George Maran
Encyclopedia
George Alfred Maran was an American Opera
, Oratorio
, and Concert
Tenor
. Born near Boston
, Massachusetts
. Maran attended Harvard University
where he and his voice came to the attention of people such as Leonard Bernstein
and Paul Hindemith
. He first drew international attention when he won the “Mozart-Medaille”(Mozart Medal
) from the Mozarteum International Foundation in Salzburg
in 1956 on Mozart’s 200th birthday. The same year, and the next forty years thereafter, he was a soloist at the Opera in Darmstadt, Germany. Even so, he continued singing all over Europe and the United States, the world premiere of A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)
with Benjamin Britten
conducting as a prime example. He has sung many wide-ranging and varied genres as soloist in Opera, Operetta, Oratorio, and on the concert stage.
(1899) born Agop Marangossian (clerk/jeweler) (naturalized 1923) was an Armenian from Smyrna (now Turkey) who spoke 7 languages fluently, “I don’t know much about him, said Maran, he left when I was 7”. His mother: born Persis M. Weeman (abt1903), gave piano and voice lessons. His Great grandfather, Orin Weeman (abt1844), and Grandfather: Walter O. Weeman (abt1863) were well-known violin makers from ”America’s oldest violin making family” at the time.
It was the musical influence of his Grandfather Weeman and his Mother that started him on his path.
Maran graduated from Harvard University in 1948(47).
(then age 13). Maran Studied church music under Domkapellmeister Joseph Messner; Mozart operas under Professor Dr. B. Paumgartner, and sang in the Salzburg Cathedral as solo Tenor for 5 years. In 1954 Feuerstein wrote 3 "Dehmel-Gedichte" (text from Richard Dehmel
) songs for him. The songs themselves were first publicly performed at Marans’ 80th birthday celebration at Staatstheater Darmstadt with Feuerstein himself playing the piano.
Maran started in Darmstadt with the premiere of Mozart’s “Titus” in the title part.
was first performed on 11 June 1960 at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh
, UK as part of the Aldeburgh Festival
. Conducted by the composer, it was directed by the choreographer John Cranko
. Maran played the part of Lysander. Maran is fond of saying that Britten wrote the part for him, which to a certain degree is true, since Britten asked Maran to sing the part after hearing his voice and Maran was in on the final production preparations. He has many memorys of his times at the "Red House". In subsequent performances the roll was sung by Peter Pears
who played the part of Flute, a bellows-mender in this production.
1996 - "Ehrenmitglied"(Honored Member) from Staatstheater Darmstadt.
This award has been given to only 4 others to date.
"Elijah" by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartoldy -
"On Wenlock Edge" by Ralph Vaughan Williams -
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, Oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
, and Concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
Tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
. Born near Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Maran attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where he and his voice came to the attention of people such as Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
and Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
. He first drew international attention when he won the “Mozart-Medaille”(Mozart Medal
Mozart Medal
The Mozart Medal is a name, after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, for various awards:* Mozart Medal , awarded by the city of Frankfurt...
) from the Mozarteum International Foundation in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
in 1956 on Mozart’s 200th birthday. The same year, and the next forty years thereafter, he was a soloist at the Opera in Darmstadt, Germany. Even so, he continued singing all over Europe and the United States, the world premiere of A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)
A Midsummer Night's Dream is an opera with music by Benjamin Britten and set to a libretto adapted by the composer and Peter Pears from William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream...
with Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
conducting as a prime example. He has sung many wide-ranging and varied genres as soloist in Opera, Operetta, Oratorio, and on the concert stage.
Early life
Maran was born in Attleboro, Mass. the younger of 2 children. His father: Jacob C. Maran(1899) born Agop Marangossian (clerk/jeweler) (naturalized 1923) was an Armenian from Smyrna (now Turkey) who spoke 7 languages fluently, “I don’t know much about him, said Maran, he left when I was 7”. His mother: born Persis M. Weeman (abt1903), gave piano and voice lessons. His Great grandfather, Orin Weeman (abt1844), and Grandfather: Walter O. Weeman (abt1863) were well-known violin makers from ”America’s oldest violin making family” at the time.
It was the musical influence of his Grandfather Weeman and his Mother that started him on his path.
Harvard Days 1944 - 1948
At age 20 Maran joined the Harvard Glee Club. He met Leonard Bernstein sometime between then and his graduation. “He heard me at one or more of my concerts and liked my voice" Maran said. In the same way Maran met Paul Hindemith, also through attending his lectures.Maran graduated from Harvard University in 1948(47).
Personal life
On September 15, 1950 Maran married Edit Engel (born: January 22, 1924 in Vienna) she was studying medicine at Tufts College. She was a Jewish refugee who fled with her family in 1939 at the age of 15 to England and later to the US. They had two children: Elizabeth Ann (Elisha) born June 1, 1952 in Salzburg (now living in England), and Joseph born in Frankfurt am Main on September 6, 1957 (a Professor of Archaeology at the University of Heidelberg). Maran died, aged 85 in Darmstadt, on Nov 26 2011, from heart and cardiovascular disease. His grave is planned to be located at the Waldfriedhof in Darmstadt.Salzburg
In late 1950 the Marans' moved (in large part through arrangements made by Edit Maran) to Salzburg, they lived in the family house of Herbert FeuersteinHerbert Feuerstein
Herbert Feuerstein is a German comedian and entertainer.Feuerstein studied music at the Salzburg Mozarteum from 1956 to 1958, majoring in piano, cembalo and composition. However, he never graduated and in 1960, he followed his first wife to New York...
