Wallingford Riegger

Full biography Wallingford Riegger

Wallingford Riegger was an American modernist composer and pianist born on April 29 , 1885, and died on April 2, 1961. He is best known for his prolific output of orchestral works, which often combined 12-tone and conventional writing. Riegger was a highly skilled craftsman who wrote in disparate styles and with equal proficiency.

Riegger studied in New York and with Max Bruch in Germany. He wrote a large quantity of vocal and instrumental music , including four symphonies, twelve tone poems for orchestra, and numerous chamber works. He was also involved in modern dance during the 1930s and wrote music for leading choreographers such as Martha Graham and Jos Limon.

Riegger's music was highly advanced and marked by its bold experimentation. He wrote an astonishing "Study in Sonority" in 1928, which was more radical to some ears than anything that Arnold Schoenberg had yet done. Despite his impressive output of music and his contributions to modern dance, Riegger remained relatively unknown in his lifetime.

It was not until after his death that his music began to gain wider attention and recognition. Today, Riegger is considered one of the leading American modernist composers of the 20th century, with a unique style that combined traditional techniques with modernist experimentation.