روبرت سمپسونRobert (Wilfred Levick) Simpson (م. 2 مارس 1921 – و. 21 نوفمبر 1997) موسيقي إنجليزي ومنتج ومذيع لمدة طويلة في البي بي سي.

حياته

في منهج شديد الفردية تجاه التأليف الموسيقي، يتخذ سمبسون التقنيات الطليعية والاتجاهات الأخرى في اعتقاد حتى الاتصال مع الغرائز البشرية الباقية أنشط من استخدام الطرق السائدة.

ولد في منتجع لمنجتون وتفهم في مدرسة وستمنستر سيتي في لندن وتفهم عزف الكورنت من سن السابعة. ووفقا لرغبات والديه تفهم الطب أول الأمر لكن سرعان ما تخلى عنه ومنذ 1941 حتى 1946 تلقى دروسا في الهارموني والكونترابنط لدى هربرت هاولز. كان محتج على الإجبار في الاشتراك في الحرب العالمية الثانية ثبت دراساته الموسيقية حول المهام في وحدة جراحية انتنطقية.

أول عمل معترف به لسمبسون يعود إلى نحو1946 حيث بدأ العمل أيضا في سمفونيته الأولى. بعد تدميره لأربع لمحاولات خط النسخة الأخيرة التي تلقى عليها الدكتوراه من جامعة درهام سنة 1951. انضم إلى بي بي سي عام 1951 وظل هناك كمنتج موسيقى حتى سنة 1980 حين استنطق احتجاجا على السياسيات الفنية للمؤسسة.

خط عدد من الأعمال النقدية والنظرية عن الموسيقى، بما في ذلك خط عن سمفونيات نيلسون وسبليوس وبروكنر وبيتهوفن - أعظم التأثيرات على سمفونياته، التي تقدم أتم تعبير لأسلوب تأليفه.

بشكل خاص تتبع مثال بيتهوفن لخلق هياكل كبيرة من التوتر الكامن وتردد الأصوات في فكرة لحنية. البناء حقا كبير في السمفونية التاسعة 1986 التي تعد أطول عمل غربي مأزق له إيقاع واحد غير متغير. وظلت موسيقاه مقامية في عصر سادت فيه اللامقامية والتسلسل النغمي وتفادي الأشكال الثابتة لمسيان وآخرين، ملتزما بدلا من ذلك بمدأ نيلسن حتى الموسيقى لا شيء إلا إذا كان لها “تيار”.

نوع آخر سائد في إنتاج سمبسون كان الرباعي الوتري، الذي خط منهاعشرة مرة أخرى أسسها بوعي على مبادئ ثلاث رباعيات وترية على مبادئ بيتهوفن بعنوان “راسموفسكي في حين افتتاحية الخماسية للكلارنيت والرباعي الوتري 1968 يضم إثارة لحنية واضحة للرباعي الوتري لبيتهوفن في مقام دودييز الصغير مصنف 131 بعد مغادرة سمبسون للبي بي سي كرس وقتا اكبر للتأليف فأصدر أربعة سمفونيات و7 رباعيات وترية. ونال تسجيله للسمفونية التاسعة جائزة مجلة جرامافون لأفضل إصدار معاصرة لسنة 1989. ونال ميدالية كيلبي الشرفية من جمعية بروكنر الأمريكية والميدالية المضىية لجمعية كارل نيلسون الدانماركية. من عام 1986 عاش مع زوجته الثانية في مقاطعة كيري بأيرلندا.

