John Harris Harbison (born December 20, 1938) is an American
composer and academic.
Life
John Harris Harbison was born on December 20, 1938, in
Orange, New Jersey, to the historian
Elmore Harris Harbison and Janet German Harbison. The Harbisons were a musical family; Elmore had studied composition in his youth and Janet wrote songs.[1] Harbison's sisters Helen and Margaret were musicians as well. He won the prestigious
BMI Foundation's Student Composer Awards for composition at the age of 16 in 1954. He studied music at
Harvard University (BA 1960), where he sang with the
Harvard Glee Club, and later at the Berlin Musikhochschule and at
Princeton (MFA 1963). He is an
Institute Professor of music at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a former student of
Walter Piston and
Roger Sessions. His works include several symphonies, string quartets, and concerti for violin, viola, and double bass.
In 1991, Harbison was the music director of the
Ojai Music Festival in conjunction with
Peter Maxwell Davies. He has served as principal guest conductor for
Emmanuel Music in
Boston.[6] After founding director
Craig Smith's death in 2007, Harbison was named acting artistic director. Harbison and his wife, Rose Mary Harbison, a violinist, ran the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival from 1989 to 2022.[7]
Partial discography
Mirabai Songs / Variations (1987). Northeastern Records NR 230-CD. Performed by Janice Felty, mezzo-soprano,
Collage New Music Ensemble, conducted by John Harbison — Rose Mary Harbison, violin; David Satz, clarinet;
Ursula Oppens, piano. Tracks 1-6: Mirabai Songs, text from Mirabai Versions by
Robert Bly. Tracks 7-10: Variations, for violin, clarinet, and piano. Track listing:
Concerto for Double Brass Choir and Orchestra: I. Invention on a Motif: Tempo giusto
II. Invention on a Chord: Cantabile
III. Invention on a Cadence: Molto allegro
At First Light (1998). Archetype Records 60106. Performed by
Lorraine Hunt, mezzo-soprano,
Dawn Upshaw, soprano, Greenleaf Chamber Players, and Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Scott Yoo. Tracks:
Due Libri dei Mottetti di Montale
Snow Country
Chorale Cantata
Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Strings
John Harbison: Ulysses' Bow / Samuel Chapter (2004). First Edition ASIN: B0002RQ35C. Tracks:
Samuel Chapter performed by
Susan Larson (soprano) and conducted by John Harbison
The Reawakening, String Quartet No. 3, Fantasia on a Ground, Thanks Victor (2001). Musica Omnia om0110. Lydian String Quartet, Dominique Labelle, soprano.
Sessions: Symphony No. 2; Harbison: Symphony No. 2, Oboe Concerto (1994). London 443 376-2. San Francisco Symphony, Herbert Blomstedt, conductor, William Bennet, oboe.
Simple Daylight/Words from Patterson/Piano Quintet, (1999). Electra Nonesuch 79189-2. Boston Symphony Chamber Players, Gilbert Kalish, piano, Sanford Sylvan, baritone, Dawn Upshaw, soprano.
Four Psalms/Emerson (2004). New World Records 80613-2. Cantata Singers and Ensemble, David Hoose, conductor.
Mottetti di Montale (2005). Koch KIC-CD-7545. Collage New Music; David Hoose, music director; Janice Felty and Margaret Lattimore, mezzo-sopranos.[8]
Four Songs of Solitude/Variations/Twilight Music (2003) Naxos. Daniel Blumenthal, Jannine Jansen, Lars Wouters van der Oudenweijer, Bernhard Krug, Spectrum Concerts Berlin.
Charity Never Faileth (2004), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled (2004), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
My Little Children, Let Us Not Love in Word (2004), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
commissioned by the Cantata Singers
But Mary Stood (2005), for soprano solo, choir and string orchestra
commissioned by the Cantata Singers
Umbrian Landscape with Saint (2005), for optional choir and chamber ensemble
commissioned by the Chicago Chamber Musicians
A Clear Midnight (2007), for T.T.B.B. choir and five strings
commissioned by the Georgina Joshi Foundation for
Indiana University and the Pro Arte Singers
Madrigal (2007), for a cappella S.A.T.B.B. choir
commissioned by the New York Virtuoso Singers
The Pool (2010), for S.A.T.B. choir and piano
Koussevitzky Said: Choral Scherzo with Orchestra (2012), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra: commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the
Tanglewood Music Festival
The Supper at Emmaus (2013), for S.A.T.B. choir, two oboes, bassoon, organ and string orchestra
Never Time (2015), for jazz choir and jazz band
Psalm 116 (2016), for a cappella S.S.S.A.A.A.T.T.T.B.B.B. choir
Sonata for Viola and Piano (2018), for viola and piano
commissioned anonymously in honor of John Harbison's 80th birthday
Vocal
Autumnal (1964), for alto and piano
Cantata III (1968), for soprano, two violins, viola and cello
Moments of Vision (1975), for soprano and tenor doubling handbells, alto recorder/sopranino recorder/bass recorder/alto krumhorn, lute/hurdy-gurdy/dulcimer and gamba
Samuel Chapter (1978), for high voice (woman or boy) and six players
Due Libri (1980), for mezzo-soprano and nine players
commissioned by the New York Philomusica and
Robert Levin
Mottetti di Montale (1980), for mezzo-soprano and nine players or piano
John Harris Harbison (born December 20, 1938) is an American
composer and academic.
