Edward Gold

Edward Gold (born July 25, 1936), is an American pianist and composer.

Early life

Gold was born in Brooklyn and grew up in New York City.

Education

He attended public schools and majored in music at CCNY (today part of the City University of New York). He received his masters from Yale University School of Music where he studied with Ellsworth Grumman, Mel Powell and H. Leroy Baumgartner. Edward also studied with Nadia Reisenberg at the Mannes College of Music.

Career

After completing his studies, Gold worked as a pianist and toured internationally. The recording of Gottschalk Piano Music (1973) on which he performed was named a "Recording of Special Merit" by Stereo Review. His recordings were also noted by The American Record Guide and The Musical Quarterly.

Early on, Edward's music was in the style of atonality (mostly Schoenberg), but with a traditional structural style using atonal and twelve-tone techniques crossed with some Stravinsky. But he largely turned away from these styles after leaving Yale. Over the course of his career, Gold's work has been both eclectic and independent. He composes most often for orchestra, piano, chamber ensemble or various vocalists with or without accompaniment. He is a member of the tonality-based Delian Society but also composes at times in a structurally based atonal style.

Works

Selected works include:

• Piano Variations (1959)
• Mass of John the Baptist (for three-part men's voices and organ, 1972)
• Sonatina for Flute and Piano (c. 1985)
• Schratlieder (settings for bass-baritone and piano of poems by Reinhard Paul Becker (1986)
• Carillon for Choir, Tuned Percussion, and Strings (c. 1996)
• Five Memorials (for various ensembles, 1996–97)
• Wind Quartet (2004)
• Symphonies on Ancient Tunes
• The Picture of Dorian Gray (for piano, four hands, 2006)
• Central Park Suite (orchestral version)

Discography

Gold's performances have been recorded and issued on media, including:

• Gottschalk Piano Music (1973)
• Piano Music of J.L. Dussek (1974)
• Romantic Cello Encores with Albert Catell (1971)
• Music by Israeli Composers (1973)