Rudi Spring (born 17 March 1962) is a German composer of classical music, pianist and academic. He is known for vocal compositions on texts by poets and his own, and for chamber music such as his three Chamber Symphonies.

Career

Born in Lindau, Rudi Spring received piano instructions from Alfred Kuppelmayer (1918–1977), starting in 1971. He studied chamber music in 1978 in Bregenz with Heinrich Schiff, with whom he also played in concert. He studied at the Musikhochschule München from 1981 to 1986 composition with Wilhelm Killmayer and Heinz Winbeck, and piano with Karl-Hermann Mrongovius. He composed songs and song cycles, inspired by poems of Heinrich Heine, Hermann Lenz, including ''Galgenliederbuch'' (after Christian Morgenstern, four volumes), ''Nero lässt grüßen'' (song cycle after Martin Walser's monodram), ''So nah in der Ferne'' (song cycle after poems of Wolfgang Bächler), ''Liederfolge für mittlere Singstimme und Klavier'' after poems of August Stramm, Else Lasker-Schüler, Ingeborg Bachmann and

Jakob van Hoddis Jakob van Hoddis (16 May 1887 – May/June 1942) was the pen name of the Jewish German expressionist poet Hans Davidsohn, of which "Van Hoddis" is an anagram. His most famous poem ''Weltende'' (''End of the world''), published on 11 January 1911 ...

. Several of them were recorded by the Bayerischer Rundfunk, with singers such as

Martina Koppelstetter Martina Koppelstetter is a German mezzo-soprano in opera and concert. She is particularly interested in contemporary music. Career Born in Lower Bavaria, she enrolled at the Musikhochschule München in 1983, graduating with distinction in 1990. ...

. Since 1987 he has been teaching several subjects at the Musikhochschule, first

vocal coaching A vocal coach, also known as a voice coach (though this term often applies to those working with speech and communication rather than singing), is a music teacher, usually a piano accompanist, who helps singers prepare for a performance, often al ...

then

ear training Ear training or aural skills is a music theory study in which musicians learn to identify pitches, intervals, melody, chords, rhythms, solfeges, and other basic elements of music, solely by hearing. The application of this skill is analogous t ...

musical analysis Musical analysis is the study of musical structure in either compositions or performances. According to music theorist Ian Bent, music analysis "is the means of answering directly the question 'How does it work?'". The method employed to answer ...

and pitch space, since 1999 Lied interpretation. Spring received commissions of the state of

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...

, the Deutscher Musikrat (German Music Council, a member of the International Music Council), the Münchener Kammerorchester, the Munich Puppet Players, the International Bodensee Festival and the Hugo-Wolf-Akademie Stuttgart, among others. Together with composer Michael Neunteufel (born 1958), he was interviewed by Alfred Solder (born 1949) of 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 t ...

, broadcast on 16 October 1987, entitled ''Musik hören, Musik verstehen'' (''Listen to music, understand music''). The premiere of ''Canto sopra un’ idea frattale'' in 2005 in Vienna was documented in a film ''Die Kochsche Schneeflocke'', directed by Norbert Wartig (born 1973), produced by LNW Film. In 2005, Spring was awarded the fellowship of the Villa Massimo in Rome. In 2008 two of his songs appeared on a CD of Salome Kammer, together with music of

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled '' Sequenza''), and for his pioneering wo ...

, and

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 sm ...

, among others. In 2009 he accompanied Salome Kammer at the

Rheingau Musik Festival The (RMF) is an international summer music festival in Germany, founded in 1987. It is mostly for classical music, but includes other genres. Concerts take place at culturally important locations, such as Eberbach Abbey and Schloss Johannisberg, ...

in songs and

Chanson A (, , french: chanson française, link=no, ; ) is generally any lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval and Renaissance music. The genre had origins in the monophonic ...

s of the 1920s to 1940s. He played the piano in a trio concert at the

Gasteig Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig. Most of the events of the ...

