Willson Osborne

Who was Willson Osborne?

Willson Osborne was an American composer.

After completing the undergraduate program in composition and music theory at the University of Michigan, Osborne was a student of Paul Hindemith at Yale University. Osborne was, like his mentor, a neoclassical composer. He taught music theory and composition at Philadelphia's New School of Music. Osborne's work remains little-known except for his Rhapsody, which is the most frequently-performed work in the literature for unaccompanied bassoon, and in an adapted version is also popular as a recital piece for the clarinet. The Rhapsody, originally written in 1952 as "Study for Bassoon", came into the public notice after being recorded by noted Philadelphia Orchestra bassoonist Sol Schoenbach and broadcast on WNYC during a special contemporary American music feature. Despite the success of this piece, little has been written about Osborne or his work.

In addition to the Rhapsody, Osborne wrote several solo piano pieces, chamber pieces for brass ensembles, and works for a cappella mixed choir, and also arranged and harmonized several other works. His last published original composition was a 1965 piano solo, "The Quiet Sons"; though he continued to write, the later works remain unpublished.