Becker, John J(oseph)

Becker, John J(oseph), remarkable American composer; b. Henderson, Ky., Jan. 22, 1886; d. Wilmette, Ill., Jan. 21, 1961. He studied at the Cincinnati Cons, (graduated, 1905), then at the Wise. Cons, in Milwaukee, where he was a pupil of Alexander von Fielitz, Carl Busch, and Wilhelm Middleschulte (Ph.D., 1923). From 1917 to 1927 he served as director of music at Notre Dame Univ., then was chairman of the fine arts dept. at the Coll. of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. (1929–35). He was subsequently Minn. State Director for the Federal Music Project (1935–41) and prof. of music at Barat Coll. of the Sacred Heart at Lake Forest, Ill. (1943–57). He also taught sporadically at the Chicago Musical Coll. His early works are characterized by romantic moods in a somewhat Germanic manner. About 1930 he was drawn into the circle of modern American music. He was on the editorial board of the New Music Quarterly , founded by Cowell, and became associated with Charles Ives. He conducted modern American works with various groups in St. Paul. Striving to form a style that would be both modern and recognizably American, he wrote a number of pieces for various instrumental groups under the title Soundpiece . He also developed a type of dramatic work connecting theatrical action with music. Becker’s music is marked by sparse sonorities of an incisive rhythmic character contrasted with dissonant conglomerates of massive harmonies.