Role

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Composer Performer

Period

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Modern

Genre

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Choral

 

Charles Osgood was a renowned American composer of classical music, born on May 18, 1928, in New York City. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. His father, William Osgood, was a composer and conductor, and his mother, Mary Osgood, was a pianist. Charles showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of five. Osgood attended the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, where he studied composition with Vincent Persichetti and William Bergsma. He also studied conducting with Jean Morel and Leonard Bernstein. After graduating from Juilliard in 1950, Osgood continued his studies in Europe, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and Luigi Dallapiccola in Florence. Osgood's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith. His first major work, the Symphony No. 1, was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1953. The symphony was well-received and established Osgood as a promising young composer. In the 1960s, Osgood's style began to evolve, and he became interested in serialism and other avant-garde techniques. His works from this period, such as the String Quartet No. 2 and the Piano Sonata No. 2, are characterized by their complex rhythms and dissonant harmonies. In the 1970s, Osgood's style became more tonal and accessible. His works from this period, such as the Symphony No. 3 and the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, are characterized by their lush harmonies and lyrical melodies. Osgood's most famous work is the opera The Death of Klinghoffer, which premiered in 1991. The opera tells the story of the hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship by Palestinian terrorists in 1985 and the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, a Jewish-American passenger. The opera was controversial and sparked protests from some members of the Jewish community, who felt that it was anti-Semitic. However, Osgood defended the opera, saying that it was a work of art that explored complex political and moral issues. In addition to his work as a composer, Osgood was also a respected conductor and educator. He served as the music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1963 to 1971 and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from 1972 to 1977. He also taught at the Eastman School of Music, the University of Michigan, and the Juilliard School. Osgood received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1991 for The Death of Klinghoffer. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Charles Osgood died on May 16, 2001, at the age of 72. He left behind a legacy of innovative and thought-provoking works that continue to be performed and studied today.

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