Helen Tobias-Duesberg
Encyclopedia
Helen Tobias-Duesberg was an Estonia
n-American
composer
.
Helen Tobias was born in New York City
on June 11, 1919. Tobias was the youngest daughter of Estonian composer, Rudolf Tobias
. She studied music composition at the Tallinn Conservatoire, which is now known as the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, under Artur Kapp
and Heino Eller
. She also received training from August Topman and graduated from the Conservatoire as an organist
in 1943. She later studied at the Berlin University of Music as well.
During World War II
, she met her future husband, William Duesberg, a journalist who was repeatedly imprisoned for writing stories critical of Adolf Hitler
. Shortly after the war, Duesberg died of a heart attack in a Stuttgart
courtroom while preparing to testify against several Nazi war criminals.
Tobias-Duesberg moved to the United States
from Estonia, which was then part of the Soviet Union
, in 1951. She began composing music and performing at several churches in New York City. She composed chamber, vocal and symphonic pieces, the most famous of which may be Requiem, which was composed for orchestra
, mixed choir and soloist
s.
During the Civil Rights era, she played the organ at Friendship Baptist Church in Harlem
when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. served as a guest preacher.
Meanwhile, she composed violin and cello sonatas, string quartets, song cycles, concertos, and a wide range of choral works. Her compositions have been performed on major concert stages in the U.S., Canada, and Europe as well as the Aspen, Ravinia and Spoleto festivals.
During a cultural backlash against classical music in the 1960s and '70s, American conductor Leonard Bernstein
described Tobias-Duesberg as a female composer who "dares to be original and musical at the same time, while all the men run around writing intellectual cacophony."
Helen Tobias-Duesberg died in Savannah, Georgia
, on February 4, 2010, at the age of 90.
Concertante
Chamber music
Piano
Vocal
Choral
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Helen Tobias was born 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...
on June 11, 1919. Tobias was the youngest daughter of Estonian composer, Rudolf Tobias
Rudolf Tobias
Rudolf Tobias was the first Estonian professional composer, as well as a professional organist. He studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory...
. She studied music composition at the Tallinn Conservatoire, which is now known as the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, under Artur Kapp
Artur Kapp
Artur Kapp was an Estonian composer.Born in Suure-Jaani, Estonia, then part of the Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire, he was the son of Joosep Kapp, who was also a classically trained musician...
and Heino Eller
Heino Eller
Heino Eller was an Estonian composer and composition teacher.Eller was born in Tartu, where he took private lessons in violin and music theory, played in several ensembles and orchestras, and performed as violin soloist. In 1907 he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study violin. From...
. She also received training from August Topman and graduated from the Conservatoire as an organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
in 1943. She later studied at the Berlin University of Music as well.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she met her future husband, William Duesberg, a journalist who was repeatedly imprisoned for writing stories critical of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. Shortly after the war, Duesberg died of a heart attack in a Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
courtroom while preparing to testify against several Nazi war criminals.
Tobias-Duesberg moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Estonia, which was then part of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, in 1951. She began composing music and performing at several churches in New York City. She composed chamber, vocal and symphonic pieces, the most famous of which may be Requiem, which was composed for orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, mixed choir and soloist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
s.
During the Civil Rights era, she played the organ at Friendship Baptist Church in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. served as a guest preacher.
Meanwhile, she composed violin and cello sonatas, string quartets, song cycles, concertos, and a wide range of choral works. Her compositions have been performed on major concert stages in the U.S., Canada, and Europe as well as the Aspen, Ravinia and Spoleto festivals.
During a cultural backlash against classical music in the 1960s and '70s, American conductor Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
described Tobias-Duesberg as a female composer who "dares to be original and musical at the same time, while all the men run around writing intellectual cacophony."
Helen Tobias-Duesberg died in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, on February 4, 2010, at the age of 90.
Selected works
Orchestral- Ballaade orkestrile (Ballade on Estonian and Carelian Folktunes) for orchestra
Concertante
- Concert Piece for cello and chamber orchestra
Chamber music
- Koraal-prelüüdid for violin, cello and piano
- Sextet for brass
- Sonata for violin and piano
- Sonata in G for cello and piano
- String Quartet No. 2
- Trio for violin, flute and piano
- Trio in C for violin, viola (or cello) and piano
Piano
- Classical Suite
- Parafraas eesti rahvalaulude viisidele (Prelude on Estonian Folksongs)
- 4 Preludes
Vocal
- Sa tulid nagu päikene for voice and piano
Choral
- Missa brevis for mixed chorus and keyboard accompaniment
- Psalm 102 for mixed chorus and organ
- Requiem for female chorus and keyboard accompaniment
- Vaimulik õhtu-muusika (Sacred Evening Service) for mixed chorus, baritone, soprano and organ