Kurt Schwertsik (born 25 June 1935) is an

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

n contemporary

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

. He is known for creating the "Third Viennese School" and spreading contemporary classical music.

Life

Schwertsik was born in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. A pupil of Joseph Marx and Karl Schiske at the Academy of Music, he later studied with

Karlheinz Stockhausen Karlheinz Stockhausen (; 22 August 1928 – 5 December 2007) was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. He is known for his groun ...

in Cologne and Darmstadt. In 1958 he founded the ensemble "die reihe" with fellow composer and conductor Friedrich Cerha (famous for finishing the opera ''

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'', by

Alban Berg Alban Maria Johannes Berg ( ; ; 9 February 1885 – 24 December 1935) was an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School. His compositional style combined Romantic lyricism with the twelve-tone technique. Although he left a relatively sma ...

) and later, in 1968, the ensemble "MOB art & tone ART" with Otto Matthäus Zykan and Heinz Karl Gruber. He served as hornist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (from 1968) while teaching Composition at the

Konservatorium Wien The Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (; MUK) in Vienna, Austria, is a university of music and the arts. It was previously (2005−2015) named (KONSuni, Konservatorium Wien University), and before that (Conservatory of Vienna). I ...

(from 1979). Between 1989 and 2004 he was Professor of Composition at the Vienna Musikhochschule (Academy of Music, when he was studying there, now called University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna). His works are characterised by his particular exploration of

tonality Tonality is the arrangement of pitch (music), pitches and / or chord (music), chords of a musical work in a hierarchy of perceived ''relations'', ''stabilities'', ''attractions'', and ''directionality''. In this hierarchy, the single pitch or ...

and his musical irony and humour. He received the Grand Austrian State Prize (1992), the

Austrian Decoration for Science and Art The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Austria, Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian Decoration for Science a ...

(1997) and numerous other awards. Kurt Schwertsik is President of the Joseph Marx Society that was founded in 2006 in order to implement the Renaissance of this composer. Thus, Schwertsik has accepted the position of the leader of an organisation for the first time in his career and also avowed himself a melodist according to the musical philosophy that was developed and represented by Joseph Marx.

Prizes

* City of Vienna Prize for Music (1980) * Grand Austrian State Prize for Music (1992) *

(1997) * Silver Medal for Service to the City of Vienna (2006)

Works (selection)

Instrumental music

Orchestral works * ''... für Audifax und Abachum'', symphony for large orchestra, op.8 (1963–70) * ''Draculas Haus- und Hofmusik'', a Transylvanian symphony for strings, op.18 (1968) * ''Symphonie im MOB-Stil'' for orchestra, op.19 (1971) * ''Epilog zu Rosamunde'', op.33 (1978) * ''Tag- und Nachtweisen; Im Ton des Mönchs von Salzburg und Herrn Marteins'', op.34 (1978) * ''Irdische Klänge'' Cycle (1980–1992), comprising: ** ''Irdische Klänge'', Symphony in 2 movements, op.37 (1980) ** ''Fünf Naturstücke'', Der Irdischen Klänge 2. Teil, op.45 (1983–84) ** ''Mit den Riesenstiefeln'', op.60 (1991) ** ''Uluru'', op.64 (1992) * ''Baumgesänge'', op.65 (1992) * ''Sinfonia-Sinfonietta'', op.73 (1996) * Mond-Lichtung'' for string orchestra, op.75 (1997) * ''Unter Messing Baumen'' for 4 natural horns and orchestra, op.77 (1998) * ''Nachtmusiken'' Music for solo instrument and orchestra * Alphorn Concerto ‘'In Keltischer Manier’’, op.27 (1975) * ''Violin Concerto No. 1'', op.31 (1977) * ''Guitar Concerto'', op.35 (1979) * ''Instant Music'' for flute and wind orchestra, op.40 (1981) * Timpani Concerto, op.54 (1987–88) * Double-Bass Concerto, op.56 (1989) * ''Violin Concerto No. 2'' * ''Flute Concerto'' * ''Trombone Concerto''

Stage music

* ''Der lange Weg zur großen Mauer'' – Opera based on a novel by Richard Bletschacher, op.24 (1974) * ''Wiener Chronik 1848'', ballet op.28 (1976–77, originally performed as ''Walzerträume''; written for the Cologne City Opera) * ''Katzelmacher'' – Opera based on a text by Rainer Werner Fassbinder * ''Fanferlieschen Schönefüßchen'' – Fairy-tale opera after Clemens Brentano, based on a text by Karin and Thomas Körner, op.42 (1982) * ''Das verlorene Wut'', Singspiel for TV based on a text by Christine Nöstlinger, op.57 (1989) * ''Der ewige Frieden'', operetta on a text by Thomas Korner, op.58 (1990) * ''Frida Kahlo'', dance-theatre work (1991) * ''Café-Museum – Die Erleuchtung'', chamber opera, op.67 (1993) * ''Die Welt der Mongolen'', opera based on a text by Michael Köhlmeier, op.72 (1996) * ''Schlaf der Gerechten'', operella based on a text by Kristine Tornquist (sirene Operntheater, 2004) * ''Chalifa und die Affen'', chamber opera based on a text by Kristine Tornquist from

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(sirene Operntheater, 2011) * ''Alice'', phantastic revue based on

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

, text editor Kristine Tornquist (sirene Operntheater, 2023)

Vocal music

* ''shâl-i-mâr'' for baritone and orchestra, op.17 (1962–72) to texts by H.C. Artmann * ''Starckdeutsche Lieder und Tänze'' for baritone and orchestra, op.44 (1982) to texts by Matthias Koeppel * ''Human existence'' for voice and chamber ensemble (1992), texts by

Flann O'Brien Brian O'Nolan (; 5 October 19111 April 1966), his pen name being Flann O'Brien, was an Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland, Irish civil service official, novelist, playwright and satirist, who is now considered a major figure in twentieth- ...

* ''Die Furie des Verschwindens'' for mixed choir * ''Roald Dahl’s Goldilocks'' for narrator and orchestra, op.74 (1996), text by Donald Sturrock after

Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime Flying ace, fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies ...

* a huge number of songs

Chamber music

* ''Liebesträume'' for 7 instruments, op.7 (1962) * ''Eichendorff-Quintett'' for wind quintet, op.9 (1964) * 5 Nocturnes for cello and piano, op.10c (1966) * ''Music vom Mutterland Mu'' for 11 instruments, op.22 (1974) * ''Skizzen und Entwürfe'' for string quartet, op.25 (1974) * ''Twilight Music,'' A Celtic Serenade for Octet, op. 30 (1976) * ''Blechpartie im neuesten Geschmack'' for brass quintet, op.43 (1982) * ''Am Ende Steht ein Marsch'' for wind octet, op. 59 (1991) * ''Drei späte Liebeslieder'' for cello and piano, op.66 (1992) * ''Mobelmusik-Klassisch'' for 2 violins, viola and double bass, op.68 (1994; also version for string orchestra) * ''Wake'' for string quartet, op.70 (1994) * ''Adieu Satie'' for bandoneon and string quartet * ''Ganesha Walkabout'' for string quartet, op.76 (1998) * ''Sotto Voce'' for 4 instruments, Op. 39 (Flute, Violin, 'cello & Guitar) (1980)

Solo instrumental

* 5 Nocturnes for piano, op.10a * Ein Kleines Requiem, op.97

References

External links

Kurt Schwertisk page at Boosey & Hawkes (publisher)
biography, works list, recordings and performance search.
Documentary: ''Schwertsik on Schwertsik''Joseph Marx SocietyEnsemble "die reihe"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwertsik, Kurt 1935 births 20th-century Austrian classical composers 20th-century Austrian male musicians 21st-century Austrian classical composers 21st-century Austrian male musicians Austrian opera composers Austrian male opera composers Living people Musicians from Vienna Pupils of Joseph Marx Pupils of Karlheinz Stockhausen Recipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art Recipients of the Grand Austrian State Prize University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni