Bemjamin Lees (1924-2010)
Benjamin
Lees is an American composer of Russian parents. He was born in Harbin,
China and came to the United States in 1925. At age five Lees
began piano lessons and his studies of harmony and theory began in his
teens, along with his first efforts at composition. After military
service (1942–45), Lees entered the University of Southern California
in
Los Angeles where he studied with Halsey Stevens, Ernst Kanitz and
Ingolf Dahl. He went on to study with George Antheil from 1949
until 1954. In
1954 he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, enabling him to
leave the U.S. and travel to Europe, where he eventually settled in a
small
village near Paris. His aim was to remain uninfluenced by the turbulent
American scene in order to create his own style. He remained in Europe
for seven years before returning to the U.S. to settle in
California. Lees rejects atonalism and Americana in favor of
classical structures. Niall O'Loughlin writes in The New Grove Dictionary of
Music and Musicians, Second Edition,
"From an early interest in the bittersweet melodic style of Prokofiev
and the bizarre and surrealist aspects of Bartok's music, he progressed
naturally under the unconventional guidance of Antheil." The highly
personal style of Lees lends his music the lofty grandeur and
sardonic wit, not only of Shostakovich but also of the Cubist and
Surrealist artists, all of whom he so admires. He also shares
Britten’s refined sense of harmony, delighting in contrasts and
surprises, enthralling the listener at every turn from the lyrical to
the burlesque, the romantic to the brusque. His fifth string quartet
was chosen by Chamber
Music America as one of its 101 Great Ensemble Works.- Naxos; Wikipedia; The New Grove
Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Ed.
COMPOSITIONS Lees Links ~ ~ ~ Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Lees on Lees
Toccata, piano (1947)
Sonata, 2 pianos (1951)
Sonata for Horn and Piano (1952)
Songs of the Night (6 songs), soprano and piano (1952; nos. 1, 2, 5, 6 arr. 1955 for sop & orch) [text: Richard Nickson]
- Four Songs of the Night, soprano and orchestra (or 13 instruments) (1955) [nos. 1, 2, 5, 6 from "Songs of the Night", 1952]
String Quartet No.1 (1952)
Sonata No. 1, violin and piano (1953)
Fantasia, piano (1954)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1955)
String Quartet No. 2 (1955)
Three Variables, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and piano (1955)
Sonata Breve, piano (1956)
Evocation, flute (1956)
Divertimento-Burlesca, orchestra (1957)
Interlude, string orchestra (1957)
Six Ornamental Etudes, piano (1957)
Kaleidoscopes, piano (1958)
Symphony No. 2, orchestra (1958)
Violin Concerto (1958)
Concertante Breve, chamber orchestra (1959)
Concerto for Orchestra (1959)
Three Songs, contralto and piano (1959) [text: Richard Nickson]
Cyprian Songs (4 songs), baritone and piano (1960) [text: Richard Nickson]
Prologue, Capriccio, and Epilogue, orchestra (1961)
Visions of Poets, a dramatic cantata, soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra (1961) [text: Walt Whitman]
Three Preludes, piano (1962)
Oboe Concerto (1963)
Piano Sonata No. 4 (1963)
Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra (1964)
Spectrum, orchestra (1964)
Invenzione, violin (1965)
Concerto for Chamber Orchestra (1966)
Fanfare for a Centennial, brass, timpani and percussion (1966)
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1966)
Silhouettes, orchestra (1967) [for choreographer John Butler's "Ballet of the Five Senses," broadcast on public TV, 1967]
Symphony No. 3 (1969)
Two Miniatures, woodwind quintet (1969)
Medea of Corinth, musical drama in one act (1970)
Odyssey 1, piano (1970)
Study No. 1, cello (1970)
Sonata No. 2, violin and piano (1972)
Trumpet of the Swan, narrator and orchestra (1972)
Collage, string quartet, woodwind quintet and percussion (1973)
Etudes, piano and orchestra (1974)
Labyrinths, band (1975)
Passacaglia for Orchestra (1975)
Soliloquy Music from "King Lear", flute (1975)
Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Orchestra (1976)
Variations, piano and orchestra (1976)
Dialogue for Cello and Piano (1977)
Staves, song cycle (5 songs), soprano and piano (1977) [text: Richard Nickson]
Scarlatti Portfolio, ballet (1979) ["A Transformation for Orchestra of Seven Piano Sonatas"]
Paumanok, mezzo-soprano and piano (1979) [text: from Walt Whitman's "Sea Drift"]
Mobiles, orchestra (1980)
Sonata for Cello and Piano (1981)
Double Concerto, cello, piano and orchestra (1982)
String Quartet No. 3 (1982)
Concerto for Brass Choir and Orchestra (1983)
Fantasy Variations, piano (1983)
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello (1983)
Portrait of Rodin, orchestra (1984)
Symphony No. 4, "Memorial Candles", soprano, violin and orchestra (1985)
Symphony No. 5 "Kalmar Nyckel", orchestra (1986)
Odyssey 2, piano (1986)
String Quartet No. 4 (1989)
Sonata No. 3, violin and piano (1991)
Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra (1992)
Borealis, orchestra (1993)
Echoes of Normandy, dramatic tenor, pre-recorded tape, organ and orch (1994) [text: Longfellow, Nickson, Louis Simpson]
Contours, clarinet, horn, violin, cello and piano (1994)
Celebration, orchestra (1996)
Constellations, orchestra (1997)
The Golden Net, chorus [soprano, counter-tenor, tenor and bass] (1997) [text: William Blake]
Intermezzo, string orchestra (1998)
Piano Trio No. 2, "Silent Voices", piano, violin and cello (1998)
Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra (1999)
Night Spectres, cello (2000)
String Quartet No. 5 (2001)
Mirrors (Complete in Twelve Sections), piano (2003)
Tapestry, flute, clarinet, cello and piano (2003)
Tableau, 2 pianos (2003)
The Nervous Family, female chorus and bassoon (2003)
Landscape, violin (2004) [after Yves Tanguy]
String Quartet No. 6 (2005)
Piano Concerto No. 3 (2006)
Collage, organ (2007)
Shadows, 4 cellos (2008)
Piano Trio No. 3, violin, cello and piano (2008)
WORKS BY GENRE Lees Links ~ ~ ~ Lees on Lees ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Silhouettes, orchestra (1967) [for choreographer John Butler's "Ballet of the Five Senses," broadcast on public TV, 1967]
Medea of Corinth, musical drama in one act (1970)
Scarlatti Portfolio, ballet (1979) ["A Transformation for Orchestra of Seven Piano Sonatas"]
Orchestra
Divertimento-Burlesca, orchestra (1957)
Interlude, string orchestra (1957)
Symphony No. 2, orchestra (1958)
Concertante Breve, chamber orchestra (1959)
Concerto for Orchestra (1959)
Prologue, Capriccio, and Epilogue, orchestra (1961)
Spectrum, orchestra (1964)
Concerto for Chamber Orchestra (1966)
Fanfare for a Centennial, brass, timpani and percussion (1966)
Silhouettes, orchestra (1967) [for choreographer John Butler's "Ballet of the Five Senses," broadcast on public TV, 1967]
Symphony No. 3, orchestra (1969)
Trumpet of the Swan, narrator and orchestra (1972)
Passacaglia for Orchestra (1975)
Mobiles, orchestra (1980)
Portrait of Rodin, orchestra (1984)
Symphony No. 4, "Memorial Candles", soprano, violin and orchestra (1985)
Symphony No. 5 "Kalmar Nyckel", orchestra (1986)
Borealis, orchestra (1993)
Echoes of Normandy, dramatic tenor, pre-recorded tape, organ and orchestra (1994)
Celebration, orchestra (1996)
Constellations, orchestra (1997)
Intermezzo, string orchestra (1998)
Band
Labyrinths, band (1975)
Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Piano Concerto No. 1 (1955)
Violin Concerto (1958)
Oboe Concerto (1963)
Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra (1964)
Piano Concerto No. 2 (1966)
Etudes, piano and orchestra (1974)
Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Orchestra (1976)
Variations, piano and orchestra (1976)
Double Concerto, cello, piano and orchestra (1982)
Concerto for Brass Choir and Orchestra (1983)
Symphony No. 4, "Memorial Candles", soprano, violin and orchestra (1985)
Concerto for French Horn and Orchestra (1992)
Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra (1999)
Piano Concerto No. 3 (2006)
Chorus w/Orchestra
Visions of Poets, a dramatic cantata, soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra (1961) [text: Walt Whitman]
- Introduction
- Song of the exposition
- O sun of real peace
- Old age's lambent peaks
Choral
The Golden Net, chorus [soprano, counter-tenor, tenor and bass] (1997) [text: William Blake]
The Nervous Family, female chorus and bassoon (2003)
Chamber
String Quartet No.1 (1952)
String Quartet No. 2 (1955)
Three Variables, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and piano (1955)
Fanfare for a Centennial, brass, timpani and percussion (1966)
Two Miniatures, woodwind quintet (1969)
Collage, string quartet, woodwind quintet and percussion (1973)
Dialogue for Cello and Piano (1977)
String Quartet No. 3 (1982)
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello (1983)
String Quartet No. 4 (1989)
Contours, clarinet, horn, violin, cello and piano (1994)
Piano Trio No. 2, "Silent Voices", piano, violin and cello (1998)
String Quartet No. 5 (2001)
Tapestry, flute, clarinet, cello and piano (2003)
String Quartet No. 6 (2005)
Shadows, 4 cellos (2008)
Piano Trio No. 3, violin, cello and piano (2008)
Solo Instrument
Sonata for Horn and Piano (1952)
Sonata No. 1, violin and piano (1953)
Evocation, flute (1956)
Invenzione, violin (1965)
Study No. 1, cello (1970)
Sonata No. 2, violin and piano (1972)
Soliloquy Music from "King Lear", flute (1975)
Sonata for Cello and Piano (1981)
Sonata No. 3, violin and piano (1991)
Night Spectres, cello (2000)
Landscape, violin (2004) [after Yves Tanguy]
Piano/Organ
Toccata, piano (1947)
Sonata, 2 pianos (1951)
Fantasia, piano (1954)
Sonata Breve, piano (1956)
Six Ornamental Etudes, piano (1957)
Kaleidoscopes, piano (1958)
Three Preludes, piano (1962)
Piano Sonata No. 4 (1963)
Odyssey 1, piano (1970)
Fantasy Variations, piano (1983)
Odyssey 2, piano (1986)
Mirrors (Complete in Twelve Sections), piano (2003)
Tableau, 2 pianos (2003)
Collage, organ (2007)
Vocal
Songs of the Night (6 songs), soprano and piano (1952; nos. 1, 2, 5, 6 arr. 1955 for sop & orch) [text: Richard Nickson]
- O Shade of Evening
- A Star Fell in Flames
- The Enemies
- A Whisper of Rain
- Fall to the Night
- On Eastern Hills
Four Songs of the Night, soprano and orchestra (or 13 instruments) (1955) [nos. 1, 2, 5, 6 from "Songs of the Night", 1952]
Three Songs, contralto and piano (1959) [text: Richard Nickson]
- The moonlit tree
- Close all the doors
- The angel
Cyprian Songs (4 songs), baritone and piano (1960) [text: Richard Nickson]
- From what green Island
- Wake! for the night of shadows
- Still is it as it was
- Over me like soft clouds
Staves, song cycle (5 songs), soprano and piano (1977) [text: Richard Nickson]
- Erewhom
- The olive island
- The dance
- Into my eyes
- The evening
Paumanok, mezzo-soprano and piano (1979) [text: from Walt Whitman's "Sea Drift"]
Echoes of Normandy, dramatic tenor, pre-recorded tape, organ and orch (1994) [text: Longfellow, Nickson, Louis Simpson]
LEES LINKS Works by Genre ~ ~ ~ Lees on Lees ~ top of page ~
An Analysis and Performance Guide to Lee's Odyssey I and II (Youmee Kim, Ohio State University)
Benjamin Lees: Quo Vadis? (Bret Johnson, JSTOR.org) [partial article]
Benjamin Lees' Piano Concerto (S.G.S., Classic CD Review)
Benjamin Lees' Symphonies (S.G.S., Classic CD Review)
Composer Benjamin Lees - A Conversation with Bruce Duffie (bruceduffie.com)
Composing? It's Just a Feeling (Chris Pasles, Los Angeles Times)
Enough Already, Says Prolific Composer Lees (Ken Herman, Los Angeles Times)
Three Questions Before the First Night: Piano Concerto No. 3 (Carson Cooman, Music & Vision)
To Be a Composer - Ron Bierman Talks to Benjamin Lees (Music & Vision)
World-Class Composer Benjamin Lees Finds a Quiet Home in the Desert (Keith Bush, Sound and Silence)
Obituaries
Benjamin Lees, 86 (Jerry Bowles, Contemporary Classical/Sequenza 21)
Benjamin Lees, Composer, Dies at 86 (Bruce Fessier, The Desert Sun)
Classical, UPA Composer Benjamin Lees Dies at 86 (The Big Cartoon Forum)
Composer and Former Peabody Faculty Member Benjamin Lees Dies at 86 (Tim Smith, The Baltimore Sun)
Composer's website
Lees @ Wikipedia
Lees @ Answers.com
Lees @ Audiophile Audition
Lees @ aworks
Lees @ Boosey & Hawkes
Lees @ Classical Archives
Lees @ Classical Composers Database
Lees @ Classical Net
Lees @ ClassicsToday
Lees @ Cypress String Quartet
Lees @ Dilettante Music
Lees @ Internet Archive
Lees @ Jeffrey James Arts Consulting
Lees @ MusicWeb International
Lees @ MySpaceMusic
Lees @ Naxos
Lees @ The New York Times
Lees @ Phoenix USA
Lees @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Lees @ Toccata Classics
Lees @ Yale University Library
Publisher
Lees @ Boosey & Hawkes
Streaming Audio
Lees @ Classical Archives
Lees @ last.fm
Lees @ Music & Vision here and here and here and here and here and here
Lees @ MySpaceMusic
Lees @ radiOM
Lees @ Rhapsody
Lees @ Toccata Classics
Recordings
Lees @ ArkivMusic
Lees @ ClassicsOnline
Lees @ Albany Records
Lees @ Music & Vision here and here and here and here and here and here
Lees @ New World Records
Lees @ Toccata Classics
Video
Lees @ YouTube
Lees @ Google Video
Lees on Lees: A Musical Life (VIDEO)
Lees on Lees: Charles Amirkhanian talks to composer Benjamin Lees (1971) (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
Lees on Lees: Charles Amirkhanian talks to composer Benjamin Lees (1985) (streaming audio)
Composers
Speak on the Web at Pytheas~ click on composer picture to listen ~
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