Hakim, Talib Rasul (real name, Stephen Alexander Chambers)

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Hakim, Talib Rasul (real name, Stephen Alexander Chambers)

Hakim, Talib Rasul (real name, Stephen Alexander Chambers), black American composer; b. Asheville, N.C., Feb. 8, 1940; d. New Haven, Conn., March 31, 1988. He studied at the Manhattan School of Music in N.Y. (1958–59), the N.Y. Coll. of Music (1959–63), and Adelphi Univ. (1978).He taught at Pace Univ. (1970–72), Nassau Community Coll. (1971–81), Adelphi Univ. (1972–79), and Morgan State Univ. (1978–79). After converting to Sufism, he took the name Talib Rasul Hakim in 1973. His output followed a dissonant path.

Works

ORCH.: Shapes (1965); Visions of lshwara (1970); Re/Currences (1974); Concepts (1976); Arkan-5 for Orch. and Tape (1980); jazz band pieces. CHAMBER: Peace-Mobile for Wind Quintet (1964); Encounter for Wind Quintet, Trumpet, and Trombone (1965); Portraits for Flute, Bass Clarinet, Piano, and 3 Percussion (1965); Currents for String Quartet (1967); Placements for Piano and 5 Percussion (1970); On Being Still-on the 8th Wind for 4 Winds, Cello, Double Bass, Piano, and Percussion (1978); Fragments from Other PlacesOther Times for 5 Percussion (1978); piano pieces. VOCAL: Sound-Image for Women’s Voices, Brass, Strings, and Percussion (1969); Tone-Prayers for Chorus and Percussion (1973); Music for Soprano and 9 Players (1977); Psalm of Akhnaton: ca. 1365-1348 for Mezzo-soprano, Piccolo or Flute or Alto Flute, and Piano (1978); Quote-unquote for Tenor, Oboe, Trumpet, and Percussion (1983); Spiritual and Other Fragments from Another Time and Other Places for Chorus, Winds, Brass, Piano, and Strings (1983); solo songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire