Joel Kass
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Joel Kass, born Howard Joel Kass, is a twentieth century orchestral film composer, producer and writer who has written for MCA, Sony and the New York Philharmonic. The direct descendent of Serge Koussevitzky and the Four Koussevitzky brothers, Joel is currently the CEO of Kass Media Group[1]. Kass was mentioned in the 'International Who's Who in Classical Music 2007'. [1]
This article evaluates his influence upon American orchestral composers and describes his own stylistic nuances including his creation of the Nacht Der Tanz. [2]
| Joel Kass | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Howard Joel Kass |
| Born | Nov 18, 1968 |
| Genre(s) | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, conductor, double bassist |
| Instrument(s) | Double bass, piano, violin, violoncello |
| Years active | fl. ca. 1975-present |
| Associated acts | MCA |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| piano | |
Contents |
[edit] Biography
H. Joel Kass was born on November 18, 1968 to Isadore and Estelle Kass in Chicago, Illinois. The family were Jewish immigrants from the Polish city of Bialystok and settled in the New York City and Midwest area during the beginning of the nineteenth century. Over 30 members of the family were killed in the Holocaust. His mother, a concert pianist who was trained at Juilliard was able to guide Joel in his early years of study. Joel created his first orchestral composition at age 7 and continued that path so that by the age of 9 he had composed over 120 piano and violin sonatas.
[3] The child was sent for formal training at Interlochen School of Music as well as obtaining private lessons for violin and orchestral composition. In 1986 he attended business school earning a BBA in Accounting and finally attending Princeton University for his Masters Degree. [4]
[edit] Earliest works
The earliest works of Joel, which include Sonatas 11-104, are piano and violin based compositions that established the composer as he entered Interlochen School for the Performing Arts. They combine both the dramatic piano elements of Frederick Chopin, along with traditional Yiddish melodies.[5] Sonata 17 is a classic example of one of the earlier Nacht der Tanz and uses the violin to produce the haunting yet beautiful counter melody.
H. Joel Kass - Sonata 17 Image:AUDLANDSYN SUMMIT.ogg
Problems listening to the file? See media help.Sonata 95 for piano contains 4 transitions, each of which is similar to the composers arrangement on 'New York Rhapsody'[7] and contains the nexus of what would become the base of his 'Nacht der Tanz' (Night Dances).
By 1992, Joel had begun working with local artists and producers, who included Stevie Wonder, Kevin Saunderson, and Art Forest. He released his first CD, "Concerto for Midnight", an orchestral compilation performed by local orchestra's. That year was a productive year for Joel, in which he composed and recorded a total of 75 songs, ranging from rock to soul. Producing CDs for Jive and JBird in 1989 established him as a writer and producer who was able to write and compose beyond classical music.
[edit] Stylist evaluation
The style of Joel Kass can be evaluated as a blend between post modern and romantic composers. The earliest pieces bear a striking resemblance to those of Debussy, to which this article has already discussed. A Nact Der Tanz, of which the majority of Joel's early compositions follow, have been detailed in a separate article. The vast majority of the earliest works of Kass feature violin and oboe as the primary solo instruments and the melodic framework is based from them. The vast majorty of the marches that Kass composed use the trumpet and french horn sections extensively. It has been observed that Kass composed preferred to have dramatic melodic changes as opposed to naturalistic and more classical modes. One is struck by the usage of the mixodylian mode in many pieces. Uncommon chord progressions along with the usage of world instruments added to a unique flavor of the pieces. Kass also develoepd several modalities that are beyond the scope of this article, however, can be found in the sound bites below.
Jerry Chwialkowsi in his "The Da Capo Catalog of Classical Music Compositions" makes the following observations on pp.113:
"There are three stages in the development of Joel Kass and his works. The earliest being focused on romantic movements which are dreamy and circular in their development, the middle period where Kass develops the fullness of the Nact Der Tanz, and the current period where Kass is utilizing world instruments in place of his traditional violin and oboe to create the melody. Opus 711 is a unique example of this where the composer uses a Koto, Piano and French Horn"[9]
What separated Joel Kass from the wide range of composers and producers were several factors, including his ability to play a total of 12 instruments and his mutli lingual background with the ability to speak and translate in over 9 languages. Kass created the Nacht Der Tanz as his own modern adaptation of post romantic piano. Sonata's 17-25 each make use of a poem from Goethe and attempt to achieve a musical picture.
