Michael Horovitz
Encyclopedia
Michael Horovitz is an English poet, artist and translator.
from 1954 to 1960.
In 1959 he founded the New Departures publications while still a student, publishing William S. Burroughs
, Samuel Beckett
, and Stevie Smith. He continued to edit it for fifty years, coordinating many Live New Departures, Jazz Poetry SuperJams and Poetry Olympics festivals. Though initially associated with the British Poetry Revival
, Horovitz became widely known on his appearance at the International Poetry Incarnation
at the Royal Albert Hall
on June 11, 1965, alongside Allen Ginsberg
and Alexander Trocchi
. In 1969 Penguin published his Children of Albion anthology. Introducing him to New York in 1970, Allen Ginsberg characterized him as a "Popular, experienced, experimental, New Jerusalem, Jazz Generation, Sensitive Bard"
In 1971 he published The Wolverhampton Wanderer, an epic of Britannia, in twelve books, with a resurrection & a life for poetry united, with an original dustjacket by Peter Blake
. The book is a collection of British artists of the period with illustrations and photographs by Michal Tyzack, Peter Blake
, Adrian Henri
, Patrick Hughes
, Gabi Nasemann, Michael Horovitz, Paul Kaplan, John Furnival, Bob Godfrey
, Pete Morgan
, Jeff Nuttall
, David Hockney
and others. It is, among other things, a visual and literary elegy to the culture surrounding association football up to the 1960s, celebrating not only Wolves and its supporters, but also Arsenal
, Spurs
, and legendary teams from the North. Growing Up: Selected Poems and Pictures, 1951-'79 was published by Allison & Busby
in 1979.
In 2007, he published A New Waste Land: Timeship Earth at Nillennium, described by D J Taylor in the Independent as "a deeply felt clarion-call from the radical underground", and by Tom Stoppard
as "A true scrapbook and songbook of the grave new world". In January 2011 Horovitz contributed to an eBook collection of political poems entitled Emergency Verse - Poetry in Defence of the Welfare State edited by Alan Morrison
.
Horovitz stood for election as Oxford Professor of Poetry
in 2010, but came second, out of eleven, to Geoffrey Hill
.
(1938–83); their son Adam Horovitz (b. 1971) is also a poet, performer and journalist.
He is currently fronting the William Blake Klezmatrix band.
Life and career
Michael Horovitz was the youngest of ten children who were brought to England from Nazi Germany by their parents, both of whom were part of a network of European-rabbinical families. Michael studied at Brasenose College, OxfordBrasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
from 1954 to 1960.
In 1959 he founded the New Departures publications while still a student, publishing William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
, Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
, and Stevie Smith. He continued to edit it for fifty years, coordinating many Live New Departures, Jazz Poetry SuperJams and Poetry Olympics festivals. Though initially associated with the British Poetry Revival
British Poetry Revival
The British Poetry Revival is the general name given to a loose poetry movement in Britain that took place in the 1960s and 1970s. The revival was a modernist-inspired reaction to the Movement's more conservative approach to British poetry.-Beginnings:...
, Horovitz became widely known on his appearance at the International Poetry Incarnation
International Poetry Incarnation
The International Poetry Incarnation was an event at the Royal Albert Hall in Londonon June 11, 1965.In May, 1965, Allen Ginsberg arrived at Better Books, London, and offered to read anywhere for free....
at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
on June 11, 1965, alongside Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
and Alexander Trocchi
Alexander Trocchi
Alexander Whitelaw Robertson Trocchi was a Scottish novelist.-Early career:Trocchi was born in Glasgow to a Scottish mother and Italian father. After working as a seaman on the Murmansk convoys, he attended University of Glasgow. On graduation he obtained a traveling grant that enabled him to...
. In 1969 Penguin published his Children of Albion anthology. Introducing him to New York in 1970, Allen Ginsberg characterized him as a "Popular, experienced, experimental, New Jerusalem, Jazz Generation, Sensitive Bard"
In 1971 he published The Wolverhampton Wanderer, an epic of Britannia, in twelve books, with a resurrection & a life for poetry united, with an original dustjacket by Peter Blake
Peter Blake
Peter Blake may refer to:*Peter Blake , British pop artist*Peter Blake , New Zealand yachtsman*Peter Blake Scottish-born actor...
. The book is a collection of British artists of the period with illustrations and photographs by Michal Tyzack, Peter Blake
Peter Blake
Peter Blake may refer to:*Peter Blake , British pop artist*Peter Blake , New Zealand yachtsman*Peter Blake Scottish-born actor...
, Adrian Henri
Adrian Henri
Adrian Henri was a British poet and painter best remembered as the founder of poetry-rock group The Liverpool Scene and as one of three poets in the best-selling anthology The Mersey Sound, along with Brian Patten and Roger McGough. The trio of Liverpool poets came to prominence in that city's...
, Patrick Hughes
Patrick Hughes
Patrick Hughes may refer to:* Patrick Hughes , British artist* Patrick Hughes , American author* Patrick Hughes , Irish cricketer...
, Gabi Nasemann, Michael Horovitz, Paul Kaplan, John Furnival, Bob Godfrey
Bob Godfrey
Roland Frederick Godfrey is a British animator whose career spans more than fifty years. He is probably best known for the children's cartoon series Roobarb , Noah and Nelly in... SkylArk and Henry's Cat and for the Trio chocolate biscuit advertisements shown in the UK during the early 1980s...
, Pete Morgan
Pete Morgan
Colin Peter Morgan was a British poet, lyricist and television documentary author and presenter.Morgan's career as a poet began in the mid-1950s when he was 16 and living alone in London. He entered the British Army and rose to the rank of infantry platoon commander while serving in West Germany...
