Hugo David Weisgall (October 13, 1912 – March 11, 1997) was an American composer and conductor, [1] known chiefly for his opera and vocal music compositions.
Life and career
Hugo Weisgall was born in Ivančice, Moravia (then part of Austria-Hungary, later in his childhood Czechoslovakia) and moved to the United States with his parents in 1920 at the age of eight. [2]
Weisgall studied at the Peabody Institute, privately with Roger Sessions, and at the Curtis Institute of Music with conductor Fritz Reiner and composer Rosario Scalero. He later earned a Ph.D. in German literature at Johns Hopkins University. During World War II he was an aide-de-camp to General George S. Patton. After the war he became a professor, and taught at Queens College, the Juilliard School, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, all in New York City. His notable students include composers Dominick Argento, Bruce Saylor and the accordionist/composer William Schimmel.
Weisgall came from a family of several generations of cantors, and maintained a lifelong interest in both sacred and secular Jewish music. In 1992 he was commissioned by the Friends of the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary to write a song cycle, Psalm of the Distant Dove, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Other major works include his most ambitious opera, Athaliah (libretto: Richard Frank Goldman, after Jean Racine), and his often-performed Six Characters in Search of an Author (libretto: Denis Johnston, after Luigi Pirandello).
Hugo Weisgall died at the age of 84 on Long Island, New York. [2]
Major works
Operas
- Night (1932, not performed). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: after the play by Sholem Asch
- Lilith (1934, not performed). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: after the play by L. Elman
- The Tenor (1948–1950). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: Karl Shapiro and Ernst Lert (after the play by Frank Wedekind). World Premiere: February 11, 1952 Baltimore (Peabody Opera Company; conductor: Hugo Weisgall)
- The Stronger (1952). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: Richard Henry Hart (after the play Den Starkare by August Strindberg). WP (piano version): August 9, 1952 Westport, Connecticut ( White Barn Theatre; Hilltop Opera Company). WP (orchestral version): 1955 New York ( Columbia University)
- Six Characters in Search of an Author (1953–1956). Opera in 3 acts. Libretto: Denis Johnston (after the play by Luigi Pirandello). WP: April 26, 1959 New York ( New York City Opera; with Beverly Sills [Coloratura])
- Purgatory (1958). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: after the play by William Butler Yeats. WP: February 17, 1961 Washington ( Library of Congress)
- The Gardens of Adonis (1959, revised 1977–1981). Opera in 3 scenes. Libretto: John Olon-Scrymgeour (after the play Venus and Adonis by André Obey, based on the eponymous poem by William Shakespeare). WP: September 12, 1992 Omaha, Nebraska (Witherspoon Concert Hall)
- Athaliah (1960–1963). Opera in 2 parts. Libretto: Richard Frank Goldman (after the play Athalie [1691] by Jean Racine). WP: February 17, 1964 New York (concert performance)
- Nine Rivers from Jordan (1964–1968). Opera in a prologue and 3 acts. Libretto: Denis Johnston. WP: October 9, 1968 New York (New York City Opera)
- Jenny, or The Hundred Nights (1975/76). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: John Hollander (after a [Noh] play by Yukio Mishima). WP: April 22, 1976 ( Juilliard School, American Opera Center)
- Will You Marry Me? (1989). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: Charles Kondek (after the play A Marriage Has Been Arranged by Alfred Sutro). WP: March 8, 1989 New York ( Opera Ensemble of New York)
- Esther (1990–1993). Opera in 3 acts. Libretto: Charles Kondek (after the Bible). WP: October 8, 1993 New York (New York City Opera)
Vocal music
- A Garden Eastward Cantata for soprano and orchestra
- A Song of Celebration for tenor, soprano, chorus and orchestra
- Evening Prayer for Peace (Ki el shomrenu) for chorus a cappella
- Fancies and Inventions for baritone and 5 instruments
- Fortress, Rock of Our Salvation (Moos tzur) for chorus a cappella
- Lyrical Interval song-cycle for low voice and piano
- Psalm of the Distant Dove Canticle for mezzo-soprano and piano
- So Spake Rabbi Akiba (Omar Rabbi Akiba) for chorus a cappella
- "Liebeslieder" for Soprano and Piano
References
- ^ "DRAM: Hugo Weisgall: Two Operas and Two Song Cycles". www.dramonline.org. 1960. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^ a b Paul Griffiths (March 12, 1997). "Hugo Weisgall, Opera Composer, Dies at 84". The New York Times.
External links
| Archives at | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| How to use archival material |
- Hugo Weisgall's page at Theodore Presser Company
- Hugo Weisgall Papers in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
- Composer information from Theodore Presser, Weisgall's publisher.
- Artist page from the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music.
- American and Israeli Jews Performing Together in a conference entitled Counter-Harmonies: Jewish Experience in 20th-Century Music.
- Interview with Hugo Weisgall by Bruce Duffie, June 6, 1986.
| Opera |
|
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1912 births
- 1997 deaths
- People from Ivančice
- Czech Jews
- American classical composers
- American opera composers
- American male opera composers
- Jewish classical musicians
- Jewish American classical composers
- Baltimore City College alumni
- Pupils of Roger Sessions
- 20th-century classical composers
- 20th-century American composers
- 20th-century American male musicians
- Presidents of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
- 20th-century American Jews
Hugo David Weisgall (October 13, 1912 – March 11, 1997) was an American composer and conductor, [1] known chiefly for his opera and vocal music compositions.
