Irwin Bazelon

Irwin Bazelon (b. Evanston, Illinois, June 4, 1922; d. August 2, 1995) was an American composer of contemporary classical music.

Bazelon obtained bachelor's and master's degrees from DePaul University. He studied composition with Paul Hindemith and Darius Milhaud. He composed nine symphonies and over 60 orchestral, chamber, and instrumental works. His music is recorded on Composers Recordings, Inc..

 


Chamber and Instrumental

Alliances (1989)
for Cello and Piano
Written for Dorothy Lawson.
First performance: Dorothy Lawson, cello; Faine Wright, piano; Weill Recital Hall, New York, New York; May 1991
Duration: 15'
cords: CD Troy 101

Bazz Ma Tazz (1992)
for Trombone and Percussion
8 ttbn, 4 btbn, 6 perc
Commissioned by Frank Epstein.
First performance: New England Conservatory Percussion Ensemble, Frank Epstein, conductor; Boston, Massachusetts; April 26, 1993
Duration: 12'

Brass Quintet (1963)
2 tpt in C, hn, ttbn, btbn
Commissioned by American Brass Quintet.
First performance by them; 92nd Street YMHA, New York, New York; March 22, 1964
Duration: 20'

Chamber Concerto No. 1 (1957)
for Eight Players
fl (pic), cl (E-flat cl), tpt, tba, vln, pno, 2perc
Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble.
First performance by them, the composer conducting; 92nd Street YMHA, New York, New York; January 20, 1957
Duration: 13'
Manuscript Composer's estate

Churchill Downs (1971)
Chamber Concerto No. 2
1 solo woodwind (asax+cl+fl) and 13 players: hn, 3tpt, 2tbn, elec gtr, elec bgtr (Fender), and str bass, elec org, elec pno, 3perc
Commissioned by Max Pollikoff, Music In Our Time series.
First performance: ensemble with composer conducting; 92nd Street YMHA, New York, New York; October 10, 1971.
Duration: 15'

Concatenations (1976)
for Percussion Quartet and Viola
Commissioned by Frank Epstein.
First performance: New England Conservatory of Music Percussion Ensemble, Frank Epstein, conductor; Burton Fine, viola; Boston, Massachusetts; May 1, 1977
Duration: 15'

Cross-Currents (1978)
for Brass Quintet and Solo Percussion
Written for Empire Brass Quintet.
First performance by them with Frank Epstein, percussion; Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts; January 16, 1981
Duration: 16' 20"

Double Crossings (1976)
Duo for Trumpet and Percussion
Double first performances: Gerard Schwarz, trumpet and Morris Lang, percussion; Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, New York; Rolf Smedvig, trumpet and Frank Epstein, percussion; Brown Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, Massachusetts; December 5, 1976
Duration: 12'

Duo (1970)
for Viola and Piano
First performance: Karen Phillips, viola and Glenn Jacobson, piano; Mohawk Trail Concert Series, Charlemont, Massachusetts; August, 1975
Duration: 14'


Early American Suite (1965)
for Wind Quintet and Harpsichord
fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, hpchd (or pno)
Duration: 12' 21"


Fairy Tale (1989)
for Solo Viola and Chamber Ensemble
fl, cl, bcl, hn, tpt, perc, pno, vcl, bass
First performance: North-South Consonance, the composer conducting; Lois Martin, viola; Merkin Hall, New York, New York; October 2, 1989
Duration: 15' 32"

Five Pieces for Piano (1952)
Duration: 10'
Five Pieces for Cello and Piano (1950)
First performance: Faine Wright, piano and Amanda Forsyth, cello; Composers Concordance, The New School, New York, New York; April, 1988
Duration: 10'

For Tuba. . .with Strings Attached (1982)
Tuba and String Quartet (or String Orchestra)
Written for Harvey Phillips.
First performance by him with the Laurentian String Quartet; Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, New York; January 10, 1985
Duration: 12'


Four. . .Parts of the World (1991)
Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano
(From poems by Wallace Stevens)
First performance: Joan Heller, soprano and Thomas Stumpf, piano; Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts; November 4, 1992
Duration: 14'

Fourscore (1985)
for Percussion Quartet
(First Movement of Fourscore + 2 -- )
Commissioned by the University of Wisconsin Music Dept.
First performance: University of Wisconsin Percussion Quartet; River Falls, Wisconsin; May 7, 1985
Duration: 10'

Fusions (1983)
for Chamber Ensemble
fl, pic, ob, Ehn, cl, bcl, bsn, hn, 2 tpt, tbn, pno, perc, vla, bass
Commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation.
First performance: Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, David Stock, conductor; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; October 22, 1984
Duration: 15'

Imprints. . .on ivory and strings (1978)
for Piano
Commissioned by Rebecca LaBrecque.
First performance by her; Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, New York; February 10, 1981
Duration: 20'

