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Plum, Abram M. (b. 1925, Oskaloosa, Iowa – d. May 10, 2002, Bloomington, Illinois). American composer of mostly chamber, choral, vocal, piano, and carillon works that have been performed in Europe and North America.
Mr. Plum studied composition with Philip Bezanson, Philip Greely Clapp and Richard Hervig at the University of Iowa, where he earned his PhD in 1962. He also studied composition with Luigi Dallapiccola in New York City in 1956–57 and studied electronic music during several summers at the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University.
His music has been performed in France, The Netherlands and the USA.
He is also active in other positions. He founded the Electronic Music Laboratory at Illinois Wesleyan University in 1971. He designed two computer ear-training programs for the Apple II and IIGS computers, Hearing Melodic Patterns and Chordelia, which were used in many music schools.
Mr. Plum taught composition, electronic music, music theory, non-Western music, and piano at Illinois Wesleyan University from 1965–91, where he then retained a part-time appointment as a staff accompanist from 1991–2002.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address (musicologist Anke Voss): avoss@iwu.edu
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
ORCHESTRAL: Four Mosaics, small orchestra (12 winds), 1980–81; WA, flute, harp, string orchestra, 1992; Prelude and Fugue, string orchestra, 1995
CHAMBER MUSIC: Fantasy for Clarinet and Piano, 1964–65; Trio for Oboe, Cello and Piano, 1967; Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, 1968; Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, 1969; Ceremonial Music, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 1969; Caprice, viola, piano, 1971; Five Proclamations, trombone, piano, 1975–77; Three Lyric Pieces, cello, piano, 1976–77; Sonata for Two Violas, 1977; Sonata for Two Flutes, 1977; Nocturne, 2 violins, 1979; Three Pieces for Guitar, 1980; Sonata for Tuba and Piano, 1980; String Trio, violin, viola, cello, 1982; Two Movements for String Quartet, 1985; Two Movements for Woodwind Quintet, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1985; Dialogues, clarinet, marimba, 1986; Eight Scenes for Bass Trombone and Synthesizers, 1990; Piano Quartet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 1991; Ricercar à 6, any 6 players (within a given range), 1991; Duo for Violin and Marimba, 1992; Two Pieces for Clarinet and Guitar, 1993; Suite for Unaccompanied Viola, 1993; Fantasia, 4 viols, 1993 (also version for string quartet, 1993); Two Movements for Trombone Quartet, 4 trombones, 1993; Duo for Clarinet and Cello, 1994–95; Shadows, string quartet, 1995; Tapestry, flute, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1995; Fantasy on 'The Western Wynde', flute, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, 1996; Idyll, alto saxophone, cello, piano, 1996; Niobe, string quartet, 1997; Four for Four, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, 1997; Soliloquy, trombone, piano, 1999; In a Garden, flute, clarinet, string quartet, double bass, 1999; Aria and Dance, baritone saxophone, piano, 2000; Nocturne, soprano saxophone, piano, 2000; Conversations, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 2000; Romanza, clarinet, French horn, 2001
CHORAL: Three Poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson, mixed chorus, piano, 1993; Friends (text by Jane Nygood Plum), children's chorus, piano, 1994; De Profundis (text by Lafcadio Hearn), 1994; The Caged Skylark (text by Gerard Manley Hopkins), male chorus, piano, 1994; Four Epigrams (text by William Blake), mixed chorus, 1995; Spring (text by William Blake), mixed chorus, piano, 1995
VOCAL: The Young Dancer (text by Leslie L. Brown), mezzo-soprano, flute, cello, piano, 1976; Six Songs to Seventeenth-Century English Poets, obbligato soprano, tenor, piano, 1979–80; Mirage: Five Poems by Christina Rossetti, soprano, viola, 1993; Mutation (text by William Cullen Bryant), soprano, piano, 1994; Meg Merrilies' Songs (text by Sir Walter Scott), alto, piano, 1994–95; Inscapes: Five Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins, baritone, piano, 1997; Three Poems by Christina Rossetti, mezzo-soprano, piano, 1998; Three Poems by Thomas Hardy, baritone, piano, 1999
PIANO: Toccata, 1951–52; Music for Beginners, 1964–65; Seven Reflections, 1968; Fantasy, 1980; Three Pieces, 1987; Lebewohl: Four Meditations on a Motive by Beethoven, 1991; Three Landscapes, 1992; Walking Music (based on themes by Charles Ives), piano 4 hands, 1993; Sonata, 1993; Eight Jewish Folksongs, 1993–94; Scottish Suite, 1994; Music at Twilight, 1995; Lydian Lullabies, 1995; Eight Pieces in C, 1995; Phrygian Phantasy, 1995; Mountain Music, 1996; Four Idylls, 1996; Three Scottish Folksongs, 1996; Study in Porcelain, 1996; Kokoro, 1997; Niobe, 1997; Three Miniatures, 1997; In a Dream, 1998; Two Hebrew Songs, 1999; Fresco, 2000
HARPSICHORD: Five Pieces, 1976–77; Six Variations on 'Watkins Ale', 1988
CARILLON: Constellations, 1997; Paean, 1997; A Ground, 1999; Waves, 1999; Fantasy on 'Kol Nidrei', 1999; Prelude and Fugue, 1999; Fantasy on 'Aus tiefer Not', 1999; Idyll, 1999; In Dulci Jubilo, 1999; Crystals, 1999; In Nomine, 2000; Sonorities, 2000; 'Ding! dong! merrily on high', 2000; Bells among the Clouds, 2000; Mysterium, 2000; Passacaglia, 2001; Epilogue, 2001
ELECTROACOUSTIC: Valse romantique, tape, 1975; Chrysalis, tape, 1976
DISCOGRAPHY
Three Landscapes. Jeffrey Jacob, piano (New Ariel: AE001)
Mutation. Janis Sabatino Hills, soprano; Leonard Lehrman, piano (Capstone Records: CPS-8623)
(Last updated on February 23, 2003)
