John McGuire (composer)
Encyclopedia
John McGuire is an American composer
, pianist
, organist
, and music editor.
, where he earned a BA in 1964. He received a succession of three Alfred E. Hertz Traveling Scholarships from the University of California at Berkeley (1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68), and a Fulbright Traveling Scholarship (1966–67), which together enabled him to study with Krzysztof Penderecki
at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen
from 1966–68, and at the Fourth Cologne Courses for New Music, under Karlheinz Stockhausen
, in 1967 (Custodis 2004, 142). Two scholarships from the State of North Rhine–Westphalia
for studies in Germany made it possible for him to participate in the composition studios given by Stockhausen at Darmstadt in 1967 and again in 1968.
Returning to the United States, he continued his studies at the University of California, Berkeley
, where his composition teachers included Ingolf Dahl
and Seymour Shifrin. After completing his MA there in 1970, he once again moved to Europe, at first studying computer composition with Gottfried Michael Koenig
at the Institute of Sonology of the University of Utrecht from 1970 to 1971.
Having found the atmosphere in Germany congenial, following his studies in Utrecht he settled in Germany again in 1972 and remained for the next twenty-five years, at first working as a pianist with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken
from 1972–75. From 1975 to 1977 he studied electronic music with Hans Ulrich Humpert at the Hochschule für Musik Köln
, later working as an organist at the Kirche St. Nikolaus von Tolentino in Rösrath
from 1979–82.
He received six commissions from WDR in Cologne for pieces he realised in the electronic-music studio there, among them Pulse Music III in 1978, Vanishing Points in 1988, and A Cappella in 1997 (Morawska-Büngeler 1988, 108; Custodis 2004, 160, 210). He has also had works commissioned by Radio Bremen, from pianist Herbert Henck (48 Variations, for 2 pianos), from Dartmouth College
, and from the Ministry of Culture of North Rhine–Westphalia. In 1995 he was composer-in-residence at the Akademie Schloss Wiepersdorf in Brandenburg.
In 1998 he returned to his native country, working for a time as an editor for the Carl Fischer music-publishing firm in New York City
starting in 1998. From 2000 to 2002 he taught advanced composition and twentieth-century music as a part-time Visiting Adjunct Professor at Columbia University
.
He is married to the soprano Beth Griffith, for whom he composed A Cappella in 1990–97 and Contradance in 2000–2004.
”. His music seeks a synthesis of minimalism
and the serialism
with which he had become acquainted during his studies in Germany, especially with Stockhausen. "His work over the next 25 years was devoted entirely to the exploration and development of various aspects of this synthesis, in particular the fusion of elemental tonal functions with chromatic time structures" (Kalvos & Damian composer profile).
His music is published by Feedback Studio (Cologne) and Breitkopf & Härtel
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...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, 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...
, and music editor.
Biography
John McGuire initially studied composition with Robert Gross at Occidental CollegeOccidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
, where he earned a BA in 1964. He received a succession of three Alfred E. Hertz Traveling Scholarships from the University of California at Berkeley (1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68), and a Fulbright Traveling Scholarship (1966–67), which together enabled him to study with Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
from 1966–68, and at the Fourth Cologne Courses for New Music, under Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
, in 1967 (Custodis 2004, 142). Two scholarships from the State of North Rhine–Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
for studies in Germany made it possible for him to participate in the composition studios given by Stockhausen at Darmstadt in 1967 and again in 1968.
Returning to the United States, he continued his studies at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, where his composition teachers included Ingolf Dahl
Ingolf Dahl
Ingolf Dahl was a German-born American composer, pianist, conductor, and educator.-Biography:Born in Hamburg, Germany to a German father and a Swedish mother, his birth name was Walter Ingolf Marcus. He studied with Philipp Jarnach at the Hochschule für Musik Köln...
and Seymour Shifrin. After completing his MA there in 1970, he once again moved to Europe, at first studying computer composition with Gottfried Michael Koenig
Gottfried Michael Koenig
Gottfried Michael Koenig is a contemporary German-Dutch composer.-Biography:Koenig studied church music in Braunschweig, composition, piano, analysis and acoustics in Detmold, music representation techniques in Cologne and computer technique in Bonn. He attended and later lectured at the...
at the Institute of Sonology of the University of Utrecht from 1970 to 1971.
Having found the atmosphere in Germany congenial, following his studies in Utrecht he settled in Germany again in 1972 and remained for the next twenty-five years, at first working as a pianist with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
from 1972–75. From 1975 to 1977 he studied electronic music with Hans Ulrich Humpert at the Hochschule für Musik Köln
Hochschule für Musik Köln
The Cologne University of Music is a music college in Cologne, and Germany's largest academy of music.-History:The academy was founded by Ferdinand Hiller in 1850 as Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln...
, later working as an organist at the Kirche St. Nikolaus von Tolentino in Rösrath
Rösrath
Rösrath is a city in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The earliest known documents mentioning the settlement Rösrath can be found in documents dated to 1356. There have been findings of Paleolithic and Mesolithic tools in the city area Forsbach...
from 1979–82.
He received six commissions from WDR in Cologne for pieces he realised in the electronic-music studio there, among them Pulse Music III in 1978, Vanishing Points in 1988, and A Cappella in 1997 (Morawska-Büngeler 1988, 108; Custodis 2004, 160, 210). He has also had works commissioned by Radio Bremen, from pianist Herbert Henck (48 Variations, for 2 pianos), from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, and from the Ministry of Culture of North Rhine–Westphalia. In 1995 he was composer-in-residence at the Akademie Schloss Wiepersdorf in Brandenburg.
In 1998 he returned to his native country, working for a time as an editor for the Carl Fischer music-publishing firm 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...
starting in 1998. From 2000 to 2002 he taught advanced composition and twentieth-century music as a part-time Visiting Adjunct Professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
He is married to the soprano Beth Griffith, for whom he composed A Cappella in 1990–97 and Contradance in 2000–2004.
Musical style and influences
Kyle Gann (2001b) describes McGuire as a “postminimalistPostminimalism
Postminimalism is an art term coined by Robert Pincus-Witten in 1971 used in various artistic fields for work which is influenced by, or attempts to develop and go beyond, the aesthetic of minimalism...
”. His music seeks a synthesis of minimalism
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
and the serialism
Serialism
In music, serialism is a method or technique of composition that uses a series of values to manipulate different musical elements. Serialism began primarily with Arnold Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique, though his contemporaries were also working to establish serialism as one example of...
with which he had become acquainted during his studies in Germany, especially with Stockhausen. "His work over the next 25 years was devoted entirely to the exploration and development of various aspects of this synthesis, in particular the fusion of elemental tonal functions with chromatic time structures" (Kalvos & Damian composer profile).
His music is published by Feedback Studio (Cologne) and Breitkopf & Härtel
Compositions
- String Trio No. 1 (1963–64)
- Study, for orchestra (1965)
- Divergences, for piano, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos (1965–66)
- String Trio No. 2 (1966)
- Cadenza, for string quartet (1966)
- Decay, for 8 horns (1967–70)
- Frieze, for 4 Pianos (1969–74)
- Pulse Music I, for tape (1975–76)
- Pulse Music II, for four pianos and small orchestra (1975–77)
- 48 Variations, for 2 pianos (1976–80)
- Pulse Music III, for tape (1978)
- Music for Horns, Pianos and Cymbals (1981)
- Cadence Music, for 21 players (1982–85)
- Vanishing Points, for tape (1985–88)
- A Cappella, for soprano and tape (1990–97)
- Contradance, for soprano and string quartet (2000–2004)
- Ordinary Measures, for mixed chorus (2004–05)
External links
- Biography at The Living Composers Project
- John McGuire profile on Kalvos & Damian Non-Pop website.
Discography
- John McGuire. 1987. 48 Variations for Two Pianos. Largo (LP), [number].
- John McGuire. 2002. Pulse Music III; Vanishing Points; A Cappella. Beth Griffith, soprano. Sargasso (CD), SCD 28043.