Murray Boren

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Murray Boren (born 1950) is a composer of opera, symphonic, chamber, and vocal works. Among his operas are Book of Gold and Emma; both are based on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) history. In 2007, he retired from his position as composer-in-residence at the College of Music of the College of Fine Arts and Communications of Brigham Young University (BYU).

Education and career[]

Murray Boren received his B.M. and M.A. in composition from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1975 and 1977 respectively.[1][2] He received a Doctor of Musical Arts in composition from the City University of New York in 2002.[2] Boren began his academic career as department head at the College of Education in Uyo, Nigeria from 1970 to 1980.[2] He became professor of composition and theory at BYU in 1980, a position he held for four years.[2] After this he worked in administrative positions at the City University of New York and New York University from 1984 to 1994.[2] He returned to teach composition and theory at BYU in 1994 where he served as composer in residence until he retired in 2007.[3][4][2]

Boren has written nine operas, adapting them from religious texts and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) history as well as medieval mystery plays.[5] Orson Scott Card was the librettist for Boren's opera Abraham and Isaac based on Genesis 22 in the Bible.[5][6] Boren wrote the opera Emma about Emma Smith wife of the founder of the LDS Church, Joseph Smith. Emma received mixed reviews.[7] It was praised for its freshness but criticized for being overly chromatic. Allan Kozinn of The New York Times praised the vocal performances and the unique orchestral music; however, he criticized the opera's slow pace stating that, "the sustained slow-motion caterwauling of the first five minutes was ample warning that this would be a very, very long evening."[8] Boren has collabored with librettist Glen Nelson on three operas.[9] The Dead was a one-act opera adaptation of James Joyce's Dubliners first staged in New York in 1993.[10] They also collaborated on The Singer's Romance, a three-act opera inspired by a Willa Cather short stories.[11] In 2005, Boren and Nelson collaborated to create The Book of Gold, an opera about Joseph Smith.[12][13] In addition to opera, Boren has written over 100 songs and chamber compositions. He wrote the music for the Joseph Sonnets which were created in co-operation with .[14] Several of Boren's pieces were first performed by orchestras directed by Kory Katseanes.[15][3]

Boren is a member of the LDS Church and is married to Susan Alexander Boren, a soprano with whom he has performed.[16][17] They have three children.[18]

Operas[]

  • The Only Jealousy of Emer (1973)
  • Abraham & Isaac (1977)
  • A Christmas Playe (1982)
  • Emma (1983)
  • Mormon/Moroni (1987)
  • The Dead (1993)
  • The Singer's Romance (1998)
  • Eliza (2004)
  • The Book of Gold (2005)[5]

Sources[]

  1. ^ "2007-08 Faculty Retirees". BYU Magazine. Brigham Young University. Fall 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Lindsay Weaver (2012). "Murray Boren full-size orchestral scores". Prepared for the MSS 7772 Series 2, L. Tom Perry Special Collections. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Rust, Brian (November 9, 2005). "BYU Barlow Endowment hosts performance of four new works honoring Joseph Smith Nov.18". BYU News. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  4. ^ McBaine, Neylan (Winter 2007). "Seeds of Faith in City Soil: Growing Up Mormon in New York City". Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. 40 (4): 155. JSTOR 10.5406/dialjmormthou.40.4.0149.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c Nelson, Glen. "Glimpses: Mormon, Opera, and Mormon Operas". Mormon Artists Group. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  6. ^ Bliss, Frederick; Gump, P.Q. "Mormon Shakefpears: A Study of Contemporary Mormon Theatre" (PDF). Sunstone Magazine. Sunstone Education Foundation. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  7. ^ Hicks, Michael (2003). Mormonism and Music: A History. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 184. ISBN 0252071476. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  8. ^ Kozinn, Allan (July 14, 1992). "Review/Opera; Mormons in Crisis After Their Founder's Death". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  9. ^ Nelson, Glen (Fall 2018). "Out of Angola". Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. 51 (3). ProQuest 2161266304.
  10. ^ Fargnoli, A. Nicholas; Gillespie, Michael P. (1995). James Joyce A to Z: The Essential Reference to the Life and Work. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 245. ISBN 0195110293. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  11. ^ Schoenfeld, Marissa (September 21, 1998). "New opera, 'The Singers Romance' debuts at BYU". The Daily Universe. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  12. ^ Astle, Randy (May 2010). "Glen Nelson". Mormon Artist. Mormon Artist. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  13. ^ Reichel, Edward (November 9, 2005). ""Book of Gold" is a shining opera". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  14. ^ Rust, Brian (September 26, 2005). ""The Joseph Sonnets" to premiere at BYU recitals Oct. 6". BYU News. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  15. ^ Rust, Brian (October 23, 2005). ""Book of Gold" to premiere at BYU's de Jong Concert Hall Nov. 4". BYU News. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  16. ^ "2005 Annual Report". BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  17. ^ Howard, Rebecca Cline (November 13, 2000). "Boren concert thought-provoking". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  18. ^ Howard, Rebecca Cline (November 5, 2000). "Borens will blend music, poetry for "families together" concert". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. Retrieved 15 January 2020.

External links[]

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