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 |
A complaint
|
Four Motivations, Op. 21
|
Baritone
|
D3 - E4
|
William Wordsworth
|
A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano:
|
A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano
|
Bass
|
B2 - D4
|
Biblical
|
A House in Taos
|
Mortal Storm, Op. 29
|
Baritone
|
B2 - D4
|
Langston Hughes
|
A Song
|
3 Songs, Op. 31
|
Coloratura Soprano
|
G4 - C6
|
Paul Laurence Dunbar
|
Au Cabaret-Vert
|
Rimbaud Cabaret, Op. 101
|
Countertenor
|
A3 - E5
|
Arthur Rimbaud
|
Beale Street
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
A3 - D5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Border Line
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
F4 - D5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Bright Be the Place of Thy Soul
|
Stanzas for Music: Four Songs for Tenor and Piano
|
Tenor
|
E3 - F#4
|
Lord Byron
|
Burden
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
C4 - Eb5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Carolina Cabin
|
Silver Rain, Op. 11
|
Tenor
|
D3 - G4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Chippy
|
Tearless Op. 9
|
Baritone
|
Ab2 - Db4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Circles
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
A3 - C#5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Convent
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
A3 - C#5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Could I but ride indefinite
|
Four Motivations, Op. 21
|
Baritone
|
C3 - Eb 4
|
Emily Dickinson
|
Dancers
|
Tearless Op. 9
|
Baritone
|
D3 - Db4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Der verliebte Reisende
|
3 Lieder, Op. 19
|
Mezzo-Soprano
|
Bb3 - F5
|
Joseph von Eichendorff
|
Desert
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
G3 - D5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Desire
|
Desire (Song Cycle for Tenor and Piano)
|
Tenor
|
E3 - F4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Die Beiden
|
3 Lieder, Op. 19
|
Voice
|
G3 - D5
|
Hugo von Hofmannsthal
|
Die Nacht
|
3 Lieder, Op. 19
|
Mezzo-Soprano
|
A3 - D5
|
Joseph von Eichendorff
|
Dream
|
Desire (Song Cycle for Tenor and Piano)
|
Tenor
|
F3 - G4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Dustbowl
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
A3 - E5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Eine Geige in den Gärten
|
3 Lieder for Baritone Op. 20
|
Baritone
|
Ab2 - Eb4
|
Hermann Hesse
|
Exits
|
Tearless Op. 9
|
Baritone
|
Ab2 - Db4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Faithful One
|
Mortal Storm, Op. 29
|
Baritone
|
C3 - D4
|
Langston Hughes
|
For a Poet
|
Three Countee Cullen Songs, Op. 27 for High Voice and Piano
|
High
|
F4 - A5
|
Countee Cullen
|
For dead mimes
|
Heart on the Wall (5 Songs for Soprano and Piano)
|
Soprano
|
G4 - A5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Fragments
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
Bbb3 - Eb5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Fremde Stadt
|
3 Lieder for Baritone Op. 20
|
Baritone
|
Ab2 - C4
|
Hermann Hesse
|
From The Dark Tower
|
Three Countee Cullen Songs, Op. 27 for High Voice and Piano
|
High
|
E4 - G5
|
Countee Cullen
|
Fulfillment
|
Silver Rain, Op. 11
|
Tenor
|
Eb3 - G5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Genius Child
|
Mortal Storm, Op. 29
|
Baritone
|
B2 - F4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Gifts
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
B3 - D5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Girl
|
Heart on the Wall (5 Songs for Soprano and Piano)
|
Soprano
|
D4 - A5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Go on, Brother
|
A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano
|
Bass
|
Bb2 - Eb4
|
Biblical
|
Grave Yard
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
G3 - B4
|
Langston Hughes
|
Grief
|
Tearless Op. 9
|
Baritone
|
C3 - F3
|
Langston Hughes
|
Gypsy Melodies
|
Border Line, Op. 24
|
Voice
|
C4 - D5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Havana Dreams
|
Heart on the Wall (5 Songs for Soprano and Piano)
|
Soprano
|
Eb4 - Cb6
|
Langston Hughes
|
Heart
|
Heart on the Wall (5 Songs for Soprano and Piano)
|
Soprano
|
D4 - A5
|
Langston Hughes
|
Home in a Dat Rock
|
A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass and Piano
|
Bass
|
A2 - D4
|
Biblical
|
Hope
|
Four Motivations, Op. 21
|
Baritone
|
C3 - Eb 4
|
Emily Dickinson
|
I. I am Part of the Load
|
Two Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Cello, Op. 120
|
Mezzo-Soprano
|
Bb3 - G5
|
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
|
I. The Lame Goat
|
Four Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Viola, Op. 121
|
Mezzo-Soprano
|
A3 - E5
|
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
|
I. to Elenora Duse "Oh Beauty..."
|
4 Sonnets to Duse, Op. 102
|
Soprano
|
C4 - G5
|
Sara Teasdale
|
If
|
Images: Three Songs for a High Voice and Piano, Op. 15
|
Voice
|
Db4 - Ab5
|
Paul Laurence Dunbar
|
If We Must Die
|
3 Songs, Op. 41
|
Baritone
|
G2 - Eb4
|
Claude McKay
|
II. A Craftsman
|
Four Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Viola, Op. 121
|
Mezzo-Soprano
|
D4 - D5
|
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
|
II. Drum sound rises on the air
|
Two Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Cello, Op. 120
|
Mezzo-Soprano
|
A3 - F5
|
Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
|
II. to a picture of Elenara Duse in "The Dead City" "Your face is set"
|
4 Sonnets to Duse, Op. 102
|
Soprano
|
C4 - Fb5
|
Sara Teasdale
|