Ben Weber

Full biography Ben Weber

Ben Weber (1909-1979) was an American composer, known for his contributions to 12-tone music and his ability to combine rhythmic energy with nuance in his compositions. He was born on April 23, 1909, in St. Louis, Missouri and started his musical career as a jazz saxophonist. Later, he turned to classical composition and studied with some of the most renowned composers of his time, including Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg.

During his career, Weber wrote works for a variety of ensembles, including orchestras, chamber groups, and soloists. Some of his most notable compositions include "Symphony No. 3", "Variations for Piano", and "String Quartet No. 4". He also wrote an unpublished memoir ), "How I Took 63 Years to Commit Suicide", which sheds light on his struggles as a composer in the mid-20th century.

Weber was a recipient of multiple awards and honors throughout his career ), including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1950 and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation. He died on September 17, 1979, in Great Neck, New York, at the age of 70.

Today, Weber's music is still performed and admired by many contemporary classical musicians, and his contributions to the development of 12-tone music continue to be studied and appreciated.