Crosse, Gordon

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Crosse, Gordon

Crosse, Gordon , English composer; b. Bury, Lancashire, Dec. 1, 1937. He studied music history with Wellesz at the Univ. of Oxford (graduated, 1961), where he continued his research under Frank Harrison in 1961–62; he then studied with Petrassi at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome (1962). After working as senior music tutor in the extra-mural dept. at the Univ. of Birmingham (1964–66), he served as its Haywood fellow in music (1966–69). From 1969 to 1976 he was a fellow in music at the Univ. of Essex, and in 1973 composer-in-residence at King’s Coll., Cambridge. In 1976 he was awarded the Cobbett Medal. In subsequent years, Crosse devoted himself to composition. His research into early music, combined with his love of literature, resulted in dramatic, vocal, and instrumental works notable for their rich expressivity in a strongly defined personal style.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Purgatory (Cheltenham, July 7, 1966); The Grace ofTodd (1967–68; Aldeburgh, June 7, 1969); The Story of Vasco (1968–73; London, March 13, 1974); Potter Thompson (1972–73; London, Jan. 9, 1975). B a l l e t : Wildboy (Washington, D.C., Dec. 12, 1980); Young Apollo (London, Nov. 17, 1984). ORCH.: Elegy for Small Orch. (1959–61; Manchester, April 1962);two violin concertos: No. 1, Concerto da camera (1962; BBC, 1966; 1st concert perf., London, Feb. 18, 1968) and No. 2 (1969; Oxford, Jan. 29, 1970); Concerto for Chamber Orch. (1962; Budapest, July 3, 1968); Symphonies for Chamber Orch. (1964; Birmingham, Feb. 13, 1965); Sinfonia concertante (Cheltenham, Feb. 13, 1965; rev. as Sym. No. 1, 1975–76); Ceremony for Cello and Orch. (London, Aug. 4, 1966); Ouvert: Clos for Chamber Orch. (London, Sept. 15, 1969); Some Marches on a Ground (Norwich, Oct. 14, 1970); Ariadne for Oboe and Small Orch. (1971–72; Cheltenham, July 11, 1972); Thel for Flute, two Horns, and Strings (1974–76; Aldeburgh, June 27, 1978); Epiphany Variations or Mag and Nunc (1975); Play Ground, ballet suite (Manchester, March 2, 1978); Dreamsongs (Edinburgh, Aug. 20, 1979; based on the chamber piece, 1973); Cello Concerto, In Memoriam Luigi Dallapiccola (Cheltenham, July 7, 1979); Elegy and Scherzo alia Marcia for Strings (1980; Snape, June 24, 1981; adapted from the String Quartet, 1979); Array for Trumpet and Strings (London, Aug. 9, 1986); Quiet! for Wind Band (1987). CHAMBER : Villanelles for Wind Quintet, Violin, and Cello (1959; rev. version, London, Nov. 23, 1974); 3 Inventions for Flute and Clarinet (1959); Canto for six Instruments (1961; rev. 1963);two sets of Studies for String Quartet (1972–73; 1977); Dreamsongs for Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano (1973; also for Orch., 1979); String Quartet (1979; London, Nov. 24, 1980); Rhymes and Reasons, trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1980; Huntingdon, Nov. 17, 1982); Peace for Brass for 10 Instruments (1980; King’s Lynn, July 29, 1981); Fear No More for Oboe, Oboe d’amore, and English Horn (1980; London, Oct. 5, 1981); A Wake for Flute, Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (Aldeburgh, June 16, 1982); Watermusic for Treble, Descant, and Sopranino Recorders and Piano (Glasgow, Dec. 3, 1982); Wavesongs for Cello and Piano (Oxford, Oct. 30, 1983); Chime fortwo Trumpets, Trombone, Horn, and Tuba (1983); Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1985; London, April 4, 1986); Oboe Quintet (Birmingham, Dec. 3, 1988). VOCAL: Corpus Christi Carol for Soprano or Tenor, Clarinet, and String Quartet (1961; London, Dec. 18, 1964); For the Unfallen for Tenor, Horn, and Strings (1963; Liverpool, Sept. 17, 1968); Changes: A Nocturnal Cycle for Solo Voices and Orch. (1965–66); The Covenant of the Rainbow for Chorus, Organ, and Piano, 4-Hands (Northampton, Sept. 20, 1968); Memories of Morning: Night for Mezzo- soprano and Orch. (London, Dec. 8, 1971); Celebration for Unison Voices, Mixed Chorus, and Orch. (1972; London, Sept. 16, 1974); World Within for Narrator, Mezzo-soprano, and 10 Instruments (1976; London, April 17, 1977); Verses in Memoriam David Munrozu for Countertenor, Recorder, Cello, and Harpsichord (1979); Voices from the Tomb for Medium Voice and Piano (1979; London, Oct. 21, 1980); Harvest Songs for Double Chorus, Junior Chorus, and Orch. (Manchester, July 18, 1980); Dreamcanon for Alto, Chorus, Piano, Electric Piano, and Percussion (London, Nov. 11, 1981); Wintersong for six Soloists and Optional Percussion (London, Nov. 26, 1982); A Wake Again fortwo Countertenors, rwo Recorders, Cello, and Harpsichord (1985; N.Y., April 13, 1986); Armada Echoes fortwo Countertenors, Tenor, two Baritones, and Bass (Plymouth, July 10, 1988). OTHER: Meet My Folks! for Speaker, Children’s Voices, and 8 Instruments (1964); Rats Away! for Children’s Voices and six Instruments (1964); Ahmet the Woodseller for Unison Voices, Percussion, and 8 Instruments (1964–65); The Demon of Adachigahara for Narrator, Children’s Voices, and Orch. (1967); Wheel of the World, entertainment (1969–72; Aldeburgh, June 5, 1972); The History of the Flood for Children’s Voices and Harp (1970); Matthew Mark Luke and John for Children’s Chorus and Harp (London, Dec. 6, 1970); Holly from the Bongs, nativity (1973; Manchester, Dec. 9, 1974).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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