Oliver Knussen
Stuart Oliver Knussen (12 June 1952 – 8 July 2018) was a British composer of contemporary classical music and conductor. Among the most influential British composers of his generation, his relatively few compositions are "rooted in 20th-century modernism, [but] beholden to no school but his own"[1]
Also recorded as Stuart Oliver Knussen
Oliver Knussen
17.IX - Orchestra Mozart · flickr · CC BY 2.0
- Born
- 1952 · Glasgow.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Occupation
- conductor · composer
- Fields
- music
- Education
- Purcell School for Young Musicians
- Honours
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire · Nemmers Prize in Music Composition · Stoeger Prize · The Queen's Medal for Music · Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards · Ditson Conductor's Award
- Languages
- English
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Stuart Oliver Knussen (12 June 1952 – 8 July 2018) was a British composer of contemporary classical music and conductor. Among the most influential British composers of his generation, his relatively few compositions are "rooted in 20th-century modernism, [but] beholden to no school but his own"[1]
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Oliver Knussen (1952–2018) was a composer and conductor, of British nationality. The composer was born in Glasgow and died in Snape.
Oliver Knussen was educated at Purcell School for Young Musicians. The composer lived in Snape. Activity centred on music.
The work spans opera. Languages used include English. Honours include Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Ditson Conductor's Award and Nemmers Prize in Music Composition, among others.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Early life
Early life
Oliver Knussen studied at Purcell School for Young Musicians. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is music. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are opera. Residence is recorded at Snape. Distinctions recorded are Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Nemmers Prize in Music Composition, Stoeger Prize and The Queen's Medal for Music.
Oliver Knussen was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His father, Stuart Knussen, was principal double bass of the London Symphony Orchestra, and also participated in a number of premieres of Benjamin Britten's music.[2] Oliver Knussen studied composition with John Lambert between 1963 and 1969, and also received encouragement from Britten. He spent several summers studying with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood in Massachusetts and in Boston.[3]
Musical life
Musical life
Knussen began composing at about the age of six; an ITV programme about his father's work with the London Symphony Orchestra prompted the commissioning for his first symphony (1966–1967). Aged 15, Knussen stepped in to conduct his symphony's première at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on 7 April 1968, after István Kertész fell ill. After his debut, Daniel Barenboim asked him to conduct the work's first two movements in New York a week later.[4] In this work and his Concerto for Orchestra (1968–1970), he had quickly and fluently absorbed the influences of modernist composers Britten and Berg as well as many mid-century (largely American) symphonists, while displaying an unusual flair for pacing and orchestration. It was as early as the Second Symphony (1970–1971), that in the words of Julian Anderson, that "Knussen's compositional personality abruptly appeared, fully formed".[5] His major works from the 1980s were his two children's operas, Where the Wild Things Are and Higglety Pigglety Pop!, both libretti by Maurice Sendak – and based on Sendak's own eponymous children's books.[6] Where the Wild Things Are received its New York premiere in November 1986 by New York City Opera, which also performed the work in April 2011. Knussen was the head of contemporary music activities at Tanglewood between 1986 and 1993. A much-admired orchestral work from 1994 is his Horn Concerto written for Barry Tuckwell, which "combines the colorful sound world of early 20th century music with a contemporary approach to time and melody".[7] He was awarded CBE in the 1994 Birthday Honours.[8] Knussen was principal guest conductor of The Hague's Het Residentie Orkest (Residentie Orchestra) between 1992 and 1996, the Aldeburgh Festival's co-artistic director between 1983 and 1998 and the London Sinfonietta's music director between 1998 and 2002 – and became that ensemble's conductor laureate. In 2005, Knussen was the music director of the Ojai Music Festival. Knussen wrote his Songs for Sue, a setting of four poems for soprano and 15-piece ensemble, as a memorial tribute to his late wife, and the music received its world première in Chicago in 2006. Knussen told Tom Service in The Guardian:[9] I knew there were a number of Dickinson poems addressed to her sister, Sue, so one week I read all 1,700 poems of Emily Dickinson... and I copied out about 35 of them by hand, I have no idea where the notes for this piece come from... It seemed to want to be written... I wasn't sure whether it... ought to be let out at all... because I didn't want it to be a self-indulgent thing. But actually it's very restrained. It's not a huge work – about 13 minutes – but it's a big piece emotionally. From September 2006, Knussen was artist-in-association to the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, and from 2009 to the BBC Symphony Orchestra. As of autumn 2012, Knussen was writing a symphonic adagio for the Philadelphia Orchestra. He was also planning to finish two concertos that he had worked on for several years: one for piano and one for cello.[10] His recordings as a conductor include works by Modest Mussorgsky, Ruth Crawford Seeger, Elliott Carter, Igor Stravinsky, Hans Werner Henze, Toru Takemitsu, Colin Matthews, Alexander Goehr, Robin Holloway and Poul Ruders.
Personal life
Personal life
Knussen was married to Sue Knussen, a US-born producer and director of music programmes for BBC television and for the UK's Channel 4 – for which she made Leaving Home, an introduction to 20th-century music presented by Simon Rattle in a series of seven one-hour programmes, which won the 1996 BAFTA award for "Best Arts Series".[11] She ran the Los Angeles Philharmonic's education department in the late 1990s. Oliver and Sue Knussen had a daughter, Sonya Knussen, who is a mezzo-soprano. Sue Knussen died of a blood infection in London in 2003. The Sue Knussen Composers Fund (previously, the Sue Knussen Commissioning Fund) "honours her memory and professional legacy...and...commissions works from emerging composers to be performed by contemporary music ensembles worldwide."[12] Knussen lived in Snape, Suffolk, Benjamin Britten's base during one of his most creative periods.[13] Snape Maltings concert hall is the home of the Aldeburgh Festival. Knussen died on 8 July 2018, aged 66.[14]
Identity
Identity
Oliver Knussen is recorded as conductor and composer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2018
Oliver Knussen died at Snape.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Snape
Residences
Glasgow.
Birth place
Compositions
• Symphony No. 1, Op. 1 (1967–68), for orchestra (withdrawn) • Processionals, Op. 2 (1968/78), for chamber ensemble • Masks, Op. 3 (1969), for solo flute and glass chimes 'ad lib' • Concerto for Orchestra (1969) • Symphony in One Movement, Op. 5 (1969/2002), for orchestra – a revised version of the Concerto for Orchestra • Hums and Songs of Winnie-the-Pooh, Op. 6 (1970/83), for soprano solo, flute, cor anglais, clarinet, percussion and cello • Three Little Fantasies, Op. 6a (1970/83), for wind quintet • Symphony No. 2, Op. 7 (1970–71), for high soprano and chamber orchestra [winner: Margaret Grant Prize, Tanglewood] • Choral, Op. 8 (1970–72), for wind, percussion and double basses • Turba, (1971/76), for double bass solo • Rosary Songs, Op. 9 (1972), for soprano solo, clarinet, piano and viola • Océan de Terre, Op. 10 (1972–73/76), for soprano and chamber ensemble • Study for Metamorphosis (1972, rev. 2018), for bassoon solo • Music for a Puppet Court (after John Lloyd), Op. 11 (1973/83), "puzzle pieces" for two chamber orchestras • Trumpets, Op. 12 (1975), for soprano and three clarinets • Ophelia Dances Book 1, Op. 13 (1975), for flute, cor anglais, clarinet, horn, piano, celesta and string trio [Koussevitzky centennial commission] • Autumnal, Op. 14 (1976–77), for violin and piano • Cantata Op. 15 (1977), for oboe and string trio • Sonya's Lullaby Op. 16 (1978–79), for piano solo • Scriabin Settings (1978) • Coursing, Op. 17 (1979), for large chamber ensemble • Symphony No. 3, Op. 18 (1973–79), for orchestra • Frammenti da Chiara, Op.19a (1975/86), for two antiphonal 'a cappella' female choirs • Where the Wild Things Are, Op. 20 (1979–83), fantasy opera, libretto by Maurice Sendak • Songs and a Sea Interlude, Op. 20a (1979–81), for soprano and orchestra • The Wild Rumpus, Op. 20b (1983), for orchestra • Higglety Pigglety Pop!, Op. 21 (1984–85, revised 1999), fantasy opera, libretto by Maurice Sendak • Fanfares for Tanglewood (1986), for thirteen brass and three groups of percussion • The Way to Castle Yonder, Op. 21a (1988–90), for orchestra • Flourish with Fireworks, Op. 22 (1988 revised 1993), for orchestra • Four Late Poems and an Epigram of Rilke, Op. 23 (1988), soprano solo • Variations, Op. 24 (1989), for piano solo, written for pianist Peter Serkin • Secret Psalm (1990), for violin solo • Whitman Settings, Op. 25 (1991/92) for soprano and piano; Op. 25a (1992) version for soprano and orchestra • Songs without Voices, Op. 26 (1991–92), for flute, cor anglais, clarinet, horn, piano and string trio • Elegiac Arabesques (in memory of Andrzej Panufnik), Op. 26a (1991), for cor anglais and clarinet • Two Organa, Op. 27 (1994), for large chamber ensemble • Horn Concerto, Op. 28 (1994), for horn