[10] When listening to his orchestral compositions, one is drawn to the lush arrangements and moody environments that are familiar in the works of Debussy. His rock and soul material is distinctive for its use of unique rhythms and arrangements. [11]
[edit] Orchestral samples
H. Joel Kass - Opus 114,Nacht Der Tanz 69-An excerpt from Opus 114 performed in 2005
H. Joel Kass - Opus 116=An excerpt from Opus 114 performed by the NY Philharmonic in 2002
H. Joel Kass - Opus 267=An excerpt from Opus 267 performed by the NJ Philharmonic in 2001
[edit] The MCA years
In 1982 Joel was signed to MCA Universal NYC and was able to work with a stable of writers ranging from Michael O'Hara, Anita Baker to Rosetta Stone. During this time he was able to work and collaborate with artists such as Lilias White whom he recorded the single 'Season of Love', Mariah Carey, Dr Dre, Toni Braxton, Taylor Dayne and Sounds of Blackness.
[edit] The commercial years
Following his years at MCA, Joel was able to write national commercials for such companies as Coors, Tide, Wilson Golf Balls, and more. During this time he purchased his set of studios and began to write for both film, TV and commercials. His most popular national commercial was the Coors 'Keep on Movin' campaign, which won him several awards. [13]
[edit] Kass Publishing
Having composed and written over 2000 songs in genres as broad as classical to hip hop[14], Joel created Kass Publishing to distribute his own material, as well as bringing on several talented industry writers whom he had formed relationships with. The library includes not only his musical compositions, but his literary ones as well. He has had extensive placements of his works in film companies such as SKG Dreamworks and TriStar as well as network TV shows for ABC, NBC and CBS.
[edit] Interviews
The following are publicly available interviews of H.Joel Kass ranging from 1992 to the present.
Keyboard Magazine Interview: Describes Joel's keyboard rig and musical history in depth: http://www.keyboardmagazine.come/archive/8723843/sept_02.htm UK Interview: Describes his classical training as well as style: http://www.bbc.co.uk/23879872343.shtml
[edit] Discussion forums
The following forums are available for those that wish to discuss H. Joel Kass, his compositions and productions:
Joel Kass Discussion Forums: [2] [3]
[edit] Further information
Information on the company, as well as specific material composed by Joel can be found on www.joelkass.net[4].
[edit] References
- ^ Erin, Sartos (2007). International Who's Who in Classical Music 2007. London, England: Routledge, p. 224. ISBN 9781857434163.
- ^ Lebrecht, Norman (1991). The Maestro Myth. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Pub. Group, p. 135. ISBN 1559721081.
- ^ Claude, Kenneson (March 1, 2003). Musical Prodigies: Perilous Journeys, Remarkable Lives. NY, NY: Amadeus Press, p. 76-88. ISBN 1574670468.
- ^ Helicon Publishing Ltd. (April 15, 1997). Random House Encyclopedic Dictionary of Classical Music. NY, NY: Random House Reference, p. 177. ISBN 0679458514.
- ^ Baade, Christina (1994). The Book of Klezmer: The History, the Music, the Folklore from the 14th Century to the 21st. Berkley: University of California Press, p. 114. ISBN ISBN 0-520-22717-4.
- ^ Dumont, Andrew (September 1997). A-Z of Classical Composers. Chicago: Quadrillion Publishing Ltd, p. 21. ISBN 1858334144.
- ^ Green, Jonathan (1994). A Conductor's Guide to Choral-Orchestral Works, Twentieth Century, Part II.. LA: Scarecrow Press, p. 68. ISBN 0810827123.
- ^ Kendall, Allen (June 2000). Chronicle of Classical Music. NY, NY: Thames and Hudson Ltd, p. 34-36. ISBN 0500282137.
- ^ Chwialkowski, Jerzy (1997). The Da Capo Catalog of Classical Music Compositions. NYC: Da Capo Press, p. 113. ISBN 030679666X.
- ^ Chwialkowski, Jerzy (1997). The Da Capo Catalog of Classical Music Compositions. NYC: Da Capo Press, p. 114. ISBN 030679666X.
- ^ Wilfried D'hondt (15 Oct 2003). H. Joel Kass and Serge Koussevitzky: Evolution of Passion. Wilfried D'hondt. Retrieved on 2007-04-02.
- ^ Tjepkema, Sandra (1982). A Bibliography of Computer Music: A Reference for Composers. Iowa: University of Iowa Press, p. 22-25. ISBN 0877451109.
- ^ Cummings, David (1995). International Who's Who in Music and Musicians. NYC: Taylor and Frawas, p. 38. ISBN 0948875712.
- ^ Butterworth, Neil (1984). A Dictionary of American Composers. NYC: Garland, p. 52. ISBN 0824093119.