موسيقاه

السيمفونيات

• Symphony No. 1 (1951), doctorate thesis for the University of Durham
• Symphony No. 2 (1955–1956), dedicated to Anthony Bernard
• Symphony No. ثلاثة (1962), dedicated to Havergal Brian
• Symphony No. أربعة (1970–1972), commissioned by the Hallé Orchestra
• Symphony No.خمسة (1972), dedicated to the London Symphony Orchestra
• Symphony No.ستة (1977), dedicated to the renowned gynaecologist Ian Craft
• Symphony No.سبعة (1977), dedicated to Hans Keller and his wife, the artist Milein Cosman
• Symphony No.ثمانية (1981), dedicated to the painter Anthony Dorrell
• Symphony No.تسعة (1985–1987), dedicated to his wife, Angela
• Symphony No.عشرة (1988), dedicated to Vernon Handley
• Symphony No. 11 (1990), dedicated to Matthew Taylor

الكونشرتات

Violin Concerto (1959)

A work of some forty minutes, dedicated to the violinist Ernest Element, withdrawn by the composer late in his life.

Piano Concerto (1967)

A one-movement twenty-minute work, falling into several sections and written for the pianist John Ogdon. The only one of Simpson's concerti to receive a commercial recording, it is one of his most big-hearted and instantly accessible scores.

Flute Concerto (1989)

A one movement work of twenty-five minutes duration, commissioned by and dedicated to the flautist Susan Milan. The work embraces a calmness in the manner of Symphony No. 11.

Cello Concerto (1991)

A one-movement variation-form work of twenty-three minutes duration, commissioned by and dedicated to the cellist Raphael Wallfisch. The work begins vigorously and ends in an atmosphere of contemplative mystery.

الرباعات الوترية

String Quartet No. 1 (1951–52)

is in two movements, quick and slow; the second movement is a set of variations on a palindromic theme stated by the viola. There is a power-struggle by the opposed tonal centres of E flat and A: E flat is the focus of the first movement and beats off the challenge of A, the second movement theme starts and ends in E flat with a central climax in A; the variations work round to A major, in which key the work ends. The quartet is dedicated to George Enescu.

String Quartet No. 2 (1953)

is the shortest of all Simpson's quartets, playing for about 15 minutes. It is cast in a single movement and a single metronome mark, within which three themes (and three tempi) contest for dominance.

String Quartet No. ثلاثة (1953–54)

is in two movements, slow and quick: an Adagio in C major and a pulsing Allegro deciso that works round to an affirmative E major. (Simpson made a transcription of this movement as an independent piece for full string orchestra.)

String Quartet No. أربعة (1973)

is dedicated to Basil Lam. The four movements – an Allegro, a Presto scherzo, an Andante sosteunto slow movement joining on without a break to an Assai vivace finale – correspond to the layout of Beethoven's op.59 no.1.

String Quartet No.خمسة (1974)

is dedicated to Angela Musgrave, who became the composer's second wife. The four movements – an Allegro molto with a written-out literal repeat of the exposition, an Adagio, sempre semplice, an Allegretto vivace and a whirlwind Prestissimo finale – correspond to the layout of Beethoven's Op. 59, No. 2.

String Quartet No.ستة (1975)

is dedicated to the film-maker Barrie Gavin and his wife Jamila. Of the four movements, the first begins with an Adagio introduction exploring an enigmatic harmony, prefacing a large-scale Vivacissimo; the second is an intermezzo-like Con moto; grazioso ed intensivo, the third a complex Canon marked Molto tranquillo with an Allegretto grazioso middle section, and the finale is marked Molto rapido – these correspond to the layout of Beethoven's op.59 no.3, which begins with a slow introduction exploring a particular harmony and includes an archaic form (a Minuet) as its third movement.

String Quartet No.سبعة (1977)

is dedicated to the organist Susi Jeans and written in celebration of the birth-centenary of her husband, the astronomer Sir James Jeans. The work is in a single movement and makes much use of the open strings of the instruments, whose tuning Simpson likened to the forces of gravitation. This leads the work to revolve around the circle of fifths. The slow opening Tranquillo and closing Tempo primo enclose a fast section, Vivace, intended to represent the pulsing energy of the universe.

