Etler, Alvin (Derald)

Etler, Alvin (Derald), American oboist, teacher, and composer; b. Battle Creek, Iowa, Feb. 19, 1913; d. Northampton, Mass., June 13, 1973. He studied at the Univ. of III, with Shepherd at Case Western Reserve Univ., and with Hindemith at Yale Univ. (M.B., 1944), where he also taught (1942–46). He later taught at Cornell Univ. (1946–47), the Univ. of 111. (1947–49), and Smith Coll. (1949–73). He held 2 Guggenheim fellowships (1940, 1941). He was the author of Making Music: An Introduction to Theory (N.Y., 1974). His music is marked by stately formality of design.

Works

Orch. Music for Chamber Orch. (1938); 2 sinfoniettas (1940,1941); Passacaglia and Fugue (1947); Concerto for String Quartet and Strings (1948); Sym. (1951); Dramatic Overture (1956); Concerto for Orchestra (1957); Elegy for Small Orch. (1959); Concerto for Wind Quintet and Orch. (1960; Tokyo, Oct. 18, 1962); Triptych (1961); Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Ensemble (1962; N.Y., Dec. 20, 1965); Concerto for Brass Quintet, Strings, and Percussion (1967); Concerto for String Quartet and Orch. (Milwaukee, June 13, 1968); Convivialities (1968); Concerto for Cello and Chamber Group (N.Y., March 2, 1971). CHAMBER : Suite for Oboe, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1936); Sonata for Oboe, Clarinet, and Viola (1944); Bassoon Sonata (1951); 2 clarinet sonatas (1952, 1969); Oboe Sonata (1952); 2 wind quintets (1955, 1957); Cello Sonata (1956); Concerto for Violin and Wind Quintet (1958); Sonata for Viola and Harpsichord (1959); 2 string quartets (1963,1965); Brass Quintet (1963); Sonic Sequence for Brass Quintet (1967). VOCAL: Onomatopoesis for Men’s Chorus, Winds, Brass, and Percussion (1965).

Bibliography

P. Shelden, A. E. (1913–1973); His Career and His Two Sonatas for Clarinet (diss., Univ. of Mdv 1978).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire