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John Harris Harbison (born December 20, 1938) is an American
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...
and academic.


Life

John Harris Harbison was born on December 20, 1938, in
Orange, New Jersey The City of Orange (known simply as Orange) is a Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 34,447, an increase o ...
, 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. 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 Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
(BA 1960), where he sang with the Harvard Glee Club, and later at the Berlin Musikhochschule and at
Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...
(MFA 1963). He is an Institute Professor of music at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
. He is a former student of
Walter Piston Walter Hamor Piston, Jr. (January 20, 1894 – November 12, 1976), was an American composer of classical music, music theorist, and professor of music at Harvard University. Life Piston was born in Rockland, Maine at 15 Ocean Street to Walter ...
and
Roger Sessions Roger Huntington Sessions (December 28, 1896March 16, 1985) was an American composer, teacher, and writer on music. He had started his career writing in a neoclassical style, but gradually moved towards complex harmonies and postromanticism, a ...
. His works include several symphonies, string quartets, and concerti for violin, viola, and double bass. Harbison won the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
for music in 1987 for '' The Flight into Egypt'', and in 1989 he received a $305,000
MacArthur Fellowship The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and colloquially called the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the MacArthur Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to typically between 20 and ...
. In 1998, he received the 4th annual
Heinz Award The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Foundations, Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Eco ...
in the Arts and Humanities. He was awarded the Harvard Arts Medal in 2000. In 2006, a recording of his ''Mottetti di Montale'' was nominated for a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
in the Best Small Ensemble Performance category. The
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
commissioned Harbison's ''
The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' () is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious mi ...
'' to celebrate
James Levine James Lawrence Levine ( ; June 23, 1943 – March 9, 2021) was an American conductor and pianist. He was music director of the Metropolitan Opera from 1976 to 2016. He was terminated from all his positions and affiliations with the Met on March ...
's 25th anniversary with the company. The opera premiered on December 20, 1999, conducted by Levine, with Jerry Hadley,
Dawn Upshaw Dawn Upshaw (born July 17, 1960) is an American soprano. She is the recipient of several Grammy Awards and has released a number of Edison Award-winning discs; she performs both opera and art song, and her repertoire spans Baroque to contempo ...
,
Susan Graham Susan Graham (born July 23, 1960) is an American mezzo-soprano. Life and career Susan Graham was born in Roswell, New Mexico on July 23, 1960. Raised in Midland, Texas, Graham is a graduate of Texas Tech University and the Manhattan School of ...
, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mark Baker, Dwayne Croft, and Richard Paul Fink among the cast. In 1991, Harbison was the music director of the
Ojai Music Festival The Ojai Music Festival is an annual classical music festival in the United States. Held in Ojai, California (75 miles northwest of Los Angeles), for four days every June, the festival presents music, symposia, and educational programs emphasizi ...
in conjunction with
Peter Maxwell Davies Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (8 September 1934 – 14 March 2016) was an English composer and conductor, who in 2004 was made Master of the Queen's Music. As a student at both the University of Manchester and the Royal Manchester College of Music ...
. He has served as principal guest conductor for
Emmanuel Music Emmanuel Music is a Boston-based collective group of singers and instrumentalists founded in 1970 by Craig Smith. It was created specifically to perform the complete cycle of over 200 sacred cantatas of J. S. Bach in the liturgical setting for wh ...
in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. 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.


