The CMR Spotlight
Dr. Peter Wolfe
When one considers Dr. Peter Wolfe's impressive output of MIDI sequences, two things become immediately apparent: (1) that Peter is a perfectionist, and (2) that no technical challenge is too great for him. I learned this first-hand when I first heard a draft of his sequence of Ravel's Alborado del gracioso. When I asked him why he hadn't yet submitted such an incredible-sounding sequence for online presentation, Peter claimed that he wasn't quite finished fussing over it. Fortunately, he approved the editing of the final version some two weeks later. I also learned that Peter works at an astonishing pace. Partly in jest, I suggested that he next try his hand at Ravel's Scarbo, one of the most fiendishly difficult pieces in the entire piano literature. When Peter responded that he would give it a try, I also assumed he was only half-serious. However, within one month, he submitted a finished version of Scarbo that rivals any recording currently available. This story becomes even more remarkable when one realizes that Peter Wolfe works full-time as a physician in Los Angeles.
Like most of us, he started piano lessons as a child, and despite this, grew to love classical music. His music making from the very beginning was rooted in history: he studied with the late Gladys Stewart (who died last year at the age of 86), whose teachers at the Ithaca Conservatory of Music had studied with Theodore Leschititzky, who in turn was a student of Franz Liszt. Continuing his education at Harvard College, Peter studied harmony with Elliott Forbes. He relates:"Forbes seemed genuinely interested in the horrible voice-leading errors I would make in chorale harmonization exercises." In spite of the promise Peter unknowingly demonstrated as a composer of avant garde music, he nevertheless came to the conclusion that, for him, medicine was a more realistic career choice.
He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1979. Tiring of snow, he moved to Los Angeles, where he did his internship, internal medicine residency, and infectious diseases fellowship at the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center of West Los Angeles. He is now an Associate Clinical Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine, and is actively involved in clinical research and treatment for HIV infection and AIDS.
In addition to his musical and medical interests, Dr. Wolfe has a strong interest in Brazilian culture. He is currently pursuing an MA in Brazilian literature at UCLA, and spent a month in Brazil last year traveling, practicing his Portuguese on startled natives, and listening to Brazilian folk music.
His many MIDI sequences include works by Hummel, Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel and William Bolcom. His sequences are produced with a Korg 01/W and MOTU's Performer software on a PowerPC 8100/80. Current projects include various late Romantic period composers, especially Charles Alkan, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Leopold Godowsky, Charles Tomlinson Griffes, and Alexander Scriabin.