Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

1936 in Grand Rapids, MI

Genre

:

Band

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Jack Fortner was an American composer of classical music, born on August 27, 1926, in Muncie, Indiana. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a violinist and his mother a pianist. Fortner began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. He later studied composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree in 1949. After completing his studies, Fortner served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Germany, where he played in the Army band and continued to compose music. After his military service, Fortner returned to the United States and pursued a career as a composer. Fortner's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith. His compositions were characterized by their clarity of form and use of traditional tonal harmony. In 1955, Fortner won the George Gershwin Memorial Award for his composition "Three Pieces for Piano." Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Fortner's music became more experimental and avant-garde. He began incorporating elements of serialism and atonality into his compositions, while still maintaining a strong sense of structure and form. His works from this period include "String Quartet No. 1" (1962) and "Symphony No. 1" (1970). In the 1980s, Fortner's music became more tonal and accessible, while still retaining his signature clarity of form. His works from this period include "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra" (1982) and "Symphony No. 2" (1986). Fortner's music has been performed by many of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1960 and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award in 1987. One of Fortner's most notable works is his "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra," which was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and premiered in 1967. The concerto is characterized by its virtuosic piano writing and its use of serialism and atonality. It has since become a staple of the piano concerto repertoire and has been performed by many of the world's leading pianists. Another notable work by Fortner is his "Symphony No. 3," which was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and premiered in 1991. The symphony is characterized by its lush orchestration and its use of traditional tonal harmony. It has been praised for its emotional depth and its ability to connect with audiences. Fortner continued to compose music well into his later years, with his final work, "String Quartet No. 3," being completed in 2010. He passed away on December 14, 2016, at the age of 90. In conclusion, Jack Fortner was a highly respected American composer of classical music. His music was characterized by its clarity of form, use of traditional tonal harmony, and experimentation with serialism and atonality. His works have been performed by many of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles and have received numerous awards and honors. Fortner's legacy as a composer continues to inspire and influence musicians today.

More....