solo and orchestra • "...upon one note" (fantasia after Purcell) (1995), for clarinet, piano and string trio • Prayer Bell Sketch (in memory of Tōru Takemitsu), Op. 29 (1997), for piano solo • Eccentric Melody (for Elliott Carter's 90th birthday) (1998), for cello solo • Violin Concerto, Op. 30 (2002), for violin solo and orchestra • Cleveland Pictures Op. 31 (2003-09, unfinished). First performed at Snape Maltings on June 24 2022 by the BBC Symphony Orchestra • Ophelia's Last Dance, Ophelia Dances Book 2, Op. 32 (2004/2009–10), for piano solo • Requiem: Songs for Sue, Op. 33 (2005–6), for soprano and chamber ensemble • Reflection, Op. 31a (2016) for violin and piano • O Hototogisu! (fragment of a Japonisme), for soprano, flute and large ensemble (2017)
Discography (as performer)
• Poul Ruders, Hans Abrahamsen – Chamber Works, London Sinfonietta, Paula Records (1985) • Knussen – Where the Wild Things Are, London Sinfonietta, Arabasque Records (1985) • Elliott Carter – Chamber Works, The Fires of London London Sinfonietta, Wergo Records (1985) • Benjamin Britten – The Prince of the Pagodas, London Sinfinietta, Virgin Classics (1990) • Alexander Goehr – Chamber Works, London Sinfonietta, Unicorn-Kanchana (1991) • Carter – Orchestral Works, London Sinfonietta, Virgin Classics (1992) • Goehr – Sing, Ariel, The Mouse Metamorphosed into A Maid, Lucy Shelton, Eileen Hulse, Sarah Leonard, Instrumental Ensemble, Unicorn-Kanchana (1992) • Ruders – Chamber Works, Capricorn, Bridge Records (1992) • Harrison Birtwistle – Chamber Works, London Sinfonietta, NMC (1993) • Aaron Copland – Grohg, etc., The Cleveland Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Argo Records (1994) • Igor Stravinsky – The Flood, etc., Charles Wuorinen – A Reliquary for Igor Stravinsky, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (1995) • Colin Matthews – Broken symmetry, Suns dance, Fourth Sonata, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (1995) • Goehr – Piano Concerto, Peter Serkin, London Sinfonietta, NMC (1995) • Knussen – Orchestral, Vocal and Chamber Works, Barry Tuckwell, Lucy Shelton, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (1996) • Robert Saxton – Orchestral Works, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Oliver Knussen, EMI Classics (1997) • Hans Werner Henze – Undine, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (1997) • Stravinsky – The Fairy's Kiss, Faun And Shepherdess, Ode – Lucy Shelton, The Cleveland Orchestra, Deutsche (1997) • Ruth Crawford Seeger – Portrait, Lucy Shelton, Reinbert de Leeuw, New London Chamber Choir, James Wood, Schönberg Ensemble, Deutsche Grammophon (1997) • Toru Takemitsu – Quotation of Dream, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (1998) • Carter – Symphonia, Clarinet Concerto, London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon (1999) • Takemitsu – Riverrun, Water-ways, Paul Crossley, London Sinfonietta, Virgin Classics Digital (1999) • Magnus Lindberg – Aura, Engine, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (2000) • Peter Lieberson – Chamber Works, Asko Ensemble, The Cleveland Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon (2001) • Knussen – Higglety Pigglety Pop! & Where The Wild Things Are, London Sinfonietta, Deutsche Grammophon (2001) • Knussen – Hums And Songs of Winnie-the-Pooh and Other Chamber Works, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, EMI Classics (2002) • Modest Mussorgsky, orch Leopold Stokowski – Pictures at an Exhibition, Boris Godunov, Khovanschina, Night on a Bare Mountain, The Cleveland Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon (2004) • Carter – Orchestral Works, London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Asko Ensemble, Bridge Records (2005) • Julian Anderson – Orchestral Works, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Ondine (2006) • Takemitsu – Orchestral Works, London Sinfonietta, Rolf Hind, London Sinfonietta Label (2006) • Knussen – Violin Concerto, Requiem, Songs For Sue, Soloists, BBC Symphony Orchestra, NMC (2012) • Goehr – Marching To Carcassonne, Peter Serkin, BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Naxos Records (2013) • Britten – The Rape of Lucretia, Kirchschlager, Bostridge, Gritton, Purves, Russell, Coleman-Wright, Summers, Booth, Aldeburgh Festival Ensemble, Virgin Classics (2013) • Charlotte Bray – Caught in Treetops, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, NMC (2014) • Takemitsu – Orchestral Concert (to Mark the 20th Anniversary of his Passing), Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Tower Records (2017) • Carter – Late Works, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Colin Currie, Isabelle Faust, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ondine (2017) • Anderson – The Comedy of Change, Heaven Is Shy of Earth, Susan Bickley, BBC Symphony Chorus, London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ondine (2018) • Henze – Heliogabalus Imperator, Works For Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Wergo Records (2019) • Augusta Read Thomas – Carillon Sky, for solo violin and chamber ensemble - Chicago Symphony Orchestra MusicNOW Ensemble with violinist Baird Dodge. Nimbus Alliance NI 6258
Recognition and collections
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Oliver Knussen received Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Nemmers Prize in Music Composition, Stoeger Prize, The Queen's Medal for Music, Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards and Ditson Conductor's Award.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q949003: Oliver Knussen
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Oliver Knussen”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Institutional database
- MusicBrainz artist record for Oliver Knussen
Scholarly · MetaBrainz Foundation
scholarly publication
- Oliver Knussen, Encounters with British Composers, 2015
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2015
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
References ==== Further reading
References ==== Further reading
*
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Cooper, Michael. Oliver Knussen, 'Where the Wild Things Are' Composer, Dies at 66. The New York Times. 9 July 2018.
- 2.Reed, Philip & Mervyn Cooke. Letters from a Life: The Selected Letters of Benjamin Britten, 1913–1976: Vol. 5: 1958–1965. Boydell Press, 2010: p. xxxviii
- 3.Anderson, Julian. Knussen, Oliver.
- 4.Bayan Northcott, "Oliver Knussen", The Musical Times, Vol. 120, No. 1639. (September 1979), pp. 729–732
- 5.Anderson, Julian, "The later Music of Oliver Knussen. Catching up with Knussen in his 40th Year"', The Musical Times, Vol. 133, No. 1794. (August 1992), pp. 393–394.
- 6."Oliver Knussen interview", Classic CD, February 1999. Accessed 19 August 2007.
- 7.Schell, Michael. Oliver Knussen (1952–2018): Music of New Epiphanies. Second Inversion. 3 August 2018.
- 8.London Gazette date=10 June 1994 supp=y issue=53696 page=9
- 9."I had to write it" by Tom Service, The Guardian, London, 19 October 2006. Accessed 20 August 2007.
- 10.Swed, Mark. Oliver Knussen knows the monsters well. Los Angeles Times. 2. 7 October 2012.
- 11."Sue Knussen" obituary, Variety, 16 April 2003. Accessed 19 August 2007.
- 12."Singsthings" , Sonya Knussen's website. Accessed 19 August 2007.
- 13."Benjamin Britten's long association..." – John Waddell , snapevillage.org.uk. Accessed 19 August 2007.
- 14.Matthews, Colin. Oliver Knussen obituary. The Guardian. 9 July 2018.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 1
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
MusicBrainz artist record for Oliver KnussenMetaBrainz Foundation
Institutional witnessscholarly publication
Oliver Knussen, Encounters with British Composers, 2015Crossref registry
Institutional witnessreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q949003: Oliver KnussenWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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