Jacob Druckman

Jacob Druckman

Jacob Raphael Druckman (June 26, 1928 – May 24, 1996) was an American composer born in Philadelphia. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Druckman studied with Vincent Persichetti, Peter Mennin, and Bernard Wagenaar. In 1949 and 1950 he studied with Aaron Copland at Tanglewood and later continued his studies at the École Normale de Musique in Paris (1954–55). He worked extensively with electronic music, in addition to a number of works for orchestra or for small ensembles. In 1972 he won the Pulitzer Prize for his first large orchestral work, Windows.^[1] He was composer-in-residence of the New York Philharmonic from 1982 until 1985. Druckman taught at Juilliard, The Aspen Music Festival, Tanglewood, Brooklyn College, Bard College, and Yale University, among other appointments. He is Connecticut's State Composer Laureate.^[2]

Druckman died of lung cancer at age 67. His music is published by Boosey & Hawkes. He is the father of percussionist Daniel Druckman.

Notable musicians who have recorded his works include David Zinman, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, Dawn Upshaw, Jan DeGaetani, and the American Brass Quintet.

Notable students

Major works

• String Quartet No. 1 (1948)
• The Seven Deadly Sins (1955), for piano
• Dark Upon the Harp (1961–1962), for mezzo-soprano, brass, and percussion. Setting of texts from the Biblical Psalms.
• String Quartet No. 2 (1966)
• Animus I (1966–1967), for trombone and electronic tape
• Animus II (1967–1968), for mezzo-soprano, percussion and electronic tape
• Animus III (1968), for clarinet and electronic tape
• Incenters (1968), for 13 Instruments
• Valentine (1969), for solo contrabass
• Synapse (1971), for tape
• Windows (1972), for orchestra
• Lamia (1975), for mezzo-soprano and orchestra. "The texts," according to the composer, "range from the most terrifying damnings of ancient witches to the most innocent folkloric dream-conjuration of provincial maidens."^[3]
• Aureole (1979), for orchestra
• Prism (1980), for orchestra
• String Quartet No. 3 (1981)
• Vox Humana (1983), for chorus and orchestra
• Reflections on the Nature of Water (1986), for solo marimba
• Brangle (1988–1989), for orchestra
• Antiphonies, for two choruses; setting of poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins.
• Summer Lightning (1991), for orchestra
• Seraphic Games (1992), for orchestra
• Counterpoise (1994), for soprano and orchestra

References

1. ↑ Keller, James M. "Thomas / Druckman / Harte". Liner note essay. New World Records.
2. ↑ STATE OF CONNECTICUT, Sites º Seals º Symbols Archived March 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.; Connecticut State Register & Manual; retrieved on January 4, 2007
3. ↑ Druckman, Jacob. Jacob Druckman: Lamia / That Quickening Pulse / Delizie Contente Che L'Alme Beate / Nor Spell Nor Charm / Suite from Médée. Essay from CD album booklet. Boston Modern Orchestra Project.

External links

• The Jacob Druckman Papers, the composer's personal papers and manuscripts, are housed in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
• Biography at Boosey and Hawkes Publisher
• Jacob Druckman at the Avant Garde Project has FLAC files made from high-quality LP transcriptions of out-of-print vocal, instrumental, and electroacoustic works by Druckman available for free download.
• Interview with Jacob Druckman by Bruce Duffie, March 22, 1989

Pulitzer Prize for Music (1971–1980)
Mario Davidovsky ('71): Synchronisms No. 6 Jacob Druckman ('72): Windows Elliott Carter ('73): String Quartet No. 3 Donald Martino ('74): Notturno Dominick Argento ('75): From the Diary of Virginia Woolf Ned Rorem ('76): Air Music Richard Wernick ('77): Visions of Terror and Wonder Michael Colgrass ('78): Deja Vu Joseph Schwantner ('79): Aftertones of Infinity David Del Tredici ('80): In Memory of a Summer Day
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