Ron Nelson
Ron Nelson is a composer of both classical and popular music and a retired music academic.
He was born in Joliet, Illinois, on December 14, 1929. After earning bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in New York, he went to Paris on a Fulbright Scholarship, where he studied at the Ecole Normale de Musique and the Paris Conservatory.
In 1956, Nelson joined the faculty of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he served as chairman of the music department from 1963 to 1973, retiring in 1993. Nelson’s works for orchestra, band, and chorus have been widely performed.
Nelson was awarded the Acuff Chair of Excellence in the Creative Arts in 1991, the first musician to hold the chair. His Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H) was the first piece to win all three major wind band composition prizes during one period—the National Band Association Prize, the American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Prize, and the Sudler International Prize. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1994.
Conductor Leonard Slatkin may have described Ron Nelson best: “Nelson is the quintessential American composer. He has the ability to move between conservative and newer styles with ease. The fact that he’s a little hard to categorize is what makes him interesting.”
Works
Orchestral Works
1954 Sarabande: For Katherine in April
1955 Savannah River Holiday
1960 This is the Orchestra for narrator and orchestra
1960 Jubilee
1961 Overture for Latecomers
1961 Toccata for Orchstra
1969 Trilogy: JFK-MLK-RFK for orchestra and Tonband
1976 Five Pieces after Paintings by Andrew Wyeth
Winter 1946
Young America
Christina's World
The Drifter
The Patriot
1977 Meditation and Dance
1983 Fanfare for a Celebration
1988 Elegy II for Streichorchestra
1996 Panels "Epiphanies II"
1997 Resonances III
Works for Wind Ensemble
1948 Concerto for Piano and Symphonic Band
1958 Mayflower Overture
1969 Rocky Point Holiday
1973 Savannah River Holiday
1982 Fanfare for a Celebration
1982 Medieval Suite
Homage to Leonin
Homage to Perotin
Homage to Machaut
1983 Pebble Beach Sojoum for Organ, Brass and Percussion
1984 Aspen Jubilee
1985 Te Deum Laudamus for Chorus (SATB) and Wind Ensemble
1986 Brevard Fanfare for Brass
1988 Danza Capriccio for Solo Alto-Saxophone and Wind Ensemble
1989 Morning Alleluias
1989 Fanfare for the Hour of Sunrise
1990 Resonances I
1991 Lauds "Praise High Day"
1992 To the Airborne
1992 Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H)
1994 Epiphanies - Fanfares and Chorales
1994 Chaconne - In Memoriam...
1994 Sonoran Desert Holiday
1995 Courtly Airs and Dances
Intrada
Basse Dance
Pavane
Saltarello
Sarabande
Allemande
1998 Nightsong for Euphonium and Wind Ensemble
1999 Fanfare for the new Millennium for Symphonic Band and two antiphonal Brass-Choirs
Stage works
1954 Dance in Ruins Ballet
1955-1956 The Birthday of the Infanta Opera for Chamber Orchestra
1981 Hamaguchi Opera for Chamber Ensemble
Chamber Music
1982 Kristen's Song for Violin, Flute, and Organ
1983 And the Moon Rose Golden for Cello and Piano
Choral Music
1958 Three Mountain Ballads for driestimmigen Frauenchor (SSA), Harp and Flute
He's gon away
Will he remember?
Babara Allen
1958 Cantata: The Christmas Story for mixed chorus (SATB), organ, Blechbläser and timpani
1958 Glory to God for mixed chorus (SATB), organ and Blechbläser
1958 Christmas Fanfare for mixed chorus (SATB), Blechbläser and timpani
1958 Choral Fanfare for Easter for mixed chorus and narrator
1960 He came here for me for Frauenchor (SSA), mixed chorus (SATB) and Röhrenglocken
1960 Fanfare for a Festival for mixed chorus, Blechbläser and timpani
1960 All Praise to Music for mixed chorus, Blechbläser and timpani
1961 Five Anthems for young Choirs of Prayer for zweistimmigen Chor (SA) and Klavier
1962 Three Ancient Prayers for mixed chorus (SATB) and organ
O Lord how can we know Thee
Hear, o Israel
Cause us o Lord
1963 Triumphal Te Deum for double chorus (SSAATTBB), Blechbläser, organ and Schlagzeug
1964 Oratorio: What is Man? dreiteilig, for narrator, Soprano Solo and Bariton Solo, mixed chorus and orchestra
1967 God bring thy Sword for mixed chorus, organ and Schlagzeug
1969 Alleluia, July 20, 1969 for mixed chorus
1971 Psalm 95 for mixed chorus and Instrumental-Ensemble
1972 Prayer of Emperor of China on the Altar of Heaven, December 21, 1539 for mixed chorus and Instrumental Ensemble
1973 Thy Thruth is Great for mixed chorus and organ
1975 Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi for mixed chorus and organ
1978 O God invent a Word for us for mixed chorus and children's chorus
1980 For Freedom in Conscience for mixed chorus, organ and Trompeten
1981 Mass of Saint LaSalle for mixed chorus, organ, Mallet-Percussion, Instrumental-Ensemble, zwei Klaviere and Schlagzeug
Kyrie
Gloria
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
1982 Make Music in the Lord's Honor for mixed chorus, organ and Blechbläser
1983 Three Settings of the Moon for Frauenchor (SA), Klavier, Marimbaphon and Glockenspiel
The Moon does not sleep
Autumn Lullaby
Ask the Moon
1984 Praise the Name for mixed chorus and organ
1985 Te Deum Laudamus for mixed Choir (SATB) and Wind Ensemble
1985 Festive Anthem for mixed chorus, Blechbläser and organ
1990 And this shall be for Music for mixed chorus and Blechbläser
1991 Songs of Praise and Reconciliation for mixed chorus, Männerchor, Klavier and Schlagzeug
Prime (The Hour of Sunrise)
Lauds (Praise High Day)
Vespers (Time of the Evening Star)
2001 Proclaim this Day for Music for mixed chorus Blechbläser and Schlagzeug |
