Rosen, Jerome (William)

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Rosen, Jerome (William)

Rosen, Jerome (William) , American clarinetist, teacher, and composer; b. Boston, July 23, 1921. He studied at N.Mex. State Univ. in Las Cruces, and with William Denny and Sessions at the Univ. of Calif, at Berkeley (M.A., 1949). Then, as recipient of a Ladd Prix de Paris, he went to Paris, where he continued his studies with Milhaud and also obtained a diploma as a clarinetist (1950). Upon his return to the U.S., he became a teacher at the Univ. of Calif, at Davis (1952). He was subsequently made an assoc. prof. (1957), and a prof. (1963), and also served as director of its electronic music studio; was made prof. emeritus (1988).

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera: Emperor Norton of the U.S.A. (1990). Chamber Opera : Calisto and Melibea (1978; Davis, Calif., May 31, 1979). Musical Play : Emperor Norton Lives! (1976). Dance Satires : Search (1953); Life Cycle (1954). ORCH. : Saxophone Concerto (1957; Sacramento, Calif., Jan. 24, 1958); 5 Pieces for Band (1960); Sounds and Movements (1963); Concerto for Clarinet, Trombone, and Band (1964); Synket Concerto (1968); 3 Pieces for 2 Recorders and Orch. (1972); Clarinet Concerto (1973; Sacramento, Calif., Dec. 4, 1976); 3 Waltzes for Saxophone and Band (1995). CHAMBER : Woodwind Quintet (1949); Sonata for Clarinet and Cello (1950); 2 string quartets (1953, 1965); Clarinet Quintet (1959); Serenade for Clarinet and Percussion (1967); Quintet for Saxophone and String Quartet (1974); Serenade for Clarinet and Violin (1977); Play Time 1 for Clarinet and Double Bass (1981) and II for Clarinet and String Quartet (1981). VOCAL : 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, song cycle for Soprano and Piano (1951); Serenade for Soprano and Saxophone (1964); Chamber Music for Women’s Voices and Harp (1975); Campus Doorways for Chorus and Orch. (1978); White-Haired Lover, song cycle for Baritone, Flute, Clarinet, String Quartet, and Piano (1985); Love Poems, song cycle for Man’s and Woman’s Speaking Voices, Flute, Clarinet, String Quartet, and Piano (1985); Love Poems, song cycle for Man’s and Woman’s Speaking Voices, Flute, Clarinet, String Quartet, and Piano (1988).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire