The ALEA Ensemble is a chamber music ensemble founded in 1988 in

Graz Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...

for contemporary music, playing in variable formation including the ALEA Quartet.

History

The ensemble was founded in 1988 by composer and conductor

Gerhard Präsent Gerhard Präsent (born 21 June 1957) is an Austrian composer, conductor and academic teacher. Professional career Born in Graz, Präsent studied from 1976 at the Musikhochschule Graz, composition with Iván Erőd and conducting with Milan Horv ...

and his wife, violinist Sigrid Präsent.Alea Quartett
music information center austria The name is derived from the

aleatoric Aleatoricism (or aleatorism) is a term for musical compositions and other forms of art resulting from "actions made by chance". The term was first used "in the context of electro-acoustics and information theory" to describe "a course of sound ...

composition style, but can also be applied for variable combination of instruments for different works, such as the ALEA Quartet. The ensemble performs

contemporary music Contemporary music is whatever music is produced at the current time. Specifically, it could refer to: Genres or audiences * Adult contemporary music * British contemporary R&B * Christian adult contemporary * Christian contemporary hit radio * Con ...

, frequently in combination with traditional repertory. They played and recorded the second and third string quartet by

Iván Erőd Iván Erőd ( ; 2 January 1936 – 24 June 2019; sometimes spelled ''Eröd'') was a Hungarian-Austrian composer and pianist. Educated in Budapest, he emigrated to Austria in 1956, where he studied at the Vienna Music Academy. He was successful ...

, string quartets by

, and the second to fourth string quartet by Herbert Blendinger.Alea Quartett Discography
music information center austria The ALEA ensemble has performed at festivals in Austria, such as "Österreich heute" (Austria today) and "Hörgänge" (Paths of listening/hearing ducts) in the

Wiener Konzerthaus The Konzerthaus is a concert hall located in Vienna, Austria, which opened in 1913. It is situated in the third district just at the edge of the first district in Vienna. Since it was founded it has always tried to emphasise both traditional and ...

, "Judenburger Musiksommer" in

Judenburg Judenburg (; ) is a historic town in Styria, Austria. It is the administrative centre of the Murtal District, Murtal district, which was created on 1 January 2012 from the former Judenburg (district), Judenburg District and former Knittelfeld D ...

Carinthischer Sommer The Carinthian Summer is a music and cultural festival in the Austrian province of Carinthia. It was founded in 1969 in Ossiach

Ossiach Ossiach () is a municipality in the Feldkirchen District in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The small settlement is mainly known for Ossiach Abbey. Geography It is located at the southern shore of Lake Ossiach, on the slope of the small ''Ossia ...

and

styriarte Styriarte (also written styriarte) is an annual summer festival of classical music in Graz and Styria, Austria, established in 1985. It is focused on Early music, Baroque music and music of the Classical period. Intended to showcase the work of Ni ...

. They have performed internationally at the festival "Nuovi Spazi Musicali" at the Forum Austriaco ( Austrian Cultural Forum) in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, "Musik-Forum München" in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

,Programm
Musik-Forum München Studio für neue Musik, Tonkünstlerverband München, 2 May 2011 the "Lutoslawski Festival" in

Lublin Lublin is List of cities and towns in Poland, the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the centre of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin i ...

, at the "Oaarwurm"-Festival in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

and at the Austrian Cultural Forum in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

as well as

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Their 2007 CD "Klassik meets Jazz" was reviewed in 2008 by Tim Homfray in "

The Strad ''The Strad'' is a UK-based monthly classical music magazine about string instrumentsprincipally the violin, viola, cello, and double bassfor amateur and professional musicians. Founded in 1889, the magazine provides information, photographs and ...

": "Berndt Luefs ''At Nightfall'' and ''La Carretera'' are attractive and elegantly played; his ''Sonntag in der Kleinstadt'' for violin and vibraphone has Sigrid Präsent enjoying herself. ..Iván Eröd's solo-violin GeburtstagsPRÄSENT a birthday present to Gerhard Präsent) played with assured simplicity by Sigrid is followed by his Third String Quartet of 2003. This is a powerful and concentrated work, which the ALEA plays with tonal intensity and rhythmic vitality. ... Gerhard Präsent's own ''Canzona'' op.50 for violin and cello has a similar expressive economy. Here cellist Christian Peyr joins Sigrid Präsent for a performance particularly notable for the plaintive dialogue of the beautiful third movement Aria."Alea Quartett Presse
music information center austria Their performances have been broadcast by the

ORF ORF or Orf may refer to: * Norfolk International Airport, IATA airport code ORF * Observer Research Foundation, an Indian research institute * One Race Films, a film production company founded by Vin Diesel * Open reading frame, a portion of the g ...

and by the

Bayerischer Rundfunk (; "Bavarian Broadcasting"), shortened to BR (), is a public broadcasting, public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, capital city of the Bavaria, Free State of Bavaria in Germany. BR is a member organization of the ARD (b ...

. A concert at the Musik-Forum München, Studio für neue Musik (studio for new music) was played by Sigrid Präsent (violin), Tobias Stosiek (cello) and Rita Melem (piano), and moderated by Gerhard Präsent. The program included

piano trio A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in European classical music, classical chamber music. The term can also ...

s of

(''Trio intricato''), Herbert Blendinger (''Fantasie in G''),

Graham Waterhouse Graham Waterhouse (born 2 November 1962) is an English composer and cellist who specializes in chamber music. He has composed a cello concerto, '' Three Pieces for Solo Cello'' and '' Variations for Cello Solo'' for his own instrument, and str ...

(''Bei Nacht'') and

(''Trio''). It was broadcast on 19 August 2011 in the series "Concerto bavarese" (Bavarian concert). From 1993 to 2009 the ensemble performed preferentially as string quartet (also with additional piano), from 2010 to today mostly as string trio (two violins, cello), also with possible piano. The present line-up consists of Sigrid Präsent and Igmar Jenner (violin) with Tobias Stosiek (cello), facultatively with

Wolfgang Stangl Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...

(viola) and Rita Melem (piano).
STB-News 1/2013

Recordings

* ''La Tâche'' ALEA-01-97, music of

, Herbert Blendinger, Jörg-Martin Willnauer, Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah, Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, 1997 * ''Sounds of Wood'' ALEA-02-99, seven works of

* ''ALEA-Quartett'' STB 05/01 (2 CDs) with Barbara Payer (flute), music of Johann Teibenbacher,

, Maximilian Kreuz, Viktor Fortin, Herbert Blendinger, Franz Zebinger,

Kurt Schwertsik Kurt Schwertsik (born 25 June 1935) is an Austrian contemporary composer. He is known for creating the "Third Viennese School" and spreading contemporary classical music. Life Schwertsik was born in Vienna. A pupil of Joseph Marx and Karl Schis ...

, 2001 * ''...der Welt abhanden gekommen'' STB 05/08, with Alexander Puhrer (baritone), music of

, Georg Arányi-Aschner, Daniela Rusch,

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

, including an arrangement of Mahler's

Rückert-Lieder The ''Rückert-Lieder'' (Songs after Rückert) is a collection of five Lieder for Singing, voice and orchestra or piano by Gustav Mahler, setting poems by Friedrich Rückert to music. Four of the songs ("Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder!", "Ich at ...

for piano quartett by Präsent, 2005 * ''ALEA-Ensemble'' STB 07/01, with Christine Kügerl (harp), music of Kurt Anton Hueber, Georg Arányi-Aschner, Viktor Fortin,

, Franz Zebinger,

, Maximilian Kreuz, Hannes Kuegerl, 2007 * ''Klassik meets Jazz'' STB 08/01, with Berndt Luef (vibraphone), music of Gerd Noack,

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album '' The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signi ...

, Berndt Luef,

, Hannes Kügerl,

among others, 2008 * ''Back from New York'' STB 08/07 (2 CDs) with Rita Melem (piano), music of Herbert Blendinger, Anselm Schaufler, Christoph Smola,

, Franz Zebinger, Charris Efthimiou,

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...

/Gerhard Präsent, 2008 * ''ALEA Live 2009'' STB 09/07 with Edda König (piano), music of

, Viktor Fortin, Rudolf Hinterdorfer, Franz Zebinger, Herbert Blendinger, Georg Arányi-Aschner,

, 2009 * ''ALEA String Action'' STB 11/02 music of Georg Winkler, Henrik Sande, Igmar Jenner, Franz Zebinger,

Renaud Garcia-Fons Renaud Garcia-Fons (born 24 December 1962) is a French bassist and composer. Career Garcia-Fons started his musical studies at an early age. At five years old he picked up playing the piano, switched to classical guitar at eight, then turned to ...

, 2011 * ''Gerhard PRAESENT - String Music'' ALEA-03-11, music of

: string quartetts No.2-4, "Canzona op.50" for vl&vc, "Four Dances for Two Violins", 2011 * ''ALEA - Intricato'' STB 12/02 with Sigrid Präsent and Igmar Jenner (violin), Delphine Krenn-Viard (viola), Tobias Stosiek (violoncello) and Rita Melem (piano), music of

, Viktor Fortin, Dieter Zenz, Igmar Jenner,

Wolfram Wagner Wolfram Wagner (born 28 September 1962 in Vienna) is an Austrian composer and flautist. He graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, University of Music in Vienna, Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and the Frank ...

, Herbert Blendinger, Charris Efthimiou and

, 2012 * ''Live String Action 2011'' ALEA-04-12 with ALEA-Ensemble Sigrid Präsent und Igmar Jenner (violin), Tobias Stosiek (violoncello), music of

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

, Franz Zebinger,

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

, Igmar Jenner,

and

, 2012 * ''BIG BEN - Back from London'' STB 13/01, ALEA with Edda König (piano), music of Kurt Anton Hueber, Charris Efthimiou, Georg Arányi-Aschner, Karl Haidmayer,

Michele Trenti Michele Trenti (born 25 August 1961) is an Italian composer and conductor. Biography Born in Genoa (Italy) on 25 August 1961, Trenti studied guitar for 13 years with Anselmo Bersano. From 1984 to 1988 studied composition with Iván Erőd and cond ...

, Herbert Blendinger and Igmar Jenner, 2013 * ''1 – 2 – 3 Soli, Duos, Trios'' STB 13/10, music of

Erik Satie Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (born 17 May 18661 July 1925), better known as Erik Satie, was a French composer and pianist. The son of a French father and a British mother, he studied at the Conservatoire de Paris, Paris Conservatoire but was an undi ...

Jenő Takács Jenő Takács (; 25 September 1902 – 14 November 2005) was a Hungarian composer and pianist. Life and work Born in Cinfalva on 25 September 1902, he studied at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Joseph Marx in compos ...

, Georg Arányi-Aschner, Viktor Fortin,

, Berndt Luef, Igmar Jenner and

, 2014 * ''Extravaganza'' STB 14/02 with Sigrid Präsent and Igmar Jenner (violin), Tobias Stosiek (violoncello) and Eduard Lanner(piano), music of Michael Wahlmüller, Henrik Sande,

, Georg Arányi-Aschner, Gerd Noack,

and

, 2014 * ''Big Apple'' STB 15/01 with Sigrid Präsent and Igmar Jenner (violin), Wolfgang Stangl (viola), Tobias Stosiek (violoncello) and Bernhard Riedler (piano), music of Bernhard Riedler, Walter Vaterl, Georg Arányi-Aschner, Franz Zebinger, Gerd Noack,

, Patrick Hahn and

, 2015

References

External links

ALEA
website
ALEA Quartett
music information center Austria
ALEA-Ensemble / ALEA-Quartett
Kultur Steiermark

Kulturserver Graz
“ALEA-Ensemble” Portrait 1988-2013
in "Mitteilungen des STB 1-2/2013, p. 21ff
“ALEA-Duo” Sigrid Präsent/ Violine, Rita Melem/ Klavier
biographies, Musiksalon Erfurt, Graz, 2010 {{authority control Austrian string quartets Contemporary classical music ensembles Musical groups established in 1988