Horovitz, Joseph

Horovitz, Joseph, Austrian-born English composer, conductor, and teacher; b. Vienna, May 26, 1926. He went to England in 1938 and studied music (with Westrup) and literature at New Coll., Oxford (M.A. and B.Mus., 1948), with Jacob at the Royal Coll. of Music in London, and with Boulanger in Paris. In 1950-51 he was music director of the Bristol Old Vic Co. From 1952 to 1963 he was assoc. director of the Intimate Opera Co. He was prof, of composition at the Royal Coll. of Music from 1961. From 1981 to 1989 he served as president of the International Council of Composers and Lyricists. In 1959 he received the Commonwealth Medal for Composition and in 1961 the Leverhulme Music Research Award. His facility as a composer is evident in both his handling of serious and light scores.

Works

dramaticGentleman’s Island, opera (Cheltenham, July 9, 1959); The Dumb Wife, opera (Antwerp, Jan. 10, 1972); 16 ballets, including Alice in Wonderland (1953), Les Femmes d’Alger, Miss Carter Wore Pink, and Concerto for Dancers; theater, radio, and television scores. orchFantasia on a Theme of Couperin for Strings (London, July 29, 1962); Trumpet Concerto (1963); Jazz Harpsichord Concerto (1965); Horizon Overture (1972); Toy Symphony for 17 Toy Instruments, Piano, and Strings (1977). brass band:Ballet for Band; Sinfonietta; Concertino Classico, double trumpet concerto; Theme and Co-Operation (1994). wind orchBacchus on Blue Ridge; Wind-Harp; Ad Astra; Dance Suite; Fête Galante; Commedia dell’Arte. CHAMBER: 5 string quartets; Oboe Quartet (1956); Music Hall Suite for Brass Quintet (1964); Adam-Blues for Trombone and Piano (1968); Clarinet Sonatina (1981). VOCAL: Horrortorio, nuptial cantata for Soli, Chorus, and Orch. (1959); Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo for Chorus (1970); Samson, oratorio for Chorus and Brass Band (London, Oct. 8, 1977); choruses; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire