Hiller, Lejaren (Arthur Jr.)

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Hiller, Lejaren (Arthur Jr.)

Hiller, Lejaren (Arthur Jr.), American composer and teacher; b. N.Y., Feb. 23, 1924; d. Buffalo, Jan. 26, 1994. He studied chemistry at Princeton Univ. (B.A., 1944; M.A., 1946; Ph.D., 1947), where he also took courses in composition with Babbitt and Sessions; later he studied at the Univ. of 111. (M.Mus., 1958). After working as a research chemist (1947-52), he taught chemistry at the Univ. of 111. (1952-58), where he subsequently was prof. of music and director of its experimental music studio (1958-68). In 1968 he became the Frederick B. Slee Prof, of Composition at the State Univ. of N.Y. at Buffalo, where he also was co-director of its Center of the Creative and Performing Arts (1968-74); from 1980 to 1989 he was the Birge-Cary Prof, of Music there. Hiller’s scientific bent led him to explore the application of electronics and computers to composition. With Leonard Isaacson, he collaborated on the Illiac Suite, his 4^th string quartet (1955-56), which was the first composition composed with the aid of a computer. With Isaacson, he publ. Experimental Music: Composition with an Electronic Computer (N.Y., 1959).

Works

dramatic:Melodrama: John Italus (unfinished). ORCH.: Piano Concerto (1949); Suite for Small Orch. (1951); 3 syms. (1953, 1960, unfinished); Time of the Heathen, suite for Chamber Orch. (1961); A Preview of Coming Attractions (1975); The Fox Trots Again for Chamber Ensemble (1985). CHAMBER: 7 string quartets (1949; 1951; 1953; 1957, Illiac Suite, in collaboration with L. Isaacson; 1962; 1972; 1979); 3 violin sonatas (1949, 1955,1970); Persiflage for Flute, Oboe, and Percussion (1977); Minuet and Trio for 6 Performers (1980); Fast and Slow for Saxophone Quartet (1984); Metaphors for Guitar Quartet (1986).Piano: 6 sonatas (1946, rev. 1968; 1947; 1950; 1950; 1961; 1972). VOCAL: Computer Cantata for Soprano, Chamber Ensemble, and Tape (1963; in collaboration with R. Baker); songs. OTHER: Nightmare Music for Tape (1961); 7 Electronic Studies for Tape (1963; in collaboration with R. Baker); Machine Music for Piano, Percussion, and Tape (1964); A Triptych for Hieronymus for Actors, Dancers, Projections, Tape, and Orch. (1966); An Avalanche for Pitchman, Prima Donna, Player Piano, Percussionist, and Pre- recorded Playback (1968); HPSCHD for 1 to 7 Harpsichords and 1 to 51 Tapes (1968; in collaboration with J. Cage); Algorithms 1 for 9 Instruments and Tape (1968), II for 9 Instruments and Tape (1972; in collaboration with R. Kumra), and III for 9 Instruments and Tape (1984); A Portfolio for Diverse Performers and Tape (1974); Electronic Sonata for Tape (1976); Midnight Carnival for a Principal Tape, an Indeterminate Number of Subsidiary Tapes, and other events in an urban environment (1976); Expo ’85 for Multiple Synthesizers (1985; in collaboration with C. Ames and J. Myhill).