Deaf Composers?

K

Kenneth D. Friedrich

Member
I brought this question to a composers forum and they thought I was crazy. Are there or have there ever been noted composers who were born deaf? The music would definitely be divinely or mentally inspired. No outside influence or awareness of what modern historians expect of today's writing style. I would be curious to listen to such a product.

Ken F.
 
lynchie

lynchie

Active Member
you're crazy!! :wink:

Can't say I can think of any at the moment, although there's been a few have gone deaf and continued composing... none that were born deaf ever came up while I was doing my a level...
 
Well Worth It

Well Worth It

Active Member
Woohoohoo! :lol:
Mr Sparke has claws holding his quills!
Who would've thought it?

Geezer wasn't deaf though was he?
I thought it was just Stockhausen Syndrome?
:D
 
K

Kenneth D. Friedrich

Member
Nope, not deaf. Just heard a recording of an interview back in 1962. Besides, to be deaf and have that rolling in the head would make me go insane as well. Just don't hear that avante garde stuff.

Mr. Sparke, you'd be amazed at how many of the college kids who wish to emulate this style in the name of innovation and 'progress'. Are we sure we're not the outsiders in this age? But that's a whole other thread.

Ken F.
www.kfsbrasschamber.homestead.com
 
ScrapingtheBottom

ScrapingtheBottom

Active Member
Kenneth D. Friedrich said:
Mr. Sparke, you'd be amazed at how many of the college kids who wish to emulate this style in the name of innovation and 'progress'. Are we sure we're not the outsiders in this age? But that's a whole other thread.
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That's what they tell you! It's actually because it's easier to write rubbish than proper music. :D :D
 
GJG

GJG

Well-Known Member
Wouldn't it be more relevant/interesting/fun to speculate on the possibility of noted adjudicators having been born deaf? :wink:

[Ouch! :shock: (doesn't snatch back wrists quite quickly enough to avoid sharp slap from Mods.......)]

Sorry; too predictable - someone had to do it!

G.
 
Straightmute

Straightmute

Active Member
Anglo Music Press said:
I believe Stockhausen was born deaf.

Well, I assume that from listening to his music :wink:
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Tut tut. Karlheinz always speaks very highly of you! :lol:

D

P.S. I like Trans a lot but Aus Dem Seiben Tagen leaves me cold.
 
PeterBale

PeterBale

Moderator
Staff member
Straightmute said:
Tut tut. Karlheinz always speaks very highly of you! :lol:

D

P.S. I like Trans a lot but Aus Dem Sieben Tagen leaves me cold.
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Maybe it's because it's a week piece :wink:

Although not a great fan of Stockhausen, from my albeit limited knowledge of his oeuvre, I was quite impressed by "Gruppen", as presented in the Simon Rattle TV series.
 
Curiosity_Kills

Curiosity_Kills

Member
Not a lot of composers are born deaf, but there are a few who have become deaf - Beethoven being the famous example

Blindness is one that has plagued a few composers too - Rodrigo was blind from birth, J.S.Bach went blind in his old age and there are a few others (can't remember any more off the top of my head)

The contempory composer, Helmut Oehring's parents are both deaf and his first language was sign language!
 
jobriant

jobriant

Active Member
Not deafness, but worse?

Bedrich Smetana wasn't deaf, but he suffered what must have been, for a musician and composer, an equal curse -- tinnitis. (Didi I spell that right?)

At a point in his life, he began hearing a constant, high-pitched tone -- he said it was an A-Flat. It eventually drove him to madness, if I remember correctly.
 
Brian Bowen

Brian Bowen

Active Member
Kenneth D. Friedrich said:
I would be interested to hear about Evelyn Glennie. She lost her hearing at a young age and is a composer of percussion music. Is she popular in the UK?
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And a remarkable performer, too!
 
drummerboy

drummerboy

Member
Kenneth D. Friedrich said:
I would be interested to hear about Evelyn Glennie. She lost her hearing at a young age and is a composer of percussion music. Is she popular in the UK?

Ken F.
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She isn't completely deaf, can't remember the proper term, but similar to someone with very limited vision who can see a slightly and uses a white stick etc.
She's generally not known for her composition skills (I've only ever heard some of her arrangements and 'A Little Prayer'), and I'd say she's popular in the UK!
 
Brian Bowen

Brian Bowen

Active Member
drummerboy said:
Kenneth D. Friedrich said:
I would be interested to hear about Evelyn Glennie. She lost her hearing at a young age and is a composer of percussion music. Is she popular in the UK?

Ken F.
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She isn't completely deaf, can't remember the proper term, but similar to someone with very limited vision who can see a slightly and uses a white stick etc.
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Profoundly?
 
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