Short bio John Harbison
Birthday:
1938 in Orange, NJ
Active:
1960s - 2010s
Genre:
Classical,Avant-Garde
Period:
20th Century, Contemporary
Full biography John Harbison
John Harris Harbison is an American composer, born on December 20, 1938. He is known for his impressive body of work which includes symphonies, operas, and large choral works. Harbison has a concert music catalog of almost 300 works , which includes his writing for brass and winds, and much imaginative writing for an. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1987.
Harbison's vocal writing style is particularly notable, and he has achieved significant success working with voices and choirs. However, he has also composed for a variety of instruments and ensembles, and his work is known for its complexity, depth, and emotional power.
Despite his incredible legacy, Harbison remains as active and innovative as ever. Even at the age of 83, he is still finding new challenges , be it writing his next piece or conducting another performance. His contributions to the world of classical music are immense, and his lasting influence will undoubtedly continue to be felt for generations to come.
Compositions featuring John Harbison
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | For Violin Alone | 20:52 min | Chamber Music | 2019 |
| 2 | String Quartet No. 6 | 19:00 min | Chamber Music | 2016 |
| 3 | Poems (7) of Lorine Niedecker, for voice & piano | 7:02 min | Vocal Music | 2015 |
| 4 | Crossroads, for female voice, oboe & strings | 15:19 min | Vocal Music | 2013 |
| 5 | Closer to My Own Life, for mezzo-soprano & chamber orchestra | 15:57 min | Vocal Music | 2011 |
| 6 | Sonata for violin & piano No. 1 | 14:46 min | Chamber Music | 2011 |
| 7 | Double Concerto, for violin, cello & orchestra | 20:12 min | Concerto | 2010 |
| 8 | Leonard Stein Anagrams, for piano | 15:34 min | Keyboard | 2009 |
| 9 | Cortège, for 6 percussionists | 11:35 min | Chamber Music | 2008 |
| 10 | Rubies, for orchestra or concert band (after Thelonius Monk's "Ruby, My Dear") | 5:27 min | Orchestral | 2006 |
| 11 | Bass Viol Concerto | 19:21 min | Concerto | 2005 |
| 12 | Darkbloom: Overture for an Imagined Opera, for orchestra | 7:20 min | Orchestral | 2004 |
| 13 | Montale Sketches, for piano | 7:47 min | Keyboard | 2004 |
| 14 | Symphony No. 4 | 24:16 min | Symphony | 2004 |
| 15 | Ten Micro-Waltzes, for piano | 8:20 min | Keyboard | 2004 |
| 16 | Vocalism, aria for soprano & piano | 7:24 min | Vocal Music | 2004 |
| 17 | Cucaraccia and Fugue, for 4 violas | 4:17 min | Chamber Music | 2003 |
| 18 | Piano Trio No. 2 | 17:43 min | Chamber Music | 2003 |
| 19 | Requiem, for soloists, chorus & orchestra | 54:28 min | Choral | 2002 |
| 20 | String Quartet No. 4 | 19:33 min | Chamber Music | 2002 |
| 21 | The Violist's Notebooks: Book 1 | 7:45 min | Chamber Music | 2002 |
| 22 | The Violist's Notebooks: Book 2 | 7:43 min | Chamber Music | 2002 |
| 23 | Chaconne, for piano & 4 instruments | 4:52 min | Chamber Music | 2001 |
| 24 | North and South: Six Poems of Elizabeth Bishop, for mezzo-soprano & chamber ensemble | 18:49 min | Vocal Music | 2001 |
| 25 | Partita, for orchestra | 22:02 min | Orchestral | 2001 |
| 26 | Piano Sonata No. 2 | 25:05 min | Keyboard | 2001 |
| 27 | Songs America Loves to Sing/Variations on Common Tunes, for ensemble | 25:15 min | Chamber Music | 2001 |
| 28 | Six American Painters, for flute & string trio | 21:47 min | Chamber Music | 2000 |
| 29 | Gatsby Etudes, for piano | 8:37 min | Keyboard | 1999 |
| 30 | Gatsby Songs, for voice & piano | Vocal Music | 1999 | |
| 31 | The Great Gatsby, opera | 162:09 min | Opera | 1999 |
| 32 | Four Psalms, for soloists, chorus & orchestra | 38:39 min | Choral | 1998 |
| 33 | Olympic Dances, for band | 16:59 min | Band Music | 1996 |
| 34 | Chorale Cantata, for soprano, oboe & strings | 9:53 min | Vocal Music | 1995 |
| 35 | Emerson, for chorus, cello & double bass | 12:20 min | Choral | 1995 |
| 36 | Juste Judex, for soloists, chorus & orchestra (from Requiem of Reconciliation, collective composition) | 5:48 min | Choral | 1995 |
| 37 | Recordare, for soloists, chorus & orchestra (from Requiem of Reconciliation, collective composition) | 7:43 min | Choral | 1995 |
| 38 | Communion Words, for chorus | 2:17 min | Choral | 1994 |
| 39 | Concerning Them Which are Asleep, for chorus | 6:37 min | Choral | 1994 |
| 40 | Flute Concerto | 18:41 min | Concerto | 1994 |
| 41 | San Antonio, for alto saxophone & piano | 12:26 min | Chamber Music | 1994 |
| 42 | Thanks, Victor, for string quartet | 5:49 min | Chamber Music | 1994 |
| 43 | Trio Sonata, for 2 clarinets & bass clarinet | 4:43 min | Chamber Music | 1994 |
| 44 | Trio Sonata, for strings | 4:45 min | Chamber Music | 1994 |
| 45 | Cello Concerto | 22:39 min | Concerto | 1993 |
| 46 | Fantasia on a Ground, for strings | 4:22 min | Chamber Music | 1993 |
| 47 | String Quartet No. 3 | 20:55 min | Chamber Music | 1993 |
| 48 | Suite for cello | 8:41 min | Chamber Music | 1993 |
| 49 | The Most Often Used Chords (Gli accordi più usati), for orchestra | 16:38 min | Orchestral | 1993 |
| 50 | O Magnum Mysterium, for chorus (long setting) | 4:44 min | Choral | 1992 |
| 51 | Al primo chiaro, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 2:18 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 52 | Ave Verum Corpus, for chorus | 6:55 min | Choral | 1991 |
| 53 | Between two Worlds, for soprano, 2 cellos & 2 pianos | 26:53 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 54 | Due Libri dei Mottetti di Montale, for mezzo-soprano & ensemble | 22:32 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 55 | Ground Level (for Milo), for piano | Keyboard | 1991 | |
| 56 | Il fiore, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 2:36 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 57 | Infuria, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 1:34 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 58 | La canna, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 4:50 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 59 | La gondola, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 3:04 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 60 | La Rana, motet for voice & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 3:09 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 61 | Ma così sia, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Libri) | 1:56 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 62 | Non recidere, motet for mezzo-soprano & ensemble (from Due Mottetti) | 3:05 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 63 | O Magnum Mysterium, for chorus (short setting) | 2:36 min | Choral | 1991 |
| 64 | Oboe Concerto | 20:00 min | Concerto | 1991 |
| 65 | Symphony No. 3 | 23:51 min | Symphony | 1991 |
| 66 | The Flute of Interior Time, for baritone or mezzo-soprano & piano | 2:45 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 67 | The Rewaking, for soprano & string quartet | 19:02 min | Vocal Music | 1991 |
| 68 | Three City Blocks, for band | 14:54 min | Band Music | 1991 |
| 69 | Emmanuel Motets (2), for chorus | Choral | 1990 | |
| 70 | Nocturne, for brass quintet | 5:52 min | Chamber Music | 1989 |
| 71 | Words from Paterson, for baritone & chamber ensemble | 26:56 min | Vocal Music | 1989 |
| 72 | Christmas Vespers, for brass quintet & narrator | 23:50 min | Chamber Music | 1988 |
| 73 | Concerto for double brass choir & orchestra | 20:00 min | Concerto | 1988 |
| 74 | Fantasy Duo, for violin & piano | 38:03 min | Chamber Music | 1988 |
| 75 | November 19, 1828, Hallucination in four episodes, for piano & string trio | 16:38 min | Chamber Music | 1988 |
| 76 | Simple Daylight, for soprano & piano | 12:17 min | Vocal Music | 1988 |
| 77 | The Three Wise Men, for brass quintet & narrator (from Christmas Vespers) | 15:36 min | Chamber Music | 1988 |
| 78 | Viola Concerto | 23:14 min | Concerto | 1988 |
| 79 | Four More Occasional Pieces, for piano | 9:21 min | Keyboard | 1987 |
| 80 | Piano Sonata No. 1 ("In Memoriam Roger Sessions") | 15:48 min | Keyboard | 1987 |
| 81 | String Quartet No. 2 | 25:14 min | Chamber Music | 1987 |
| 82 | Symphony No. 2 | 23:00 min | Symphony | 1987 |
| 83 | The Natural World, for soprano, flute, clarinet, cello & piano | 14:46 min | Vocal Music | 1987 |
| 84 | Music for 18 Winds | 12:35 min | Chamber Music | 1986 |
| 85 | The Flight into Egypt, for soprano, baritone, chorus & orchestra | 12:41 min | Choral | 1986 |
| 86 | Concerto for oboe, clarinet & strings | 14:00 min | Concerto | 1985 |
| 87 | Remembering Gatsby, foxtrot for orchestra | 6:32 min | Orchestral | 1985 |
| 88 | Songs (4) of Solitude, for violin | 15:16 min | Chamber Music | 1985 |
| 89 | String Quartet No. 1 | 12:20 min | Chamber Music | 1985 |
| 90 | Twilight Music, for horn, violin & piano | 16:36 min | Chamber Music | 1985 |
| 91 | Ulysses' Bow, ballet | 33:15 min | Ballet | 1983 |
| 92 | Exequien for Calvin Simmons, for large ensemble | 5:37 min | Chamber Music | 1982 |
| 93 | Mirabai Songs, for soprano & chamber ensemble (or piano) | 17:28 min | Vocal Music | 1982 |
| 94 | Variations for clarinet, violin & piano | 22:58 min | Chamber Music | 1982 |
| 95 | Piano Quintet | 24:26 min | Chamber Music | 1981 |
| 96 | Symphony No. 1 | 23:55 min | Symphony | 1981 |
| 97 | Mottetti di Montale Libro 1, for mezzo-soprano & strings (or piano) | 14:39 min | Vocal Music | 1980 |
| 98 | Mottetti di Montale Libro 2, for mezzo-soprano & strings (or piano) | 11:58 min | Vocal Music | 1980 |
| 99 | Mottetti di Montale Libro 3, for mezzo-soprano & strings (or piano) | 8:40 min | Vocal Music | 1980 |
| 100 | Mottetti di Montale Libro 4, for mezzo-soprano & strings (or piano) | 11:59 min | Vocal Music | 1980 |
| 101 | Violin Concerto | 26:25 min | Concerto | 1980 |
| 102 | Quintet for winds | 21:29 min | Chamber Music | 1979 |
| 103 | Snow Country, for oboe & string quintet | 12:35 min | Chamber Music | 1979 |
| 104 | Piano Concerto | 24:28 min | Concerto | 1978 |
| 105 | Samuel Chapter, for soprano (or tenor) & chamber ensemble | 11:51 min | Vocal Music | 1978 |
| 106 | Three Occasional Pieces, for piano (originally 4 pieces) | 11:17 min | Keyboard | 1978 |
| 107 | Full Moon in March, opera | 32:38 min | Opera | 1977 |
| 108 | Book of Hours and Seasons, for mezzo-soprano, flute, violoncello & piano | 18:10 min | Vocal Music | 1975 |
| 109 | Nunc Dimittis, for male chorus & piano | 6:49 min | Choral | 1975 |
| 110 | Winter's Tale, opera | 83:43 min | Opera | 1974 |
| 111 | Five Songs of Experience on Poems of William Blake, for chorus, string quartet & percussion | 18:11 min | Choral | 1971 |
| 112 | Bermuda Triangle, for tenor saxophone, amplified cello & electric organ (December Music, part 3) | 7:57 min | Chamber Music | 1970 |
| 113 | Parody-fantasia, for piano (December Music, part 2) | 7:31 min | Keyboard | 1968 |
| 114 | Piano Trio [No. 1] | 7:09 min | Chamber Music | 1968 |
| 115 | Canzonetta, for 4 bassoons | 5:03 min | Chamber Music | 1962 |
| 116 | Duo for flute & piano | 16:47 min | Chamber Music | 1961 |
| 117 | After Hours, song collection for voice & piano | 7:07 min | Vocal Music | 1952 |
| 118 | Magnum Mysterium, 4 meditations for brass quintet | 16:27 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 119 | Monk Trope, for piano | 2:22 min | Keyboard | - |
| 120 | Sonata for solo viola | 12:35 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 121 | String Quartet No. 5 | 23:16 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 122 | Waltz (in memoriam Steve Stucky), for piano | 0:46 min | Keyboard | - |
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