Fisher Tull
Biography
Fisher Aubrey "Mickey" Tull (24 September 1934, Waco, Texas – 23 August 1994, Huntsville, Texas) was an American composer, arranger, educator and trumpeter.
Tull spent his entire life in Texas. He attended public schools in Waco, Texas and eventually earned three degrees from the University of North Texas: a B.M. in music education (1956), a M.M. in music theory (1957), and a Ph.D. in music composition (1965). He studied trumpet with John Haynie and composition with Samuel Adler.
Tull entered into serious composition beginning in the early 1960s. His works are generally tonal but harmonically adventurous and rhythmically vigorous, and show a strong influence of Medieval and Renaissance music. His catalog of compositions include over 80 published works for orchestra, band, chorus, and chamber ensemble, although he is known particularly for his works for concert band, brass, and percussion ensemble.
His neo-classical band work Toccata (1969) won the Ostwald Award in 1970, and his highly revered compositions, including Sketches on a Tudor Psalm (1972), are considered staples of band repertoire. Tull was appointed to the faculty of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Tex., in 1957 and chaired the music department from 1965 to 1982.
Works for Winds
- Accolade (1978)
- Antiphon (1970)
- The Binding (1981/1984)
- Centennial Vista (1991)
- Ceremonial Proclamation (1983)
- Chant of the Phoenix (1984)
- Concerto for Piano and Wind Ensemble
- Concerto Grosso for Brass Quintet and Symphonic Band (1985)
- Credo (1974)
- Cryptic Essay (1975)
- Fanfare for Band and Antiphonal Brass (1982)
- The Final Covenant (1979)
- Introit (1983)
- Jargon (1976/1980)
- March for Tripod (1973)
- Nonet (1981)
- A Passing Fantasy (1992)
- Prelude and Double Fugue (1978)
- Reflections on Paris (1973)
- Requiem (1987)
- Rhapsody (1980)
- Saga of the Clouds
- Second Concerto for Trumpet (1972/1974)
- Sketches on a Tudor Psalm (1972)
- Studies in Motion (1975)
- Terpsichore (1969)
- Toccata (1969)
- Two Pieces from Lt. Kije (as arranger) (1934/1971)
- Variations on an Advent Hymn (1962/1973)
Resources
- Byrd, Richard William (1992). "A Stylistic Analysis of the Solo and Chamber Music of Fisher A. Tull." Ph.D. dissertation. Lexington, Kentucky: University of Kentucky.
- Fisher Tull website
- Fisher Tull. Wikipedia. Accessed 23 June 2023
- Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. (2010). Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 1. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 690.