{{short description|American composer (born 1950)}} {{Infobox composer | name = Jay Reise | image = Reise, Jay 2012 029.jpg | caption = Reise in 2012 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|2|9}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | occupation = Composer, university professor | notable_works = ''Rasputin'' | spouse = Cecilia Paredes | alma_mater = Hamilton College; McGill University; University of Pennsylvania }}
'''Jay Reise''' (born February 9, 1950)<ref name="Baker">{{cite web |title=Reise, Jay |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/reise-jay |website=Encyclopedia.com |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref> is an American composer and teacher. He is known for the opera ''Rasputin'', premiered by the New York City Opera and later performed in the United States, Moscow, and Paris. He is Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Pennsylvania.<ref name="PCMS">{{cite web |title=Jay Reise – Composer |url=https://www.pcmsconcerts.org/composer/jay-reise/ |publisher=Philadelphia Chamber Music Society |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref>
==Biography==
Reise spent his childhood surrounded by classical music and jazz, but began his composition studies with Jimmy Giuffre and Hugh Hartwell in 1970. After graduating at Hamilton College in 1972,<ref name="Hamilton1972">{{cite web |title=Hamilton College Orchestra Featured on Newly Released CD |url=https://www.hamilton.edu/news/story/hamilton-college-orchestra-featured-on-newly-released-cd |website=Hamilton College |access-date=2026-03-28 }}</ref> he pursued composition study at McGill University (with Bengt Hambraeus and Bruce Mather), the University of Pennsylvania (AM, 1975; George Crumb and Richard Wernick), Tanglewood, and Carnatic rhythm with Adrian L'Armand.<ref name="OperaTodayInterview">{{cite web |title=Jay Reise: An Interview by Tom Moore |url=https://operatoday.com/2010/06/jay_reise_an_interview_by_tom_moore/ |website=Opera Today |date=June 2010 |access-date=2026-03-28 }}</ref>
He is currently Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Pennsylvania.<ref name="UPennEmeritus">{{cite web |title=Jay Reise – Department of Music |url=https://music.sas.upenn.edu/people/jay-reise |website=University of Pennsylvania |access-date=2026-03-28 }}</ref>
Reise is married to visual artist Cecilia Paredes<ref name="OperaTodayInterview" /> and has two sons, Matthew Reise (born 1981) and Nicholas Reise (born 1983) from his first marriage to Esther Barazzone.
==Music==
Reise's music draws on polyphonic classical traditions. After being influenced by the great western classical voice-leading tradition, he became interested in Carnatic rhythm and integrated its techniques into his style. This has resulted in a method he calls "rhythmic polyphony" in which rhythmic motives are developed within the phrase such that the cadence point of the phrase is implied by the rhythms alone.<ref name="OperaCriticReview">{{cite web |title=Review of Jay Reise Opera |url=https://theoperacritic.com/tocreviews2.php?review=gw/2011/hlkreiras1211.htm |website=The Opera Critic |access-date=2026-03-28 }}</ref>
Works written before the adoption of the rhythmic method include Symphony of Voices (1978) which was premiered at the Monadnock Festival with soprano Neva Pilgrim, and his Second Symphony (1980) premiered by the Syracuse Symphony, conducted by Christopher Keene, and performed subsequently by the Philadelphia Orchestra. His Third Symphony was premiered by Keene and the Long Island Philharmonic in 1983. His 2-act opera ''Rasputin'' with a libretto by the composer, was commissioned by Beverly Sills and the New York City Opera, and was premiered by City Opera in 1988. Rasputin received its Russian premiere at the Helikon Opera in Moscow, directed by Dmitry Bertman, in September 2008.<ref name="OperaTodayInterview" />
