Wolfgang Rihm

Wolfgang Rihm (born 13 March 1952) is a German composer and academic teacher. He is musical director of the Institute of New Music and Media at the University of Music Karlsruhe and has been composer in residence at the Lucerne Festival and the Salzburg Festival. He was honoured as Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2001. His musical work includes more than 500 works. In 2012, The Guardian wrote: "enormous output and bewildering variety of styles and sounds".

Career

Rihm was born on 13 March 1952, in Karlsruhe. He finished both his school and his studies in music theory and composition at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe with in 1972, two years before the premiere of his early work ''Morphonie'' at the 1974 Donaueschingen Festival launched his career as a prominent figure in the European new music scene. Rihm's early work, combining contemporary techniques with the emotional volatility of Mahler and of Schoenberg's early expressionist period, was regarded by many as a revolt against the avant-garde generation of Boulez, Stockhausen (with whom he studied in 1972–73), and others, and led to a large number of commissions in the following years. From 1973 to 1976 he studied composition with Klaus Huber in Freiburg im Breisgau. Other teachers were Wolfgang Fortner and Humphrey Searle. In the late 1970s and early 1980s his name was associated with the movement called New Simplicity. In 1978 he became an instructor at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse. Since 1985 Rihm has been professor for composition at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. His work still continues to plough expressionist furrows, though the influence of Luigi Nono, Helmut Lachenmann and Morton Feldman, amongst others, has affected his style significantly.

Rihm is an extremely prolific composer, with hundreds of completed scores, a large portion of which are yet to be commercially recorded. (See the List of the compositions of Wolfgang Rihm, in German, or the IRCAM works list, in French). He does not always regard a finished work the last word on a subject—for example the orchestral work ''Ins Offene...'' (1990) was completely rewritten in 1992, and then used as the basis for his piano concerto ''Sphere'' (1994), before the piano part of ''Sphere'' was recast for the solo piano work ''Nachstudie'' (also 1994). (In 2002 Rihm also produced a new version of ''Nachstudie'', ''Sphäre nach Studie'', for harp, two double basses, piano and percussion, and also a new version of ''Sphere'', called ''Sphäre um Sphäre'', for two pianos and chamber ensemble.) Other important works include thirteen string quartets, the operas '' Die Hamletmaschine'' (1983–1986, text by Heiner Müller) and '' Die Eroberung von Mexico'' (1987–1991, based on texts by Antonin Artaud), over twenty song-cycles, the oratorio ''Deus Passus'' (1999–2000) commissioned by the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart, the chamber orchestra piece ''Jagden und Formen'' (1995–2001), more than thirty concertos and a series of related orchestral works bearing the title ''Vers une symphonie fleuve''. The New York Philharmonic premièred Rihm's 2004 commission ''Two Other Movements''. In 2008 Rihm composed ''KOLONOS , 2 Fragments by Hölderlin after Sophokles'' for orchestra and countertenor, premiered in Bad Wildbad with the countertenor Matthias Rexroth.

Invited by Walter Fink, he was the fifth composer featured in the annual Komponistenporträt of the Rheingau Musik Festival in 1995, in two programs of chamber music and Lied, also of Robert Schumann, including his works ''Fremde Szene I'' for piano trio, ''Vier Lieder'' after poems of Paul Celan, ''Klavierstück 7'', ''Klavierstück 6'', ''Das Rot'', six songs after poems of Karoline von Günderrode, ''Antlitz'' for violin and piano, and ''Fremde Szene III''. In 1995 he contributed ''Communio (Lux aeterna)'' to the Requiem of Reconciliation. He received an honorary doctorate of the Free University of Berlin in 1998. In 2003 he received the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize.

In March 2010 the BBC Symphony Orchestra featured the music of Rihm in one of their 'total immersion' weekends at the Barbican Centre, London. Recordings from this weekend were used for three 'Hear and Now' programmes on BBC Radio 3 dedicated to his work. On 27 July 2010, Rihm's opera ''Dionysos'', based on Nietzsche’s late cycle of poems '' Dionysian-Dithyrambs'', had its world premiere at the Salzburg Festival, conducted by Ingo Metzmacher, and designed by Jonathan Meese. This performance was voted World Premiere of the Year (Uraufführung des Jahres) for 2010/11 by Opernwelt magazine. He revised his ''Gegenstück'' (2006) for bass saxophone, percussion and piano, premiered by Trio Accanto on 16 August 2010 to celebrate the 80th birthday of Walter Fink. Anne-Sophie Mutter premiered his violin concerto ''Lichtes Spiel'' (Light Games) in Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic on 18 November 2010.

Awards

* 1978 Kranichstein Music Prize
* 1978 Reinhold Schneider Prize of the City of Freiburg
* 1981 Beethoven Prize of the City of Bonn
* 1986 Rolf Liebermann Prize for his opera ''The Hamlet Machine''
* 1997 Musical Composition Prize from The Prince Pierre Foundation
* 1998 Jacob Burckhardt Prize from the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Foundation
* 2000 Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
* 2001 Royal Philharmonic Society Award for the work ''Hunts and Forms'' (Jagden und Formen)
* 2001 Officer of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
* 2003 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize
* 2004 Medal of Merit from the State of Baden-Württemberg
* 2012 Pour le Mérite
* 2014 Grand Cross of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany
* 2014 Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art
* 2014 Robert Schumann Prize for Poetry and Music
* 2017 European Church Music Prize
* 2018 Foundation Prize of the Ecumenical Foundation for the Bible and Culture
* 2019 German Music Authors' Prize (Lifetime achievement)

Honorary doctorates

* 1998 Free University of Berlin

Memberships

* 1983 Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste
* 1986 Academy of Arts, Berlin
* 1996 Deutsche Akademie für Sprache und Dichtung, Darmstadt
* 2000 Freie Akademie der Künste Hamburg
* European Academy of Sciences and Arts

Notable students

Works

Stage works

*''Faust und Yorick'' (1976)
*'' Jakob Lenz'' (1977–1978)
*'' Die Hamletmaschine'' (1983–1986)
*''Oedipus'' (1986–1987)
*'' Die Eroberung von Mexico'' (1987–1991)
*'' Séraphin'' (1993–1994)
*''Dionysos'' (2009–2010)

Orchestral works

*''Form / 2 Formen'' (second state)
*''Gejagte Form'' (first version)
*''Gejagte Form'' (second version)
*''IN-SCHRIFT'' (1995)
*''Ernster Gesang'' (1996)
*''Jagden und Formen''
*''Jagden und Formen'' (state 2008)
*Symphony No. 1, Op. 3
*Symphony No. 2 (first and last movement)
*''Sub-Kontur'' for large orchestra
*''Vers une symphonie fleuve I–IV''
*''IN-SCHRIFT 2'' (2013)

Concertante

*Violin
**''Gesungene Zeit''
**''Lichtes Spiel''
**''COLL'ARCO''
*Viola
**Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
**Concerto for Viola and Orchestra No. 2
*Violoncello
**''Konzert in einem Satz''
**''Monodram''
**''Styx und Lethe''
**''Concerto en Sol'' (2018)
*String quartet
**"CONCERTO"
*Clarinet
**''Musik für Klarinette und Orchester''
*Oboe
**''Musik für Oboe und Orchester''
*Bassoon
**''Psalmus''
*Trumpet
**''Gebild''
**''Marsyas, Rhapsodie für Trompete mit Schlagzeug und Orchester''
*Trombone
**''Canzona per sonare''
*Piano
**''Sphere''
*Harp
**''Die Stücke des Sängers''
*Organ
**''Unbenannt IV''

Chamber Works

*''Chiffre-Zyklus''
**Chiffre I (1982)
**Nach-Schrift (eine Chriffre) (1982/2004)
**Silence to be beaten (Chiffre II) (1983)
**Chiffre III (1983)
**Chiffre IV (1983/84)
**Chiffre V (1984)
**Bild (eine Chiffre) (1984)
**Chiffre VI (1984)
**Chiffre VII (1985)
**Chiffre VIII (1985/88)

String quartet

*''Grave''
*''Quartettstudie''
*String Quartet No. 1
*String Quartet No. 2
*String Quartet No. 3
*String Quartet No. 4
*String Quartet No. 5
*String Quartet No. 6
*String Quartet No. 7
*String Quartet No. 8
*String Quartet No. 9
*String Quartet No. 10
*String Quartet No. 11
*String Quartet No. 12
*String Quartet No. 13

Vocal works

*Voice and orchestra
**''Fünf Abgesangsszenen''
**''Drei späte Gedichte von Heiner Müller''
**''Ernster Gesang mit Lied''
**''Frau / Stimme''
**'' Hölderlin-Fragmente''
**''Lenz-Fragmente''
**''Penthesilea Monolog''
**''Rilke: Vier Gedichte''

