Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

August 24, 1910 in Frankfurt, Germany

Death

:

April 30, 2000 in Bloomington, IN

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Bernhard Heiden was a German-born American composer who was born on August 24, 1910, in Frankfurt, Germany. He was the son of a prominent physician, Dr. Max Heiden, and his wife, Gertrude. Bernhard showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He later studied the violin and viola, and by the age of 14, he had already composed his first piece of music. In 1927, Heiden enrolled at the Frankfurt Conservatory, where he studied composition with Bernhard Sekles and piano with Edwin Fischer. He also studied conducting with Hans Rosbaud and Hermann Scherchen. Heiden's studies were interrupted in 1933 when the Nazis came to power in Germany. Heiden, who was Jewish, was forced to flee the country and eventually settled in the United States. In the United States, Heiden continued his studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he studied composition with Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers. He also studied conducting with Fritz Reiner and Pierre Monteux. Heiden became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1943. Heiden's early compositions were influenced by the music of his native Germany, but he later developed his own unique style. He was known for his use of dissonance and his incorporation of elements of jazz and popular music into his compositions. Heiden's music was often characterized by its emotional intensity and its use of complex rhythms and harmonies. One of Heiden's most famous works is his Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano, which was written in 1942. The piece was commissioned by the famous saxophonist Sigurd Raschèr and is considered one of the most important works in the saxophone repertoire. The piece is known for its virtuosic saxophone writing and its use of jazz and popular music elements. Heiden's other notable works include his Symphony No. 1, which was written in 1947 and premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Serge Koussevitzky. The symphony is known for its use of complex rhythms and harmonies and its emotional intensity. Heiden's other notable works include his Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, which was written in 1951 and premiered by the Juilliard String Quartet, and his Diversion for Orchestra, which was written in 1954 and premiered by the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. Heiden was also a respected music educator and taught at several universities, including Indiana University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Louisville. He was known for his dedication to his students and his commitment to teaching the next generation of composers. Heiden continued to compose music throughout his life and was recognized for his contributions to the field of classical music. He received numerous awards and honors, including the National Institute of Arts and Letters Award in Music, the American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award, and the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. Bernhard Heiden died on December 30, 2000, in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the age of 90. He left behind a legacy of innovative and emotionally powerful music that continues to be performed and studied by musicians and music lovers around the world.

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