Happy 99th Elliott Carter

We are, as everyone likes to quote, an aging society. People are living longer, not necessarily better, but certainly longer. I know several active people in their late 80's and 90's. A lady from my church just reached 101. She is in a nursing home, due to weakness, but she is alert and usually in good spirits. The young still sneer at the old folks, but kids, trust me, you are out numbered.

All that was a prelude to recognizing the 99th birthday of US composer Elliott Carter.

Elliott Carter was born in New York city where he met and was encouraged as a young musician by Charles Ives. As with many US composers of the 20th century, he went to Paris to study under Nadia Boulanger. He was also one of Walter Piston's many students. Carter has also taught music as well as physics and math. His music is greatly influenced by physical sound, rhythmic ratios and even categorizing musical pitches in a mathematical scheme related to set theory.

Carter's music is a tough nut to crack. Often austere and complex, it belies its complexity with a rhythmic drive that frequently borders on the whimsical. Most agree that his 5 string quartets are, along with those of Shostakovich and Bartok, among the 20th century's most important works in that medium. Actually some of his later works, such as 2002's Boston Concerto and the Cello Concerto, are easier to absorb than some of the major works from the 60's-80's such as the dry Double Concerto and the Piano Concerto.

At 99, Carter is not slowing down. In 2007 alone he wrote 3 works, including a new Horn Concerto. His first and only opera came along at the young age of 89. Not since Havergal Brian of the UK, who wrote 22 Symphonies after age 78, 9 after the age of 90 has a composer written so many important and large scale works as Carter. And there is likely more, at least one new work of Carter's is rumored for his 100th birthday next year.

I have come to his music late, after not enjoying the dry, academic works mentioned earlier. But, as Carter would likely understand, late is ok.. there is plenty of time.