Arnold Rosner (November 8, 1945 in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

– November 8, 2013) was an American composer of

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" al ...

Biography

Rosner got his training at

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by ...

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

. According to his own account, he "learned practically nothing" there. Rosner developed an individual style that fused elements of

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

music with the heightened drama and rich sonorities of late

romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

. He composed three operas, eight

symphonies A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning co ...

, six

string quartet The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinist ...

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small nu ...

and songs. Many of his compositions were influenced by his Jewish background, but also by

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Most of his music is available on recording.

Principal works

Operas

* ''Chronicle of Nine: The Tragedy of Queen Jane'', Op. 81 (1984); libretto by Florence Stevenson * ''Bontsche Schweig'', Chamber Opera, Op. 102 (1994) * ''Spinoza'', Chamber Opera, Op. 123 (2011); libretto by the composer, including some prayers and historical documents

Symphonies

* Symphony No. 1, Op. 3 (1961) * Symphony No. 2, Op. 8 (1961) * Symphony No. 3, Op. 20 (1963) * Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 (1964) * Symphony No. 5 ''Missa sine Cantoribus super "Salve Regina"'', Op. 57 (1973) * Symphony No. 6, Op. 64 (1976) * Symphony No. 7 in A minor ''The Tragedy of Queen Jane'', Op. 78 (1982); based on the opera ''The Chronicle of Nine'', Op. 81 (1984) * Symphony No. 8 ''Trinity'', for Concert Band, Op. 84 (1988)

Concertos

* Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 14 (1962) * Violin Concerto, Op. 17 (1962) * Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 30 (1965) * Five Meditations, for English Horn, Harp and Strings, Op. 36 (1967) * ''A Gentle Musicke'', for Flute and String orchestra, Op. 44 (1969) * Concerto for 2 Trumpets, Strings, and Timpani, Op. 107 (1997) * Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings, Op. 113 (2000)

Other symphonic works

* ''A Soldier's Prayer'', Op. 7 (1961) * ''Sacred Service'', for SATB choir and orchestra, Op. 15 (1962) * ''Cycle of Spring'', Op. 23 (1963) * Passacaglia for orchestra, Op. 24 (1963) * Toccata Concertante, Op. 27 (1964) * Partita for orchestra, Op. 33 (1966) * Six Pastoral Dances, Op. 40 (1968) * ''Perchance to Dream'', for Orchestra (and SATB choir ad libitum), Op. 45 (1969) * ''A MyLai Elegy'', Op. 51 (1971) * Requiem, Op. 59 (1973) * Concerto Grosso No. 1, Op. 60 (1974) * Five ''Ko-ans'', Op. 65 (1976) * Responses, Hosanna and Fugue, for String orchestra, Op. 67 (1977) * Nocturne for orchestra, Op. 68 (1978) * Concerto Grosso No. 2, Op. 74 (1979) * ''Consort Music'', Op. 75, version for orchestra (1980); originally written for five viole da gamba * ''The Tragedy of Queen Jane'', Op. 78 * ''From the Diaries of Adam Czerniakow'', Op. 82 (1986) * Transformations, Op. 87 (1990) * ''Gematria'', Op. 93 (1991) * ''A Sephardic Rhapsody'', Op. 95 (1992) * Variations on a Theme by Frank Martin, Op. 105 (1996) * ''Tempus Perfectum'', Concert Overture, Op. 109 (1998) * ''A Millenium Overture'', Op. 112 (1999); orchestration of the 3rd movement of the Cello Sonata No. 2 ''La Divina Commedia'', Op. 89 (1990) * Unraveling Dances, Op. 122 (2007)

Works for concert band, symphonic band and brass band

* Fantasia quasi una Toccata, for Brass Band, Op. 31 (1965) * Canzona sopra un tema di Monteverdi, for Brass Band, Op. 38 (1968) * Canzona Secundi Toni, for Brass Band, Op. 63 (1975) * Quintet for Brass, Op. 70 (1978) * Symphony No. 8 ''Trinity'', for Concert Band, Op. 84 (1988) * ''Lovely Joan'', Rhapsody on an English Folk Song, for Concert Band, Op. 88 (1990) * ''De Profundis'', for Concert Band, Op. 91 (1991) * ''Dances of Initiation'', for Concert Band, Op. 98 (1993) * ''Eclipse'', for Concert Band, Op. 100 (1994) * ''RAGA !'', for Concert Band, Op. 104 (1995) * Three Northern Sketches, for Symphonic Band, Op. 117 (2003) * ''Now Cometh the Redeemer'', for Symphonic Band, Op. 119 (2005); transcription of the 2nd movement of the ''String Sextet'', Op. 47 (1970; revised in 1997)

