Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

June 26, 1928 in Philadelphia, PA

Death

:

May 24, 1996 in Milford, CT

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Jacob Druckman was an American composer of classical music who was born on June 26, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of three children born to Jewish immigrants from Ukraine. Druckman's father was a tailor, and his mother was a homemaker. Druckman showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He also played the clarinet and saxophone in his high school band. Druckman attended the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied composition with Vincent Persichetti and Aaron Copland. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1950 and his Master of Music degree in 1952. After completing his studies, Druckman worked as a freelance composer and taught at various universities, including the University of Illinois, Columbia University, and Yale University. Druckman's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and the serialism of Schoenberg. However, he soon developed his own unique style, which combined elements of serialism, aleatory (chance) music, and electronic music. Druckman was also interested in exploring the timbral possibilities of different instruments and often used extended techniques, such as multiphonics and microtones, in his compositions. One of Druckman's most famous works is his composition "Windows," which was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic in 1972. The piece is scored for orchestra and features a solo trumpet, which represents a person looking out of a window. The other instruments in the orchestra represent the sounds and sights that the person sees outside the window. "Windows" is a prime example of Druckman's interest in exploring the timbral possibilities of different instruments and his use of aleatory techniques. Another notable work by Druckman is his composition "Come Round," which was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1985. The piece is scored for orchestra and features a solo percussionist, who plays a variety of instruments, including marimba, vibraphone, and glockenspiel. "Come Round" is a complex and challenging work that showcases Druckman's interest in exploring the rhythmic and timbral possibilities of percussion instruments. Druckman was also interested in electronic music and composed several works that combined acoustic instruments with electronic sounds. One of his most famous electronic works is "Animus IV," which was composed in 1977. The piece is scored for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and tape and features a variety of electronic sounds, including synthesized sounds and recorded sounds of natural phenomena, such as thunder and wind. Druckman received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including a Pulitzer Prize in 1977 for his composition "Windows." He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Druckman continued to compose and teach until his death on March 24, 1996, in New Haven, Connecticut. In conclusion, Jacob Druckman was a highly influential American composer of classical music who developed his own unique style that combined elements of serialism, aleatory music, and electronic music. His compositions often explored the timbral possibilities of different instruments and featured complex rhythms and harmonies. Druckman's works, such as "Windows" and "Come Round," continue to be performed and studied by musicians and music scholars around the world.

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