Voice and piano

*''Gesänge'', Op. 1 (1968–71)
**"Untergang" ( Georg Trakl)
**"Geistliche Dämmerung" (Trakl)
**"Hälfte des Lebens" (Friedrich Hölderlin)
**"Hochsommerbann" (Oskar Loerke)
**"Abend" (August Stramm)
**"Patrouille" (Stramm)
**"Kriegsgrab" (Stramm)
**"Sturmangriff" (Stramm)
**"Lied" (Stefan George)
**"Frühling" ( Franz Büchler)
**"Verzweifelt" (Stramm)
**"Robespierre" (Georg Heym)
**"Vorfrühling" (Reiner Maria Rilke)
*''Vier Gedichte aus " Atemwende"'' (Paul Celan) (1973)
*''Alexanderlieder'' (1975/76) for Mezzo-soprano, Baritone & 2 Pianos. ( Ernst Herbeck)
*''Hölderlin-Fragmente'' (1976/77) piano version
*''Neue Alexanderlieder'' (1979) (Herbeck) for baritone
*''Lenz-Fragmente'' (1980) for tenor
*''Wölfli-Liederbuch'' (1980/81) bass-baritone & piano, with optional episodes for 2 bass drums (orch. version 1982)
*''Das Rot'' ( Karoline von Gunderrode) (1990)
*''Vier Gedichte von Peter Härtling'' (1993)
*''Drei Gedichte von Monique Thoné'' (1997)
*''Apokryph'' (1997) (deathbed words attributed to Georg Büchner)
*''Nebendraußen'' (1998) (Hermann Lenz)
*''Ende der Handschrift. Elf späte Gedichte von Heiner Müller'' (1999)
*''Rilke: 4 Gedichte'' (2000)
*''Sechs Gedichte von Friedrich Nietzsche'' (2001)
*''Lavant-Gesänge'' (2000–01). Fünf Gedichte von Christine Lavant
*''Brentano-Phantasie'' (2002) (Clemens Brentano)
*''Eins und doppelt'' (2004). Fünf Lieder aus dem Zwielicht, für Bariton und Klavier.
**Abendempfindung ( Arnim)
**Gingo biloba (Goethe)
**Dämmrung senkte sich von oben (Goethe)
**Ausgang ( Fontane)
**Worte sind der Seele Bild (Goethe)
*''Drei Hölderlin-Gedichte'' (2004)
**Abbitte
**Hälfte des Lebens
**An Zimmern
*''2 Sprüche'' (2005) (Friedrich Schiller)
*''Heine zu "Seraphine" (2006). Sieben Gedichte von Heinrich Heine''
*''Goethe-Lieder'' (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 30'), 2004–07
#An Zelter
#Gingo biloba
#Dämerung senkte sich von oben
#Worte sind der Seele Bild
#Phänomen
#Selige Sehnsucht
#Parabase
#Lebensgenuss
#Höchste Gunst
#Heut und ewig
#Aus "Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahren"
#Willst du dir ein gut Leben zimmern
#An Zelter
*''Wortlos'' (2007)
*''Vier Späte Gedichte von Friedrich Rückert'' baritone, 2008
*''Zwei Gedichte von Joseph Eichendorff'' (2009)
*''Zwei kleine Lieder'' (Eduard Mörike, 2009)
*''Auf dem See'' for tenor (or high baritone) and piano 10’' (Conrad Ferdinand Meyer)

Choral works

*Choir a cappella
**''Sieben Passions-Texte''
*Choir with orchestra or ensemble
**''Deus Passus''
**''Astralis''
**'' Et Lux'' (2015 ECM Records)
**''Vigilia''

Solo instruments

*Über die Linie (violoncello)
*Über die Linie VII (violin)

Piano solo

*''Auf einem anderen Blatt''
*''Brahmsliebewalzer''
*Klavierstücke nos. 1–7 1970–80
*Ländler 1979
*''Nachstudie''
*''Zwiesprache'' 1999

Organ solo

*Drei Fantasien

Writings

*
*
*

References

Further reading

*
*
continued on page 43.
*
*

External links

*


on The Living Composers Project, worklist

Wolfgang Rihm
on the Universal Edition website

Interview with Rihm
Ensemble Sospeso, New York
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*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rihm, Wolfgang
1952 births
Living people
20th-century classical composers
21st-century classical composers
German opera composers
Male opera composers
Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Musicians from Karlsruhe
Members of the Academy of Arts, Berlin
Members of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts
Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (civil class)
Pupils of Karlheinz Stockhausen
Pupils of Wolfgang Fortner
German male classical composers
20th-century German composers
Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Recipients of the Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg
Ernst von Siemens Music Prize winners
String quartet composers
Composers for piano
21st-century German composers
Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe alumni
Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe faculty
Hochschule für Musik Freiburg alumni
20th-century German male musicians
21st-century German male musicians