Jonathan D. Kramer

JONATHAN KRAMER (December 7, 1942 — June 3, 2004) was considered one of late 20th century America's most versatile and respected composers in the postmodern, modern, and traditional styles. Often influenced by jazz, his compositions use both classical and popular idioms and both avant-garde and traditional procedures. Kramer's varied attitudes can be traced back to his experiences living in Berkeley during the 1960's. The Bay Area's wild and exciting experimentation in the arts during this period paralleled its political and social upheavals. The contradiction between his traditional graduate education and the avant-garde arts beyond the university eventually became a source of his stylistic pluralism.

 

"One of our leading musical thinkers ... Kramer produced some of the late 20th century's most thought-provoking musical writings." -

-Kyle Gann, Village Voice

 

"a flexible, eclectic composer who writes with a sense of humor." -

-Allan Kozinn, The New York Times