer amp oldid 1207365053, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
