George Rochberg

Twentieth-Century American Composer and Music Theorist

George Rochberg (1918–2005) was an American composer known for his contributions to contemporary classical music. He initially embraced serialism and the avant-garde techniques that dominated the mid-20th century, but his style underwent a significant transformation following the death of his son in 1964. Rochberg then began to incorporate elements of tonality and romanticism into his compositions, becoming a pioneer of the "new romanticism" movement in music. His works often blend modernist and traditional elements, reflecting his belief in the communicative power of music across historical boundaries. Rochberg's extensive oeuvre includes symphonies, string quartets, concertos, and solo piano pieces. His Third String Quartet is particularly noted for its integration of quotations from Beethoven and other classical composers, which was a controversial move at the time but later became more accepted as part of the postmodern trend in music. Rochberg held teaching positions at several institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, where he influenced a new generation of composers.