String Quartet No.ثمانية (1979)

is dedicated to the biologist and entomologist J.D. Gillett and his wife. There are four movements, the tonality of each being a fifth higher than that of its predecessor. The first is a large-scale fugue, Grave, molto intensivo, the second is a brief scherzo (Molto vivace), 'suggesting the formidable delicacy' of the mosquito Eretmapodites Gilletti. The third is an intermezzo, Allegretto grazioso, played with mutes. The finale is a strenuous Risoluto e concentrato to balance the first movement.

String Quartet No. 9

(1982) is subtitled 32 Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Haydn and was dedicated to the Delmé Quartet, who commissioned it, on their 20th anniversary, which was also the 250th anniversary of the birth of Haydn. At about 57 minutes' duration, it is one of the longest continuous movements for string quartet ever written. The theme is the palindromic minuet which Haydn used in his Symphony No. 47 and Piano Sonata No.26. Simpson had already composed a set of piano variations on this minuet in 1948, and three of those variations are transcribed as variations I-III of the quartet. The 32 quartet variations take Simpson's fascination with formal symmetry to a new extreme, though they are grouped to correspond to first movement, scherzo and slow movement. The free-form fugue forms the finale, gaining energy and speed as it proceeds.

String Quartet No.عشرة (1983)

bears the title For Peace and was composed for the tenth anniversary of the Coull Quartet. Simpson said that the title "refers to its generally pacific character ... The music ... tries to define the condition of peace. This excludes aggression but not strong feeling." The three movements are a serene Allegretto, a very short Prestissimo scherzo and a concluding Molto adagio, longer than the other two movements combined, which climaxes in a fugue and ends in a peaceful epilogue.

String Quartet No. 11 (1984)

was also written for the Coull Quartet and shares some material with No. 10, but is much more turbulent and intense in character: Simpson said he was conscious of the influence of Beethoven's F minor Quartet, Op.95 in this work. Quartet No. 11 is in a single large movement and is concerned with salient intervals including the tritone and the major third. An opening Allegro molto is followed by a polyphonic Adagio, a large-scale Scherzo (Presto) and a concluding Molto adagio played pianissimo throughout.

String Quartet No. 12 (1987)

was commissioned for the 1988 Nottingham Festival^[]. This work is in two large movements, a meditative and polyphonic Adagio and a Molto vivace combining the characters of scherzo and finale.

String Quartet No. 13 (1989)

was commissioned for the 1990 Cardiff Festival and was premiered there by the Delmé Quartet. It is dedicated to the BBC producer Graham Melville-Mason and his wife Alex. This is the shortest of Simpson's later quartets (only No. 2 is shorter) and is in four concise movements, played without any break, in a fast-slow-fast-slow pattern.

String Quartet No. 14 (1990)

is a large-scale work in the traditional four movements. The slow movement has been particularly praised for its meditative beauty.

String Quartet No. 15

(1991) is a shorter work in one movement with three contrasting sections, an Adagio introduction and an Allegretto finale framing a large central scherzo, marked Severo. The character of this quartet is turbulent and granitic, rather in the manner of String Quartet No. 11.

موسيقى الحجرة الأخرى

Clarinet Quintet (1968)

This is a large-scale work in five movements forming an arch shape – a central scherzo of some 800 bars is framed by two slow movements, which themselves are framed by two outer fast movements. The arch shape is completed by a slow introduction and a slow coda. The entire basis of the material for the work is outlined in the opening introduction, with the main theme having some sort of parallel with Beethoven's C sharp minor quartet. It is one of Simpson's more subtle and enigmatic scores, with an epilogue of almost naive, diatonic fluidity and rising scales.

Violin Sonata (1984)

This is a two movement structure, the first movement a vigorous Allegro, and the second combining the characters of a slow movement, scherzo and finale. Throughout there is a conflict between G major and G minor – particularly guided by the intervals of a major third and a minor third, which are often combined and pushed against each other to create strange resonances – for example G to B flat in the low register of the piano, and B natural to D in the upper register.

String Trio (1987)

A three movement work. An opening Prelude (Presto) and a concluding Fugue (Volante) are separated by a central Adagio. It is dedicated to Jillian White of BBC Bristol.

String Quintet No. 1 (1987)

A long one-movement work alternating slow and fast sections. It contains some of the most peaceful music the composer ever wrote.

String Quintet No. 2 (1995)

This was Simpson's final work. Most of it was completed in 1991, before Simpson was paralysed with a stroke that left him in permanent pain, but the final coda was dictated to his wife several years later. It is one of Simpson's most severe and dark scores, its structure is built on a minimal amount of material and there is an alternation between two tempo types – an austere, lyrical moderato and a knotty allegro. The slow, final coda is one of the darkest endings in all string chamber music literature.

أعمال لفرقة آلات النفخ النحاسية

• Energy (1971), Test Piece, Brass Band World Championships
• Volcano (1979), Test Piece, National Brass Band Championships of Britain
• The Four Temperaments, Suite for Brass Band (1983). The composer also re-orchestrated this work for orchestral brass.
• Introduction and Allegro on a Bass of Max Reger (1987)
• Vortex (1989)

أعمال للآلات ذات لوحة المفاتيح

• Piano Sonata (1946)
• Variations and Finale on a Theme of Haydn for solo piano (1948)
• Michael Tippett, His Mystery for solo piano (1984)
• Eppur si muove, Ricercar and Passacaglia for organ (1985)
• Variations and Finale on a Theme by Beethoven for solo piano (1990)

خطها سمسون

• Carl Nielsen: Symphonist (1952, rev. 1979).
• Bruckner and the Symphony (1963).
• Sibelius and Nielsen: a Centenary Essay (1965).
• The Essence of Bruckner: An Essay Towards the Understanding of his Music (1966; revised edition, 1992).
• Beethoven Symphonies (1970).
• The Proms and Natural Justice: A Plan for Renewal (With Foreword by Sir Adrian Boult; 1980).
• Simpson on Beethoven: Essays, Lectures and Talks by R. Simpson, Selected and Edited by Lionel Pike (1996)

إسهامات

• 'Ianus Germinus: Music in Scandinavia' (1960), in Twentieth Century Music – an International Symposium of Essays on Current Trends in Music, Ed. R. Meyers. (1960; reissued 1968).
• Foreword to: Beethoven, Sibelius and the 'Profound Logic': Studies in Symphonic Analysis", by Lionel Pike (1978).
• 'Beethoven Concertos', in A Guide to the Concerto, Ed. Robert Layton (1988)
• 'Carl Nielsen Now: A Personal View', in The Nielsen Companion, Ed. Mina Miller (1995).
• Foreword to: Experiencing Music (Musicians on Music, No. 5), by Vagn Holmboe, Ed. and Trans. Paul Rapoport (1991).

مقطوعات متنوعة

• 'The Seventh Symphony of Bruckner: An Analysis' Music Review (1947): 178-187.
• 'More Reflections (After Composition)', Tempo No 144 (1983).
• Programme note for British première of original 1873 edition of Bruckner's Symphony No 3, Royal Philharmonic Society (9 December 1987).
• Program Notes for the Vanbrugh Quartet's Beethoven String Quartet cycle (19??).
• Sleeve notes for the Delme Quartet's recording of Bach's 'Die Kunst der Fuge' arr. R. Simpson (19??).
• 'Fiftieth Birthday Essays': A Tribute to Robert Simpson, with articles by Jascha Horenstein, Robert Layton, Hans Keller, Hugh Ottoway, Peter Dobson and Ainslee Cox. Edited by Edward Johnson for Triad Press (1971).

مراجع

المصدر

classical music by John Stanley

روابط خارجية

• Robert Simpson Society discography, bibliography and biographical information with a members' forum
• Article about Robert Simpson by Malcolm MacDonald
• Robert Simpson interview by Bruce Duffie