Goehr, (Peter) Alexander (
b Berlin, 1932). Eng. composer of Ger. birth, son of Walter
Goehr. Contemp. at RMCM of Maxwell Davies, Birtwistle, and Ogdon. On mus. staff BBC 1960–8; comp.-in-res. New England Cons. 1968–9; assoc. prof. of mus. Yale Univ. 1969–70; prof. of mus. Leeds Univ., 1971–6; prof. of mus. Cambridge Univ. from 1976. Dir., Leeds Fest., 1975. Goehr's mus. employs serialism but rejects elec. devices. He is among leaders of group of Eng. composers influenced by 2nd Viennese Sch. and his mus. can be described as essentially radical-conservative in idiom. Works incl.:OPERAS:
Arden muss sterben (Arden must die) (1966);
Behold the Sun, or
Die Wiedertäufer (The Anabaptists) (1981–4);
Arianna (1993–5).BALLET:
La belle dame sans merci (1958).MUSIC THEATRE:
Triptych, 3-part th. piece for actor, 2 mimes, 5 singers, instr. group, 1.
Naboth's Vineyard (1968), 2.
Shadowplay (1970), 3.
Sonata about Jerusalem (1970).ORCH.:
Fantasia (1954, rev. 1959);
Hecuba's Lament (1959–61); vn. conc. (1961–2);
Little Symphony (1963);
Little Music for Strings (1963);
Pastorals (1965); 3
Pieces from Arden Must Die (1967);
Romanza, vc., orch. (1968);
Konzertstück, pf., orch. (1969);
Symphony in 1 Movement (1969, rev. 1981); Conc. for 11 instrs. (1970); pf. conc. (1972);
Chaconne, 19 wind instrs. (1974);
Metamorphosis/Dance (1973–4);
Fugue on Psalm IV, str. (1976);
Romanza on Psalm IV, str. (1977);
Sinfonia (1979);
Deux Études (1980–1);
Symphony with Chaconne (1985–6);
Still Lands, 3 pieces, small orch. (1988–90);
Variations on Bach's Sarabande from English Suite in E minor, wind instr., timp. (1990);
Colossos or Panic, symphonic fragment after Goya (1991–2).CHORAL & VOCAL:
The Deluge, cantata after da Vinci, sop., alto, fl., hn., tpt., hp., and strs. (1957–8);
Sutter's Gold, cantata, bass, ch., orch. (1959–60); 2
Choruses (Milton and Shakespeare) (1962);
5 Poems and an Epigram of William Blake, ch., tpt. (1964);
Orpheus Songs, sop. (1971);
Psalm IV, sop., alto, women's ch., va., org. (1976);
Babylon the Great is fallen, ch., orch. (1979);
Das Gesetz der Quadrille, bar., pf. (1979);
Behold the Sun, concert aria, sop., vib., ens. (1981);
2 Imitations of Baudelaire, unacc. ch. (1985);
Eve Dreams in Paradise, mez., ten., orch. (1988);
Carol for St Steven (1989);
Sing,
Ariel, mez., 2 sop., 5 instr. (1989–90);
The Mouse Metamorphosed into a Maid, unacc. v. (1991);
The Death of Moses, sop., cont. or male alto, ten., bar., bass, ch., mixed children's ch. (or semi-ch. of women's vv.), 13 instr. (1991–2);
Psalm 39, chamber ch., wind ens. (1992–3).CHAMBER MUSIC: pf. sonata (1951–2);
Suite, fl., cl., hn., hp., vn., va., vc. (1961);
3 Pieces, pf. (1964); pf. trio (1966), str. qt. No.1 (1956–7, rev. 1988), No.2 (1967), No.3 (1975–6), No.4 (1990);
Nonomiya, pf. (1969);
Paraphrase, cl. (1969);
Lyric Pieces, wind septet, db. (1974);
Prelude and Fugue, 3 cl. (1978);
Lento e Sostenuto, str. qt. (1956–7, rev. 1983, orig. slow movt. of str. qt. No.1); vc. sonata (1988).