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 Robert Elwood Bly (December 23, 1926 – November 21, 2021) was an American poet, essayist, activist and leader of the mythopoetic men's movement. His best-known prose book is '' Iron John: A Book About Men'' (1990), which spent 62 weeks on ...
. Tracks 7-10: ''Variations'', for violin, clarinet, and piano. Track listing: #I. It's True, I Went to the Market #II. All I Was Doing Was Breathing #III. Why Mira Can't Go Back to Her Old House #IV. Where Did You Go? #V. The Clouds #VI. Don't Go, Don't Go #Variations i–v #Variations vi–x #Variations xi–xv #Finale and Epilogue *''The Flight into Egypt and other works by John Harbison'' (1990).
New World Records New World Records is a record label that was established in 1975 through a Rockefeller Foundation grant to celebrate America's bicentennial (1976) by producing a 100-LP anthology, with American music from many genres.Cantata Singers and Ensemble, The Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, and The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Conducted by David Hoose, John Harbison, and
André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...
. Tracks: #'' The Flight into Egypt'', text from the King James translation of the story of the
Flight into Egypt The flight into Egypt is a story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13–Matthew 2:23, 23) and in New Testament apocrypha. Soon after the Biblical Magi, visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Saint Joseph, Joseph in a dream telling ...
in the
Gospel of Matthew The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells the story of who the author believes is Israel's messiah (Christ (title), Christ), Jesus, resurrection of Jesus, his res ...
#''The Natural World'': Prelude #Where We Must Look for Help, text from
Robert Bly Robert Elwood Bly (December 23, 1926 – November 21, 2021) was an American poet, essayist, activist and leader of the mythopoetic men's movement. His best-known prose book is '' Iron John: A Book About Men'' (1990), which spent 62 weeks on ...
#On the Road Home, text from
Wallace Stevens Wallace Stevens (October 2, 1879 – August 2, 1955) was an American modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, educated at Harvard and then New York Law School, and spent most of his life working as an executive for an insurance compa ...
#Milkweed, text from James Wright #''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 Lorraine T. Hunt (born March 11, 1939) is an American businesswoman, former politician and entertainer who served as the 32nd lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1999 to 2007. Hunt was elected to the Clark County Commission (Nevada), Clark Coun ...
, mezzo-soprano,
Dawn Upshaw Dawn Upshaw (born July 17, 1960) is an American soprano. She is the recipient of several Grammy Awards and has released a number of Edison Award-winning discs; she performs both opera and art song, and her repertoire spans Baroque to contempo ...
, 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: #''Ulysses' Bow'' ballet performed by
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra is resident at Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. Since 2008, the orchestra's music director is Manfred Ho ...
and conducted by
André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...
#''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. *World Premiere Recordings: Violin Concerto, Recordare, Seven Motets (1997). Koch 3-7310-2-H1. Emmanuel Music, Craig Smith, conductor, Rose-Mary Harbison, violin. *Sessions: Symphony No. 2; Harbison: Symphony No. 2, Oboe Concerto (1994). London 443 376-2. San Francisco Symphony, Herbert Blomstedt, conductor, William Bennet, oboe. *String Quartet No.1/String Quartet No. 2/''November 19, 1828'' (1992). Lydian String Quartet, Yehudi Wyner, piano. *''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. * ''Four Songs of Solitude/Variations/Twilight Music'' (2003) Naxos. Daniel Blumenthal, Jannine Jansen, Lars Wouters van der Oudenweijer, Bernhard Krug, Spectrum Concerts Berlin.


Works


Operas

*''Full Moon in March'' (1977) – chamber opera *''Winter's Tale'' (1979) – based on the play by
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
*''
The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' () is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with Jay Gatsby, a mysterious mi ...
'' (1999) – based on the 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, commissioned by the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...


Ballet

*''Ulysses'' (1983)


