Paul A. Epstein
111 Foulkeways
Gwynedd, PA 19436
E-mail: pepstein@comcast.net
links:
Irritable Hedgehog records
mode records
Capstone Records
Navona Records
Relâche
In American Music in the Twentieth Century, critic Kyle Gann cites Epstein as
One of the finest postminimal composers..." and calls Chamber Music: Three Songs from Home "...a vocal setting for winds and keyboards of great contrapuntal beauty." Epstein's music has been presented in the U.S. and abroad by such ensembles as Relâche, counter)induction, the Circle ensemble of London, and ONIX Nuevo Ensamble de México. It is available on compact disk on the Irritable Hedgehog, Mode, Navona, and Capstone labels.
Paul A. Epstein is Professor Emeritus of Music Theory at Temple University, where he taught from 1969 to 2001. Born in Boston in 1938, he is a graduate of Brandeis University and the University of California at Berkeley. His composition teachers included Harold Shapero, Seymour Shifrin, and Luciano Berio, with whom he studied privately on a Fulbright grant to Italy in 1962-63. Epstein has been involved in closely collaborative work with artists in theater and dance. He was associated with the New York environmental theater group The Performance Group from 1969 to 1972, and from 1974 to 1987 he was composer and music director for ZeroMoving Dance Company of Philadelphia.
An article by Kyle Gann, "American Composer: Paul A. Epstein," appears in the December, 2004 issue of Chamber Music, a publication of Chamber Music America.
THREE SONNETS for mezzo-soprano, cello, and piano with poems by Harvey Gilman, 2004; 9 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO. 5: triptych for chamber chorus, with text by Toby Olson, 2003; 23 min.
CHIHUAHUA, a chamber opera in six scenes with libretto by Toby Olson, 1999; 60 min.
DORIT, a chamber opera in ten scenes with libretto by Toby Olson, 1993; ca. 60 min.
FACING for baritone and string trio, with poem by Toby Olson, 1995; written for the AIDS Quilt Songbook; 3 min.
READING for baritone and piano, with text by Toby Olson, 1994; 18 min.
THE LEPER'S HELIX: Variations and Approximations for mezzo-soprano, flute, English horn, clarinet/bass clarinet, soprano/baritone saxophone, bassoon, accordion, and piano, with text by Robert Coover, 1990 (revised, 1991); 25 min.
BIRDSONGS for baritone and piano, with poems by Toby Olson, 1988; 15 min.
CHAMBER MUSIC: Three Songs from Home for mezzo-soprano, flute (also picc., alto fl.,) clarinet, saxophone (sop., alt.,) bassoon, and two keyboards, with poems by Toby Olson, 1986; 18 min.
MOVING VOICES for two female voices and flute, with texts by Gertrude Stein, 1981; ca. 7. min.
LANDSCAPE 3 for wind ensemble, 2021; 7 min.
LANDSCAPE 2 WITH TRIADS for bass trombone, Tuba, and contrabass, 2021; 9 min.
MAINE COAST, version for violin, bassoon, and tuba, 2021; 6 min.
MAINE COAST, version for clarinet and bassoon, 2020; 6 min.
MAINE COAST for organ, 2020; 6 min.
ISORHYTHMIC VARIATIONS for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, 2020; 8 min.
LIGHT AND SHADOW for organ, 2020; 6 min.
PRIME TIMES 6 for organ, 2020; 7 min.
SEVENS FOR ORGAN, 2019; 7 min.
DRAWING THE GREAT VALLEY for organ, 2019; 5 min.
NINES for organ four-hands, 2018; 7 min.
PRIME TIMES 5 AGAIN for organ, 2018; 8 min.
PRIME TIMES 5 for organ, 2017; 7 min.
THREES AND TWOS for organ, 2017; 9 min.
CHANGES 3: PALINDROMES, version for Relâche, 2017; 4 min.
ISORHYTHMS for organ, 2017; 20 min.
NIGHT PIECE 2: version for 7 instruments, 2016; 11 min.
JSB INTERLEAVE for piano, 2016; 9 min. PRIME TIMES 4 for piano, 2016; 8 min.
CHANGES 3: PALINDROMES, version for organ, 2016; 4 min.
NIGHT PIECE 2 for organ, 2016; 13 min.
CHANGES 7 for piano, 2015; 65 min.
LACUNAE for piano, 2014; 13 min.
DISPLACEMENTS for keyboard, 2014; 9 min.
CHANGES 6 for piano, 2013; 7 min.
CHANGES 3: PALINDROMES for piano, 1977/2013; 4 min.
A SONG TO SING IN D, for any number of players, any instruments, 2013; ca. 10 min.
57:4/5/7 REDUX for piano, 2013; 5 min.
LANDSCAPE WITH TRIADS, version for piano, 2012; 9 min. Also versions for string quartet, woodwind quartet, and flute, clarinet, viola, and cello.
LANDSCAPE WITH TETRACHORDS for six instruments, 2012; 9 min.
72: 7/11/13 for piano, 2012; 10 min.
DRAWING NO. 7 for six instruments, 2012; 10 min.
DRAWING NO. 6 for piano, 2011; 7 min.
DRAWING NO. 5 for piano, 2011; 5 min.
FOR A LITTLE WHILE AGAIN for piano. 2010; 4 min.
DRAWING NO. 4 for piano, 2010; 5 min.
DRAWING NO. 3 for piano, 2010; 4 min.
DRAWING NO. 2 for piano four hands, 2010; 4 min.
DRAWING NO. 1 for three instruments, 2009; 4 min.
NIGHT PIECE for solo string instrument, 2009; 5 min.
PRIME TIMES 2 for flute, bassoon, and piano, 2008; 7 min.
UNCERTAIN LENSES for clarinet, vibraphone, violin, and cello, 2008; 15 min.
PRIME TIMES for piano, 2006; 13 min.
FOUR TIMES FOR THREE for three instruments, 2006; 11 min.
SEVENS for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, violin, viola, and cello, 2006; 7 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO 8 for two marimbas, 2005; 7 min.
LANDSCAPE VARIATIONS for piano, 2005; Book I, 11 min.; Book II, 11 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO 7 for guitar, 2005; 8 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO. 6b for violin, 2004; 11 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO. 6c for viola, 2003; 11 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO. 6a for cello, 2003; 11 min.
THE GREAT VALLEY, NO. 4: triptych for flute, cello, and piano, 2003; 15 min.
MOVING VOICES version for flute, clarinet, and viola, 2002; 6 min.
INTERLEAVINGS for piano, 2002; 11 min.
ALGORHYTHMS 2 for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, vibraphone, viola and contrabass, 2002; 15 min.
ALGORHYTHMS 2000 for wind ensemble, 2000; 15 min.
57: 4/5/7 for amplified harpsichord, 1998; 10 min.
ALGORHYTHMS 1 for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, marimba, keyboard, viola, and contrabass, 1998; 15 min.
SOLSTICE CANONS: Version for Woodwind Trio, 1995; 8 min.
PALINDROME VARIATIONS: Version for Flute, Cello, and Piano, 1995; 8 min.
TWO STUDIES FOR MANDOLIN, 1995; 10 min.
CHANGES 3 for Violin (or Viola) and Viola (or Violin), 1993
SOLSTICE CANONS: Version for String Trio, 1993; 8 min.
SOLSTICE CANONS for three instruments (open instrumentation), 1993; 8 min.
VARIATIONS FOR WIND QUINTET, 1991; 13 min.
CHANGES 2: Version for Two Instruments, 1990; open instrumentation, duration variable
VARIATIONS FOR STRING ORCHESTRA, 1987; 15 min.
PALINDROMES 2: Version for Six Instruments for flute, clarinet, cello, vibraphone, marimba, and piano, 1984; ca. 13 min.
PALINDROMES 2: Version for String Quartet, 1983; ca. 10 min.
PALINDROMES 2: Version for Saxophones and Percussion, 1983; ca. 10 min.
PASSAGES FOR SEVEN INSTRUMENTS for flute, oboe (or soprano saxophone,) bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and piano, 1982; 18 min.
CHANGES 4 for alto flute, alto saxophone, vibraphone, marimba, viola, and cello, 1980; ca. 20
APPROXIMATIONS: Prelude 2 for Piano, 1980
THREE SONNETS: Krista River, mezzo-soprano, Michal Schein, cello, Hannah Shields, piano, as part of the compact disc Rapport, Navona Records, 2010
LANDSCAPE VARIATIONS: Book II: Jeri-Mae Astolfi, piano, as part of the compact disc Chroma, Capstone Records, 2009 (SCI Performers' CD Series)
PALINDROME VARIATIONS: Cynthia Folio, flute, Jeffrey Solow, cello, Charles Abramovic, piano, as part of the compact disc Connections, Capstone Records, 1999 (SCI CD Series)
BIRDSONGS: Gregory Wiest, tenor, Oresta Cybriwsky, piano, as part of the compact disc Time Marches On: More Modern American Songs," Capstone Records, 1998
CHAMBER MUSIC: Three Songs from Home, recorded by the Relâche ensemble as part of the compact disk Relâche: On Edge; Mode records, 1991