Works after 1990 include ''The River Within'' (concerto for violin and orchestra, 2008) premiered by soloist Maria Bachmann and orchestra 2001,<ref name="OperaTodayReview">{{cite web |title=Review of Jay Reise Opera |url=https://theoperacritic.com/tocreviews2.php?review=gw/2011/hlkreiras1211.htm |website=OperaToday |access-date=2026-03-28 }}</ref> James Freeman conductor; Concerto for Horn and 7 Instruments (2006) with Adam Unsworth and the Network for New Music,<ref name="NNMProgramBook">{{cite web |title=Network for New Music – Program Book |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/559c0b58e4b05d13839c3905/t/5f1348e3b4f17e3c86059494/1595099373107/Notes+Program+Book-FINAL+4-29-18.pdf |website=Network for New Music |date=2018 |access-date=2026-03-28 }}</ref> Jan Krzywicki, conductor; ''Powers That Be'' (2005) for piano quintet with the Cassatt Quartet and Marc-André Hamelin;<ref name="Barlow2005">{{cite web |title=Barlow Endowment Annual Report 2005 |url=https://barlow.byu.edu/2005-annual-report |publisher=Barlow Endowment for Music Composition |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref> ''Memory Refrains'' (string quartet in one movement, 2002) with the Cassatt Quartet; the piano solo suite ''Six Pictures from 'The Devil in the Flesh{{'}}'' by Marc-André Hamelin; the Oscar Wilde-based ballet fairy-tale ''The Selfish Giant'' by the Philharmonia Orchestra with conductor Djong Victorin Yu in London in 1997; and two extended piano works, ''Sonata Rhythmikosmos'' (Mari Akagi)<ref name="AlbanyTROY0665">{{cite web |title=The Devil in the Flesh & Other Pieces – Jay Reise |url=https://www.albanyrecords.com/catalog/troy0665/ |publisher=Albany Records |date=2004 |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref> and ''Rhythmic Garlands'' (James Primosch).<ref name="CurtisRecitalPrograms">{{cite web |title=Recital Programs, Curtis Institute of Music (1992) |url=https://archive.org/stream/recitalprograms1992curt/recitalprograms1992curt_djvu.txt |publisher=Curtis Institute of Music |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref> His left hand transcriptions of Scriabin's Études Op. 2, No. 1 and Op. 8, No. 12 have been performed by Gary Graffman and Matthew Bengtson.<ref name="Curtis2005">{{cite web |title=Recital Programs 2005 – Curtis Institute of Music |url=https://archive.org/stream/recitalprograms2005curt/recitalprograms2005curt_djvu.txt |publisher=Curtis Institute of Music |year=2005 |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref>
Some works by Reise have been performed by Anastasia Vedyakova for the first time in Russia.<ref name="VedyakovaBooklet">{{cite web |title=ConTempoRary Violin – Booklet |url=https://www.anvedi.org/gallery/ConTempoRary%20Violin%20by%20An%20Vedi_Booklet.pdf |publisher=Anastasia Vedyakova (An Vedi) |access-date=2026-03-29 }}</ref>
Reise's music is published by Merion Music/Theodore Presser. The Scriabin transcriptions are published in the Journal of the Scriabin Society of America.
==Selected works== {{Div col}} ===Discography===
* ''Jay Reise Chamber Music'' (Albany TROY) 2004 * ''The Devil in the Flesh and Other Pieces'' (Albany TROY665) 2004 * ''Rhythmic Garlands and Other Pieces'' (Centaur CRC 2598) 2003 * ''Concerto for Cello and 13 Instruments'' (CRI 899) 2002 * ''Chesapeake Rhythms'' CRI 760 (CD) (1997) * ''Six Preludes for Piano'' CRS 3862 (LP) (1984)
Performers include Charles Abramovic, Jody Applebaum, Ulrich Boeckheller, Gregory Fulkerson, Marc-André Hamelin, Jerome Lowenthal, Charles Ullery. the Cassatt Quartet, Four Horizons, Network for New Music and Orchestra 2001 among others.