(then age 13). Maran Studied church music under Domkapellmeister Joseph Messner; Mozart operas under Professor Dr. B. Paumgartner, and sang in the Salzburg Cathedral as solo Tenor for 5 years. In 1954 Feuerstein wrote 3 "Dehmel-Gedichte" (text from Richard Dehmel
Richard Dehmel
Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel was a German poet and writer.- Life :...
) songs for him. The songs themselves were first publicly performed at Marans’ 80th birthday celebration at Staatstheater Darmstadt with Feuerstein himself playing the piano.
Salzburger Festspiele 1952-1971
Salzburger Festspiele Archiv| Date | Work1 | Work2 | Conductor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. August 1952 | Anton Bruckner "Tota pulchra Motette" |
Joseph Messner | |
| 02. August 1953 | Franz Schubert "Große Messe in E flat Major" |
Joseph Messner | |
| 09. August 1953 | W. A. Mozart "Krönungsmesse" KV 317 | Joseph Messner | |
| 20. August 1954 | Giovanni Battista Pergolesi "Stabat mater" |
W. A. Mozart "Spatzenmesse" KV 220 | Joseph Messner |
| 27. August 1954 | W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626 |
Joseph Messner | |
| 03. August 1955 | Joseph Haydn "Missa in tempore belli"(Paukenmesse) Hob. XXII Nr. 9 |
Joseph Messner | |
| 13. August 1955 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 27. August 1955 | W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626 |
Joseph Messner | |
| 03. August 1956 | "CAMERATA ACADEMICA DES MOZARTEUMS" | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 11. August 1956 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 24. August 1956 | W. A. Mozart "Vesperae solennes de confessore" KV 339 |
W. A. Mozart "Spatzenmesse" KV 220 | Joseph Messner |
| 17. August 1957 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 29. August 1957 | W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626 | Joseph Messner | |
| 16. August 1958 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 31. August 1958 | W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626 | Joseph Messner | |
| 08. August 1959 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Ernst Hinreiner | |
| 23. August 1959 | W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626 | Joseph Messner | |
| 31. Juli 1960 | Joseph Haydn "Messe in D-Minor" Hob. XXII Nr. 11 |
Joseph Haydn "Missa in angutiis"; Joseph Haydn" Nelsonmesse" | Joseph Messner |
| 13. August 1960 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 12. August 1961 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 06. August 1962 | SALZBURGER RUNDFUNK- UND MOZARTEUMCHOR |
Ernst Hinreiner | |
| 11. August 1962 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 12. August 1962 | W. A. Mozart "Vesperae solennes de confessore" KV 339 | W. A. Mozart "Krönungsmesse" KV 317 | Joseph Messner |
| 10. August 1963 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 08. August 1964 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 14. August 1965 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 13. August 1966 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 12. August 1967 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 10. August 1968 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 09. August 1969 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 08. August 1970 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Bernhard Paumgartner | |
| 14. August 1971 | W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427 | Ernst Hinreiner |
Staatstheater Darmstadt 1956-1996
In the 40 years that Mr. Maran was at Staatstheater Darmstadt, he sang so much, and in so many genres, ...Maran started in Darmstadt with the premiere of Mozart’s “Titus” in the title part.
Adelburgh Festival
A Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
was first performed on 11 June 1960 at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh is a coastal town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. Located on the River Alde, the town is notable for its Blue Flag shingle beach and fisherman huts where freshly caught fish are sold daily, and the Aldeburgh Yacht Club...
, UK as part of the Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
. Conducted by the composer, it was directed by the choreographer John Cranko
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet....
. Maran played the part of Lysander. Maran is fond of saying that Britten wrote the part for him, which to a certain degree is true, since Britten asked Maran to sing the part after hearing his voice and Maran was in on the final production preparations. He has many memorys of his times at the "Red House". In subsequent performances the roll was sung by Peter Pears
Peter Pears
Sir Peter Neville Luard Pears CBE was an English tenor who was knighted in 1978. His career was closely associated with the composer Edward Benjamin Britten....
who played the part of Flute, a bellows-mender in this production.
Other Engagements
Guest appearances in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Zurich, Amsterdam, and Fests, such as Holland, Strasbourg, Schwetzingen, Kranichstein, etc.Awards
1956 - Mozart-Medal in Salzburg1996 - "Ehrenmitglied"(Honored Member) from Staatstheater Darmstadt.
This award has been given to only 4 others to date.
Recordings
"The Messiah" by G. F.Handel -"Elijah" by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartoldy -
"On Wenlock Edge" by Ralph Vaughan Williams -