Francais | English | Espanõl

List of gay, lesbian or bisexual composers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

The following is a list of famous gay, lesbian, or bisexual composers of music from many genres.

The topic of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender composers is treated in, among others:

Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture (GLBTQ) and/or The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance and Musical Theater, ISBN 1-57344-198-8.<ref name="glbtq"> Included in at least one of the following publications for which Claude J. Summers is/was editor in chief:

An encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture, on-line since 2002. This website has a separate section about composers;
The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance and Musical Theater. Cleis Press, 2004. ISBN 1-57344-198-8 </ref>

Works described in the University of Chicago's Guide to Gay and Lesbian Resources library catalog, in particular its Music section.<ref name="glg">Included in one of the works summarized in the University of Chicago's Guide to Gay and Lesbian Resources: XIV. MUSIC, for example:

No. 3090: Gay American composers. New York, NY. CRI, CD 721, 1996.
No. 3091: Gay American composers Volume two. New York, NY. CRI, CD 750, 1997.
No. 3107: Lesbian American composers. New York, NY. CRI, CD 780, 1998.</ref>

Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001). Who's Who in Contemporary Gay & Lesbian History: From World War II to the Present Day. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-22974-X.<ref name="whoswho"> Aldrich, Robert and Wotherspoon, Gary (Eds.) (2001). Who's Who in Contemporary Gay & Lesbian History: From World War II to the Present Day. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-22974-X.</ref>
Larivière, Michel. Homosexuels et bisexuels célèbres: le dictionnaire, preface by Pierre Bergé, drawings by Jean Cocteau. Paris, Delétraz. 1997 - 393 p., ill., 22 cm. - ISBN 2-911110-19-6.<ref name="Larivière"> Larivière, Michel. Homosexuels et bisexuels célèbres: le dictionnaire, preface by Pierre Bergé, drawings by Jean Cocteau. Paris, Delétraz. 1997 - 393 p., ill., 22 cm. - ISBN 2-911110-19-6.</ref>
Lesbian and Gay Music by Philip Brett and Elizabeth Wood.<ref name="BrettWood"> Lesbian and Gay Music by Philip Brett and Elizabeth Wood.</ref>

Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[edit] A

Peter Allen, uncertain. Once married Liza Minnelli, partnered with Gregory Connell from 1973 until his own death in 1992.<ref name="Larivière"/><ref>Allen, Peter (1944-1992) by Tina Gianoulis at GLBTQ</ref>
Ruth Anderson <ref>Lesbian American composers. New York, NY. CRI, CD 780, 1998. Guide to Gay and Lesbian Resources: XIV.141 Music, No. 3107</ref>

[edit] B

Samuel Barber <ref name="glg"/><ref name=BrettWood/><ref>Barber, Samuel (1910-1981) by Patricia Juliana Smith at GLBTQ</ref>
Jean Barraqué, dated Michel Foucault.<ref name=BrettWood/>
Eve Beglarian <ref name="glg"/>
Leonard Bernstein, though married had "indiscretions".<ref name="Larivière"/><ref>Bernstein, Leonard (1918-1990) by Patricia Juliana Smith at GLBTQ</ref>
Chester Biscardi <ref name="glg"/>
Chris de Blasio <ref name="glg"/>
Marc Blitzstein <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/><ref name="whoswho"/>
Konrad Boehmer <ref name=BrettWood/>
David Bowie, came out as bisexual to Playboy in 1975, married Iman in 1992 and said he had been 'a closet heterosexual' in the 70's but that he does not regret it.<ref name="Larivière"/><ref>Bowie, David (b. 1947) by Tamsin Wilton at GLBTQ</ref>
Paul Bowles, though married to lesbian Jane Auer.<ref name="Larivière"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
Benjamin Britten (Lord Britten of Aldeburgh), partnered with singer Sir Peter Pears from 1936 till his own death in 1976.<ref name="Larivière"/><ref>Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976) by Patricia Juliana Smith at GLBTQ</ref>
Sylvano Bussotti <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
Madelyn Byrne <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] C

John Cage <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/>
Roberto Carnevale <ref name="glg"/>
Cazuza, bisexual.<ref name="Larivière"/>
Aaron Copland <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/>
John Corigliano <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="whoswho"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
Arcangelo Corelli <ref name="glbtq"/>, doubtful. See profile on NNDB.
Noël Coward <ref name=BrettWood/>
Henry Cowell <ref name="glg"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
Conrad Cummings <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] D

Peter Maxwell Davies <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="whoswho"/>
David Del Tredici <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
David Diamond <ref name="BrettWood"/><ref>Diamond, David (1915-2005) by John McFarland at GLBTQ</ref><ref>Composer David Diamond dies at age 89 (page 2 of2). Associated Press - Gay.com. June 15, 2005.</ref><ref>David Diamond, 89; composed symphonies of intensity. Richard Dyer, Globe Staff. The Boston Globe. June 16, 2005</ref>
Ani DiFranco, bisexual, she was married to Andrew Gilchrist for five years starting in 1998.<ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="whoswho"/>

[edit] E

Danielle Egnew <ref>See interviews available at Danielle Egnew - The Official Website: PRIDE, Sept.-Oct. 2005 - AfterEllen, July 2005</ref>

