Steel, Christopher (Charles)

Steel, Christopher (Charles), English composer and teacher; b. London, Jan. 15, 1939; d. Cheltenham, Dec. 31, 1991. He studied composition with John Gardner at the Royal Academy of Music in London (1957–61) and with Harald Genzmer at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Munich (1961–62). He taught at Cheltenham Coll. Junior School (1963–66); was asst. director (1966–68) and director (1968–81) of music at Bradfield Coll., also serving as an instructor; taught at North Hennepin Comm. Coll. in Brooklyn Park, Minn. (1977–78); accepted private students from 1982.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: Rescue, chamber opera (1974); The Selfish Giant for Baritone and Children (Westclife-on-Sea, July 1981); The Angry River, chamber opera for 7 Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1989). ORCH.: 7 syms., including No. 3, A Shakespeare Symphony for Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1967), No. 4 (Manchester, Nov. 2, 1983), No. 5, Romantic Symphony (Manchester, Oct. 21, 1986), and No. 6, Sinfonia sacra for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (Sheffield, Nov. 22, 1985); Concerto for Organ and Chamber Orch. (1967); Concerto for String Quartet and Orch. (1968); Overture Island (1968); Odyssey, suite for Concert Brass Band (1973); 6 Turner Paintings, suite (1974); Apollo and Dionysus (1983); The City of God and the Garden of Earthly Delights (Reading, April 12, 1986); Cello Concerto (1988); Sinfonietta Concertante No. 1 for Organ and Strings (1989) and No. 2 for Small Orch. (1990); Serenata Concertante for Trumpet and Strings or Organ (1991). VOCAL: 4 cantatas: Gethsemane (1964), Mary Magdalene (1967), Paradise Lost (1972), and Jerusalem (1972); Mass (1968); Piping Down the Valleys Wild, song cycle for Baritone and Piano (1971); Passion and Resurrection According to St. Mark for Soloists, Chorus, and Chamber Orch. (1978); The Path of Creation for Baritone, Oboe, Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1984); anthems. OTHER: Chamber music, piano pieces, and organ works.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire