Jeremy Dale Roberts (16 May 1934 – 11 July 2017)[4] was an English composer and teacher.[5] After early contact with Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gerald Finzi,[5] Dale Roberts studied with William Alwyn and Priaulx Rainier at the Royal Academy of Music, London.[6] He retired as Head of Composition at the Royal College of Music, London in 1999, and was a Visiting Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa for the 1999-2000 academic year.[1][7]
Jeremy Dale Roberts | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 May 1934 |
| Died | 11 July 2017 (aged 83) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Marlborough College[3] |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Music |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, teacher, pianist |
| Notable work | Croquis, Deathwatch, In the Same Space, Tristia |
His compositions have been performed at the Edinburgh and Aldeburgh Festivals, the Venice Biennale, the Diorama de Geneve, and the festivals of Avignon and Paris.[8][9] They include
- the cello concerto Deathwatch, written for Rohan de Saram;
- Tombeau for Stephen Kovacevich;
- Croquis for string trio, written for members of the Arditti Quartet (BBC commission);
- In the Same Space, nine poems of Constantin Cavafy, written for Stephen Varcoe;
- Lines of Life, lyric episodes for ensemble, written for Lontano (BBC commission);
- Casidas y Sonetos — del amor oscuro, for solo guitar (Arts Council commission) for Charles Ramierez;
- Hamadryad for alto flute, viola and guitar;
- Stelae, a work for gamelan;
- Nightpiece for soprano and two bass viols;
- Tristia for violin and piano, written for Peter Sheppard Skaerved and Aaron Shorr.
His compositions received attention in the context of a 70th-birthday portrait concert given at the Purcell Room in London by the ensemble Lontano in 2004,[5] the release of an associated CD by the same group in early 2005,[10] and most recently by the long-awaited release of a complete commercial recording of Croquis by NMC Recordings.[11] One writer has described his style as 'a kind of ascetically sumptuous exoticism', and has further characterised Dale Roberts' music in terms of:
- the miniature form and associated possibilities of extended structuring;
- reference to artists and works in other art-forms (in particular sculpture and painting);
- the occasional use of quotation from other composers’ music (albeit in the context of a rather 'pure' modernist idiolect); and
- a fondness for unusual instrumentations.[12]
A review of the CD recording of Croquis noted: "Dale Roberts’s miniatures are brilliantly able to condense a familiar image, such as the reel or the fugue, and accumulate into a substantial, 54-minute statement."[13]
References
edit- ^ a b "Jeremy Dale Roberts, composer – obituary". The Telegraph. London. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Biography". UYMP (University of York Music Press). Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ Anderson, James (30 January 2018). "Obituary: Jeremy Dale Roberts (C1 1948-52)". marlburianclub.org. The Marlburian Club. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ ""Jeremy Dale Roberts composer dies", Soundslikenow.net, accessed 19 August 2017". Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ a b c Causton, Richard (28 May 2004). "The God of small things". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ Hall, Michael (2015). Music Theatre in Britain: 1960-1975. United Kingdom: Boydell Press. p. 178. ISBN 9781783270125. LCCN 2015563662.
Jeremy Dale Roberts (b. 1934) studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music with William Alwyn and Priaulx Rainier...
- ^ "Season 36, Concert 3 | Center for New Music - The University of Iowa". cnm.uiowa.edu. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
Jeremy Dale Roberts (1934 - ), having retired from the Royal College of Music in 1999, was appointed Visiting Professor in Composition at the University of Iowa.
- ^ Gompper, David (1985). School of Music Programs 1985-1986. University of Michigan School of Music. LCCN 57032059.
Jeremy Dale Roberts (b. 1934)... His compositions are widely performed and broadcast in both England and Europe, and have been featured in several festivals (Edinburgh, Avignon, Paris, Venice Biennale).
- ^ Yumpu.com. "Jeremy DALE ROBERTS - UYMP". yumpu.com. University of York Music Press. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
His compositions have been performed worldwide at the Edinburgh and Aldeburgh Festivals, the Venice Biennale, the Diorama de Geneve, and the festivals of Avignon and Paris.
- ^ "Discography at Lorelt Recordings". Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ Sammoutis, Evis. "Jeremy Dale Roberts – Croquis". Musicalpointers.co.uk. NMC D151. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ "John Fallas - Jeremy Dale Roberts at 70". Worldisnow.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ Driver, Paul (30 May 2010). "Jeremy Dale Roberts: Tristia, Croquis Peter Sheppard Skærved (Violin), Aaron Shorr (Piano), Kreutzer Quartet". The Times. The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
External links
edit- Jeremy Dale Roberts' official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 1 July 2019)