Elias Tanenbaum

Biography

Born in 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Tanenbaum studied trumpet at an early age and played with many jazz bands. After serving with the U.S. Army in World War II, he received a B.S. from the Juilliard School of Music in 1949, and an M.A. from Columbia University. He studied composition with Dante Fiorillo, Bohuslav Martinu, Otto Luening and Wallingford Riegger. Mr. Tanenbaum composed over 100 works in all idioms. Works include music for concert, jazz, theater, television, ballet and electronic and comptuer music. His music has been performed extensively throught this country, Europe and Japan by orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, Brooklyn Philharmonia, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Westchester Philharmonic and many other performing groups. His many awards and grants include a WCBS commission, a MacDowell Fellowship, a commission from the Chicago Symphony, two Composers Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1974 and 1989, a Ford Foundation Recording Grant in 1970, an American Composers Allience Recording Award in 1975 and 1979, Composers Grant from the New York State Foundation for the Arts in 1989 and numerous "Meet the Composer" grants. Mr. Tanenbaum was the Founding Director of the Electronic Computer Music Studio and a member of the composition faculty at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He held that post from 1970 until his retirement. In addition, Mr. Tanenbaum was a visiting composer at the California Institute for the Arts in 1983 and a visiting lecturer at Stuttgart Conservatory in 1993. He was married to pianist Mary Tanenbaum in 1952. They have two children, David and Jacob, and three grandchildren. He was awarded the purple heart in 1944.

  • mixed instrumental ens 6 to 15 players
  • solo instrumental (non-keyboard)
  • ACE Publications

    33 title(s)
    Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
    Elias Tanenbaum CLARINET TRIO WITH TAPE cl,vln,vcl,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum CONSORT fl, ehn, alsax, el gtr, perc(1) ,vcl, cb
    Elias Tanenbaum CYGNOLOGY vc,pic/fl,cl/bcl,str
    Elias Tanenbaum FANTASY Violin and Tape vln,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum FOUR PIECES solo speaking voice,pf
    Elias Tanenbaum FURTHER REFLECTIONS
    pf,vln,vcl,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum GUITAR-1975 gtr
    Elias Tanenbaum Guitarscape - New York solo guitar
    Elias Tanenbaum HIROSHIMA 2pt chil chor,pf,school band & rhythm band
    Elias Tanenbaum LAST OF THE JUST, THE Double satb & orch:2/pic/alfl- 2-ehn-2-bcl-2-cbsn-alsax,4-3-3-1,timp,perc,hp,vib,glock,str
    Elias Tanenbaum Lazer Light percussion
    Elias Tanenbaum MIRAGE & INCANTATIONS fem vc,cl,pf,vln,vcl,tp
    Elias Tanenbaum MORE WAVES gtr
    Elias Tanenbaum MUSIC FOR GUITAR gtr
    Elias Tanenbaum OFF-CENTER cl,bsn,hn,vln,cb
    Elias Tanenbaum PARALLEL WORLDS orch:2-2-2-2,4-3-3-1, 4perc/cel,str & tape
    Elias Tanenbaum PETER QUINCE AT THE CLAVIER sop,fl,pic,cl,btbn,gtr,vla
    Elias Tanenbaum PHANTASIES OF A PRISONER, THE bar,cham orch:pic/fl/alfl, cl/alsax,tpt,tbn,perc,hp,vln,vcl
    Elias Tanenbaum RAIN AND FOG- A SUNNY DAY children's chorus,pf,perc
    Elias Tanenbaum REFLECTED IMAGES fl,gtr
    Elias Tanenbaum REMEMBRANCE fl,alsax,2perc,vln,vcl,cb,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum SIDE BY SIDE 3 chamber groups:(1)alsax,perc,cb, (2)fl,ob,cl,(3)vln,vla,vcl and computer controlled tape
    Elias Tanenbaum SIX DESIGNS sop,large orchestra & cham orch:2/pic-2/ehn-2-bcl- 2-cbsn,4-3-3-1,perc,hp,str
    Elias Tanenbaum SONATINA for unaccompanied clarinet cl
    Elias Tanenbaum SOUNDS ARE 16voices,pf,tape

    Additional Works