Home » Composers » Robert Cuckson

Robert Cuckson

Robert Cuckson (born 1942, Pontypridd, UK) emigrated in 1949 with his family to Australia, where he grew up in a musical world dominated by refugees from Central Europe, the commitment of whom to the first wave of Modernism inspired his first efforts. After studies in England (1962-68) with Ilona Kabos (piano) and Peter Racine Fricker (composition), he moved to the US, studying composition, at the Mannes College of Music in New York with Peter Pindar Stearns, and with Yehudi Wyner at Yale University (DMA 1978.) He has taught Theory, Keyboard Studies and Composition at Mannes since 1972; he taught Counterpoint and Keyboard Studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 1991 to 2017. He was a founding faculty member of the Atlantic Music Festival (2009-2017).

His two hundred compositions have certain technical approaches at their core but range widely in style and medium. They include three operas on texts of Michel de Ghelderode, orchestral works including ten concerti, chamber and vocal works of various dimensions, piano and other solo works.

In 2009 he was named composer in residence at The Marlboro Festival. His work “Der gayst funem shturem” [‘The Spirit of the Storm’], a group of songs for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble on Yiddish texts by Binem Heller, was taken on tour by Musicians from Marlboro and included in the commemorative CD: “Live from the Marlboro Festival.”

He and his wife, May Cuckson, have lived in New York since 1969. Their daughter is the violinist, Miranda Cuckson.

Photo © J. Henry Fair.

Keyboard Solo & Duet

Amoretti (1975)

piano - 7'20"

Ancestral Voices (2025)

piano - 7'

Antinomia (2001)

1. Blue Fire; 2. Antique Bronze; 3. Painted Caverns; 4. Rare Earths; 5. Derelict Gardens; 6. Rotating Crystals; 7. Tardy Pendulum; 8. Red Chariot.

Capriccio on a Theme by Benjamin Britten (1994)

piano - 6'15"

The Winding Alleyway - Willows and Squirrels - Old-time Paris – Spiders - The Windjammers

D'après Baudelaire (2018)

Les Bijoux; Le Cygne; Remords posthume; Harmonie du Soir; Les Hiboux.

piano - 14'10"

Listen to a sample clip

D’après Baudelaire (excerpt) – Thomas Sauer (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 23 November 2020.

Fin de Journée (2022)

piano - 8'25"

Flat Land (2016)

piano - 7'33"

Listen to a sample clip

Flat Land - George Fisher (piano). Recorded at the Martin Patrych Memorial Studio, New York, 2018.

Flotsam and Jetsam (2017)

The Winding Alleyway - Willows and Squirrels - Old-time Paris – Spiders - The Windjammers

piano - 13'40"

Listen to a sample clip

Flotsam and Jetsam (excerpt) - Haodong Wu (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 19 May 2022.

Four Preludes (1999)

piano - 15'50"

From Paul Klee (1970)

piano - 9'44"

Fuga a 4 Voci (1978)

organ - 5'20"

Listen to a sample clip

Fuga a 4 Voci - excerpt (digital realisation)

Harbst (2002)

piano - 8'

Listen to a sample clip

Harbst (excerpt) - Mei-Ting Sun (piano). Recorded at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, 10 November 2003.

Hommage à Leivick (2015)

piano duet - 12'14"

Natures Mortes (2017)

piano - 14'34"

Objets de Vertu (2019)

piano - 7'25"

Listen to a sample clip

Objets de Vertu - Haodong Wu (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 23 April 2022.

Oisiveté (2022)

piano - 4'35"

Parole Musicali (2018)

La Chiarezza (clarity); La Leggierezza (lightness); La Morbidezza (smoothness); La Vaghezza (charm); La Dolcezza (softness); Il Delirio (delirium).

piano - 10'25"

Listen to a sample clip

Parole Musicali (excerpt) - Thomas Sauer (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 23 November 2020.

Pastorale (1980)

piano - 4'23"

Pensées Fugaces (2019)

piano - 11'42"

Listen to a sample clip

Pensées Fugaces (excerpt) - Haodong Wu (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 25 May 2022.

Pfitzner Variations (1980)

piano - 12'06"

Listen to a sample clip

Pfitzner Variations (excerpt) – Haodong Wu (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 30 July 2024.

Piano Sonata No.1 (1966)

piano - 11'30"

Piano Sonata No.2 (1977)

piano - 10'10"

Postcards from Barcelona (2025)

piano - 4'

Postcards from Dublin (2025)

piano - 6'

Praeludium (2025)

piano - 3'

September Diary (2019)

piano - 13'

Listen to a sample clip

September Diary (excerpt) - Thomas Sauer (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 23 May 2021.