Legends and Love Letters (1987)
(Five Songs from Hart Crane Poems)
for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble
fl, ob, perc, pno, vla, vcl
First performance: Collage New Music Chamber Ensemble, Christopher Kendall, conductor, Joan Heller, soprano; Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.; November 5, 1988
Duration: 16'

Movimento da Camera (1954, revised 1960)
for Flute, Bassoon, Horn and Harpsichord
Duration: 10'

Partnership (1980)
for Timpani and Marimba
Commissioned by Jonathan Haas and William Moersch.
First performance by them; Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, New York; May 19, 1980
Duration: 10'
Score

Phenomena (1972)
for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble
1+1 3+2 1+1 / 1 1 1 0 / 2perc pno ("tacky barroom upright") / str 1 0 1 1 1
Duration: 15'

Piano Suite for Young People (1950)
Part One
1. Little Serenade (Duration: 1'46")
2. Christmas Carol (Duration: 1'52")
3. Dance for a Tomboy (Duration: 1')
4. Lullaby (Duration: 1'30")
5. Cowboy Tune (Duration: 1'12")
6. Prayer (Duration: 1'58")

Part Two
1. Prelude (Duration: 2'40")
2. The Clown and the Puppet (Duration: 1'3")
3. Circus Parade (Duration: 3'6")
4. The Haunted Chateau (Duration: 1'42")
5. Dance of an Elf (Duration: 3')
6. Goblins and Ghosts (Duration: 2'35")
First performance: Ruth Strassman; Town Hall, New York, New York; October 17, 1950
Custom print Peermusic

Propulsions (1974)
Concerto for Percussion
Scored for seven players and a wide variety of eastern, western and African instruments.
First performance: Brooklyn College Percussion Ensemble, Morris Lang, conductor; Alice Tully Hall, New York, New York, April 27, 1975
Duration: 20'

Quintessentials (1983)
for Flute, Clarinet, Marimba, Percussion and Bass
Commissioned by the New York Quintet.
First performance by them; Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, Maryland; November 3, 1983
Duration: 15'

Re-Percussions (1982)
for Two Pianos
Written for Richard Rodney Bennett and John Philips.
First performance by them; University of Akron, Ohio; February 9, 1983
Duration: 9' 02"

Sonata No. 1 for Piano (1947, revised April 1952)
First performance: Bernardo Segall; League of Composers Concert, Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; February 8, 1948
Duration: 14'
Manuscript Composer's estate

Sonata No. 2 for Piano (1949, revised 1952)
First performance: Marga Richter; International Society for Contemporary Music, New York, New York; April 9, 1950
Duration: 15'
Manuscript Composer's estate

Sonata No. 3 for Piano (1953)
First performance: Madelyn Robb; Hartt College of Music, Hartford, Connecticut; November 23, 1953
Duration: 12'
Manuscript Composer's estate

Sonatina for Piano (1952)
First performance: Faine Wright; Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, New York; January 15, 1989
Duration: 7'

Sound Dreams (1977)
for Chamber Ensemble . . . In Memory of James Jones
fl, cl, vla, vcl, pno, solo perc
Commissioned by Collage New Music Chamber Ensemble.
First performance by them, Gunther Schuller, conductor; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts; November 13, 1977
Duration: 12'

String Quartet No. 2 (1947)
Winner of American Federation of Women's Clubs competition, 1947.
First performance: New York String Quartet; McMillin Hall, Columbia University, New York, New York, October 23, 1948
Duration: 17'
Manuscript Composer's estate

Suite for Marimba (1980)
for Solo Marimba
Composed for William Moersch.
First performance by him; St. Stephens Church, New York, New York; January 15, 1984
Duration: 10'

Sunday Silence (1989)
for Solo Piano
Commissioned by Alan Mandel.
First performance by him; Weill Recital Hall, New York, New York; October 1, 1990
Duration: 12'

Three Men on a Dis-Course (1979)
for Clarinet, Cello and Solo Percussion
Commissioned by Meyer Kupferman.
First performance by him on clarinet; David Moore, cello; Jeff Krauss, percussion; Carnegie Recital Hall, New York, New York; April 9, 1980
Duration: 7'

Triple Play (1977)
for Two Trombones and Solo Percussion
First performance: University of Sheffield Ensemble, David Cox, conductor; University of Sheffield, England; March 11, 1982
Duration: 11'

Vignette (1975)
for Solo Harpsichord
Duration: 6' 23"

Woodwind Quintet (1975)
for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon
Commissioned by the Boehm Woodwind Quintette.
First performance by them; Alice Tully Hall, New York, New York; May 22, 1975
Duration: 19'



Vocal

Four. . .Parts of the World (1991)
Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano
Duration: 14'

Junctures for Orchestra (1979)
for Soprano and Orchestra
Duration: 17'
Legends and Love Letters (1988)
for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble
Duration: 15'

Phenomena (1972)
for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble
Duration: 15'



Recordings

A Quiet Piece for a Violent Time
Albany Records CD Troy 363
Rousse Philharmonic, Harold Farberman, conductor

Alliances
Albany Records CD Troy 101
Dorothy Lawson, cello; Michael Boriskin, piano

Brass Quintet
CRI American Masters Series CD 871
American Brass Quintet

Churchill Downs
(Chamber Concerto No. 2)
CRI American Masters Series CD 623
Chamber ensemble, Irwin Bazelon, conductor

Concatenations
For Percussions Quartet and Solo Viola
Albany Records CD Troy 602
New England Percussion Ensemble; James Dunham, viola; Frank Epstien, conductor

Cross-Currents
Albany Records CD Troy 282
Brass quintet; Jonathan Haas, percussion; Harold Farberman, conductor

Dramatic Fanfare
Albany Records CD Troy 101
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor

Duo for Viola and Piano
CRI American Masters Series CD 623
Karen Phillips, viola; Glenn Jacobson, piano

Early American Suite
(for Wind Quintet and Harpsichord)
Albany Records CD Troy 508
Orchestra of Sofia, Harold Farberman, conductor

Entre Nous
Albany Records CD Troy 174
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor; Dorothy Lawson, cello

Fairy Tale
Albany Records CD Troy 282
Chamber ensemble; Lois Martin, viola; Harold Farberman, conductor

Five Pieces for Piano
CRI American Masters Series CD 871
Wanda Maximilien, piano

For Tuba . . . with Strings Attached
Albany Records CD Troy 363
Rousse Philharmonic, Harold Farberman, conductor; Bayo Baev, tuba

Four . . . Parts of a World
(From poems by Wallace Stevens)
Albany Records CD Troy 101
Joan Heller, soprano; Thomas Stumpf, piano

Fourscore
New World Records CD 382-2
Continuum Percussion Quartet

Fusions
Albany Records CD Troy 282
Chamber ensemble; Harold Farberman, conductor

Imprints. . .on ivory and strings
CRI American Masters Series CD 871
Wanda Maximilien, piano

Junctures for Orchestra
Albany Records CD Troy 602

Legends and Love Letters
(From poems by Hart Crane)
Albany Records CD Troy 054
Joan Heller, soprano; Collage New Music Ensemble, Charles Fussell, conductor

Memories of a Winter Childhood
Albany Records CD Troy 101
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor

Midnight Music
Doyen Wind Band Series Doy CD 037
Royal Northern College Wind Orchestra, Timothy Reynish, conductor

Prelude to Hart Crane's "The Bridge"
Albany Records CD Troy 101
Chicago String Ensemble, Alan Heatherington, conductor

Propulsions
CRI American Masters Series CD 623
Percussion ensemble, Irwin Bazelon, conductor

Re-Percussions
Albany Records CD Troy 282
Richard Rodney Bennett and Scott Dunn, pianists

Sonatina for Piano
Vienna Modern Masters VMM CD 2002
Max Lifchitz, piano

Sound Dreams
CRI American Masters Series CD 871
Collage New Music Ensemble, Gunther Schuller, conductor

Spires
Albany Records CD Troy 054
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor; Maurice Murphy, trumpet

Spirits of the Night
Albany Records CD Troy 602
Nancy Lundy, soprano; Harold Farberman, conductor

Suite for Marimba
Newport Classic Premier CD NPD 85528
William Moersch, marimba

Suite from Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of WIndsor"
Albany Records CD Troy 508
Orchestra of Sofia, Harold Farberman, conductor

Sunday Silence
Albany Records CD Troy 602
Scott Dunn, piano

Symphony No. 1
(In One Movement)
Albany Records CD Troy 508
Orchestra of Sofia, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 2
Short Symphony
(Testament to a Big City)
Albany Records CD Troy 370
Rousse Philharmonic, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 4

Albany Records CD Troy 363
Rousse Philharmonic, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 5
CRI American Masters Series CD 623
Indianapolis Symphony, Izler Solomon, conductor

Symphony No. 6

Albany Records CD Troy 370
Rousse Philharmonic, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 7
(Ballet for Orchestra)
Albany Records CD Troy 174
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 8 for Strings
Leonarda Records CD LE 331
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 8 1/2
Albany Records CD Troy 101
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor

Symphony No. 9
(Sunday Silence)
Albany Records CD Troy 174
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor; Scott Dunn, piano

Trajectories
Albany Records CD Troy 054
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Harold Farberman, conductor; Wanda Maximilien, piano

Vignette
Albany Records Troy CD 282
John Van Buskirk, harpsichord

Woodwind Quintet
CRI American Masters Series CD 871
Boehm Woodwind Quintet