Trimble, Lester (Albert)

Trimble, Lester (Albert), American music critic, teacher, and composer; b. Bangor, Wise, Aug. 29, 1920; d. N.Y., Dec. 31, 1986. He began violin studies in Milwaukee when he was 9; later studied with Lopatni-koff and Dorian at the Carnegie Inst. of Technology in Pittsburgh (B.F.A., 1948; M.F.A.); also studied with Milhaud and Copland at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, and then with Boulanger, Milhaud, and Honegger in Paris (1950-52). He began writing music criticism for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazettewhile in school; then was a music critic for the N.Y. Herald-Tribune (1952-62), the Nation (1957-62), the Washington Evening Star (1963-68), and Stereo Review (1968-74); also was managing ed. of Musical America (1960-61). He was composer-in- residence of the N.Y. Phil. (1967-68) and at the Wolf Trap Farm Park (1973). He was prof, of composition at the Univ. of Md. (1963-68) and taught at N.Y.’s Juilliard School (from 1971).

Works

dramatic: Little Clay Cart,incidental music (1953); The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus,incidental music (1954); Boccaccio’s Nightingale,opera (1958-62; rev. 1983); film scores. ORCH.: 3 syms.: No. 1 (1951), No. 2 (1968), and No. 3, The Tricentennial (1984-85; Troy, N.Y, Sept. 26, 1986); Concerto for Wind and Strings (1954); Closing Piece (1957; rev. as Sonic Landscape,1967); 5 Episodes (1961-62; also for Piano); Notturnofor Strings (1967; arranged from the String Quartet No. 2); Duo Concertantefor 2 Violins and Orch. (1968); Panels Ifor 11 Instruments (1969-70), IIfor 13 Instruments (1971-72), and IVfor 16 Instruments (1973-74; orig. a ballet); Panels for Orchestra (1976; rev. 1983); Violin Concerto (1976-81); band music. CHAMBER: 2 string quartets (1949,1955); Woodwind Serenade (1952); Double Concerto for Instrumental Ensemble (1964); Panels Vfor String Quartet (1974-75), VI: Quadraphonicsfor Percussion Quartet (1974-75), and VII: Serenadefor Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Harpsichord, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Percussion (1975). OTHER: Choruses; song cycles; solo songs; electronic pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire