George Perle
About George Perle
American composer George Perle remains one of the great unsung modernists, a writer of expressiveness and wit who has never let his idiosyncratic devotion to the 12-tone system stand in the way of lyricism or rhetorical clarity. - San Francisco Chronicle
The recipient of a Pulitzer Prize, a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, and an array of other major awards and honors, George Perle occupies a commanding position among American composers of our time. Born in Bayonne, NJ, May 6, 1915, he received his early musical education in Chicago. After graduation from DePaul University, where he studied composition with Wesley LaViolette, and subsequent private studies with Ernst Krenek, Perle served in the US Army during World War II. After the War, he took post-graduate work in musicology at New York University. His PhD thesis became his first book, Serial Composition and Atonality, now in its sixth edition.
Perle’s music is widely performed in this country and abroad. Major commissions have resulted in significant works, among them Serenade III (1983) for solo piano and chamber orchestra, choreographed by American Ballet Theater and nominated for a Grammy Award for its 1986 Nonesuch recording; Woodwind Quintet No. 4 (Pulitzer Prize, 1986); Piano Concerto No. 1 (1990), commissioned for Richard Goode during Perle’s residency with the San Francisco Symphony; Piano Concerto No. 2 (1992), commissioned by Michael Boriskin; Transcendental Modulations for Orchestra, commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for its 150th anniversary; and Thirteen Dickinson Songs (1978) commissioned by Bethany Beardslee. Recent works include Brief Encounters (fourteen movements for string quartet), Nine Bagatelles for piano, Critical Moments and Critical Moments 2 for six players, and Triptych for solo violin and piano. A particularly notable portion of Perle’s catalog consists of pieces for solo piano, many of which have been recorded by Michael Boriskin on New World Records.
Perle's compositions have figured on the programs of Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, BBC, and other major orchestras in the US and abroad. Perle's works are recorded on Nonesuch, Harmonia Mundi, New World, Albany, CRI, Bridge and other labels. He was a frequent Visiting Composer at the Tanglewood Music Festival and Composer-in-Residence with the San Francisco Symphony.
Though Perle was above all a composer, the breadth of his musical interests led to significant contributions in theory and musicology as well. He published numerous articles in scholarly journals and seven books, including the award-winning operas of Alban Berg. As music critic Andrew Porter has written, “Perle’s renown as an analyst and scholar may have diverted some of the attention that should be given to his merits as a composer… What matters to listeners is his achievement: the vividness of his melodic gestures, the lively rhythmic sense, the clarity and shapeliness of his discourse and, quite simply, the charm and grace of his utterance.”
Worklist
Gallery
Products
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for flute and pianoComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute and pianoProduct number: ED 30239Product TypeAs low as £5.99 -
Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: PartiturSeries: A Short Symphony
Brand: Boelke-Bomart
Instrumentation: orchestraProduct number: BOE 16305£24.50Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
for orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: Study scoreBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: orchestraProduct number: ED 30230Product TypeAs low as £10.50 -
From The Music Of Aristophanes The BirdsComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Choral scoreBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: choirProduct number: 312-41662£3.95Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicBrand: Edition Peters
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: EP66895£30.95Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
for bassoon soloProduct TypeAs low as £10.50
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14 movements for string quartetComposer: George PerleEdition: Study scoreBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: ED 30242Product TypeAs low as £45.50 -
for string quartetComposer: George PerleEdition: Set of partsBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: ED 30241Product TypeAs low as £66.50 -
for piano soloProduct TypeAs low as £17.50
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for SATB chorus, a cappellaEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: mixed choir (SATB) a cappellaProduct number: ED 30205Product TypeAs low as £2.99 -
for piano soloProduct TypeAs low as £13.50
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for piano, winds and timpaniComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreSeries: Concertino
Brand: Boelke-Bomart
Instrumentation: piano, wind ensemble and timpaniProduct number: BOE 16280£8.50Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: PartiturBrand: Theodore Presser
Product number: 416-41582L£101.50Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreBrand: Theodore Presser
Product number: 416-41582£49.50Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Piano reduction with solo partBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: cello and pianoProduct number: 414-41095£29.50Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
for piano and orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: piano and orchestraProduct number: ED 30229Product TypeAs low as £73.99 -
for piano and orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: for 2 pianosBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: piano and orchestraProduct number: ED 30228Product TypeAs low as £67.50 -
for piano and orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: Study scoreBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: piano and orchestraProduct number: ED 30232Product TypeAs low as £63.99 -
for piano and orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: for 2 pianosBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: piano and orchestraProduct number: ED 30231Product TypeAs low as £28.50 -
for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloProduct number: ED 30238Product TypeAs low as £11.50 -
for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloComposer: George PerleEdition: Set of partsBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloProduct number: ED 30237Product TypeAs low as £42.50 -
for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloProduct number: ED 30246Product TypeAs low as £17.99 -
for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloComposer: George PerleEdition: Set of partsBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and celloProduct number: ED 30245Product TypeAs low as £54.50 -
for orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: orchestraProduct number: ED 30219Product TypeAs low as £27.50 -
for string quartet and hornComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: string quartet and hornProduct number: ED 30234Product TypeAs low as £49.99 -
for solo pianoProduct TypeAs low as £21.99
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for flute, english horn, clarinet in A, bassoon, french horn and pianoComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute, cor anglais, clarinet in A, bassoon, horn and pianoProduct number: ED 30225Product TypeAs low as £20.50 -
For Unaccompanied CelloComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Solo partBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: celloProduct number: 114-40134£11.95Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
for solo pianoProduct TypeAs low as £27.50
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for cello and pianoComposer: George PerleBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: cello and pianoProduct number: ED 30204Product TypeAs low as £9.50 -
The Secret Vocal PartComposer: Alban BergEditor: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Including the facsimile of Alban Berg's annotations of the secret vocal part to the 6th movement andBrand: Universal Edition
Instrumentation: string quartetLanguage: German, EnglishProduct number: UE70017£35.50In stock - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 1 working day -
for piano soloProduct TypeAs low as £7.99
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for string quartetComposer: George PerleEdition: Score and partsBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: ED 30201Product TypeAs low as £22.99 -
Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: fluteProduct number: 144-40007£20.50Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
For Solo Double BassComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Solo partBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: double bassProduct number: 114-40105£12.95Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
for piano soloProduct TypeAs low as £8.50
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for brass ensembleComposer: George PerleEdition: Score and partsBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in C, 3 trombonesProduct number: ED 30222Product TypeAs low as £20.50 -
for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and pianoComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, violin, cello and pianoProduct number: ED 30226Product TypeAs low as £10.50 -
for piano soloProduct TypeAs low as £9.50
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for solo pianoComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicBrand: Boelke-Bomart
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: BOE 16295£4.99Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
for piano soloProduct TypeAs low as £15.50
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Composer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Performing scoreBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: string quartetProduct number: 144-40100£23.95Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
For Flute, Bb Clarinet, Horn, BassoonComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Score and partsBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: wind quintetProduct number: 114-40150£33.95Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
for viola and chamber ensembleComposer: George PerleEdition: Score and partBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: viola and chamber ensembleProduct number: ED 30206Product TypeAs low as £41.50 -
For Eleven PlayersComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: PartiturBrand: Theodore Presser
Product number: 416-41080L£123.95Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
For Eleven PlayersComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Study scoreBrand: Theodore Presser
Product number: 416-41080£59.95Supplier out of stock, delivery time unknown -
for chamber ensemble and solo pianoComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: chamber ensemble and solo pianoProduct number: ED 30215Product TypeAs low as £43.50 -
version for 2 pianosComposer: George PerleEdition: for 2 pianosBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: chamber ensemble and solo pianoProduct number: ED 30214Product TypeAs low as £39.50 -
For PianoComposer: George PerleMedia Type: Sheet musicEdition: Solo partBrand: Theodore Presser
Instrumentation: pianoProduct number: 110-40588£9.50Not in stock, but can be ordered - usually despatched (or ready for collection) within 7 days -
for orchestraComposer: George PerleEdition: PartiturBrand: Schott Music
Instrumentation: chamber orchestraProduct number: ED 30224Product TypeAs low as £15.50