Six Pieces for Piano (2011)

piano - 6'05"

Listen to a sample clip

Six Pieces for Piano (excerpt) - Blair McMillen (piano)

Trope: Agnus Dei (1975)

organ - 3'48"

Listen to a sample clip

Trope: Agnus Dei - excerpt

Year End Diary (2020)

piano - 26'30"

Other Instrumental Solo & Duo

A Word of Warning (2005)

trombone - 4'

Boat of Ra (2014)

violin and piano - 5'45"

Listen to a sample clip

Boat of Ra (excerpt) - Miranda Cuckson (violin) and Blair McMillen (piano)

Bricolage (2018)

Balance Beam – Hand Drum – Pas de Deux – Wind in Nepal – Bush Riders – All things Bright

2 violins - 10'40"

Listen to a sample clip

Bricolage (excerpt) - Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Capriccio (2005)

guitar - 8'40"

Listen to a sample clip

Capriccio (excerpt)

Capriccio (2012)

violin - 6'24"

Listen to a sample clip

Capriccio (excerpt) - Miranda Cuckson (violin)

Carignane Variation (2012)

bassoon and piano - 1'10"

Concerto for Saxophone, with Piano (1987)

saxophone and piano - 21'30"

De Rerum Natura (2005)

flute and violin - 11'30"

Divertimento (2017)

violin and cello - 8'45"

Listen to a sample clip

Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds (excerpt)

Duets for Two Guitars (1977)

two guitars - 13'

Listen to a sample clip

Duets for Two Guitars - I and II (digital realisation)

Duo (1973)

oboe and viola - 5'30"

Epitaph (2013)

two flutes - 2'10"

Eshel Yehuda (2000)

trombone and electronics - 6'30"

Et Ades sera l'Alba (1997)

recorder and lute - 12'

Fantasia on a Song by Frederick Delius (2012)

viola and piano - 8'15"

Listen to a sample clip

Fantasia on a Song by Frederick Delius (excerpt)

Fantasy on a Theme of Gustav Holst (2004)

trombone and harp - 13'15"

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Fantasy on a Theme of Gustav Holst (excerpt) - Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Five Jewish Airs (1995)

1. Mama si yo mimuero; 2. Etz Chayim; 3. Emechoh Nososi; 4. Chabad Rikud; 5. Ashre ayin ver hot dos gezen.

cello and piano - 9'50"

Listen to a sample clip

Five Jewish Airs – mvts I, II, III, IV - Peter Sachon (cello), Ariel Halevy (piano). Live performance at The Mannes College of Music, New York, 26 January 1997.

Harp Duets (2020)

2 harps - 7'45"

Hommage à Couperin (2002)

cello (or trombone) and vibraphone - 14'30"

Introduction and Rondo (1983)

violin and piano - 9'45"

Lady Penelope's Web (1975)

guitar - 9'15"

Listen to a sample clip

Lady Penelope’s Web - excerpt (digital realisation)

Lament for a Young Poet (1990)

shinobue - 5'13"

Lines from Vergil (2022)

flute and piano - 7'

Listen to a sample clip

Lines from Vergil (excerpt) - David Ordovskiy (flute) and Haodong Wu (piano)

Little Suite (2019)

vibraphone and cello - 6'50"

Mauvais Ton (2014)

clarinet in B flat and harpsichord - 4'20"

Melody (1988, rev. 2011)

violin and piano - 8'

Mobiles (2010)

violin and piano - 9'30"

Listen to a sample clip

Mobiles (excerpt) - computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds.

Prelude and Allegro (2024)

clarinet and piano - 6'25"

Listen to a sample clip

Prelude and Allegro (excerpt) - Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Prologos (2012)

clarinet - 3'40"

Listen to a sample clip

Prologos - Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Quetzalcoatl (2004)

flute and violin - 5'30"

Listen to a sample clip

Quetzalcoatl - flute and violin (excerpt)

Quetzalcoatl (2008)

flute and viola - 5'30"

Rhapsody for Clarinet and Piano (2002)

clarinet and piano - 9'12"

Rhapsody No.1 (2004)

violin - 9'20"

Listen to a sample clip

Rhapsody No.1 (excerpt) - Miranda Cuckson (violin). North River Music, Greenwich House, New York – Music of Robert Cuckson, 25 January 2007.

Rhapsody No.2 (2007)

violin - 10'10"

Listen to a sample clip

Rhapsody No.2 (excerpt) - Miranda Cuckson (violin). North River Music, Greenwich House, New York, 7 February 2008.

