Christian Henking (born 14 January 1961) is a Swiss composer, conductor and choir leader.

Life

Henking was born in Basel in 1961. He graduated from the in 1981. From 1981 to 1989 he studied

music theory Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory": The first is the "Elements of music, ...

with Theo Hirsbrunner at the

University of the Arts Bern __NOTOC__ The Bern Academy of Arts () is an art school with locations in Bern and Biel/Bienne. It was created in 2003 from the merger of the University of Music and Theatre and the School of Design, Art and Conservation. The educational institution ...

.Kürschners Musiker-Handbuch, 2006. In addition he was trained by

Ewald Körner Ewald Körner (20 January 1926 in Nejdek, Czechoslovakia –11 September 2010 in Bern Kapellmeister ( , , ), from German (chapel) and (master), literally "master of the chapel choir", designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term has evolved considerably in i ...

. From 1987 he took composition lessons with

Cristóbal Halffter Cristóbal Halffter Jiménez-Encina (24 March 1930 – 23 May 2021) was a Spanish classical composer. He was the nephew of two other composers, Rodolfo and Ernesto Halffter, and is regarded as the most important Spanish composer of the gen ...

, Dimitri Terzakis and Edisson Denissow. He also attended

master class ''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...

es with

Wolfgang Rihm Wolfgang Rihm (; 13 March 1952 – 27 July 2024) was a German composer of contemporary classical music and an academic teacher based in Karlsruhe. He was an influential post-war European composer, as "one of the most original and independent mus ...

and

Heinz Holliger Heinz Robert Holliger (born 21 May 1939) is a Swiss composer, virtuoso oboist, and conductor. Celebrated for his versatility and technique, Holliger is among the most prominent oboists of his generation. His repertoire includes Baroque and Clas ...

. He received further impulses from

György Kurtág György Kurtág (; born 19 February 1926) is a Hungarian composer of contemporary classical music and pianist. According to ''Grove Music Online'', with a style that draws on " Bartók, Webern and, to a lesser extent, Stravinsky, his work is c ...

.Portrait: Christian Henking
(PDF-Datei; 417 kB). Müller & Schade. Retrieved on 22 June 2020. Henking conducted the ''Bern Amadeus Chor'' and from 1998 to 2007 the . In 2010 he founded the , of which he became artistic adviser. He is also a

lecturer Lecturer is an academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. They may also conduct re ...

musical composition Musical composition can refer to an Originality, original piece or work of music, either Human voice, vocal or Musical instrument, instrumental, the musical form, structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new pie ...

and music theory at the University of the Arts Bern. Henking was one of the founding members of the Groupe Lacroix. The majority of his compositions are published by Müller & Schade in Bern.

Awards

* 2000: Culture Prize of the Bürgi-Willert Foundation, Bern. (bestowed by

) * 2002: Recognition Prize for Music of the Canton of Bern.Medienmitteilung des Kantons Bern
. Retrieved on 22 June 2020. * 2016: Music Prize of the Canton of Bern.

Work

Orchestral music

* Brest (1990) for 2 violoncellos and string orchestra * piece for 19 cellos (1991) * Wie Tau, im Lichte siebenfach gebrochen (1995) for 12 flutes * Paragraph (1998) for orchestra * Concert (2003) for violin and string orchestra * Piazza / Spazio (2004) for orchestra

Chamber music

* *** (1984) for piano solo * 9 Fragmente (1985) for viola and piano * Klavierstück (1988) * Créaction (1988) for flute, clarinet, bassoon (also co-fage), piano, violin, violoncello and percussion * piano quartet (1989) * Small piece for violin and accordion (1991) * 4 Bagatelles (1992) for clarinet trio * Sillis (1992) for guitar solo * Prosím (1992) for violin and bass clarinet * Lirpa (1993) for piano solo * 5 Bagatelles (1993) for piano solo * Please rise (1994) for piano trio * Concerto for bass trombone and brass band (1994) * Kalymnos (1994) for tenor saxophone and accordion * Metavirulent (1995) for violin and piano * Quartet (1995) for flute, viola, violoncello and piano * Je voudrais faire votre portrait (1995) for piano quartet * Joëlle (1996) for flute and organ * Merle blanc (1996) for string octet * Viento (1996) for flute solo * Song for M.A.K. (1996) for 4 bamboo flutes and 4 glasses * 7 Bagatelles (1996) for piano solo * Novalis 24 (1996) for piano trio * Stück (Piece) for 5 violas, or 5 cellos (1989–1997) * Dublin (1997) for percussion * 6 Bagatelles (1997) for piano solo * Six pieces for Edison (1997) for violin and violoncello * Buyuma Place (1997) for string quartet * Die Geschichte vom Pelikan und Pavian (1997) for violin and piano * Karimata (1998) for string quartet * ''Colline des forêts argentines'' (1998) for violin, violoncello and piano four hands * Insigne (1998) for violoncello solo * Toro (1998) for violoncello and piano * Yemanjá (1999) for one percussionist * 3 Bagatelles for 3 English horns (1999) * Deruda (1999) for clarinet, violin and piano * Reservoir (2000) for clarinet and piano * Ode to Mr Muheim (2000) for 2 flutes * Lotus (2002) for flute solo * Amplitudes (2002) for violin solo * Assedo (2003) for flute and piano * To my lips come the scents to the potions (2005) for 4 percussions * Chi (2005) for shakuhachi and violin * "Dört unte-n-i der Tiefi" (2007) for flute and violoncello * ''Scènes d'enfants'' (2007) for piano solo * "Und blaue Funken brennen" (2007) for piano trio * Diapason (2008) for violin solo * Helian (2009) for double bass solo * Turn around (2009) for 2 pianos * Intermission (2010) for 2 pianos * In weit Ferne (2011) for violin, violoncello and piano * Four Moments (2014) for guitar and violoncello. Composed for the Duo En Cuerdas.

Stage music

* Stück für Klarinette und Pantomime (1988) * Leonce und Lena (1999–2001). Opera in 3 acts. Libretto by Christian Henking after

Georg Büchner Karl Georg Büchner (17 October 1813 – 19 February 1837) was a German dramatist and writer of poetry and prose, considered part of the Young Germany movement. He was also a revolutionary and the brother of physician and philosopher Ludwig Büchn ...

* Bon appétit (2005). A musical theatre for 4 people * "Dash" (2007). Small scene for soprano and clarinet

Choral music

* Cotton Gloves (1995) for six-part choir. text:

W. H. Auden Wystan Hugh Auden (; 21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973) was a British-American poet. Auden's poetry is noted for its stylistic and technical achievement, its engagement with politics, morals, love, and religion, and its variety in tone, ...

* und sehe dich tanzen Gebete des Friedens (1996). Cantata for soprano, alto, four-part choir, percussion and string quintet * Schatten (1997) for 4-part choir, 2 violins, 2 cellos and double bass. text:

Wolfgang Musculus Wolfgang Musculus (born Müslin or Mauslein; 10 September 1497 – 30 August 1563) was a Reformed theologian of the Reformation. Life Born in the village of Duss (Moselle), in a German-speaking area (French-speaking, from the Thirty Years War), ...

* Palindrome and Nonsense (1997) for soprano, alto, four-part choir, male narrative (from choir) and 2 pianos. text: Christian Henking * Dromedar (1998) for four-part choir. text: Christian Henking * Ich bin so müde von Seufzen (2001) for 8-part mixed choir * Requiem (2001) for choir, 2 flutes, percussion and strings * Fragment (2003) for baritone, four-part choir, organ and double bass

Vocal music

* Ottos Mops (1989) für 9 Stimmen. Text Ernst Jandl * Zitate (1990) für 7 Stimmen (frei wählbar) und Orchester. Text Alltags-, Werbe- und Mediensprache * Slogans (1991) für Sopran, Flöte, Oboe, Horn und Kontrabass. Text Werbesprache * Zig (1992) für Sopran und Vibraphon * Schattige Gärten / Von Blutbuchenblättern (1990–1993) für Bariton und Klavier. Text

Friederike Roth Friederike Roth (born 6 April 1948) is a German writer. She is especially active as a playwright. Roth was born in Sindelfingen Sindelfingen ( Swabian: ''Sendlfenga'') is a city in Baden-Württemberg in south Germany. It lies near Stuttgart at ...

* und ich stolpere mich näher zu Dir (1996). Liederzyklus für Mezzosopran und Klavier. Text Bettina Kaelin * Die Geschichte vom Pelikan und Pavian (1996) für Violine, Klavier und Sprecher * Nero (1997) für Sopran und Streichtrio. Text

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

* Sahara (1997) für singende Pianistin oder singenden Pianisten oder klavierspielende Sängerin oder klavierspielenden Sänger * Leb wohl, du schöner Zedernwald (1997) für Alt, Flöte, Klarinette, Klavier, Violine und Violoncello. Text

Adolf Wölfli Adolf Wölfli (February 29, 1864 – November 6, 1930) was a Swiss visual artist who was one of the first artists to be associated with the Art Brut or outsider art label. Early life Wölfli was born near Bern. He was abused both physically and ...

* „Unbescholtenheit und Ordnung“ (1999) für Mezzosopran, 2 Tenöre, Bariton, Bassbariton und Klavier. Text

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

* TIK (1999) für Sopran, Mezzosopran, Flöte, Oboe, Klarinette, Streichquartett und Klavier. Text Daniil Charms, Dan Wiener * Hommage à -tt- (2001) für Sopran, Klarinette, Violoncello und Klavier. Text: Martin Etter * Die Liebe des Dichters (2002). Lied für Bariton und Klavier. Text

Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...

* Maifeuer (2003) für Sopran, Flöte und Klavier. Text

Rose Ausländer Rose Ausländer (born Rosalie Beatrice Scherzer; May 11, 1901 – January 3, 1988) was a Jewish poet writing in German and English. Born in Czernowitz in the Bukovina, she lived through its tumultuous history of belonging to the Austro-Hungarian E ...

* „Zeit zwischen meinen Rippen“ (2003). Ein kleiner Liederzyklus für Alt/Mezzosopran und Klavier. Text Astrid Scholtz * Was ist es also? (2005) für (Mezzo)Sopran und Klavier. Text Erich Fried * Ein Vogelort schwarz (2006) für Bariton und Klavier. Text Nora Schmidt * Weil auf mir (2006) für Bariton und Klavier. Text

Nikolaus Lenau Nikolaus Lenau was the pen name of Nikolaus Franz Niembsch Edler von Strehlenau (13 August 1802 – 22 August 1850), a German-language Austrian poet. Biography He was born at Csatád (Schadat), Kingdom of Hungary, now Lenauheim, Banat, then p ...

* Empreinte (2008) für Trio Basso und Sprecherin. Text Joël-Claude Meffre * La voix, au loin (2008) für Trio Basso und Sprecherin. Text Joël-Claude Meffre * In eines Spiegels Bläue (2009) für Mezzosopran und Klavier. Text Georg Trakl * ein reigen (2011). Liederzyklus für Tenor und Klavier. Text Raphael Urweider * Keine Zeit ist zeitig mit der Sehnsucht Zeit (2011) für Mezzosopran, Bariton, Flöte, Lupophon, Kontraforte, Violine, Violoncello, Harfe und Klavier. Text

Robert Walser Robert Walser (15 April 1878 – 25 December 1956) was a German language Swiss writer. He additionally worked as a copyist, an inventor's assistant, a butler, and in various other low-paying trades. Despite marginal early success in his lit ...

Discography

* ''Werkauswahl 1993–1997''. U.a. Amadeus Chor Bern (M&S Music, 1997) * Moscow Rachmaninov Trio: ''Novalis 24'' für Klaviertrio. In Groupe Lacroix: ''The Composer Group'' ( Creative Works Records, 1997) * Thomas Blumenthal (

Ensemble Sortisatio Ensemble Sortisatio is a quartet (viola, oboe/cor anglais, bassoon and guitar) founded by violist Matthias Sannemüller in 1992 in Leipzig, Germany. Its members are mostly soloists at the MDR Symphony Orchestra. They have specialized in contempora ...

): ''Sillis'' für Gitarre solo. In Groupe Lacroix: '' 8 Pieces on Paul Klee'' (Creative Works Records, 2003) * Esther Flückiger: ''5 Bagatellen'' für Klavier. In ''Festival L'art pour L'Aar. Die Konzerte 2006/2007'' (Pentaphon, 2007) * Capella Nova: ''Ich bin ein schwebendes Luftblatt'' für 16-stimmigen Chor und Harfe. In ''BAP NOS'' (Guild, 2010) * Ensemble Proton Bern: ''Keine Zeit ist zeitig mit der Sehnsucht Zeit''” für Mezzosopran, Bariton, Flöte, Lupophon, Kontraforte, Violine, Violoncello, Harfe und Klavier. In ''Grammont Selection 5'' (Musiques Suisses 2012)

Literature

* ''Christian Henking''. In Hans Steinbeck, Walter Labhart (Hrsg.): ''Schweizer Komponisten unserer Zeit. Biographien, Werkverzeichnisse mit Discographie und Bibliographie''. Amadeus, Winterthur 1993, , . * Theo Hirsbrunner: ''Tendenziell, nicht starr – der Komponist Christian Henking.'' In ''Dissonanz'' 55 (1998), . * ''Henking, Christian.'' In

Peter Hollfelder Peter Hollfelder (24 November 1930 – 6 December 2005) was a German classical pianist. Life Born in Munich, supported by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Hollfelder studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. His teachers ...

: ''Klaviermusik. Internationales chronologisches Lexikon. Geschichte. Komponisten. Werke.'' Supplement, Noetzel, Wilhelmshaven 2005, , . * ''Henking, Christian.'' In Axel Schniederjürgen (ed.): ''Kürschners Musiker-Handbuch.'' 5. Auflage, Saur Verlag, Munich 2006, , .

References

External links

Website von Christian Henking
* *
Christian Henking
in der MusicSack-Datenbank
Biographie, Werkliste, Diskographie und Bibliographie von Christian Henking
in der Online-Datenbank musinfo.ch der Schweizer Musikedition * Sound recordings with works of the composer from the archive of

SRG SSR The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (; ; ; ; SRG SSR) is the Swiss public broadcasting association, founded in 1931, the holding company of 24 radio and television channels. Headquartered in Bern, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation is a non-pro ...

o
Neo.Mx3
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Henking, Christian 20th-century Swiss classical composers Swiss opera composers Swiss conductors (music) Swiss choral conductors 1961 births Living people Musicians from Basel-Stadt