[edit] F

Gareth Farr, New Zealand classical composer who also appears in his alter ego "Lilith" in cabaret performances.^{[citation needed]}
Wolfgang Fortner <ref name=BrettWood/>
Lori Freedman <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] G

Karel Goeyvaerts <ref name=BrettWood/>
Eugene Goosens <ref name=BrettWood/>
J. Lee Graham <ref>J. Lee Graham's profile at Young Composers Music Forum</ref>
Charles Tomlinson Griffes <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name=BrettWood/>

[edit] H

Reynaldo Hahn <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
Rob Halford <ref name="glbtq"/>
Lou Harrison <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/>
Robert Helps <ref name="glg"/>
Hans Werner Henze <ref name="glbtq"/>
William Alden Hibbard <ref name="glg"/>
Jennifer Higdon <ref name="glg"/>
Lee Hoiby <ref name="glg"/>
Jerry Hunt <ref name="glg"/><ref name="whoswho"/>
Joseph Hallman <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] I

Janis Ian <ref name="whoswho"/>
Norman Iceberg <ref name="glbtq"/>
John Ireland <ref name=BrettWood/>

[edit] J

Elton John

[edit] K

Paula Kimper <ref name="glg"/>
Dave Koz <ref>Dave Koz, "The beauty of coming out", in: The Advocate, 2005</ref>

[edit] L

k.d. lang <ref>lang, k. d. (b. 1961) by Tina Gianoulis at GLBTQ</ref>
John Lennon, doubtful. Bisexual according to Albert Goldman in The Lives of John Lennon (First edition 1988, ISBN 0-688-04721-1; 2001 edition: ISBN 1-55652-399-8)
Marilyn Lerner <ref name="glg"/>
André Éric Létourneau <ref name="glg"/>
Annea Lockwood <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] M

Robert Maggio <ref name="glg"/>
Andy Martin ^{[citation needed]}
Richard Maxfield ^{[citation needed]}
Colin McPhee <ref name=BrettWood/>
Gian Carlo Menotti <ref name="glbtq"/>
Freddie Mercury <ref name="glbtq"/>
George Michael <ref name=BrettWood/><ref>Michael, George (b. 1963) by Nathan G. Tipton at GLBTQ</ref>
Dimitri Mitropoulos <ref name=BrettWood/>
Linda Montano <ref name="glg"/>
Bob Mould ^{[citation needed]}
Zeki Müren, Turkish singer. Popular opinion holds that he was homosexual,<ref>Farhad Shidfar. "Gay musicians in Turkey" in International Forum of Psychoanalysis, vol. 14 (3-4) 224-226, Routledge, 2005.</ref> although he never made a public statement nor denial to this effect. In many ways, he had a pioneering role in rendering the Turkish society more accepting about homosexuality.<ref>Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights in Turkey: An Overview. Published by Kaos GL (kaosgl.com), September 2005.</ref>

[edit] N

Alwin Nikolais <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] O

Pauline Oliveros <ref name="glg"/>

[edit] P

Harry Partch <ref name="glg"/>
Thomas Pasatieri <ref name=BrettWood/>
Dominique Phinot, executed in Lyon, France for homosexuality in 1556 <ref>Roger Jacob: "Dominique Phinot", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed January 1, 2006), (subscription access)</ref>
Daniel Pinkham <ref name=BrettWood/>
Cole Porter <ref name=BrettWood/>
Francis Poulenc, French composer, openly gay from his first serious relationship, that with painter Richard Chanelaire to whom he wrote, "You have changed my life, you are the sunshine of my thirty years, a reason for living and working." He also said, "You know that I am as sincere in my faith, without any messianic screamings, as I am in my Parisian sexuality."<ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="whoswho"/><ref name="Larivière"/>

[edit] Q

Roger Quilter <ref name=BrettWood/>

[edit] R

Øyvind Rauset <ref name="Larivière"/>
Tom Robinson <ref>Robinson, Tom (b. 1950) by Linda Rapp at GLBTQ</ref>
Ned Rorem <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/><ref name="Larivière"/>

[edit] S

Camille Saint-Saens, a matter of dispute
Marc Shaiman, coupled with lyricist/director Scott Wittman since 1979.<ref name="glbtq"/>
Sławek Słarosta <ref name="Larivière"/>
Dame Ethel Smyth <ref name="glbtq"/>
Jimmy Somerville <ref name="whoswho"/><ref name="Larivière"/>
Stephen Sondheim <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
William Thomas Strayhorn <ref name="glbtq"/>
Conrad Susa <ref name=BrettWood/>
Sylvester <ref name="Larivière"/>
Karol Szymanowski <ref name="glbtq"/>

[edit] T

Adam Taylor
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="whoswho"/><ref name=BrettWood/>
Virgil Thomson <ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="glg"/>
Nurit Tilles <ref name="glg"/>
Sir Michael Tippett, of his one time partner painter Wilfred Franks Tippett wrote, "Meeting with Wilf was the deepest, most shattering experience of falling in love; and I am quite certain that it was a major factor underlying the discovery of my own individual musical voice...all that love flowed out in the slow movement of my First String Quartet. He was partnered with Meirion Bowen till his own death in 1998.<ref name="glbtq"/><ref name="Larivière"/>
Hordur Torfason <ref name="Larivière"/>