Arthur Weisberg
Encyclopedia
Arthur Weisberg was an American
bassoonist, conductor, composer and author.
. He attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
and later the Juilliard School
, majoring in bassoon and studying with Simon Kovar
.
Soon after leaving Juilliard, he found notable success securing the principal chairs with the Houston
and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
s and second bassoon with the Cleveland Orchestra
, before coming back to New York City. After pursuing study of conducting with Jean Morel he again returned to the bassoon as principal for Symphony of the Air
as well as bassoonist of the New York Woodwind Quintet
for 14 years.
In the realm of conducting he has conducted the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
, the New York Philharmonic
, and the Sjaellands and Aalborg Symphonies of Denmark
. Weisberg founded and conducted the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble.
Weisberg also extensively taught, having held posts at the Juilliard School
, State University of New York at Stony Brook
, Yale School of Music
, and Indiana University
's Jacobs School of Music
.
He recorded several renderings of 20th century music, such as from Schoenberg
(Pierrot Lunaire
, Erwartung
), Varèse
, Messiaen, and contemporary American composers (e.g., Elliott Carter
, Stefan Wolpe
, and George Crumb
), mostly with the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the Orchestra of the 20th Century, and the Ensemble 21. These met with considerable critical acclaim.
) and Performing 20th Century Music-a Handbook for Conductors and Instrumentalists (Yale University Press
) as well as composed and edited numerous scores, including the Bach Cello Suites
.
This is what the Weisberg System promises and delivers, and it does all of this automatically, with no new fingerings to learn."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bassoonist, conductor, composer and author.
Biography
Weisberg was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan, on Amsterdam Avenue...
and later the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
, majoring in bassoon and studying with Simon Kovar
Simon Kovar
Simon Kovar was a 20th century bassoonist and one of the most renowned teachers of the instrument.Simon Kovar was born Simon Kovarski in Vilnius, Lithuania, then a part of Russia, in 1890. He took up the bassoon at age 20 after originally studying the violin...
.
Soon after leaving Juilliard, he found notable success securing the principal chairs with the Houston
Houston Symphony Orchestra
The Houston Symphony is an American orchestra based in Houston, Texas. Since 1966, it has performed at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston....
and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
s and second bassoon with the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
, before coming back to New York City. After pursuing study of conducting with Jean Morel he again returned to the bassoon as principal for Symphony of the Air
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...
as well as bassoonist of the New York Woodwind Quintet
New York Woodwind Quintet
The New York Woodwind Quintet is an ensemble-in-residence at the Juilliard School in New York City, originally appointed in 1987. At Juilliard, the members of the New York Woodwind Quintet present seminars each year for student woodwind ensembles, give regular coachings, and perform.The quintet's...
for 14 years.
In the realm of conducting he has conducted the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its primary performing venue is the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts...
, the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, and the Sjaellands and Aalborg Symphonies of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Weisberg founded and conducted the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble.
Weisberg also extensively taught, having held posts at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
, State University of New York at Stony Brook
State University of New York at Stony Brook
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, also known as Stony Brook University, is a public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island, about east of Manhattan....
, Yale School of Music
Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
, and Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
's Jacobs School of Music
Jacobs School of Music
The Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music...
.
He recorded several renderings of 20th century music, such as from Schoenberg
Schoenberg
Schoenberg is the surname of several persons:* Arnold Schoenberg , Austrian-American composer* Claude-Michel Schoenberg , French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer...
(Pierrot Lunaire
Pierrot Lunaire
Dreimal sieben Gedichte aus Albert Girauds 'Pierrot lunaire' , commonly known simply as Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 , is a melodrama by Arnold Schoenberg...
, Erwartung
Erwartung
Erwartung , Op.17 is a one-act opera by Arnold Schoenberg to a libretto by Marie Pappenheim. Composed in 1909, it was not premiered until June 6, 1924 in Prague conducted by Alexander Zemlinsky with Marie Gutheil-Schoder as the soprano. The work takes the unusual form of a monologue for solo...
), Varèse
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
, Messiaen, and contemporary American composers (e.g., Elliott Carter
Elliott Carter
Elliott Cook Carter, Jr. is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer born and living in New York City. He studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1930s, and then returned to the United States. After a neoclassical phase, he went on to write atonal, rhythmically complex music...
, Stefan Wolpe
Stefan Wolpe
Stefan Wolpe was a German-born composer.-Life:Wolpe was born in Berlin. He attended the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory from the age of fourteen, and the Berlin Hochschule für Musik in 1920-1921. He studied composition under Franz Schreker and was also a pupil of Ferruccio Busoni...
, and George Crumb
George Crumb
George Crumb is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He is noted as an explorer of unusual timbres, alternative forms of notation, and extended instrumental and vocal techniques. Examples include seagull effect for the cello , metallic vibrato for the piano George Crumb (born...
), mostly with the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the Orchestra of the 20th Century, and the Ensemble 21. These met with considerable critical acclaim.
Books
Weisberg also authored two books: The Art of Wind Playing (G. SchirmerG. Schirmer
G. Schirmer Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. It publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-known European music publishers in North America, such as the Italian Ricordi, Music Sales Affiliates ChesterNovello,...
) and Performing 20th Century Music-a Handbook for Conductors and Instrumentalists (Yale University Press
Yale University Press
Yale University Press is a book publisher founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day. It became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but remains financially and operationally autonomous....
) as well as composed and edited numerous scores, including the Bach Cello Suites
Cello Suites (Bach)
The Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach are some of the most performed and recognizable solo compositions ever written for cello...
.
"Future Bassoon" system
Weisberg introduced a new bassoon which he claimed was "absolutely unable to crack. Perfect slurs on the most problematic notes. Never having to flick again. Ease of fingering. Better quality and pitch on six of the worst notes.This is what the Weisberg System promises and delivers, and it does all of this automatically, with no new fingerings to learn."
Selected compositions
- Duo for Bassoon and Piano (1984)
- Piece for Viola Solo (1984)
- Piece for Piano (1984)
- Duo for Cello and Piano (1985)
- Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano (1985)
- Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet (1986)
- Quintet for Horn and String Quartet (1986)
- Sonatina for Flute (1986)
- String Quartet No.1
- Music for Double Woodwind Quintet (1987)
- Two Pieces for String Quartet (String Quartet No.2) (1987)
- Duo for Violin and Piano (1988)
- Birthday Piece for Viola and Bassoon (1991)
- A Song and a Dance for Solo Bassoon (1992)
- From the Deep for Two Contrabassoons and Piano
- Concerto for Bassoon and Strings (1998)
- 15 Etudes for Bassoon Written in the Style of 20th Century Music (2004)