, Jeff Nuttall
Jeff Nuttall
Jeff Nuttall was an English poet, publisher, actor, painter, sculptor, jazz trumpeter, anarchist sympathiser and social commentator who was a key part of the British 1960s counter-culture. He was the brother of literary critic A. D. Nuttall.-Life and work:Jeff Nuttall was born in Clitheroe,...
, David Hockney
David Hockney
David Hockney, CH, RA, is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, who is based in Bridlington, Yorkshire and Kensington, London....
and others. It is, among other things, a visual and literary elegy to the culture surrounding association football up to the 1960s, celebrating not only Wolves and its supporters, but also Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Spurs
Spurs
Spurs are tools worn on the heel of a boot, used when riding horses.Spurs can also refer to:* The Chancellor's Spurs, a traveling trophy awarded to the winner of the college football game between Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at Austin...
, and legendary teams from the North. Growing Up: Selected Poems and Pictures, 1951-'79 was published by Allison & Busby
Allison & Busby
Allison & Busby is a British publishing house, set up by Clive Allison and Margaret Busby in 1967. The company has built up a reputation as a leading independent publisher....
in 1979.
In 2007, he published A New Waste Land: Timeship Earth at Nillennium, described by D J Taylor in the Independent as "a deeply felt clarion-call from the radical underground", and by Tom Stoppard
Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and...
as "A true scrapbook and songbook of the grave new world". In January 2011 Horovitz contributed to an eBook collection of political poems entitled Emergency Verse - Poetry in Defence of the Welfare State edited by Alan Morrison
Alan Morrison (poet)
-Overview of works:Morrison's work belongs to no particular school, but owes some debt to fairly unconventional influences such as John Davidson and Harold Monro, as well as Welsh poets Alun Lewis and Dylan Thomas....
.
Horovitz stood for election as Oxford Professor of Poetry
Oxford Professor of Poetry
The chair of Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford is an unusual academic appointment, now held for a term of five years, and chosen through an election open to all members of Convocation, namely, all graduates and current academics of the university; in 2010, on-line voting was allowed....
in 2010, but came second, out of eleven, to Geoffrey Hill
Geoffrey Hill
Geoffrey Hill is an English poet, professor emeritus of English literature and religion, and former co-director of the Editorial Institute, at Boston University. Hill has been considered to be among the most distinguished poets of his generation...
.
Personal life
He was married to the English poet Frances HorovitzFrances Horovitz
Frances Horovitz was an English poet and broadcaster.-Biography:Frances Horovitz was born in London. She was educated at Bristol University and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. As a reader and presenter for the BBC, she acquired a reputation for care of preparation and quality of...
(1938–83); their son Adam Horovitz (b. 1971) is also a poet, performer and journalist.
He is currently fronting the William Blake Klezmatrix band.
Books
- Strangers (with Maria Simon),
- Nude Lines For Larking In Present Night Soho
- High Notes
- Poetry for the people
- Bank Holiday: a New Testament for the Love Generation (1967)
- Love Poems: Nineteen Poems of Love, Lust and Spirit
- The Wolverhampton Wanderer (1971)
- Growing Up: Selected Poems & Pictures 1951-1979 (1979)
- Midsummer Morning Jog Log (with Peter Blake),
- A New Waste Land: Timeship Earth at Nillennium
- Wordsounds and Sightlines: New and Selected Poems (1994)
- Grandchildren of Albion
As editor
- Children of Albion: Poetry of the Underground in Britain, New Departures 1-24 (1969)
- Poetry Olympics Anthologies 1-3
- A celebration of & for Frances Horovitz (1938–1983), 1984
- The POW! (Poetry Olympics Weekend) Anthology
- The POP! (Poetry Olympics Party) Anthology
- The POM! (Poetry Olympics Marathon) Anthology
- The POT! (Poetry Olympics Twenty05) Anthology
- Jeff Nuttall's Wake on Paper: A Keepsake Anthology of the Life, Work and Play of a Polymath Extraordinaire
As translator
- Bartók by Gyula IllyésGyula IllyésGyula Illyés was a Hungarian poet and novelist. He was one of the so called népi writers, named so because they aimed to show – propelled by strong sociological interest and left-wing convictions – the disadvantageous conditions of their native land.-Early life:He was born...
(with Paul Zador), - Poems by Raoul HausmannRaoul HausmannRaoul Hausmann was an Austrian artist and writer. One of the key figures in Berlin Dada, his experimental photographic collages, sound poetry and institutional critiques would have a profound influence on the European Avant-Garde in the aftermath of World War I.-Early biography:Raoul Hausmann was...
- Europa by Anatol SternAnatol SternAnatol Stern was a Polish poet, writer and art critic. Born October 24, 1899 to an assimilated family of Jewish ancestry, Stern studied at the Polish Studies Faculty of the University of Wilno but did not graduate...
(with Stefan Themerson) - The Egghead Republic by Arno Schmidt
- Poems by Andrei Voznesensky (with Richard McKane).
On art
- Alan Davie (1963)
- Michael Horovitz Goes Visual
- Michael Horovitz: Bop Paintings, Collages & Picture-Poems
See also
- Liverpool poetsLiverpool poetsThe Liverpool Poets are a number of influential 1960s poets from Liverpool, England, influenced by 1950s Beat poetry. They were involved in the 1960s Liverpool scene that gave rise to The Beatles, during a time when the city was termed by US beat poet Allen Ginsberg "the centre of the consciousness...
- The Mersey Sound (book)
- United Kingdom Underground
- British Poetry since 1945