Composers

Robert Owens

1925 - 2017

About

Robert Owens (1925-2017) a native of Denison, Texas is known as one of the current leading names in the genre of African American art song. He has gained notoriety as a concert pianist, vocal accompanist, composer, and stage and television director. Learning to play the piano at a young age from his mother, Owens composed his first piano and art songs in his high school years and continued to develop his talent under Genevieve Longrus and Dora O’Neill.  After his time in the military, he continued his education in Europe and studied with various professors such as Jules Genty, Alfred Cortot, and Grete Hinterhofer. Owens briefly came back to America to pursue a teaching position in Georgia.  It was during this time that he was introduced to the African American poet Langston Hughes and wrote two song cycles based on his poetry, Silver Rain and Tearless. Once back in Europe, Robert Owens settled in Hamburg, Germany and resumed composing and started acting to support his career. The composer still considers Hamburg his home, however he has occasionally returned to the States as an artist-in-residence as various educational institutions such as University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin.

Related Information

www.darryltaylor.com/alliance/composers/robert--owens, http://afrovoices.com/robert-owens-biography/

Works by Robert Owens

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
III. Humble Living Four Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Viola, Op. 121 Mezzo-Soprano D4 - E5 Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
III. To a picture of Eleonara Duse in "The Dead City" "the Venus..." 4 Sonnets to Duse, Op. 102 Soprano Db4 - Gb5 Sara Teasdale
Im Nebel 3 Lieder for Baritone Op. 20 Baritone C3 - Eb4 Hermann Hesse
In Time of Silver Rain Silver Rain, Op. 11 Tenor Eb3 - G4 Langston Hughes
IV. To a pciture of Eleonara Duse as "Francesca da Rimini" 4 Sonnets to Duse, Op. 102 Soprano Fb4 - Ab5 Sara Teasdale
IV. Wax Four Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Viola, Op. 121 Mezzo-Soprano C4 - F5 Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Jaime Mortal Storm, Op. 29 Baritone C3 - Eb4 Langston Hughes
Juliet Desire (Song Cycle for Tenor and Piano) Tenor E3 - F#4 Langston Hughes
Le Dormeur du val Rimbaud Cabaret, Op. 101 Countertenor F3 - Eb5 Arthur Rimbaud
Little Song Mortal Storm, Op. 29 Baritone G3 - C4 Langston Hughes
Luck Tearless Op. 9 Baritone Bb2 - Db4 Langston Hughes
Man Desire (Song Cycle for Tenor and Piano) Tenor E3 - F#4 Langston Hughes
Manche Freilich Three Lieder, Op. 47 Voice Bb3 - Eb5 Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Montmartre Border Line, Op. 24 Voice D4 - C5 Langston Hughes
Morgendämmerung 3 Lieder, Op. 19 Mezzo-Soprano B3 - D5 Joseph von Eichendorff
Night Song Silver Rain, Op. 11 Tenor G3 - F#4 Langston Hughes
Night: Four Songs Border Line, Op. 24 Voice C4 - D5 Langston Hughes
No Images Images: Three Songs for a High Voice and Piano, Op. 15 Voice Eb 4 - A5 Waring Cunney
Oh! Snatched Away in Beauty's Bloom Stanzas for Music: Four Songs for Tenor and Piano Tenor D3 - G4 Lord Byron
One Border Line, Op. 24 Voice C4 - B4 Langston Hughes
Po' Mourners Got A Home At Las' A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano Bass B2 - D4 Biblical
Poppy Flower Border Line, Op. 24 Voice G#3 - C#5 Langston Hughes
Prayer Tearless Op. 9 Baritone Ab2 - Eb4 Langston Hughes
Rages de Césars Rimbaud Cabaret, Op. 101 Countertenor A3 - E5 Arthur Rimbaud
Remembrance Heart on the Wall (5 Songs for Soprano and Piano) Soprano Eb4 - A5 Langston Hughes
Rêvé pour l'hiver Rimbaud Cabaret, Op. 101 Countertenor Ab3 - E5 Arthur Rimbaud
see comments at end
Silence Silver Rain, Op. 11 Tenor E#3 - F#4 Langston Hughes
Sleep Silver Rain, Op. 11 Tenor Gb3 - Ab4 Langston Hughes
Sleep Brings No Joy 3 Songs for a deep voice, op. 18 Mezzo-Soprano G#3 - Fb5 Emily Jane Bronte
So, We'll Go No More a Roving Stanzas for Music: Four Songs for Tenor and Piano Tenor E3 - A4 Lord Byron
Songs Silver Rain, Op. 11 Tenor Eb3 - A4 Langston Hughes
Tell Me, Tell Me… 3 Songs for a deep voice, op. 18 Mezzo-Soprano F#3 - D5 Emily Jane Bronte
The cottager to her infant Four Motivations, Op. 21 Baritone B2 - D4 Dorothy Wordsworth
The Crucifixion A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano Bass A2 - A3 Biblical
The End Border Line, Op. 24 Voice C4 - E5 Langston Hughes
The Lynching… 3 Songs, Op. 41 Baritone Ab2 - D4 Claude McKay
The Mouse and the Camel, Op. 122 Mezzo-Soprano B3 - F5 Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
The Old Stoic Mezzo-Soprano A3 - Eb5 Emily Jane Bronte
The Secret Voice E4 - A5 Paul Laurence Dunbar
The Secret 3 Songs, Op. 31 Coloratura Soprano E4 - A5 Paul Laurence Dunbar
The Sparrow 3 Songs, Op. 31 Coloratura Soprano C4 - G5 Paul Laurence Dunbar
To the White Fiends 3 Songs, Op. 41 Baritone A2 - E4 Claude McKay
Vagabonds Tearless Op. 9 Baritone Ab2 - Db4 Langston Hughes
Vorfruhling Three Lieder, Op. 47 Voice Ab3 - Eb5 Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Walls Tearless Op. 9 Baritone A2 - C4 Langston Hughes
When We Two Parted Stanzas for Music: Four Songs for Tenor and Piano Tenor F3 - F4 Lord Byron
Yet Do I Marvel Three Countee Cullen Songs, Op. 27 for High Voice and Piano High E4 - G5 Countee Cullen
You May Bury Me in the Eas' A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano Bass C#3 - C#4 Biblical