Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

October 21, 1926 in Wisconsin

Death

:

June 25, 2020 in Barnegat, NJ

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Marga Richter was an American composer of classical music, born on October 21, 1926, in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of a German immigrant father and an American mother. Her father was a musician and a composer, and he encouraged her to pursue music from a young age. Richter began playing the piano at the age of four and started composing her own music at the age of eight. Richter's family moved to Milwaukee when she was a child, and she continued her musical education there. She studied piano with Carl Friedberg, a student of Clara Schumann, and composition with Carl Baermann. She also attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied composition with Robert Palmer. In 1950, Richter moved to New York City to study composition with Stefan Wolpe at the New School for Social Research. She also studied with Luigi Dallapiccola at Tanglewood and with Aaron Copland at the Berkshire Music Center. These experiences helped to shape her musical style, which was characterized by a blend of modernist and traditional elements. Richter's early works were often experimental and avant-garde, reflecting the influence of her teachers. However, she gradually moved towards a more tonal and accessible style, which she felt was more expressive and communicative. Her music was often inspired by nature, literature, and personal experiences. One of Richter's most famous works is her Piano Concerto No. 2, which was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1968. The concerto is a virtuosic showcase for the soloist, with a lyrical and expressive second movement that has become a favorite of pianists and audiences alike. Richter also wrote several other concertos, including works for violin, cello, and flute. Richter's chamber music is also highly regarded, with works for string quartet, piano trio, and other ensembles. Her String Quartet No. 3, which was premiered by the Juilliard Quartet in 1972, is a powerful and emotional work that reflects her interest in the human condition. Richter also wrote several vocal works, including songs and choral pieces. Throughout her career, Richter received numerous awards and honors for her music. She was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1968 and a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Composer's Grant in 1974. She was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Richter continued to compose music well into her later years, despite suffering from Parkinson's disease. She died on May 25, 2020, at the age of 93. Her legacy as a composer and a trailblazer for women in classical music lives on through her music and the many musicians who have been inspired by her work.

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