Burt Bacharach wins Polar Prize

Thursday, May 17th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Burt Bacharach, synthesizer pioneer Robert Moog and German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen were awarded the Polar Music Prize for extraordinary musical achievements.

"I am so overwhelmed and happy," the 72-year-old Bacharach was quoted as saying by the Swedish news agency TT after Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the $100,000 prizes to each winner on Monday.

Bacharach, whose songs include such classics as "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," was cited as one of the primary architects of contemporary music. Moog, who helped make electronically generated sounds part of mainstream music, was named for his design of the MiniMoog, the first compact, easy-to-use synthesizer.

Stockhausen, who was born near Cologne, Germany, was recognized for a career that "has been characterized by impeccable integrity and never-ceasing creativity," according to the citation.

The annual prize, endowed by Stikkan Anderson was founded in 1989 to honor exceptional and lifetime achievements that transcend genres and break down musical boundaries. It is usually awarded annually to one popular and one classical musician. Previous winners include Bob Dylan, classical violinist Isaac Stern, Paul McCartney, Elton John and Ravi Shankar.