===Compositions=== [Publisher: Merion Music]
====Stage==== * ''Rasputin'' opera in two acts (1988); libretto by the composer
====Orchestral====
* ''The Selfish Giant'' choreographic tone-poem in six scenes based on the fairy-tale by Oscar Wilde (1997) * Symphony No. 3 (1983) * Symphony No. 2 (1980) * ''Symphony of Voices'' (1978) for orchestra with soprano
====Concerti====
* ''The River Within (Concerto for Violin and Orchestra)'' 2008 * ''Concerto for Horn and 7 Instruments'' 2006 * ''Yellowstone Rhythms'' for bassoon and 10 players (2001) * ''Concerto for Cello and 13 Instruments'' (2000)
====Wind ensemble====
* ''Tinicum Rhythms'' for concert band (1997)
====Chamber music====
;2 players * ''Jisei (Japanese Death Poems)'' for voice and shakuhachi (2003) * ''Yellowstone Rhythms'' (version for bassoon and piano) (1996) * ''Duo Rhythmikosmos'' for violin and piano (1994) * ''Moonwatching'' for flute and violin (1994) * ''La Choumine'' for viola and piano (1984)
;3 players * ''Trio Rhythmikosmos'' (violin, cello, piano), (1993)
;4 players * ''Across the Horizon''s for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (2004) * ''Memory Refrains (String Quartet in One Movement)'', (2002)
;5 of more players * ''Powers That Be'' for piano quintet (2005) * ''Open Night, Poem-Caprice for Six Instruments'' (2003) * ''Chesapeake Rhythms'' for eleven players (1995) * ''Celebrations'' for brass quintet (1994) * ''Sinfonietta'' for Wind Quintet (1985) * ''Concerto-Fantasy for Nine Players'' (1975)
===Instrumental music=== * ''Dragonflies sing near'' for solo guitar (2000)
====Piano==== * Transcription for left hand of Scriabin's Etude, Op. 8, No. 12 (2005) * Transcription for left hand of Scriabin's Etude, Op. 2, No. 1 (2003) * ''Six Pictures from 'The Devil in the Flesh{{'}}'' (2001) * ''Sonata Rhythmikosmos'' (1993) * ''Rhythmic Garlands'' (1992)
;Two pianos * ''Three Pictures from 'The Devil in the Flesh{{'}}'' (2001)
===Vocal music=== * ''Arcadian Shadows'' (soprano, clarinet, cello, and piano) (5') * ''Satori'' (version soprano, oboe, cello, piano), poem by Damian Congressi, (2005) * ''Satori'' (version soprano and piano trio) (1995) * ''Satori'' (version for soprano and piano) (1995)
===Choral music=== * ''Psalm 23'' 1980 {{Div col end}}
==Writings== * "Context, Choice and Issues of Perceived Determinism in Music", in ''Indeterminacy: The Mapped, the Navigable, and the Uncharted'', Jose V. Ciprut, Contributing Editor (MIT Press, 2008 forthcoming): 241–266 * "Lukas Foss: Ways of Looking at Music" in ''National Gallery of Art'' (2001): non paginated * "The Phonograph Behind the Door: Some Thoughts on Musical Literacy," [with Peter J. Rabinowitz] in ''Reading World Literature: Theory, History, Practice'', edited by Sarah Lawall (University of Texas Press, 1994): 287–308. * "Doctrine of Despair: Zimmermann's ''Die Soldaten''", ''Opera News'' (September): 1991 * "Late Skriabin: Some Principles Behind the Style," ''19th-Century Music'' (Spring, 1983): 220–231, reprinted in ''The Journal of the Scriabin Society of America'' (Winter 1996–97): 29–46 * "Rochberg the Progressive", ''Perspectives of New Music'' (1980–81): 395–407
==Sources== {{Reflist}} *{{Cite Grove|last=Freeman|first=James|author-link=James Freeman (conductor)|title=Reise, Jay|ref=none}}
==External links== *{{official|https://www.jayreise.com/}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20030701004433/http://www.presser.com/Composers/info.cfm?Name=JAYREISE Jay Reise] Theodore Presser Company (music publishers)
{{Portal bar|Biography|Classical music}} {{Authority control|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reise, Jay}} Category:American male classical composers Category:20th-century American classical composers Category:20th-century American male composers Category:21st-century American classical composers Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Hamilton College (New York) alumni Category:McGill University School of Music alumni Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:University of Pennsylvania faculty Category:Pupils of George Crumb Category:21st-century American male composers