(b. 22 January 1923, Hanford, California – d. 4 February 2016, Oakwood, Georgia).
American composer of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, piano, and organ works that have been performed in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
Prof. Bassett had training in cello, piano, trombone, and other instruments as a child and studied composition with Ross Lee Finney at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from 1947–49 and 1952–56. He also studied composition with Arthur Honegger at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and analysis privately with Nadia Boulanger in Paris in 1950–51, both on a Fulbright Scholarship. He later had private studies in composition with Roberto Gerhard in Ann Arbor in 1960 and in electronic music with Mario Davidovsky in Ann Arbor in 1964.
Among his honours were the Prix de Rome (1961–63), the Pulitzer Prize for Music (1966, for Variations for Orchestra), the Guggenheim Fellowship (1973–74, 1980–81), and the Recording Award of the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation (1974, for Sextet [piano, strings]). He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters from 1976–2016 and earned grants from the Koussevitzky Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation.
He is also active in other positions. He worked as an arranger and trombonist in the 13th Armored Division during World War II.
He taught composition at the University of Michigan from 1952–91, where he served as chair of the department of composition from 1970–88 and as the Albert A. Stanley Distinguished University Professor of Music from 1977–91, later emeritus. He was also a co-founder of its electronic music studio in 1964 and of its Contemporary Directions Performance Ensemble in 1966.
His primary publisher is Edition Peters.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
ORCHESTRAL:
Five Movements for Orchestra, large orchestra, 1961
Variations for Orchestra, 1963
Designs, Images and Textures, symphonic band, 1964
Colloquy, large orchestra, 1968
Forces, violin, cello, piano, orchestra, 1972
Echoes from an Invisible World, 1974–75
Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, 2 pianos, orchestra, 1976
Sounds, Shapes and Symbols, symphonic band, 1977
Concerto Grosso, French horn, 2 trumpets, bass trombone, tuba, symphonic band, 1982
Concerto Lirico, trombone, orchestra, 1983
Colors and Contours, symphonic band, 1984
Lullaby, symphonic band, 1985
From a Source Evolving, large orchestra, 1985
Fantasy, clarinet, symphonic band, 1986
Concerto for Orchestra, large orchestra, 1991
Thoughts that Sing, Breathe and Burn, large orchestra, 1995
Wood and Reed Transformed, bassoon, symphonic band, 1998
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, alto saxophone, orchestra, 1999
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Quartet, 4 trombones, 1949
Sonata, French horn, piano, 1952
Trio, French horn, trumpet, trombone, 1953
Trio, clarinet, viola, piano, 1953
Quintet, string quartet, double bass, 1954
Sonata, trombone, piano, 1954
Sonata, viola, piano, 1956
Five Pieces, string quartet, 1957
Suite, trombone, 1957
Wind Quintet, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1958
Sonata, violin, piano, 1959
Duets, 2 cellos, 1959
Quintet for Piano and String Quartet, piano, string quartet, 1962
String Quartet No. 3, 1962
Music for Cello and Piano, cello, piano, 1966
Nonet, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, 1967
Music for Alto Saxophone and Piano, alto saxophone, piano, 1968
Sextet, piano, 2 violins, 2 violas, cello, 1971
Sounds Remembered, violin, piano, 1972
Music for Four Horns, 4 French horns, 1974
12 Duos, 2/4 trombones, 1974
Wind Music, flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon, French horn, 1975
Soliloquies, clarinet, 1976
String Quartet No. 4, 1978
Sextet, flute, alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, cello, double bass, 1979
Trio, clarinet, violin, piano, 1980
Concerto da camera, trumpet, ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion), 1981
Temperaments, guitar, 1979–83
Duo concertante, alto saxophone, piano, 1984
Salute, 5 trumpets, 1985
Dialogues, oboe, piano, 1987
Duo-Inventions, 2 cellos, 1988
Brass Quintet, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 1988
Illuminations, flute, piano, 1989
Metamorphoses, bassoon, 1990
Arias, clarinet, piano, 1992
Narratives, 4 guitars, 1993
Song and Dance, tuba, piano, 1993
Three Equale, 4 trombones, 1996
Trio-Inventions, 3 cellos, 1996
The Three Graces, 3 flutes, 2000
Song of the Aulos, oboe, 2000
Hammered Strings and Whistling Pipes, piano, organ, 2003
Sound Off!!!, 10 percussion, 2007
CHORAL:
The Lamb (text by William Blake), mixed chorus, piano, 1952
Out of the Depths (text from Psalm 130), mixed chorus, organ, 1957
For City, Nation, World (cantata, text from the Service Book and Hymnal), tenor, children's chorus ad libitum, mixed chorus, congregational chorus, 4 trombones, organ, 1959
Moonrise (text by D. H. Lawrence), female chorus, piccolo, flute, alto flute, violin, 2 violas, cello, piano, 2 percussion, 1960
Remembrance (text by Hoover Rupert), mixed chorus, organ, 1960
Eclogue, Encomium and Evocation (text from the Song of Solomon), female chorus, harp, piano, 2 percussion, 1962
Follow Now that Bright Star (carol, text by the composer), mixed chorus, 1962
Prayers for Divine Service, male chorus, organ, 1965
Hear My Prayer, O Lord (text from Psalm 64), children's chorus/female chorus, organ, 1965
Notes in the Silence (text by Dag Hammarskjöld [translated by Leif Sjöberg, W. H. Auden]), mixed chorus, piano, 1966
Collect (text by the composer, after a church service), mixed chorus, fixed media (2 tracks), 1969
Moon Canticle (texts by John Milton, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Sir Philip Sidney, Timothy Harley, Theocritus [English translation], William Shakespeare, Francis Thompson, the composer, the Sir Patrick Spens, Joaquin Miller, Sir Richard Burton, John Keats, magazine Life, other sources), soprano, amplified speaker, mixed chorus, cello, 1969
Celebration in Praise of Earth (texts from Psalm 24, Psalm 104, Psalm 115, Psalm 113, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Henry David Thoreau, Walter Savage Landor, Walt Whitman, William Shakespeare, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Wordsworth, the Qur'an [English translation], the composer), amplified speaker, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1970
Of Wind and Earth (texts by Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Cullen Bryant, St. Francis of Assisi [English translation]), mixed chorus, piano, 1973
A Ring of Emeralds (texts from an anonymous 14th-century source from Ireland, Gerald Griffin, Jonathan Swift, anonymous 9th-century source from Ireland [translated by George Sigerson], John Boyle O'Reilly), mixed chorus, piano, 1979
Sing to the Lord (text from Psalm 95), mixed chorus, organ, 1981
Lord, who hast formed me (text by George Herbert), mixed chorus, organ, 1981
Whoe'er She Be (text by Robert Crashaw), female chorus, piano, 1986
Almighty, Eternal (text by the composer), mixed chorus, organ, 1990
Maker of Our Being (text by the composer), mixed chorus, organ, 1993
Come, Thou long-expected Jesus – Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken (hymns), mixed unison chorus, organ, 2003
VOCAL:
Four Songs (texts by William Blake, George Herbert, Edwin Arlington Robinson), soprano, piano, 1953
To Music (texts by Ben Jonson, Robert Herrick, William Billings), soprano/tenor, piano, 1962
The Jade Garden (texts by Ki no Tsurayuki, Kyohaku, Li Bai, anonymous source from Japan [English translations]), soprano, piano, 1973
Time and Beyond (texts by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Rabindranath Tagore [English translation], Mark Van Doren), baritone, clarinet, cello, piano, 1973
Love Songs (texts from an anonymous source from Greece [English translation], Walter Savage Landor, Anne Bradstreet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Harrington), soprano, piano, 1975
Pierrot Songs (text by Albert Giraud [translated by Otto Erich Hartleben]), soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 1988
Two Stephens Songs (text by James Stephens), baritone, piano, 1996–98
PIANO:
Six Pieces, 1951
Mobile, 1961
Elaborations, 1966
Preludes, 1984
Configurations, 1987
ORGAN:
Toccata, 1955
Voluntaries, 1958
Four Statements, 1964
Liturgies, 1980
Music for Organ, 2002, revised 2004
CARILLON:
A Masque of Bells, 1980
DISCOGRAPHY
Configurations. Richard Reber, piano (Kanzona: CKU 395) (cassette)
Narratives. Minneapolis Guitar Quartet (Albany Records: TROY 207)
Brass Quintet. Chestnut Brass Company (Albany Records: TROY 233)
Arias. Nathan Williams, clarinet; Audrey Andrist, piano (Albany Records: TROY 311)
Variations for Orchestra; Echoes from an Invisible World; Sextet (piano, strings). John Graham, viola; Gilbert Kalish, piano; Concord String Quartet; Jonathan Sternberg/Symphonisches Orchester Zürich; Sergiu Comissiona/Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Composers Recordings, Inc.: CRI 677)
Dialogues. Harry Sargous, oboe; Robert Conway, piano (Crystal Records: CD326)
Suite. Ralph Sauer, trombone (Crystal Records: 5381)
Duo concertante. Clifford Leaman, alto saxophone; Derek Parsons, piano (Equilibrium: EQ 21)
Lullaby. H. Robert Reynolds/University of Michigan Symphonic Band (Equilibrium: EQ 45)
Sounds Remembered; Preludes; Elaborations; Configurations; Mobile; Six Pieces. Wendolyn Olson, violin; Gabriela Lena Frank, piano (Equilibrium: EQ 51)
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra. Clifford Leaman, alto saxophone; Kenneth Kiesler/University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra (Equilibrium: EQ 63)
Suite. Christian Lindberg, trombone (Fermat: FLPS 49)
Lullaby. Eugene Corporon/North Texas Wind Symphony (Klavier Music: 11089)
Colors and Contours. Eugene Corporon/North Texas Wind Symphony (Klavier Music: 11091)
Trio (clarinet, violin, piano). Verdehr Trio (Leonarda Productions: LE 326)
Lullaby. Robert Levy/Lawrence University Wind Ensemble (Mark: MCD-1302)
Thoughts that Sing, Breathe and Burn; Concerto Lirico; Concerto for Orchestra. H. Dennis Smith, trombone; Vít Micka/Moravská filharmonie Olomouc; Gerard Schwarz/Seattle Symphony Orchestra (MMC Recordings: 2090)
Music for Alto Saxophone and Piano. Donald Sinta, alto saxophone; Ellen Weckler, piano (New World Records: 80541-2)
A Ring of Emeralds. Emily Lowe Singers (Northeastern: NR 241)
Elaborations. Max Lifchitz, piano (North/South Recordings: N/S R 1014)
Duo concertante. Kenneth Fischer, alto saxophone; Richard Zimdars, piano (One World)
From a Source Evolving. Joel Eric Suben/Janáčkova filharmonie Ostrava (Opus One Music: 156)
Arias; Illuminations. Fred Ormand, flute; Ellen Weckler, piano; Bryan–Keys Duo (Opus One Music: 161)
Colors and Contours. University of Miami Wind Ensemble (Stevens: STR920002)