Orchestral

* Incidental Music from ''The Merchant of Venice'' (1971), for string orchestra * ''Elegiac Songs'' (1974), for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation * ''Diotima'' (1976) *:commissioned by the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
*Piano Concerto (1978), for piano and chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra for Robert Miller *''Snow Country'' (1979), for oboe and string orchestra *:commissioned by Dr. Maurice Pechet, New England arts patron *Violin Concerto (1978–80), for violin and chamber orchestra *:written for Rose Mary Harbison * Symphony No. 1 (1981) *:commissioned by the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
*Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet and String Orchestra (1985) *:commissioned by the National Endowment of the Arts for the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the International Chamber Soloists, the Wall Street Chamber Players, the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts, the
Carnegie-Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a Private university, private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became t ...
and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. *''Remembering Gatsby'' (1985) *:commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra * Symphony No. 2 (1987) *:commissioned by the
San Francisco Symphony The San Francisco Symphony, founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980 the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city's Hayes Valley, San Francisco, Hayes Valley ne ...
in celebration of the orchestra's seventy-fifth anniversary season *Concerto for Double Brass Choir and Orchestra (1988), for twelve brass soli and chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...
* Viola Concerto (1988), for viola and orchestra *:commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony * Symphony No. 3 (1990) *:commissioned by the
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, ...
*''David's Fascinating Rhythm Method'' (1991), for chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, ...
*''Three City Blocks'' (1991), for concert band *:commissioned by the concert bands of the
New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...
,
University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...
,
Florida State University Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
, U.S. Air Force,
Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...
,
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
and
University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
. * Oboe Concerto (1991), for oboe and orchestra *:commissioned by the
San Francisco Symphony The San Francisco Symphony, founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980 the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city's Hayes Valley, San Francisco, Hayes Valley ne ...
*Cello Concerto (1993), for cello and orchestra *:commissioned by
Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is a French-born American Cello, cellist. Born to Chinese people, Chinese parents in Paris, he was regarded as a child prodigy there and began to study the cello with his father at age four. At the age of seven, ...
and the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia F ...
*''The Most Often Used Chords'' (1993), for chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) is an American chamber orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. LACO presents its Orchestral Series concerts at two venues, the Alex Theatre in Glendale and UCLA's Royce Hall. History James Arkatov, ...
*Flute Concerto (1994), for flute and orchestra *:commissioned by Ransom Wilson and the American Composers Orchestra *''Olympic Dances'' (1996), for concert band *:commissioned by the College Band Directors National Association * ''Partita'' (2001) *:commissioned by the
Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...
* Symphony No. 4 (2003) *:commissioned by the Seattle Symphony *''Crane Sightings'' (2004), for violin and string orchestra *:written for Rose Mary Harbison, the composer's wife *''Darkbloom: Overture for an Imagined Opera'' (2004) *:commissioned by the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
*''Canonical American Songbook'' (2005) *:commissioned by the Albany Symphony Orchestra *Concerto for Bass Viol (2005), for double bass and chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the International Society of Bassists *'' Milosz Songs'' (2006), for soprano and orchestra *:commissioned by the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
for
Dawn Upshaw Dawn Upshaw (born July 17, 1960) is an American soprano. She is the recipient of several Grammy Awards and has released a number of Edison Award-winning discs; she performs both opera and art song, and her repertoire spans Baroque to contempo ...
*''Rubies (after Thelonius Monk's "Ruby, My Dear")'' (2006) *:commissioned by
Gerard Schwarz Gerard Schwarz (born August 19, 1947), also known as Gerry Schwarz or Jerry Schwarz, is an American symphony conductor and trumpeter. As of 2019, Schwarz serves as the Artistic and Music Director of Palm Beach Symphony and the Director of Orc ...
and the Seattle Symphony *''The Great Gatsby – Suite'' (2007) *:commissioned by the
Aspen Music Festival and School The Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) is a European classical music, classical music festival held annually in Aspen, Colorado. It is noted both for its concert programming and the musical training it offers to mostly young-adult music stu ...
* Symphony No. 5 (2007), for mezzo-soprano, baritone soli and orchestra *:commissioned by the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
*''Mary Lou (Four Symphonic Memories of Mary Lou Williams)'' (2008) *:commissioned by the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony * Double Concerto for Violin and Cello (2009), for violin, cello and orchestra *:commissioned by the Friends of the Dresden Music Foundation for the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
*''Closer to My Own Life'' (2011), for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra * Symphony No. 6 (2011), for mezzo-soprano and orchestra *:commissioned by
James Levine James Lawrence Levine ( ; June 23, 1943 – March 9, 2021) was an American conductor and pianist. He was music director of the Metropolitan Opera from 1976 to 2016. He was terminated from all his positions and affiliations with the Met on March ...
and the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
*''Crossroads'' (2012), for soprano/mezzo-soprano, oboe and string orchestra ''or'' oboe, two violins, viola, cello and double bass *''Koussevitzky Said'' (2012), for S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra *'' What Do We Make of Bach?'' (2018), for organ obbligato and orchestra *:commissioned by
Minnesota Orchestra The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall. History Th ...
, Seattle Symphony and Northrop at the University of Minnesota


