Escher, Rudolf (George)

Escher, Rudolf (George), noted Dutch composer; b. Amsterdam, Jan. 8, 1912; d. De Koog, March 17, 1980. He studied harmony, violin, and piano at the Toonkunst Cons, in Rotterdam (1931–37), and was a student in composition of Pijper (1934). He worked in the electronic music studios in Delft (1959–60) and in Utrecht (1961). He taught at the Amsterdam Cons. (1960–61) and at the Inst. for Musical Science at the Univ. of Utrecht (1964–75). In 1977 he was awarded the Johan Wagenaar Prize for his compositions. Escher’s music was very much influenced by the modern French school.

Works

ORCH Sinfonia in memoriam Maurice Ravel (1940); Musique pour I’esprit en deuil (1941–43; Amsterdam, Jan. 19, 1947); Passacaglia (1945; withdrawn); Concerto for Strings (1947–48; withdrawn); Hymne de Grand Meaulnes (1950–51}; 2 syms. (1953–54; 1958; rev. 1964 and 1971); Summer Rites at Noon for 2 facing Orchs. (1962–68); orchestration of Debussy’s 6 epigraphes antiques for Piano Duet (1976–77; Hilversum Radio, July 6, 1978). CHAMBER : Sonata concertante for Cello and Piano (1943); Sonata for 2 Flutes (1944); Sonata for Solo Cello (1945); Trio for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1946); Sonata for Solo Flute (1949); Violin Sonata (1950); Le Tombeau de Ravel for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Harpsichord (1952); Air pour charmer un lezard for Flute (1953); Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1959); Wind Quintet (1966–67); Monologue for Flute (1969); Sonata for Solo Clarinet (1973); Sinfonia for 10 Instruments (1976); Flute Sonata (1975–77); Trio for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano (1978). Piano : Sonata No. 1 (1935); Arcana musae dona, suite (1944); Habanera (1945); Due voci (1949); Non troppo, 10 easy pieces (1949); Sonatina (1951). VOCAL: Nostalgies for Tenor and Orch. (1951; rev. 1961); Le Vrai Visage de la paix for Chorus (1953; rev. 1957); Song of Love and Eternity for Chorus (1955); del, air et vents for Chorus (1957); Univers de Rimbaud for Tenor and Orch. (1970).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire