Schuller, Gunther (Alexander)

Schuller, Gunther (Alexander) (b NY, 1925). Amer. composer, conductor, and horn-player, son of violinist in NYPO. Prin. hn., Cincinnati SO 1943–5. Joined NY Met orch. in 1945, playing in it until 1959. Taught hn. Manhattan Sch. 1950–63. Assoc. prof. of mus., Yale Univ. 1964–7, president, New England Cons. 1967–77, supervising contemp. mus. concerts at Tanglewood and teaching there 1965–84. Influenced by Webern and Stravinsky but with great interest in jazz, his comps. drawing on jazz elements being among the most successful and convincing yet written. Commissioned by Hamburg Opera to compose The Visitation (Hamburg 1966). Joint art. dir., Berkshire Music Center 1970–85. Author of books on jazz and hn. technique. Guest cond. of leading Amer. and Brit. orchs. Prin. comps.:OPERAS: The Visitation (1966); The Fisherman and his Wife (1970); A Question of Taste (1989).BALLET: Variants (1960, choreog. Balanchine).ORCH.: hn. conc. No.1 (1944), No.2 (1976); vc. conc. (1945, rev. 1985); Suite, chamber orch. (1945); Vertige d'Eros (1945); Symphonic Study (1947–8); Recitative and Rondo, vn., orch. (1953); Symphonic Tribute to Duke Ellington (1955); Little Fantasy (1957); Contours, chamber orch. (1958); Spectra (1958); concertino, jazz qt., orch. (1959); 7 Studies on Themes of Paul Klee (1959); Capriccio, tuba, orch. (1960); Contrasts, ww. quintet, orch. (1960); Journey to the Stars (1962); Movements, fl., str. (1962); pf. conc. No.1 (1962), No.2 (1981); Composition in Three Parts (1963); Diptych, brass quintet and band (1963, and orch. (1964); Threnos, ob., orch (1963); sym. (1965); Concertos for Orchestra (Farbenspiel) No.1 (1966), No.2 (1976), No.3 (1985); Triplum I (1967), II (1975); Colloquy, 2 pf., orch. (1968); Shapes and Designs (1969); Museum Piece, Renaissance instrs., orch. (1970); Concerto da camera (1971); 4 Soundscapes—Hudson Valley Reminiscences (1974); vn. conc. (1976); Symphony for Brass and Percussion (1950); Deaï-Encounters, 7 vv., 3 orch. (1977); contrabassoon conc. (1978); tpt. conc. (1979); Eine kleine Posaunenmusik, tb., orch. (1980); In Praise of Winds, large wind orch. (1981); alt. sax. conc. (1983); Concerto quaternio, vn., fl., ob., tpt., orch. (1984); Concerto festivo, brass quintet, orch. (1984); bn. conc. (1985) va. conc. (1985); conc., str. qt., orch. (1988); fl. conc. (1988); On Winged Flight, band (1989); Chamber Sym. (1989); conc. for pf. 3 hands (1989).CHAMBER MUSIC: Romantic Sonata, cl., hn., pf. (1941, rev. 1983); Suite, ww. quintet (1945); Fantasia Concertante No.1, 3 obs., pf. (1947), No.2, 3 tbs., pf. (1947), qt., 4 dbs. (1947); trio, ob., hn., va. (1948); Duo Sonata, cl., bcl. (1948–9); ob. sonata (1948–51); Fantasy, vc. (1951); str. qts. No.1 (1957), No.2 (1965), No.3 (1986); ww. quintet (1958); Fantasy, hp. (1959); Fantasy Qt., 4 vas. (1959); Lines and Contrasts, 16 hns. (1960); Music for Brass Quintet (1961); Studies for Horn (1962); Episodes, cl. (1964); Aphorisms, fl., str. trio (1967); Sonata serenata, cl., vn., vc., pf. (1978); octet (1979); pf. trio (1983); On Light Wings, pf. qt. (1984); sextet, bn., pf., str. qt. (1986); Chimeric Images, chamber group (1988); A bouquet for collage, cl., fl., vn., vc., pf., perc. (1988); hn. sonata (1988); 5 Impromptus, ca., str. qt. (1989).VOCAL: O Lamb of God, ch., org. (opt.) (1941); 6 Renaissance Lyrics, ten., 7 instrs. (1962); 5 Shakespeare Songs, bar., orch.; Sacred Cantata, ch., chamber orch. (1966); The Power Within Us, oratorio, bar., narr., ch., orch. (1971); Poems of Time and Eternity, ch., 9 instrs. (1972); Thou Art the Son of God, ch., chamber ens. (1987).