Marsh, Roger (Michael)

Marsh, Roger (Michael), English composer, conductor, writer on music, and teacher; b. Bournemouth, Dec. 10, 1949. He studied with Ian Kellam at the London Coll. of Music and privately (1966–68), and then continued his training at the Univ. of York (B.A., 1971), where he became a composition student of Bernard Rands (Ph.D., 1975). He received a Harkness fellowship to study at the Univ. of Calif. at San Diego (1976–78). Returning to England, he was a lecturer at the Univ. of Keele (1978–88), where he was founder-director of the Keele New Music Ensemble (1979–88) and head of the music dept. (1985–88). In 1988 he became a lecturer at the Univ. of York, where he now holds the personal chair in the dept. of music. He also is director of the new music ensemble Black Hair. In addition to his writings on music, he has abridged and produced the novels of James Joyce for Naxos Audio-books.

Works

dramatic: music theater:Cass (1970); PS (1971); Calypso (1973); Scènes de ballet (London, Feb. 17, 1974); Dum (1973; rev. version, San Diego, April 29, 1977; also for Orch. as Dum’s Dream, 1973); Time Before (1977; London, Jan. 19, 1979); Bits and Scraps (London, May 6, 1979); Spit and Blow (1981; Birmingham, Feb. 27, 1983); Samson (1983; London, Oct. 20, 1984); Love on the Rocks (1989); The Big Bang (part 1, 1989). orch.: Dum’s Dream (1973; also a music theater version as Dum); Still (1980; Birmingham, Nov. 13, 1981; rev. version, Liverpool, May 12, 1987); Stepping Out (1990); Espace (Huddersfield, Nov. 26, 1994); Heathcote’s Inferno for Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Manchester, Oct. 25, 1996). chamber: Jesters (for sicks) for 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, and 2 Bassoons (1972); Serenade for Amplified Double Bass and 15 Strings (London, July 16, 1974); Sweet and Short for Clarinet, Piano, and Double Bass (1974); Variations for [4] Trombones (1977; Los Angeles, Feb. 5, 1979); Point to Point for 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns, and 2 Bassoons (1979); 2 Movements for 2 Flutes, 2 Clarinets, Harp, and String Quartet (London, Oct. 9, 1979); Heaven Haven for Harp (1982); Music for Piano and Wind Instruments (York, March 17, 1986); Dying for it for 9 Instruments (1988); Ferry Music for Piano, Clarinet, and Cello (1988); Waiting for Charlie for 15 Players (Apeldoorn, April 5, 1996); Spin for Piano and 9 Players (Marseilles, Nov. 21, 1997); Slow Right Arm for Double Bass and Baroque Violin (Huddersfield, Nov. 28, 1997); Canto I for String Ensemble (Huddersfield, Nov. 24, 1999). piano:Easy Steps (1987). vocal:Streim for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, and Double Bass (1972); The Lover’s Ghost, folk song for Soprano, 2 Flutes, 2 Clarinets, and Cello (1972; also for High Voice and Harp, 1976); On and On, folk song for Soprano, 2 Clarinets, and Bass Clarinet (1975); 3 Hale Mairies for 3 Sopranos, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Harp, Piano, 2 Percussion, Viola, and Cello (1976; San Diego, March 17, 1977); Another Silly Love Song for Soprano, Clarinet, and Piano (1976); Not a Soul but Ourselves. ..for 2 Women’s and 2 Men’s Voices with independent amplification (San Diego, Nov. 29, 1977); A Psalm and a Silly Love Song for Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Harp, Viola, and Cello (London, April 25, 1979); The Wormwood and the Gall for Mezzo-soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Harp, Viola, and Cello (London, July 6, 1981); Words of Love for Baritone, 2 Oboes, Bassoon, and Harpsichord (1982); Songs of Devotion for Soprano, Clarinet, and Guitar (1983; York, March 10, 1984); 3 Biblical Songs for Soprano, Baritone, Small Women’s Chorus, and Orch. (1985); The Song of Abigail for Soprano and Orch. (London, March 7, 1986); The Bodhi Tree for Voice and Trombone (1992); A Little Snow for Voice (London, June 10, 1994); Black Hair for Voice and Piano or Ensemble (1994); Sozu Baba for Voice (1996; Utrecht, March 31, 1997).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire