A prominent American composer who influenced several others
in the generation succeeding him, Ernest Bloch was actually born in
Switzerland, to a manufacturer of watches and clocks, on July 24, 1880. At the
age of nine he began studying violin and soon after began composing. His
musical education was diverse, taking him to the conservatory in Brussels, the
Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, Germany, and then Paris.
In 1916, Bloch toured the United States as the conductor of
a dance company. However, he suddenly found himself stranded in the country
when the troupe went broke. Nevertheless, Bloch made the most of the bleak situation.
In 1920, he became the first Musical Director of the newly formed Cleveland
Institute of Music. Four years later, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen, and
in 1925 was appointed the director of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Resigning from his teaching roles in 1930, Bloch returned to
Switzerland where he remained for the next decade. He actively composed during
this time and travelled Europe promoting and conducting his music. Yet, the
rise of Nazi Germany and the threat of war forced him to return the U.S. In
1941, he settled in the small community of Agate Beach, Oregon on the Pacific
Coast. He was appointed a professor at the University of California in Berkeley
and taught summer courses until his retirement in 1952. On July 15, 1969 he
died of cancer in Portland, Oregon.
An individually-minded composer, Bloch's early music was
influenced by the late Romanticism of Richard Strauss and the Impressionism
of Claude Debussy. Bloch maintained his relatively Romantic-infused idiom for
much of career, though he dabbled in more modern techniques, such as
neo-Classicism and atonality. He is best known for his more mature works which
drew heavily on Jewish liturgical and folk music, including Schelomo for cello and orchestra, the Israel Symphony, and Avodath Hakodesh (Sacred Service) for
baritone, choir and orchestra. He also won a competition in 1927 for his
rhapsody America for chorus and
orchestra.
Bloch's influence also went beyond his music. His daughter,
Suzanne, second of his three children, followed in her father's footsteps as a
musician and taught harpsichord, lute and composition at the Julliard School of
Music. Among his students during his various teaching appointments throughout
his career were George Antheil, Frederick Jacobi, Bernard Rogers, and Roger
Sessions.
Ernest Bloch
Biography
A prominent American composer who influenced several others in the generation succeeding him, Ernest Bloch was actually born in Switzerland, to a manufacturer of watches and clocks, on July 24, 1880. At the age of nine he began studying violin and soon after began composing. His musical education was diverse, taking him to the conservatory in Brussels, the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, Germany, and then Paris.
In 1916, Bloch toured the United States as the conductor of a dance company. However, he suddenly found himself stranded in the country when the troupe went broke. Nevertheless, Bloch made the most of the bleak situation. In 1920, he became the first Musical Director of the newly formed Cleveland Institute of Music. Four years later, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen, and in 1925 was appointed the director of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Resigning from his teaching roles in 1930, Bloch returned to Switzerland where he remained for the next decade. He actively composed during this time and travelled Europe promoting and conducting his music. Yet, the rise of Nazi Germany and the threat of war forced him to return the U.S. In 1941, he settled in the small community of Agate Beach, Oregon on the Pacific Coast. He was appointed a professor at the University of California in Berkeley and taught summer courses until his retirement in 1952. On July 15, 1969 he died of cancer in Portland, Oregon.
An individually-minded composer, Bloch's early music was influenced by the late Romanticism of Richard Strauss and the Impressionism of Claude Debussy. Bloch maintained his relatively Romantic-infused idiom for much of career, though he dabbled in more modern techniques, such as neo-Classicism and atonality. He is best known for his more mature works which drew heavily on Jewish liturgical and folk music, including Schelomo for cello and orchestra, the Israel Symphony, and Avodath Hakodesh (Sacred Service) for baritone, choir and orchestra. He also won a competition in 1927 for his rhapsody America for chorus and orchestra.
Bloch's influence also went beyond his music. His daughter, Suzanne, second of his three children, followed in her father's footsteps as a musician and taught harpsichord, lute and composition at the Julliard School of Music. Among his students during his various teaching appointments throughout his career were George Antheil, Frederick Jacobi, Bernard Rogers, and Roger Sessions.