String quartets

* String Quartet No. 1, Op. 10 (1962) * String Quartet No. 2, Op. 19 (1963; revised in 1993) * String Quartet No. 3, Op. 32 (1965; revised in 1992) * String Quartet No. 4, Op. 56 (1972) * String Quartet No. 5, Op. 66 (1977) * String Quartet No. 6, Op. 118 (2004); dedicated to Mattias Vanderwerf

Other chamber works

* Sonata for Flute and Cello, Op. 16 (1962; revised in 1975) * Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1, Op. 18 (1963; revised in 2004) * Woodwind Quintet, Op. 26 (1964; revised in 1997) * Piano Quintet No. 1, for Piano and String Quartet, Op. 35 (1967) * Concertino, for Harp, Harpsichord, Celesta and Piano, Op. 39 (1968; revised in 1989) * Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1, Op. 41 (1968) * String Sextet, for two violins, two violas and two cellos, Op. 47 (1970; revised in 1997) * Sonata for Oboe and Piano, Op. 54 (1972) * Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2, Op. 54a (1972); transcription of the ''Oboe Sonata'', Op. 54 * Quintet for Brass, Op. 70 (1978) * Sonata for French Horn and Piano, Op. 71 (1979) * ''Consort Music'', for 5 viole da gamba, Op. 75 (1980); also orchestrated * Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 ''La Divina Commedia'', Op. 89 (1990); 3rd movement orchestrated in 1999 as ''A Millenium Overture'', Op. 112 * ''A Duet for Violas'', Op. 94 (1991); also transcribed by Maxine Neuman for two cellos * ''Danses a la Mode'', Op. 101 (1994); also transcribed by the composer for violin * Piano Quintet No. 2, for Piano and String Quartet, Op. 103 (1995) * Sonata in B-flat for Trombone and Piano, Op. 106 (1996) * ''Serpentine'' for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 110 (1999) * ''Clausulae'' for Trombones, Op. 115 (2001) * Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 121 (2006) * ''Minyan'', for Viola and Guitar, Op. 124 (2013)

Piano works

* Improvisation (No. 1) in G minor, Op. 1 (1958) * Improvisation (No. 2) in E minor, Op. 2 (1958) * ''Adam and Eve'', Op. 4 (1961) * Toccata in A major, Op. 6 (1961) * Grand Waltz, Op. 9 (1961) * Prelude in E minor, Op. 11 (1956); juvenilia, written before Op. 1 * Minuet in C major, Op. 12 (1956); juvenilia, written before Op. 1 * Waltz in G minor, Op. 13 (1956); juvenilia, written before Op. 1 * Piano Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 25 (1963) * Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 48 (1970) * ''And He Sent Forth a Dove'', Op. 49 (1971) * ''Wedding March'', Op. 53 (1971); also version for organ * Piano Sonata No. 3 in A minor ''Sonata Eterea'', Op. 69 (1978) * ''Of Numbers and of Bells'', Op. 79 (1983) * ''Etz Chaim'', Op. 99 (1993)

Works for other solo instruments

* ''Christmas Frescoes'', for Percussion, Op. 46 (1970; revised in 1997) * ''Wedding March'', for Organ, Op. 53 (1971); also version for piano * ''Musique de Clavecin'', for Harpsichord, Op. 61 (1974) * Prelude and Fugue, for Percussion, Op. 76 (1980) * ''Sonatine d'Amour'', for Harpsichord, Op. 83 (1987) * ''A Plaintive Harmony'', for solo Horn, Op. 85 (1988) * ''3,7'', for solo Harp, Op. 114 (2000)

References

External links

* *
IN MEMORIAM: ARNOLD ROSNER (1945-2013)
May, 1994 {{DEFAULTSORT:Rosner, Arnold 1945 births American male classical composers American classical composers Jewish American classical composers 2013 deaths Musicians from New York City University at Buffalo alumni 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers 21st-century American composers 20th-century American composers Classical musicians from New York (state) 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians Albany Records artists 21st-century American Jews