Claudio Spies
Encyclopedia
Carlos Claudio Spies is a Chile
an-American
composer.
Born in Santiago, Chile
, of German-Jewish parents, Spies completed primary and secondary education in Santiago in 1941, when he passed the Bachillerato. Erich Kleiber
and Fritz Busch
were mentors to Spies at an early age.
Spies came to the United States in August 1942 to study music at New England Conservatory and Longy School of Music
, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger
and, after her departure for California
, with Harold Shapero
. He entered Harvard College
in February 1947. One of his most influential teachers at Harvard was Irving Fine
, and another was Otto Gombosi. He graduated in June 1950, and received John K. Paine Traveling Fellowship, which took him to Paris
, where he spent a year composing. Returned to Harvard as a graduate student and received his MA degree in composition in 1954.
Spies has taught music at many institutions:
In addition to teaching music composition and analysis, he has also taught such subjects as: study of composers' manuscripts, Brahms
' chamber music, courses on the music of Igor Stravinsky
and Arnold Schoenberg
, conducting. He may be the first person ever to teach a course on composers' manuscripts, which he did through facsimile editions as well as regular visits to manuscripts collection at the Morgan Library
in New York City
.
With Stravinsky, he attended countless rehearsals, performances, and recording sessions of new Stravinsky works in such places as Boston
, New York, and Venice
(the first performance of The Rake's Progress
in 1951).
While teaching at Harvard Summer School in 1968, Spies conducted the first performances of four preliminary versions of Stravinsky's Les Noces
along with a performance of the final version. At that session, he also conducted various works of Schoenberg and Anton Webern
. Some of the musical comments shared between Spies and Stravinsky were reflected in articles written by Spies in several issues of Perspectives of New Music dealing with new works by Stravinsky.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer.
Born in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, of German-Jewish parents, Spies completed primary and secondary education in Santiago in 1941, when he passed the Bachillerato. Erich Kleiber
Erich Kleiber
Erich Kleiber was an Austrian conductor.- Biography :Born in Vienna, Kleiber studied in Prague...
and Fritz Busch
Fritz Busch
Fritz Busch was a German conductor.Busch was born in Siegen, Province of Westphalia. He held posts conducting opera at Aachen, Stuttgart and Dresden. In 1933 he was dismissed from his post at Dresden because of his opposition to the new Nazi government of Germany...
were mentors to Spies at an early age.
Spies came to the United States in August 1942 to study music at New England Conservatory and Longy School of Music
Longy School of Music
The Longy School of Music of Bard College is a conservatory located near Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1915, it was one of the four independent degree-granting music schools in the Boston region along with the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, and Boston...
, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
and, after her departure for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, with Harold Shapero
Harold Shapero
Harold Samuel Shapero is an American composer.-Early years:Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Shapero and his family later moved to nearby Newton. He learned to play the piano as a child, and for some years was a pianist in dance orchestras. With a friend, he founded the Hal Kenny Orchestra, a swing-era...
. He entered Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in February 1947. One of his most influential teachers at Harvard was Irving Fine
Irving Fine
Irving Gifford Fine was an American composer. Fine's work assimilated neo-classical, romantic and, later, serial elements...
, and another was Otto Gombosi. He graduated in June 1950, and received John K. Paine Traveling Fellowship, which took him to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he spent a year composing. Returned to Harvard as a graduate student and received his MA degree in composition in 1954.
Spies has taught music at many institutions:
- Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(1953–1957) - Vassar CollegeVassar CollegeVassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
(1957–1958) - Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
(1958–1970) - Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(Professor of Music, 1970–1998; Professor Emeritus, 1998 - ) - The Juilliard SchoolJuilliard SchoolThe 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...
(1998 - )
In addition to teaching music composition and analysis, he has also taught such subjects as: study of composers' manuscripts, Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
' chamber music, courses on the music of Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
and Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
, conducting. He may be the first person ever to teach a course on composers' manuscripts, which he did through facsimile editions as well as regular visits to manuscripts collection at the Morgan Library
Morgan Library
The Morgan Library & Museum is a museum and research library in New York City, USA. It was founded to house the private library of J. P. Morgan in 1906, which included, besides the manuscripts and printed books, some of them in rare bindings, his collection of prints and drawings...
in New York City
New 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...
.
With Stravinsky, he attended countless rehearsals, performances, and recording sessions of new Stravinsky works in such places as Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New York, and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
(the first performance of The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress is an opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings A Rake's Progress of William Hogarth, which Stravinsky had seen on May 2, 1947, in a Chicago...
in 1951).
While teaching at Harvard Summer School in 1968, Spies conducted the first performances of four preliminary versions of Stravinsky's Les Noces
Les Noces
Les noces by Igor Stravinsky, is a dance cantata, or ballet with vocalists.-History:The ballet was premiered on June 13, 1923 at the Théâtre de la Gaîté, by the Ballets Russes with choreography by Bronislava Nijinska...
along with a performance of the final version. At that session, he also conducted various works of Schoenberg and Anton Webern
Anton Webern
Anton Webern was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Second Viennese School. As a student and significant follower of Arnold Schoenberg, he became one of the best-known exponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of...
. Some of the musical comments shared between Spies and Stravinsky were reflected in articles written by Spies in several issues of Perspectives of New Music dealing with new works by Stravinsky.
Personal life
Spies married Emmi-Vera Tobias in 19?? and had five children: Caterina, Michael, Tatiana, Leah, Susanna. He has five grandchildren. Spies and his wife were divorced in 1985.Sources
- Sadie, Stanley, The Norton/Grove Concise Dictionary of Music, W.W. Norton & Company, 1988