APNM APNM

ABOUT US

APNM COMPOSER: Will Ogdon

Will Ogdon holds a Ph.D. from the University of Indiana and has served on the faculties of the University of Texas, College of St. Cath-
erine, Illinois Wesleyan University, and the University of California at San Diego where he is Professor Emeritus. From 1962-64, he
was Music Director of the Pacifica Foundation’s FM radio station in Berkeley CA; he established a studio in San Francisco from which
he initiated a radio series of live performances of contemporary music. Ogdon has written extensively on the compositional techniques
and pedagogy of 20th c. music; notably articles on the unpublished writings of Rene’ Leibowitz, with whom he had studied as a Fulbright
scholar, the music of Krenek, Webern, and Schoenberg, and commentaries on his own music. Among Ogdon’s works, a highly varied
array of vocal works reflect an abiding interest in issues of text-setting.

BY THE ISAR, a setting of D.H.Lawrence’s “River Roses” for soprano, alto flute, and double bass was written for my colleague, Bertram
Turetsky who had asked me to write something for bass and flute for him and his wife, Nancy. The song explores the upper register of
the bass as well as the high voice of my wife, Beverly. There are several imitative responses to the poems such as the words “and sin-
ging” with its leap to the soprano’s high ‘B’; “swinging in the trees” with its rocking rhythm and “let it be as the snake disposes” with
a sexually suggestive rhythm in the accompaniment.

My VARIATIONS SUITE FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA was composed for UCSD colleagues Paivikki Nykter and Janos Negyesy. Its four move-
ments combine two or three rather brief pieces in the following order: 1) Prelude 2) Theme 3) Scherzo 4) Adagio 5) Scherzo #2 6) Tango
7) & 8) Quasi marcia and Trio 9) Theme 10) Postlude, Remembering Bartok. The Bartok reference is to the 44 Duos for two violins re-
corded by Nykter and Negyesy, along with
my analytical notes.

All APNM Works by Will Ogdon Duration Year Materials Available Sound Sample
A MODERN? FABLE 2 sopranos, baritone, cl, b cl, perc, vn, vc
8 min
1990
score, parts
No
BY THE ISAR soprano, a fl, cb
7 min
1969
score
No
COME, O HOLY SILENCE for mixed chorus
6 min
1960
score
No
FANTASY for violin and piano
10 min
1953
score
No
FIVE PRELUDES solo vn, fl, ob, cl, hn, tpt, tb, hn, 2perc, va, vc, cb
9 min
1985
score, parts
No
FIVE PRELUDES for violin and piano
11 min
1982
score
No
FOUR CHAMBER SONGS soprano, fl, ob, cl, hp, va, vc
9 min
1989
score, parts
No
FOUR D.H. LAWRENCE SONGS for soprano and piano
9 min
1991
score
No
FOUR STATEMENTS for chorus (SATB)
5 min
1954
octavo
No
FOUR TONAL SONGS for baritone and piano
8 min
1988-90
score
No
FOUR WOMEN’S CHORUSES
5 min 30 sec
1990
octavo
No
NINE SHORT PIECES AND A FINALE for string quartet
12 min
1995
score
No
ORPHEUS SONG for mixed chorus
6 min
1962
octavo
No
PARIS: IN MEMORIAM R.L. - CAPRICCIO for piano
5 min
1951
score
No
SERENADE NO. 1 for wind quintet
12 min
1986-87
score
No
SERENADE NO. 2 for wind quintet
15 min
1990-91
score, parts
No
SEVEN PIANO PIECES
9 min
1987
score
No
SEVEN PIECES AND A CAPRICCIO for violin and piano
12 min
1988-89
score
No
SIX SMALL TRIOS marimba/perc, tpt, pno (three scores needed for performance)
8 min
1982
score, parts
No
STRING QUARTET
n/a
1961
score
No
SUMMER IMAGES AND REFLECTIONS soprano, fl, cl, tpt, pno/perc
10 min
1985
score
No
THE AWAKENING OF SAPPHO (studio opera) (30 min) principal roles: soprano, baritone,
minor roles: soprano, bass, hp, pno, perc, va, cb, alto kalimba, orch bells (1976/80) score
30 min
1976-80
score
No
THIRTEEN EXPRESSIONS solo vn, fl, ob, cl, va, vc, pno
15 min
1993
score, parts
No
THREE PIECES for clarinet and piano
6 min
1966
score, parts
No
THREE PIECES for piano
5 min
1949
score
No
THREE SONGS for baritone and piano
7 min
1955
score
No
THREE STATEMENTS for chorus (SATB)
5 min
1960
score
No
THREE TRIFLES for violoncello and piano
4 min
1957
score, parts
No
TWO CAPRICCIOS for piano
5 min
1992
score
No
TWO KETCHWA SONGS for soprano and piano
5 min
1955
score
No
TWO SEA CHANTEYS soprano, baritone, 2perc
5 min
1987-88
score
No
UN TOMBEAU DE JEAN COCTEAU III – theater piece for soprano, male actor, ob, cl, pno, tape and slides
12 min
1976
score
No
UN TOMBEAU DE JEAN COCTEAU for soprano and piano
8 min
1964
score
No
VARIATIONS AND PALINDROME string quartet
10 min
1962
score
No
VARIATIONS SUITE for violin and viola
10 min
1996
score
No
WINTER IMAGES soprano, fl, cl, tpt (or ob), pno, perc
10 min
1980
score
No