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George Perle Centennial

May. 04, 2015

George Perle Centennial

May 6 brings the 100th anniversary of the birth of George Perle — Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, educator and music theorist. Throughout the month, many performances take place honoring Perle’s genius and his innovative contribution to American music.

On May 1, pianist Michael Brown joined the Seattle Symphony for a performance of Perle’s Serenade No. 3, conducted by Ludovic Morlot. Written and premiered in 1983, Serenade No. 3 is a 20-minute work scored for piano and chamber ensemble. The first performance featured pianist Richard Goode and the Music Today Ensemble led by Gerard Schwartz. Ensemble members from the Seattle Symphony also performed Perle’s chamber works Critical Moments No. 2 and Molto Adagio.

The Perle centennial celebrations continue in Chicago on May 8, when DePaul University presents a portrait concert of its distinguished alumnus’s music. The program includes the chamber work Brief Encounters (String Quartet No. 9) which premiered at the university in 1999, and Michael Brown in an encore performance of Serenade No. 3. Rounding out the month on May 29, the American Symphony Orchestra —led by Leon Botstein — dedicates an evening to Perle's music with performances of Adagio for Orchestra and Transcendental Modulations at Carnegie Hall. Botstein leads a pre-concert talk as he shares stories behind the music.

This summer, Perle’s music is honored again at the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music with performances of Critical Moments 1 on July 23, and Critical Moments 2 on July 26.

Concert details can be found at americansymphony.org, depaul.edu, and seattlesymphony.org.

For more information about George Perle, go to schott-music.com.

George Perle
Adagio (1992)
for orchestra
2pic.2.3(ca).3(bcl).3(cbsn)-4.4.4.1-timp-cl.hp-str
8’

Brief Encounters (String Quartet No. 9) (1998)
for string quartet
30’

Critical Moments No. 1 (1996)
for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and cello
7’

Critical Moments No. 2 (2001)
for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and cello
11’

Molto Adagio (1938)
string quartet
12'

Serenade No. 3 (1983)
1.1.1.asax.1-1.1.0.0-perc-vn.vc
20’

Transcendental Modulations (1993)
4(2pic, afl).3(ca).3(pic cl, bcl).4(cbsn)-4.4.4.1-timp.3perc-cl.hp-pno-str
21’

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