Lybbert, Donald

Lybbert, Donald, American composer and teacher; b. Cresco, Iowa, Feb. 19, 1923; d. Norwalk, Conn., July 26, 1981. He studied at the Univ. of Iowa (B.M., 1946), with Ward and Wagenaar at the Juilliard School of Music in N.Y. (1946–48), with Carter and Luening at Columbia Univ. (M.A., 1950), and with Boulanger in Fontainebleau (1961). From 1954 to 1980 he taught at Hunter Coll. of the City Univ. of N.Y. With F. Davis, he wrote The Essentials of Counterpoint (1969). His music was freely atonal for the most part, although he utilized serial procedures in some of his scores.

Works

dramaticMonica, operetta (Amsterdam, Nov. 2, 1952); The Scarlet Letter, opera (1964–67). orch.: Concert Overture (1952). chamber: Wind Octet (1947); Introduction and Toccata for Brass and Piano (1955); Trio for Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon (1956); Chamber Sonata for Viola, Horn, and Piano (1957); Sonorities for 11 Instruments (1960); Praeludium for Brass and Percussion (1962); Variants for 5 Winds (1971). piano:3 sonatas (1947, 1954, 1962); Movement for Piano, 4-hands (1960); Concerto for Piano and Tape (n.d.). vocal:Leopardi Canti, song cycle for Soprano, Flute, Viola, and Bass Clarinet (1959); Austro terris inflente, 3 motets (1961); Lines for the Fallen for Soprano and 2 Quarter Tone Tuned Pianos (1967); Zap for Multiantiphonal Chorus, Instruments, and Rock Group (1970); Octagon for Soprano and 7 Instrumentalists (1975).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire