Hugo Weisgall (1912-1997)
Hugo
Weisgall was a Czech-born American composer and conductor. He is
best remembered as a composer of opera and large-scale song
cycles reflecting western literature and Judaic themes. His
opera Six Characters in Search of an Author made him
nationally known. He received all his formal education in
America. He studied at the Peabody Conservatory and the Curtis
Institute of Music, with Fritz Reiner and Rosario Scalero, and
he studied intermittently with Roger Sessions. His varying
interests led him to pursue a doctorate in other academic areas
and in 1940 he received a Ph.D. for his dissertation on
primitivism in 17th-century German poetry. He served as an
assistant military attache to General S. Patton during World War
II. After the war, he returned to the United States where he
founded and directed the Chamber Society of Baltimore and the
Hilltop Opera Company. From 1949 to 1951, he was the director of
the Baltimore Institute of Musical Arts. He taught at Johns
Hopkins University from 1951 to 1957 all the while continuing
his work with synagogue choirs. His greatest ongoing project was
his forty-four-year involvment with the Jewish Theological
seminary. He became a professor at Queens College, the Julliard
School and the Jewish Theological Seminary. In 1955, he was
awarded the Columbia University William Schuman Award and three
Guggenheim fellowships for musical activities and
accomplishments. ~ The Kennedy Center
COMPOSITIONS Weisgall Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Weisgall on Weisgall
Piano Sonata [No. 1] (1931)
Night, opera (1932) [libretto after Shalom Ash]
Lillith, opera (1934) [libretto after L. Elman]
Yihyu l'ratzon (May the Words) (1935?/1950?/c1961?) [in Four Choral Etudes, 1935-56]
How Fair is Thy Love (K'felach horimon) (1935) [in Three Hebraic Folksongs]
Quest, ballet (1938) [orchestral suite, 1942)
Art Appreciation, ballet (1938)
Who is like unto Thee (Micho-mocho), chorus, baritone solo, with piano or organ (1938) [in Two Liturgical Settings]
Chorale Prelude, organ (1938)
One Thing Is Certain, ballet (1939)
Fugue and Romance, 2 pianos (1939; pub. 1940) [arr. from One Thing is Certain]
Variations, piano (1939)
Hymn, op. 4, chorus and orchestra (1941)
Overture in F, orchestra (1942-43; pub. 1963)
I looked back suddenly, voice and piano (1943) [text: Humbert Wolfe]
Madrigal, voice and piano (1945) [text: Karel Weis]
Soldier Songs, song cycle (9 songs), baritone and orchestra, op.6 (1945-46; fp. 26 April 1954; rev. 1965)
Outpost, ballet (1947)
The Tenor, chamber opera in one act (1948–50; fp. 1952)
A Garden Eastward, cantata, soprano and orchestra (1952; Baltimore, Jan. 31, 1953; pub. 1960)
The Stronger, opera in one act (1952-54; fp. 1952)
Hodu ladonai (Praise be unto God) (1954) [in Four Choral Etudes, 1935-56]
Two madrigals, voice and piano (1955; pub. c1958) [text: from anonymous 17th century poems]
Six Characters in Search of an Author, opera in 3 acts (1953–56; fp. 1959)
Fortress, Rock of Our Salvation (Moos tzur) (1957) [in Three Hebraic Folksongs]
Purgatory, opera (1958; fp. 1961) [text: William Butler Yeats]
Ki lo na'e (God is Due Praise) (1958) [in Four Choral Etudes, 1935-56]
The Gardens of Adonis, opera in 3 scenes (1959; rev. 1977-81; fp. 1992)
Evening Prayer for Peace (Ki el shomrenu), chorus (1959) [in Two Liturgical Settings]
Appearances and Entrances, orchestra (1960)
Proclamation, orchestra (1960) [from the collaborative ballet score "Dances for Limon"]
So Spake Rabbi Akiba (Omar Rabbi Akiba) (1960) [in Three Hebraic Folksongs]
B'tzet yisrael (When Israel out of Egypt came) (1961?) [in Four Choral Etudes, 1935-56]
Athaliah, opera in 2 parts (1960–63; fp. 1964)
Improvisation I, piano (1964) [Graven Images No. 6]
Improvisation I, piano (1964; rev. 1966) [Graven Images No. 7]
B'rosh hashono, cantor and chorus (1966)
Echod hu Elohenu, cantor and chorus (1966) [text: Arnold Chaitman]
Etz chayim, cantor and chorus (1966) [text: Arnold Chaitman]
Hashkivenu, cantor and chorus (1966)
Sim sholom, cantor and chorus (1966) [text: Arnold Chaitman]
Of Heaven and Earth (1966) [CBS documentary film about ancient Jewish art and artifacts]
Lines, wind quartet (1966) [Graven Images No. 1]
Pastorale, wind quartet (1966) [Graven Images No. 2]
Sine Nomine, piano (1966) [Graven Images No. 3]
Holiday Dance No. 1 (Hanukkah), wind quintet (1966; rev. 1978) [Graven Images No. 4]
Holiday Dance No. 2 (Purim), fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, tpt (1966) [Graven Images No. 5]
Psalm 29, chorus and piano (1966; pub. c1973) [Graven Images No. 8]
Nine Rivers from Jordan, opera, prologue and 3 acts (1964–68)
Fancies and Inventions (10 songs), baritone and five instruments (1970; rev. 1972) [text: Robert Herrick]
End of Summer (3 songs), tenor, oboe, violin, viola and cello (1973)
A Song of Celebration, Ode for tenor, soprano, chorus and orchestra (1975) [text: John Hollander]
The Golden Peacock, Seven Popular Songs from the Yiddish, voice and piano (1976; pub. 1980)
Jenny, or The Hundred Nights, opera (1975–76)
Translations (7 songs), voice and piano (1977)
Liebeslieder (Love Songs) - Four Songs With Interludes, high voice and piano (1979; pub. 1981) [text: Deborah Weisgall]
Psalm 118:26, unison chorus and piano (1980; rev. 1982) [Graven Images No. 11]
Piano Sonata [No. 2] (1982)
Four Birthday Cards, piano (1978–83; pub. 1986)
Prospect, orchestra (1983)
Arioso and Burlesca, cello and piano (1984)
Lyrical Interval, song cycle (15 songs), low voice and piano (1984) [text: from John Hollander]
Tangents, four episodes for flute and marimba (1985)
T'kiatot, Rituals for Rosh Hashana, voice and orchestra (1985)
Shahar avakeshka (At dawn to thee I come), [voice? and orchestra?] (1986)
Loves' wounded, baritone and orchestra (1986) [text: Yehuda Halevi]
Will You Marry Me?, opera (1989)
Psalm of the Distant Dove, canticle for mezzo-soprano and piano (1992)
Esther, opera (1990–93)
Evening liturgies ("Synagogue Service"), cantor, chorus and organ (1986-1996)
Unfinished Projects
A Second Set of settings of Yiddish Folk Melodies
Operatic versions of two plays by Jean Anouilh [several scenes of which were sketched out to libretti by Charles Kondek]
A new opera on John Hersey’s novel The Wall, about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising [w/an almost completed libretto by Kondek]
Sketches of a group of liturgical settings for the typical format in Conservative synagogues
WORKS BY GENRE Weisgall Links ~ ~ ~ Weisgall on Weisgall ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Night, opera (1932) [libretto after Shalom Ash]
Lillith, opera (1934) [libretto after L. Elman]
Four Songs for High Voice, op. 1, voice and piano (1934?; pub. 1940?) [text: Adelaide Crapsey]
Quest, ballet (1938) [orchestral suite, 1942)
Art Appreciation, ballet (1938)
One Thing Is Certain, ballet (1939)
Outpost, ballet (1947)
The Tenor, chamber opera in one act (1948–50; fp. 1952) [libretto: Karl Shapiro and Ernst Lert, after Frank Wedekind]
The Stronger, opera in one act (1952-54; fp. 1952) [libretto: Richard Henry Hart, after August Strindberg]
Six Characters in Search of an Author, opera in 3 acts (1953–56; fp. 1959) [libretto: Werner Gallusser, after Luigi Pirandello]
Purgatory, opera (1958; fp. 1961) [text: William Butler Yeats]
The Gardens of Adonis, opera in 3 scenes (1959; rev. 1977-81; fp. 1992) [libretto: John Olon, after the poem Venus and Adonis
by William Shakespeare and the play of the same name by André Obey]
Proclamation, orchestra (1960) [from the collaborative ballet score "Dances for Limon"]
Athaliah, opera in 2 parts (1960–63; fp. 1964) [libretto: Richard Franko Goldman, after Jean Racine]
Nine Rivers from Jordan, opera, prologue and 3 acts (1964–68) [libretto: Denis Johnston]
Jenny, or The Hundred Nights, opera (1975–76) [libretto: John Hollander, after Yukio Mishima]
Will You Marry Me?, opera (1989) [libretto: Charles Kondek, after Alfred Surro]
Esther, opera (1990–93) [libretto: Charles Kondek]
Orchestra
Suite from the ballet "Quest", orchestra (1938; suite fp. N.Y., March 21, 1942)
Overture in F, orchestra (1942-43; pub. 1963) [original title: American Comedy 1943, crossed out at top of score]
Dances from the ballet "Outpost", orchestra (1947)
Appearances and Entrances, orchestra (1960)
Proclamation, orchestra (1960) [from the collaborative ballet score "Dances for Limon"]
Prospect, orchestra (1983)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Hymn, op. 4, chorus and orchestra (1941)
Choral
Hymn, op. 4, chorus and orchestra (1941)
Four Choral Etudes, chorus (1935-1956; rev. 1950-60)
- Yihyu l'ratzon (May the Words) (1935?/1950?/c1961?)
- Hodu ladonai (Praise be unto God) (1954)
- B'tzet yisrael (When Israel out of Egypt came) (1961?)
- Ki lo na'e (God is Due Praise) (1958)
Two Liturgical Settings (1938/1959)
- Who is like unto Thee (Micho-mocho), chorus, baritone solo, with piano or organ (1938)
- Evening Prayer for Peace (Ki el shomrenu), chorus (1959)
Three Hebraic Folksongs, chorus (1935-1960)
- So Spake Rabbi Akiba (Omar Rabbi Akiba) (1960)
- How Fair is Thy Love (K'felach horimon) (1935)
- Fortress, Rock of Our Salvation (Moos tzur) (1957)
B'rosh hashono, cantor and chorus (1966)
Echod hu Elohenu, cantor and chorus (1966) [text: Arnold Chaitman]
Etz chayim, cantor and chorus (1966) [text: Arnold Chaitman]
Hashkivenu, cantor and chorus (1966)
Sim sholom, cantor and chorus (1966) [text: Arnold Chaitman]
Psalm 29, chorus and piano (1966; pub. c1973) [Graven Images No. 8]
Psalm 118:26, unison chorus and piano (1980; rev. 1982) [Graven Images No. 11]
Evening liturgies ("Synagogue Service"), cantor, chorus and organ (1986-1996)
- Ma tovu I
- Ma tovu II
- Borchu I
- Borchu II
- Sh'ma Yisroel
- V'ohavto
- Mi chomocho
- Hashkivenu
- V'shomru I
- V'shomru II
- Yi'hyu l'rotzon
- Verses from Yigdal
Chamber
Lines, wind quartet (1966) [Graven Images No. 1]
Pastorale, wind quartet (1966) [Graven Images No. 2]
Holiday Dance No. 1 (Hanukkah), wind quintet (1966; rev. 1978) [Graven Images No. 4]
Holiday Dance No. 2 (Purim), fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, tpt (1966) [Graven Images No. 5]
Tangents, four episodes for flute and marimba (1985)
Instrument and Piano
Arioso and Burlesca, cello and piano (1984)
Piano/Organ
Piano Sonata [No. 1] (1931)
Chorale Prelude, organ (1938)
Fugue and Romance, 2 pianos (1939; pub. 1940) [from the ballet One Thing is Certain]
Variations, piano (1939)
Improvisation I, piano (1964) [Graven Images No. 6]
Improvisation I, piano (1964; rev. 1966) [Graven Images No. 7]
Sine Nomine, piano (1966) [Graven Images No. 3]
Piano Sonata [No. 2] (1982)
Four Birthday Cards, piano (1978–83; pub. 1986)
- Billy's Belated Birthday Rag
- For Randy at 70
- Valse oubliée
- Rückblick
Vocal
Four Songs for High Voice, op. 1, voice and piano (1934?; pub. 1940?) [text: Adelaide Crapsey]
- Old Love
- Song
- Oh Lady, let the sad tears fall
- Dirge
I looked back suddenly, voice and piano (1943) [text: Humbert Wolfe]
Madrigal, voice and piano (1945) [text: Karel Weis]
Soldier Songs, song cycle, baritone and orchestra, op.6 (1945-46; fp. 26 April 1954; rev. 1965)
- 1. Lord I have seen too much [text: Karl Shapiro]
- 2. Suicide in the trenches [text: Siegfried Lorraine Sassoon]
- 3. The Dying Airman [text: Anonymous]
- 4. my sweet old etcetera [text: e.e. cummings]
- 5. The Dying Solder [text: Isaac Rosenberg]
- 6. Fife Tune [text: John Manifold]
- 7. Futility [text: Wilfred Owen]
- 8. The leveller [text: Robert Graves]
- 9. Shiloh [text: Herman Melville]
A Garden Eastward, cantata, soprano and orchestra (1952; Baltimore, Jan. 31, 1953; pub. 1960)
- Fantasia
- Scherzo
- Free Variations
Two madrigals, voice and piano (1955; pub. c1958) [text: from anonymous 17th century poems]
- No more I will thy love importune
- Nuptial song (Be nimble, quick, away)
Fancies and Inventions, baritone and five instruments (1970; rev. 1972) [text: Robert Herrick]
- To Criticks
- Soft music
- To Daffadills
- To His Mistresse Objecting to Him Neither Toying or Talking
- To Cherry-Blossoms
- To the Detracter
- The Voice and Violl
- The Frozen Heart
- I call and I call
- To Musick. A Song
End of Summer, tenor, oboe, violin, viola and cello (1973)
- After lunch [text: Po Chü-i]
- Quasi fantasia (instrmental)
- Hearing Someone Sing a Poem by Yuan Chen [text: Po Chü-i]
- Scherzo (instrmental)
- De Senectute [text: George Boas]
A Song of Celebration, Ode for tenor, soprano, chorus and orchestra (1975) [text: John Hollander]
The Golden Peacock, Seven Popular Songs from the Yiddish, voice and piano (1976; pub. 1980)
- Undzer Rebenyu (Our Rebenyu)
- Lomir Zikh Bafrayen (Drinking Song)
- Mayn Harts Veynt in Mir (My Heart, My Soul Cries Aloud)
- Baleboste Zisinke (The Pretty Mistress)
- Shlof Mayn Kind, Shlof Keseyder (Sleep My Baby)
- Der Rebe Elimeylekh (Rabbi Elimeylekh)
- Di Goldene Pave (The Golden Peacock)
Translations, voice and piano (1977)
- Knoxville, Tennessee [text: Nikki Giovanni]
- Song [text: Adrienne Rich]
- Child song [text: Deborah Trustman]
- Poem [text: Celia Dropkin] (version 1)
- Poem [text: Celia Dropkin] (version 2)
- The rebel [text: Mari Evans]
- A city of the sea [text: Anna Margolin]
Liebeslieder (Love Songs) - Four Songs With Interludes, high voice and piano (1979; pub. 1981) [text: Deborah Weisgall]
- 1. Allegretto con moto
- Interlude I
- 2. Do not drag
- Interlude II
- 3. Poco agitato
- Interlude III
- 4. Tempo di valse
- Interlude IV
Lyrical Interval, song cycle, low voice and piano (1984) [text: Words from John Hollander's Blue wine, written as a song cycle]
- Prologue: Am Klavier (at the piano)
- First echo
- Eyes
- The cable-car
- Calling across water
- The patch of garden
- Land and water
- Piano interlude
- The movie
- The game
- The dying friend
- The dream
- The other route
- Lying down
- The park
- The old guitar
- Last echo
T'kiatot, Rituals for Rosh Hashana, voice and orchestra (1985)
- 1. Malkhuyyot
- 2. Zikhronot
- 3. Shofarot
Shahar avakeshka (At dawn to thee I come), [voice? and orchestra?] (1986)
Loves' wounded, baritone and orchestra (1986) [text: Yehuda Halevi]
- Woman’s Victim
- God’s Victim
Psalm of the Distant Dove, canticle for mezzo-soprano and piano (1992)
- Prelude. My Lover Called
- Days of Cold Are Past
- Prelude. The Dove Knows Her Mate
- Distant Dove
- Elegy
- Prelude. Birds Struggle
- Avi, Avi
Incidental/Film/Television music
Of Heaven and Earth (1966) [CBS documentary about ancient Jewish art and artifacts]
- this music later served as source material for his "Graven Images" pieces
WEISGALL LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Weisgall on Weisgall ~ top of page ~
Hugo Weisgall Interview with Bruce Duffie
A New Masterpiece (Samuel Lipman, Commentary Magazine)
Composer's website . . . [none at the moment]
Weisgall @ Wikipedia
Weisgall @ Classical Archives
Weisgall @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Weisgall @ The Kennedy Center
Weisgall @ Miliken Archive of Jewish Music
Weisgall @ Musicalics
Weisgall @ MusicWeb International
Weisgall @ Naxos
Weisgall @ New Music USA
Weisgall @ The New York Public Library Archives and Manuscripts
Weisgall @ The New York Times
Weisgall @ The LiederNet Archive
Weisgall @ Songs of America
Weisgall @ US Opera
Publisher
Weisgall @ Carl Fischer/Theodore Presser
Weisgall @ Free Library of Philadelphia
Streaming Audio
Weisgall @ SoundCloud
Recordings
Weisgall @ ArkivMusic
Weisgall @ Audiophile Audition
Weisgall @ Discogs
Weisgall @ itunes
Weisgall @ Naxos
Weisgall @ New World Records
Video
Weisgall @ YouTube
~ top of page ~
Weisgall on Weisgall: Why Esther? (VIDEO)
Composers Speak on the
Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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