Romance No.1 (1962)

viola and piano - 6'50"

Romance No.2 (2008)

viola and piano - 3'

Round (2024)

flute and clarinet - 2'20"

Shprikhverter (1997)

trombone and piano - 8'30"

Sonata for Cello and Piano (2016)

cello and piano - 15'

Listen to a sample clip

Sonata for Cello and Piano (excerpt) - Sophie Shao (cello) and Thomas Sauer (piano)

Sonata for Trombone and Piano (1996)

trombone and piano - 22'

Sonata for Violin and Piano (1978)

violin and piano - 22'30"

The Ballad of Camden Town (2012)

flute - 6'15"

Listen to a sample clip

The Ballad of Camden Town (excerpt)

The Secret Flower (1991)

violin and viola - 7'15"

Listen to a sample clip

Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds (excerpt)

Three Dances (2004)

1. Jungle Dance; 2. Mazurka; 3. Gigue.

marimba - 9'28"

Listen to a sample clip

Three Dances (excerpt) - computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds.

Three Polish Dances (2002)

Baroque flute and guitar - 11'

Three Polish Dances (2007)

flute and violin - 11'

Wozzeck Fantasy (2003)

timpani - 5'20"

Listen to a sample clip

Wozzeck Fantasy (excerpt)

Orchestral

Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea (2023)

orchestra - 7'20"

Caesar at Ravenna (2022)

orchestra - 9'

Cello Concerto (1998 / rev. 2008)

cello and orchestra - 28'30"

Chaconne for Small Orchestra (1969)

orchestra - 5'40"

Concertino for Trombone and String Orchestra (2009)

trombone and string orchestra - 11'10"

Concertino for Trumpet and String Orchestra (2016)

trumpet and string orchestra - 9'

Concerto for Saxophone, with Orchestra (1987)

saxophone and orchestra - 21'30"

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (2016)

violin and orchestra - 21'

Fantasia Concertante for Two Violins (1979 / rev. 2009)

two violins and orchestra - 25'30"

Guitar Concerto (2006)

guitar and orchestra - 15'

Harbst (2010 - 2013)

orchestra - 7'50"

Isis Queen of Heaven (2020)

orchestra - 17'30"

Overture to a Yiddish Drama (2021)

orchestra - 11'10"

Overture to Euripedes's 'The Bacchae' (1971)

orchestra - 10'

Piano Concerto (2012)

piano and orchestra - 23'

Positano (2024)

orchestra - 5'

Postcards from Provence (2019)

orchestra - 14'

Rhapsody for Viola and Chamber Orchestra (2004)

viola and chamber orchestra - 14'

Serenade for Small Orchestra (2021)

orchestra - 24'20"

Three Polish Legends (2000 / 2007)

1. The Woman in the Panama Hat; 2. Zamek w nocy (Castle by Night); 3. Jan Sobieski

orchestra - c. 27'

Variations for Orchestra (1972)

orchestra - 19'

Zumernakht in Lemberik (2017)

orchestra - 9'

Large Ensemble

Intermezzo for Trombone and Double Quintet (2001)

trombone, string quintet and woodwind quintet - 10'37"

La Joie de Vivre (1971 / rev. 1997)

string orchestra - 8'10"

Lines from Vergil (2021)

flute and string orchestra - 13'30"

Musica Mundana (2022)

harp and string orchestra - 5'20"

Triple Quintet for Strings, Winds and Brass (1996)

strings, winds and brass - 36'40"

Chamber

Carmina Populi (2010)

flute, clarinet, vibraphone and cello (or double bass) - 9'15"

Listen to a sample clip

Carmina Populi - excerpt - David Ordovsky (flute), Ashlée Miller (clarinet), Maiko Hosoda (vibraphone), Zexun Shen (cello), Edward Poll (conductor). Live performance at The Mannes College of Music, New York, 24 November 2013.

Contrapuncti I (2019)

string quartet -15'

Listen to a sample clip

Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds (excerpt)

Contrapuncti II (2021)

string quartet - 9'30"

D'après Mozart K. 522 (2024)

brass quintet - 6'05"

Divertimento (2019)

1. Allegro; 2. Romanza; 3. Alla Bulgarese; 4. Variations

string trio - 8'45"

Listen to a sample clip

Divertimento (excerpt) - Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Drift (2019)

flute, clarinet, violin, cello and percussion - 7'50"

Listen to a sample clip

Drift (excerpt) - computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Fantasmes (2024)

string quartet - 12'16"

From Willem de Kooning (2006)

1. "Door to the River" (1960); 2. "Untitled" (1984); 3. "Excavation" (1950)

flute, violin and percussion - 16'45"

Listen to a sample clip

From Willem de Kooning (excerpt) - Christoph Bösch (flute), Miranda Cuckson (violin), Matthew Gold (percussion). North River Music, Greenwich House, New York – Music of Robert Cuckson, 25 January 2007.

Hommage à Baudelaire (2015)

cello quartet - 9'10"

Hommage à Ducasse (2016)

string quartet - 8'30"

Listen to a sample clip

Hommage à Ducasse (excerpt) - computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds.

Hommage à Rimbaud (2012)

flute quartet - 10'40"

Hommage à Sutzkever (2016)

piano and wind quintet - 8'50"

La Voie Sacrée (2016)

wind quintet - 7'10"

Listen to a sample clip

La Voie Sacrée - Var. II, III and IV - David Ordovsky (flute), Chanmi Kim (oboe), Louis Arques (clarinet), Xiaoxiao Ann Yuan (bassoon), William Bard (horn). Live performance at The Mannes College of Music, New York, 10 February 2018.

Maquettes (2012)

piano quintet - 9'10"

Naiu (1977)

piccolo, harp and percussion - 5'35"

Overtura (1981)

guitar octet - 9'50"

Pampinea (2020)

string quartet -13'10"

Listen to a sample clip

Pampinea (excerpt) - Computer rendering with Sibelius Sounds

Partita for Brass Quintet (2008)

brass quintet - 10'50"

Listen to a sample clip

Partita for Brass Quintet (excerpt) – Anne-Marie Cherry (horn), Philippe Brunet (trumpet), Aaron Kahn (trumpet), Henry Van Engen (trombone), Peter Blaga (tuba). The Atlantic Music Festival, Waterville, ME, 30 July 2013.

Persian Miniatures (2009)

Promenade I; 2. Spring in Mazandaran; 3. Desert Demons: "Dewistan"; 4. Autumn in Mazandaran; 5. Snow in the Alborz; 6. Promenade II; 7. Genghis Khan; 8. Court Dance: "Kereshme"; 9. Wondrous Fish; 10. Promenade III.

2 clarinets in B flat and bass clarinet - 12'

Listen to a sample clip

Persian Miniatures – mvts I, II, III, IV, V - Benjamin Fingland, Vasko Dukovski (clarinets), Marianne Gythfeldt (bass clarinet). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 6 September 2016.

Piano Quintet (1995)

1. Stain; 2. Grid; 3. Ideogram; 4. Grey.

piano and string quartet - 19'05"

Listen to a sample clip

Piano Quintet – mvts I, II - Hiroko Yajima, Serena Canin (violins), Misha Amory (viola), Wilhelmina Smith (cello), Thomas Sauer (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 21 December 2004.

Piano Trio (1992)

piano, violin and cello - 28'30"

Listen to a sample clip

Piano Trio – mvts I, II - Hiroko Yajima (violin), Wilhelmina Smith (cello), Thomas Sauer (piano). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 21 December 2004.

Pieces for String Trio (2014)

string trio - 10'

Quintet for Bassoon and String Quartet (2010)

bassoon and string quartet - 12'

Quintet for Trombone and String Quartet (1999)

trombone and string quartet - 23'30"

Reichenfels (2017)

piano quintet - 9'25"

Septet for Winds (1988)

wind septet - 19'10"

String Quartet (1982, rev. 2003, 2011)

string quartet - 17'10"

Listen to a sample clip

String Quartet (excerpt) - Miranda Cuckson (violin), Keats Dieffenbach (violin), Daniel Panner (viola), Gregory Hesselink (cello). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 2012.

String Trio (1970)

string trio - 15'45"

String Trio No.2 (2005)

string trio - 15'40"

Listen to a sample clip

String Trio No.2 (excerpt) - Miranda Cuckson (violin), Daniel Panner (viola), Sophie Shao (cello). Recorded at Oktaven Studios, New York, 2013.

The Ballad of the Desert (1998)

guitar trio - 11'

Listen to a sample clip

The Ballad of the Desert (excerpt) – Mariano Aguirre, Carlo Valte and Srdan Berdovic (guitars). Recorded at The Mannes School of Music, New York, 2001.

Two Pieces for Guitar Quartet (1996)

guitar quartet - 4'20"

Two Romances (2000)

trumpet, violin and piano - 13'

Variations for Three Bass Instruments (2017)

bass clarinet, bassoon and bass trombone - 11'15"

Listen to a sample clip

Variations for Three Bass Instruments (excerpt) - Nicke Walshe (bass clarinet), Julian Clement (bassoon), Tanner Jackson (bass trombone). Recorded at The Atlantic Music Festival, 21 July 2017.

Wind Quintet (1960)

wind quintet - 3'30"

Wind Quintet after Alban Berg (2021)

wind quintet - 7'

Vocal

Der gayst funem shturem (2003)

'The Spirit of the Storm'

Yiddish song cycle on texts by Binem Heller, for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, horn, harp and string quintet - 15'

Listen to a sample clip

Mvts I, II, III & IV - Jennifer Johnson (mezzo-soprano), Sarah Beaty (clarinet), Sivan Magen (harp), Ida Levin (violin), Yonah Zur (violin), Beth Guterman (viola), Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir (cello), Zachary Cohen (double bass). Live performance at the Gardner Museum, Boston, 01 August 2009.