Jason Eckhardt (1971 - Present)

Introduction
Jason Eckardt (born 17 May 1971 in Princeton, New Jersey) is an American composer. He began his musical life playing guitar in heavy metal and jazz bands and abruptly moved to composing after discovering the music of Anton Webern.Eckardt attended Berklee College of Music, first as a guitar performance major before switching to composition, eventually earning a BA (1992). He continued his studies at Columbia University, principally with Jonathan Kramer, and earned MA (1994) and DMA (1998) degrees. He attended masterclasses with Milton Babbitt, James Dillon, Brian Ferneyhough, Jonathan Harvey, and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

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Work Analysis
Atonal and microtonal harmony, intricate rhythms, highly polyphonic textures and large-scale transformational processes are prevalent in Eckardt’s compositions. Allan Kozinn of The New York Times wrote, “[Eckardt’s] music celebrates harmonic prickliness, rhythmic complexity and a density of ideas.”Though Eckardt has been associated with the New Complexity movement, he is also influenced by American composers Milton Babbitt and Elliott Carter.Major works include After Serra (2000) for chamber ensemble, Tongues (2001) for soprano and chamber ensemble, Reul na Coille (2002) for percussion and orchestra, Trespass (2005) for piano and chamber orchestra and the Undersong cycle (2002–2008), a series of four chamber works (A way [tracing], 16, Aperture, The Distance (This)) that, when played together without pause, form a concert-length super composition.Some of Eckardt's compositions are inspired by extramusical subjects, such as extraordinary rendition (Rendition), the sculptures of Richard Serra (After Serra),W.S. Merwin's poem "Echoes" (Echoes' White Veil) and George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address (16).

Comparisons
All of these works thus are incredibly virtuosic in their demands on the performers, and it is a testament to the abilities of the wonderful musicians involved that the pieces are projected so naturally. Eckardt's music is intensely passionate in its gestures and ideas, and this is indeed vividly conveyed.

Observations
From a look at one of his printed scores, one might immediately place Eckardt into the so-called 'new complexity' movement (generally thought of as typified by composers such as Michael Finnissy and Brian Ferneyhough). There certainly is a connection in Eckardt's work to the 'new complexity' of Finnissy in particular. There is also a strong connection to the American modernist tradition represented by Milton Babbitt, Elliott Carter, and others. However, Eckardt's musical voice is unequivocally his own. His work would not be confused with that of anybody else.