Life and career
Hugo Weisgall was born in Ivančice, Moravia (then part of Austria-Hungary, later in his childhood Czechoslovakia) and moved to the United States with his parents in 1920 at the age of eight. [2]
Weisgall studied at the Peabody Institute, privately with Roger Sessions, and at the Curtis Institute of Music with conductor Fritz Reiner and composer Rosario Scalero. He later earned a Ph.D. in German literature at Johns Hopkins University. During World War II he was an aide-de-camp to General George S. Patton. After the war he became a professor, and taught at Queens College, the Juilliard School, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, all in New York City. His notable students include composers Dominick Argento, Bruce Saylor and the accordionist/composer William Schimmel.
Weisgall came from a family of several generations of cantors, and maintained a lifelong interest in both sacred and secular Jewish music. In 1992 he was commissioned by the Friends of the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary to write a song cycle, Psalm of the Distant Dove, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Other major works include his most ambitious opera, Athaliah (libretto: Richard Frank Goldman, after Jean Racine), and his often-performed Six Characters in Search of an Author (libretto: Denis Johnston, after Luigi Pirandello).
Hugo Weisgall died at the age of 84 on Long Island, New York. [2]
Major works
Operas
- Night (1932, not performed). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: after the play by Sholem Asch
- Lilith (1934, not performed). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: after the play by L. Elman
- The Tenor (1948–1950). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: Karl Shapiro and Ernst Lert (after the play by Frank Wedekind). World Premiere: February 11, 1952 Baltimore (Peabody Opera Company; conductor: Hugo Weisgall)
- The Stronger (1952). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: Richard Henry Hart (after the play Den Starkare by August Strindberg). WP (piano version): August 9, 1952 Westport, Connecticut ( White Barn Theatre; Hilltop Opera Company). WP (orchestral version): 1955 New York ( Columbia University)
- Six Characters in Search of an Author (1953–1956). Opera in 3 acts. Libretto: Denis Johnston (after the play by Luigi Pirandello). WP: April 26, 1959 New York ( New York City Opera; with Beverly Sills [Coloratura])
- Purgatory (1958). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: after the play by William Butler Yeats. WP: February 17, 1961 Washington ( Library of Congress)
- The Gardens of Adonis (1959, revised 1977–1981). Opera in 3 scenes. Libretto: John Olon-Scrymgeour (after the play Venus and Adonis by André Obey, based on the eponymous poem by William Shakespeare). WP: September 12, 1992 Omaha, Nebraska (Witherspoon Concert Hall)
- Athaliah (1960–1963). Opera in 2 parts. Libretto: Richard Frank Goldman (after the play Athalie [1691] by Jean Racine). WP: February 17, 1964 New York (concert performance)
- Nine Rivers from Jordan (1964–1968). Opera in a prologue and 3 acts. Libretto: Denis Johnston. WP: October 9, 1968 New York (New York City Opera)
- Jenny, or The Hundred Nights (1975/76). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: John Hollander (after a [Noh] play by Yukio Mishima). WP: April 22, 1976 ( Juilliard School, American Opera Center)
- Will You Marry Me? (1989). Opera in 1 act. Libretto: Charles Kondek (after the play A Marriage Has Been Arranged by Alfred Sutro). WP: March 8, 1989 New York ( Opera Ensemble of New York)
- Esther (1990–1993). Opera in 3 acts. Libretto: Charles Kondek (after the Bible). WP: October 8, 1993 New York (New York City Opera)
Vocal music
- A Garden Eastward Cantata for soprano and orchestra
- A Song of Celebration for tenor, soprano, chorus and orchestra
- Evening Prayer for Peace (Ki el shomrenu) for chorus a cappella
- Fancies and Inventions for baritone and 5 instruments
- Fortress, Rock of Our Salvation (Moos tzur) for chorus a cappella
- Lyrical Interval song-cycle for low voice and piano
- Psalm of the Distant Dove Canticle for mezzo-soprano and piano
- So Spake Rabbi Akiba (Omar Rabbi Akiba) for chorus a cappella
- "Liebeslieder" for Soprano and Piano
References
- ^ "DRAM: Hugo Weisgall: Two Operas and Two Song Cycles". www.dramonline.org. 1960. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^ a b Paul Griffiths (March 12, 1997). "Hugo Weisgall, Opera Composer, Dies at 84". The New York Times.
External links
| Archives at | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| How to use archival material |
- Hugo Weisgall's page at Theodore Presser Company
- Hugo Weisgall Papers in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
- Composer information from Theodore Presser, Weisgall's publisher.
- Artist page from the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music.
- American and Israeli Jews Performing Together in a conference entitled Counter-Harmonies: Jewish Experience in 20th-Century Music.
- Interview with Hugo Weisgall by Bruce Duffie, June 6, 1986.
| Opera |
|
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1912 births
- 1997 deaths
- People from Ivančice
- Czech Jews
- American classical composers
- American opera composers
- American male opera composers
- Jewish classical musicians
- Jewish American classical composers
- Baltimore City College alumni
- Pupils of Roger Sessions
- 20th-century classical composers
- 20th-century American composers
- 20th-century American male musicians
- Presidents of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
- 20th-century American Jews