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{{Short description|American classical composer (1933–2023)}}
{{Infobox musical artist|instrument=piano|birth_date=April 21, 1933|death_date=January 22, 2023|occupations={{hlist|professor|pianist|composer|author}}|past_member_of=Chicago Pro Musica}}
'''Easley R. Blackwood Jr.''' (April 21, 1933 – January 22, 2023) was an American professor of music, concert pianist, composer (sometimes using unusual [[musical tuning|tunings]]), and the author of books on [[music theory]], including his research into the properties of [[microtonal]] tunings and traditional harmony.

==Biography==
Blackwood was born in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], on April 21, 1933. He studied piano there and was doing solo appearances at the age of 14 with the [[Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra]]. After studies at many places (including [[Yale University]], where he earned his [[Master's degree#MA.2C MS.2C MSc.2C MSE.2C AM.2C SM|Master of Arts]] degree) in the United States, he went to [[Paris]] to study from 1954 to 1956. His teachers include [[Olivier Messiaen]], [[Paul Hindemith]], and [[Nadia Boulanger]]. For forty years, from 1958 to 1997, Blackwood taught at the [[University of Chicago]], most of the time with the title of Professor. He then became Professor Emeritus at the University.

Blackwood's initial compositions were not particularly unconventional although in them he employed [[polyrhythm]] and wide melodic contours. This early music by Blackwood has been characterized as in an atonal yet a formally conservative style. In 1980–81 Blackwood shifted rather abruptly to a new style, releasing ''[[Twelve Microtonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media]]''. For these pieces, he used [[microtonality]] to create unusual [[equal tempered]] [[musical scale]]s. Blackwood has explored all equal temperaments from 13 through 24, including [[15 equal temperament|15-ET]] and [[19 equal temperament|19-ET]].<ref>Blackwood, Easley and Kust, Jeffrey (1996/2005). ''Easley Blackwood: Microtonal Compositions''. Cedille. ASIN: B0000018Z8/ASIN: B000009KIL.</ref> Although Blackwood recorded most of these pieces with a synthesizer, his "Suite in 15-Note Equal Tuning, Op. 33" was performed live on a specially constructed [[guitar]].<ref name="Blackwood">Blackwood, Easley. [http://www.dramonline.org/albums/blackwood-microtonal-compositions/notes "Blackwood: Microtonal Compositions"]. Liner notes. [[Cedille Records]] CDR018.</ref> His compositional style moved toward a late-19th-century tonality; he has likened its harmonic syntax to Verdi, Ravel, and Franck.

As a performer at the piano, Blackwood played diverse compositions and promoted the music of [[Charles Ives]], [[Pierre Boulez]], and the [[Second Viennese School]]. In addition to his solo piano performances, Blackwood was pianist in the chamber group Chicago Pro Musica, largely comprising members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Blackwood was known for his book, ''The Structure of Recognizable Diatonic Tunings'' (Princeton: Princeton University Press, {{ISBN|0691091293}}) published in 1985. A number of recordings of his music have been released by [[Cedille Records]] (the label of the Chicago Classical Recording Foundation) beginning in the 1990s such as ''Introducing Easley Blackwood''.<ref>Blackwood, Easley (2000). ''Introducing Easley Blackwood''. Cedille. ASIN: B00004YLF3.</ref>

His father, [[Easley Blackwood Sr.]], was a noted [[contract bridge]] player and writer.

Blackwood died in Chicago on January 22, 2023, at the age of 89.<ref>[https://music.uchicago.edu/news/memoriam-easley-blackwood-jr In Memoriam: Easley Blackwood, Jr.] ''University of Chicago''. Retrieved on January 24, 2023.</ref>

==Works with Opus Numbers==
*Sonata No. 1 for Viola and Piano, Op. 1 (1953)
*Chamber Symphony for 14 Wind Instruments, Op. 2 (1955)
*Symphony No. 1, Op. 3 (1955)
*String Quartet No. 1, Op. 4 (1957)
*Concertino for 5 Instruments, Op. 5 (1959)
*String Quartet No. 2, Op. 6 (1959)
*Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano, Op. 7 (1960)
*Fantasy for Cello and Piano, Op. 8 (1960)
*Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 (1960)
*Chaconne for [[Carillon]], Op. 10 (1961)<ref>{{WorldCat|oclc=725352588|name=Chaconne for carillon}}</ref>
*Pastorale and Variations for Wind Quintet, Op. 11 (1961)
*Sonata for Flute and Harpsichord, Op. 12 (1962)
*Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, Op. 13 (1964)
*Symphony No. 3, Op. 14 (1964)
*Fantasy for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, and Piano, Op. 15 (1965)
*Three Short Fantasies for Piano, Op. 16 (1965)
*Symphonic Fantasy, Op. 17 (1965)
*Symphonic Movement for Organ, Op. 18 (1966)
*Concerto for Oboe and String Orchestra, Op. 19 (1966)
*''Un voyage à Cythère'' for Soprano and 10 Instruments, Op. 20 (1966)
*Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 21 (1967)
*Piano Trio, Op. 22 (1968)
*Concerto for Flute and String Orchestra, Op. 23 (1968)
*Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 24 (1970)
*Four Letter Scenes from ''Gulliver'' for Voices and Electronics, Op. 25 (1972)
*Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, Op. 26 (1975)
*Symphony No. 4, Op. 27 (1977)
*[[Twelve Microtonal Etudes for Electronic Music Media]], Op. 28 (1980)
*Fanfare for WFMT (electronic), Op. 28a (1981)
*Sonata for Guitar, Op. 29 (1983)
*Five Concert Etudes for Piano, Op. 30 (1984)
*Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 31 (1985)
*Festival Overture for Steel Band, Op. 31a (1986)
*Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 32 (1986)
*Suite for Guitar in 15-Note Equal Tuning, Op. 33 (1987)
*Symphony No. 5, Op. 34 (1990)
*Rondo Caprice for Flute and Guitar, Op. 35 (1992)
*Seven Bagatelles for Piano, Op. 36 (1993)
*Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 37 (1994)
*Sonatina for Piccolo Clarinet and Piano, Op. 38 (1994)
*Sonatina for Carillon, Op. 39 (1996)
*Sonata for Piano, Op. 40 (1996)
*Two Nocturnes for Piano, Op. 41 (1996)
*String Quartet No. 3, Op. 42 (1998)
*Sonata No. 2 for Viola and Piano, Op. 43 (2001)
*A King James Magnificat (for choir), Op. 44 (2004)
*Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, Op. 45 (2008)
*Concerto for 10 Brass, Op. 46 (2011?)
*Partita for Harpsichord, Op. 47 (incomplete)

==See also==
*{{See LMST|Easley|Blackwood}}

==References==
{{Reflist |25em}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120728083111/http://artofthestates.org/cgi-bin/composer.pl?comp=180 Art of the States: Easley Blackwood] (archive from July 28, 2012, accessed September 23, 2014)
*[http://www.bruceduffie.com/blackwood.html Interview with Easley Blackwood], February, 1993
* {{LCAuth|n83162695|Easley Blackwood|49|}} 
* {{discogs artist|Easley Blackwood}}

{{Microtonal music}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackwood, Easley, Jr.}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century classical composers]]
[[Category:21st-century American composers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century classical composers]]
[[Category:21st-century classical pianists]]
[[Category:American classical composers]]
[[Category:American classical pianists]]
[[Category:American male classical composers]]
[[Category:American male classical pianists]]
[[Category:Cedille Records artists]]
[[Category:Composers for carillon]]
[[Category:Microtonal composers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Indianapolis]]
[[Category:Pupils of Paul Hindemith]]
[[Category:Pupils of Walter Piston]]
[[Category:Shortridge High School alumni]]
[[Category:University of Chicago faculty]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]

Easley Blackwood Jr. - Revision history

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