Life
John Harris Harbison was born on December 20, 1938, in
Orange, New Jersey, to the historian
Elmore Harris Harbison and Janet German Harbison. The Harbisons were a musical family; Elmore had studied composition in his youth and Janet wrote songs.[1] Harbison's sisters Helen and Margaret were musicians as well. He won the prestigious
BMI Foundation's Student Composer Awards for composition at the age of 16 in 1954. He studied music at
Harvard University (BA 1960), where he sang with the
Harvard Glee Club, and later at the Berlin Musikhochschule and at
Princeton (MFA 1963). He is an
Institute Professor of music at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a former student of
Walter Piston and
Roger Sessions. His works include several symphonies, string quartets, and concerti for violin, viola, and double bass.
In 1991, Harbison was the music director of the
Ojai Music Festival in conjunction with
Peter Maxwell Davies. He has served as principal guest conductor for
Emmanuel Music in
Boston.[6] After founding director
Craig Smith's death in 2007, Harbison was named acting artistic director. Harbison and his wife, Rose Mary Harbison, a violinist, ran the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival from 1989 to 2022.[7]
Partial discography
Mirabai Songs / Variations (1987). Northeastern Records NR 230-CD. Performed by Janice Felty, mezzo-soprano,
Collage New Music Ensemble, conducted by John Harbison — Rose Mary Harbison, violin; David Satz, clarinet;
Ursula Oppens, piano. Tracks 1-6: Mirabai Songs, text from Mirabai Versions by
Robert Bly. Tracks 7-10: Variations, for violin, clarinet, and piano. Track listing:
Concerto for Double Brass Choir and Orchestra: I. Invention on a Motif: Tempo giusto
II. Invention on a Chord: Cantabile
III. Invention on a Cadence: Molto allegro
At First Light (1998). Archetype Records 60106. Performed by
Lorraine Hunt, mezzo-soprano,
Dawn Upshaw, soprano, Greenleaf Chamber Players, and Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Scott Yoo. Tracks:
Due Libri dei Mottetti di Montale
Snow Country
Chorale Cantata
Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Strings
John Harbison: Ulysses' Bow / Samuel Chapter (2004). First Edition ASIN: B0002RQ35C. Tracks:
Samuel Chapter performed by
Susan Larson (soprano) and conducted by John Harbison
The Reawakening, String Quartet No. 3, Fantasia on a Ground, Thanks Victor (2001). Musica Omnia om0110. Lydian String Quartet, Dominique Labelle, soprano.
Sessions: Symphony No. 2; Harbison: Symphony No. 2, Oboe Concerto (1994). London 443 376-2. San Francisco Symphony, Herbert Blomstedt, conductor, William Bennet, oboe.
Simple Daylight/Words from Patterson/Piano Quintet, (1999). Electra Nonesuch 79189-2. Boston Symphony Chamber Players, Gilbert Kalish, piano, Sanford Sylvan, baritone, Dawn Upshaw, soprano.
Four Psalms/Emerson (2004). New World Records 80613-2. Cantata Singers and Ensemble, David Hoose, conductor.
Mottetti di Montale (2005). Koch KIC-CD-7545. Collage New Music; David Hoose, music director; Janice Felty and Margaret Lattimore, mezzo-sopranos.[8]
Four Songs of Solitude/Variations/Twilight Music (2003) Naxos. Daniel Blumenthal, Jannine Jansen, Lars Wouters van der Oudenweijer, Bernhard Krug, Spectrum Concerts Berlin.
Charity Never Faileth (2004), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled (2004), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
My Little Children, Let Us Not Love in Word (2004), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir
commissioned by the Cantata Singers
But Mary Stood (2005), for soprano solo, choir and string orchestra
commissioned by the Cantata Singers
Umbrian Landscape with Saint (2005), for optional choir and chamber ensemble
commissioned by the Chicago Chamber Musicians
A Clear Midnight (2007), for T.T.B.B. choir and five strings
commissioned by the Georgina Joshi Foundation for
Indiana University and the Pro Arte Singers
Madrigal (2007), for a cappella S.A.T.B.B. choir
commissioned by the New York Virtuoso Singers
The Pool (2010), for S.A.T.B. choir and piano
Koussevitzky Said: Choral Scherzo with Orchestra (2012), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra: commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the
Tanglewood Music Festival
The Supper at Emmaus (2013), for S.A.T.B. choir, two oboes, bassoon, organ and string orchestra
Never Time (2015), for jazz choir and jazz band
Psalm 116 (2016), for a cappella S.S.S.A.A.A.T.T.T.B.B.B. choir
Sonata for Viola and Piano (2018), for viola and piano
commissioned anonymously in honor of John Harbison's 80th birthday
Vocal
Autumnal (1964), for alto and piano
Cantata III (1968), for soprano, two violins, viola and cello
Moments of Vision (1975), for soprano and tenor doubling handbells, alto recorder/sopranino recorder/bass recorder/alto krumhorn, lute/hurdy-gurdy/dulcimer and gamba
Samuel Chapter (1978), for high voice (woman or boy) and six players
Due Libri (1980), for mezzo-soprano and nine players
commissioned by the New York Philomusica and
Robert Levin
Mottetti di Montale (1980), for mezzo-soprano and nine players or piano