Choral

*''In Spiritu: Prayer'' (1955), for a cappella male-voice choir *''Ave Maria'' (1959), for a cappella S.S.A.A. choir *''He Shall Not Cry'' (1959), for S.A. choir and organ *''Five Songs of Experience'' (1971), for S.A.T.B. choir, two percussion and string quartet *:commissioned by the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Boston for the Cantata Singers *''Music When Soft Voices Die'' (1966), for S.A.T.B. choir and harpsichord ''or'' organ *:commissioned by the Cantata Singers *''Nunc Dimittis'' (1975), for T.B. choir and piano *:commissioned by the Harvard Glee Club *''The Flower-Fed Buffaloes'' (1976), for baritone solo, S.S.A.T.B.B. choir and instrumental ensemble *:commissioned by the
New York State Bar Association The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) is a voluntary bar association for the state of New York. The mission of the association is to cultivate the science of jurisprudence; promote reform in the law; facilitate the administration of justice ...
*'' The Flight into Egypt'' (1986), for soprano, baritone soli, S.A.T.B. choir and chamber orchestra *:commissioned by the Cantata Singers *''Two Emmanuel Motets'' (1990), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir *:commissioned by the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Boston *''Ave Verum Corpus'' (1991), for a cappella S.S.A.T.B. choir *:commissioned by the Emmanuel Choir, Boston and the Ojai Festival *''O Magnum Mysterium'' (1991/92), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir *:commissioned by Saturday Evening Brass *''Veni Creator Spiritus'' (1992), for a cappella T.B. choir *:commissioned by the Rosalind Denny Lewis Music Library at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
*''Communion Words'' (1994), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir *''Concerning Them Which Are Asleep'' (1994), for a cappella S.S.A.T.B.B. choir *''Emerson'' (1995), a cappella S.A.T.B. double choir *:commissioned by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Music for their 100th anniversary (1995) *''Juste Judex'' (1995), for mezzo-soprano, baritone soli, S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra *:commissioned as part of the Requiem of Reconciliation *''Evening (Der Abend)'' (1997), for a cappella S.A.T.B. double choir *''Four Psalms'' (1998), for S.A.T.B. soli, S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra *:commissioned by the Israeli Consulate for the Chicago Symphony *''Psalm 137'' (1998), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir *
Requiem A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is ...
(1985–2002), for S.A.T.B. soli, S.A.T.B. choir and orchestra *:commissioned by the
Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
*''We do not live to ourselves'' (2002), for a cappella S.A.T.B. choir *''Abraham'' (2004), for double S.A.T.B. choir and two large brass choirs *:commissioned for the Papal Concert of Reconciliation in Rome for the Ankara Polyphonic Choir, London Philharmonic Choir, Krakow Philharmonic Choir and musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony *''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 Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...
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 Tanglewood Music Festival is a music festival held every summer on the Tanglewood estate in Stockbridge and Lenox in the Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts. The festival consists of a series of concerts, including symphonic music, c ...
*''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 *:commissioned by Chanticleer


Chamber

* ''Andante con moto'' (1955), for cello and piano * ''Duo'' (1961), for flute and piano * ''Canzonetta'' (1962), for bassoon quartet * ''Confinement'' (1965), for twelve players *:written for the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and Arthur Weisberg * ''Four Preludes from "December Music"'' (1967), for flexible instrumentation: 3 instruments – flute, violin, oboe, clarinet * Serenade (1968), for flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, viola and cello * Piano Trio (1969), for violin, cello and piano * ''Bermuda Triangle'' (1970), for tenor saxophone, electric organ and amplified cello *:commissioned by the New York Camerata * ''Die Kurze'' (1970), for flute, clarinet, piano, violin and cello *:commissioned by the New York Composer's Forum * ''Snow Country'' (1979), for oboe and string quintet *:commissioned by Dr. Maurice Pechet * Wind Quintet (1979), for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon *:commissioned by the Naumburg Foundation * ''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 *:commissioned by New York Philomusica, the
University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...
and
Collage Collage (, from the , "to glue" or "to stick together") is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assembly of different forms, thus creating a new whole. (Compare with pasti ...
* ''Organum for Paul Fromm'' (1981), for glockenspiel, marimba, vibraphone, harpsichord and piano *:commissioned by the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
* Piano Quintet (1981), for two violins, viola, cello and piano *:commissioned by the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
* ''Exequien for Calvin Simmons'' (1982), for seven players * ''Overture: Michael Kohlhaas'' (1982), for twelve brass * Variations (1982), for clarinet, violin and piano *:commissioned by Frank Taplin for the Token Creek Festival,
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
* String Quartet No. 1 (1985), for two violins, viola and cello *:commissioned by the Cleveland Quartet * ''Twilight Music'' (1985), for horn, violin and piano *:commissioned by the
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) is an American organization dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music in New York City and around the world. It is the largest organization of its kind in the country for chamber m ...
* ''Fanfare for Foley's'' (1986), for twelve brass and two percussion * ''Music for Eighteen Winds'' (1986) *:commissioned by the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
* String Quartet No. 2 (1987), for two violins, viola and cello * ''Two Chorale Preludes for Advent (from "Christmas Vespers")'' (1987), for brass quintet * ''Fantasy-Duo'' (1988), for violin and piano *:commissioned by the McKim Fund in the Library of Congress for David Abel and Julie Steinberg * ''Little Fantasy on "The Twelve Days of Christmas"'' (1988), for brass quintet * ''November 19, 1828'' (1988), for violin, viola, cello and piano *:commissioned by the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...
for the Atlanta Chamber Players, the Da Capo Chamber Players and
Voices of Change Voices of Change is a professional chamber music ensemble based in Dallas, Texas, United States. Voices of Change performs small ensemble works by 20th- and 21st–century composers. History Voices of Change was founded in 1974 by pianist Jo Bo ...
* ''Fanfares and Reflection'' (1990), for two violins *:commissioned by Token Creek Festival * ''Fourteen Fabled Folksongs'' (1992), for violin and marimba * Prelude (1993), for cello and piano * String Quartet No. 3 (1993), for two violins, viola and cello * ''San Antonio'' (1994), for alto saxophone and piano * ''Thanks Victor'' (1994), for string quartet *:commissioned by the Lydian Quartet * Trio Sonata (1994), for three clarinets ''or'' three saxophones ''or'' oboe, cor Anglais and bassoon ''or'' string trio * ''Fanfare for a Free Man'' (1997), for three oboes and three bassoons * ''La Primavera di Sottoripa'' (1998), for mezzo-soprano and nine players *:commissioned by the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
* ''North and South'' (2000), for soprano/mezzo-soprano and seven players *:written for Lorraine Hunt Lieberson * ''Six American Painters'' (2000), for flute/oboe, violin, viola and cello *:commissioned by the radio station WGUC Cincinnati * ''Chaconne'' (2001), for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano * String Quartet No. 4 (2002), for two violins, viola and cello *:commissioned by the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
* ''Cucaraccia and Fugue'' (2003), for four violas *:commissioned by the Token Creek Festival * Trio II. (2003), for violin, cello and piano *:commissioned by the Harris Foundation, Chamber Music America and Meet the Composer for the Amelia Trio * ''Songs America Loves to Sing'' (2004), for flute, clarinet, piano, violin and cello *:commissioned by the Atlanta Chamber Players and the Da Capo Chamber Players * ''Abu Ghraib'' (2006), for cello and piano *:commissioned by the Rockport Festival for Rhonda Rider and David Deveau * ''Deep Dances'' (2006), for cello and double bass *:commissioned by the Bank of America Celebrity Series for Rebecca Rice * ''French Horn Suite'' (2006), for four French horns *:commissioned by the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
* ''Cortège: in memoriam Donald Sur'' (2008), for percussion sextet *:commissioned by the New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble * ''Diamond Watch'' (2010), for two pianos *:commissioned by the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
and Priscilla Myrick Diamond for Peter Diamond and pianist Robert Levin * ''Finale, Presto'' (2011), for two violins, viola and cello * ''Sonata No. 1'' (2011), for violin and piano * String Quartet No. 5 (2011), for two violins, viola and cello *:written in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Pro Arte Quartet * ''Crossroads'' (2012), for soprano or mezzo-soprano, oboe, two violins, viola, cello and double bass ''or'' oboe and string orchestra * ''Invention on a Theme of William Shakespeare'' (2012), for solo cello, two violins, viola and double bass * ''The Right to Pleasure'' (2013), for mezzo-soprano, two violins, viola, cello and double bass ''or'' piano * String Trio (2013), for violin, viola and cello *:commissioned by Camerata Pacifica audience members * ''The Cross of Snow'' (2015), for countertenor and four violas da gamba ''or'' two violins, viola and cello *:commissioned by William John Wartmann in memory of Joyce Frances Wartmann * ''Presences'' (2015), for cello solo, two violins, viola, cello and double bass *:commissioned by Charles Felsenthal in memory of David Anderson * ''Mark the Date'' (2016), for flute and piano *:commissioned by Asadour Santourian * ''The Nine Rasas'' (2016), for clarinet, viola and piano * String Quartet No. 6 (2016), for two violins, viola and cello *:commissioned by the Lark Quartet, Telegraph Quartet and
Tanglewood Music Center The Tanglewood Music Center is an annual summer music academy in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops. The center operates as a part of the Tanglew ...
* ''IF (monodrama for soprano and ensemble)'' (2017), for soprano and eight players *:commissioned by Boston Musica Viva for the 50th anniversary of Boston Musica Viva, the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
and the
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) is an American organization dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music in New York City and around the world. It is the largest organization of its kind in the country for chamber m ...
* ''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 *:commissioned by New York Philomusica, the
University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...
and
Collage Collage (, from the , "to glue" or "to stick together") is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assembly of different forms, thus creating a new whole. (Compare with pasti ...
*''Mirabai Songs'' (1982), for soprano/mezzo-soprano and eight players ''or'' piano * '' The Rewaking'' (1991), for soprano and string quartet (text of
William Carlos Williams William Carlos Williams (September 17, 1883 – March 4, 1963) was an American poet and physician closely associated with modernism and imagism. His '' Spring and All'' (1923) was written in the wake of T. S. Eliot's '' The Waste Land'' (1922). ...
) *''December 1'' (1995), for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra *''La Primavera di Sottoripa'' (1998), for mezzo-soprano and nine players *:commissioned by the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
*''Il Saliscendi Bianco'' (1999), for mezzo-soprano and nine players *:commissioned by
Collage Collage (, from the , "to glue" or "to stick together") is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assembly of different forms, thus creating a new whole. (Compare with pasti ...
*''North and South'' (2000), for soprano/mezzo-soprano and seven players *:written for Lorraine Hunt Lieberson *''Ain't Goin' to Study War No More'' (2003), for baritone, two trumpets, snare drum and string orchestra *'' Milosz Songs'' (2006), for soprano and orchestra *''Closer to My Own Life'' (2011), for mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra *''Crossroads'' (2012), for soprano or mezzo-soprano, oboe, two violins, viola, cello and double bass ''or'' oboe and string orchestra *:commissioned by the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
for
Dawn Upshaw Dawn Upshaw (born July 17, 1960) is an American soprano. She is the recipient of several Grammy Awards and has released a number of Edison Award-winning discs; she performs both opera and art song, and her repertoire spans Baroque to contempo ...
*''Seven Poems of Lorine Niedecker'' (2015), for soprano and piano *:composed in honor of the Tanglewood Music Center's 75th anniversary *''IF (monodrama for soprano and ensemble)'' (2017), for soprano and eight players *:commissioned by Boston Musica Viva in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Boston Musica Viva, the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
, and the
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) is an American organization dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music in New York City and around the world. It is the largest organization of its kind in the country for chamber m ...


Solo

*''Sonata for Viola Alone'' (1961) *''Amazing Grace'' (1972), for oboe *:commissioned by oboist Philip West *''Four Occasional Pieces'' (1978), for piano *:written for
André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...
, the
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six-week-long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known mu ...
and in memory of John Boros, respectively *''Parody-Fantasia'' (1980), for piano *:adapted from ''December Music'' *''Four Songs of Solitude'' (1985), for violin *:written for the composer's wife, Rose Mary Harbison *''Four More Occasional Pieces'' (1987), for piano *:written for Joan Tower, Harriet Thiele, Rose Mary Harbison and Milo Feinberg, respectively *Sonata No. 1 – ''In Memoriam Roger Sessions'' (1987), for piano *:commissioned by the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...
for Robert Shannon, Ursula Oppens and Alan Feinberg *Suite (1993), for cello *Trio Sonata (1994), for piano ''or'' harpsichord ''or''
fortepiano A fortepiano is an early piano. In principle, the word "fortepiano" can designate any piano dating from the invention of the instrument by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1700 up to the early 19th century. Most typically, however, it is used to ref ...
''or'' electric keyboard *:commissioned by the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
*''Gatsby Etudes'' (1999), for piano *''A Violist's Notebook, Book 1'' (1998–2000), for viola *Sonata No. 2 (2001), for piano *:commissioned by G. Schirmer Associated Music for Robert Levin, to whom the work is dedicated *''A Violist's Notebook, Book 2'' (2002), for viola *''Montale Sketches'' (2002), for piano *:after three poems by Eugenio Montale *''Ten Micro-Waltzes'' (2004), for piano *''Leonard Stein Anagrams'' (2009) *:written for Leonard Stein *''For Violin Alone'' (2014), for violin *:commissioned by
92nd Street Y 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a cultural and community center located in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood of the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the corner of East 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Founded in 1874 as the You ...
*''Painting the Flowers Blue'' (2015), for violin *''A Bag of Tails'' (2016), for piano *''Nocturne'' (2018), for piano *:commissioned in honor of Linda Reichert’s tenure as Artistic Director of Network for New Music *''Passage'' (2019), for piano *''Suite for Solo Violin, on soggetti cavati'' (2019), for violin


References


Further reading

*Harbison, John. "Six Tanglewood Talks (1, 2, 3)." ''
Perspectives of New Music ''Perspectives of New Music'' (PNM) is a peer-reviewed academic journal specializing in music theory Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Musi ...
'', 23, no. 2 (Spring–Summer 1985): 12–22. *Harbison, John. "Six Tanglewood Talks (4, 5, 6)." ''Perspectives of New Music'', 24, no. 1 (Autumn–Winter 1985): 46–60. *Harbison, John. "Symmetries and the New Tonality." ''Contemporary Music Review'', 6, no. 2 (1992): 71–79.


External links


Profile
Wise Music Classical
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) page on John Harbison
*
Infinite MIT video interview with John Harbison
* podcast of John Harbison discussing his String Quartet No. 3 (1993)

includes Harbison's ''Fantasia from Quartet No. 2'' performed by Del Sol Quartet
Bruce Duffie, interview with John Harbison, June 13, 1991
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harbison, John 1938 births 20th-century American classical composers 21st-century American classical composers American opera composers Harvard University alumni Living people MacArthur Fellows American male opera composers MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences faculty Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Musicians from Orange, New Jersey Pulitzer Prize for Music winners Pupils of Roger Sessions Pupils of Walter Piston Music & Arts artists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians Albany Records artists