Marga Richter

This is the first full-length introduction to the life and works of American composer Marga Richter (born 1926), who has written more than a hundred works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, dance, opera, voice, chorus, piano, organ, and harpsichord. Still actively composing in her eighties, Richter is particularly known for her large-scale pieces performed by ensembles such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and for other pieces performed by prominent artists including pianist Menahem Pressler, conductor Izler Solomon, and violinist Daniel Heifetz. Interspersing consideration of Richter's musical works with discussion of her life, her musical style, and the origins and performances of her works, the book documents a successful composer's professional and private life throughout the twentieth century. The book covers Richter's formative years, her influences, and the phases of her career from the 1950s to the present. Drawing extensively on interviews with Richter herself, the book also provides detailed descriptions of Richter's scores and uses reviews and other secondary sources to provide contexts for her compositions, including their relationship to modern dance, to other musical styles, and to 1970s feminism.