, with Jens Josef (flute) and

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 ...

(cello), performing Martinů's trio and the premiere of the flute version of

Gestural Variations ''Gestural Variations'', Op. 43, is a trio composition by Graham Waterhouse in 1997 originally for oboe, bassoon and piano. Later versions are scored for clarinet, cello and piano (1999) and flute, cello and piano (2009). Movements The c ...

; every composer contributed a

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French or ...

, with Spring setting ''Maria durch ein Dornwald ging''.

Awards

* 1987 Feldkircher Kulturpreis * 1988 Bayerischer Staatlicher Förderpreis für junge Künstler * 2002 Internationaler Bodenseekulturpreis * 2005 Villa Massimo

Selected works

Stage

*''Er trieb einen kleinen Finsternishandel'' op. 71 (1999), for speaker, ''Klangfiguren'' (half puppet, half instrument), accordion and violoncello, libretto on

aphorism An aphorism (from Greek ἀφορισμός: ''aphorismos'', denoting 'delimitation', 'distinction', and 'definition') is a concise, terse, laconic, or memorable expression of a general truth or principle. Aphorisms are often handed down by t ...

s of

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1 July 1742 – 24 February 1799) was a German physicist, satirist, and Anglophile. As a scientist, he was the first to hold a professorship explicitly dedicated to experimental physics in Germany. He is remembered f ...

, premiere 10 June 1999 in Schloss Seefeld, Munich Puppet Players, Maria Reiter, Heinrich Klug *''Zwischen Blick hinter Grund'' op. 74e,1 (2000), text: Rudi Spring, premiere 1 April 2001 in Saulgau, Salome Kammer, Rudi Spring, recorded in 2002 by SFB Berlin *''An der steilen, roten Felswand'' op. 74e,2 (2002), text: Rudi Spring, premiere 2 May 2002 in

Benediktbeuern Benediktbeuern (Central Bavarian: ''Benediktbeiern'') is a municipality in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen in Bavaria, Germany, 2 kilometers, or 1.25 miles from Bichl. The village has 3,602 residents as of 31 December 2019. The medieval ...

, Salome Kammer, Rudi Spring (piano and speaking voice) *''Die Donau und ihr Geist'' op. 78 (2002), fairy tale melodram for speaker, pantomimes and sextet (clarinet, Tenorhackbrett, accordion, celesta/piano, violin and double bass), libretto: Andrea Haupt and Elisabeth Verhoeven (after the book of Dorothea Rein), premiere 10 November 2002 in Stuttgart, Elisabeth Verhoeven, theatre group of the Musikschule Stuttgart, direction: Andrea Haupt

Vocal

;for voice and one to six instruments *''Galgenliederbuch'' op. 19, (1983–2000) for voice and piano, after ''Galgenlieder'' (1895–1905) of Christian Morgenstern *''Abend der Kindheit'' op. 20a (1983) for soprano and quintet (clarinet, horn, harp, violin and violoncello), text: Hermann Lenz, premiere 1983 at the Musikhochschule München *''So nah in der Ferne'' op. 52 (1984–91), song cycle for soprano (or mezzo-soprano) and trio: flute, viola and violoncello, texts: Wolfgang Bächler. premiere 13. November 1992 in Augsburg, Adelheid Maria Thanner, Bettina Fuchs, Gunter Pretzel, Anja Lechner, recorded in 1992 by BR *''Liederfolge'' op. 54 (1992/97) for voice and piano, premiere nos 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 in

Weilburg Weilburg is, with just under 13,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg. Geography Location The community lies in the Lahn valley between the Westerw ...

, 27 July 1995,

Dietrich Henschel Dietrich Henschel (born 1967) is a German baritone. Life and career Born in Berlin, Henschel grew up in Nürnberg where he attended high school and studied piano and conducting. He studied voice at the and made his stage debut at the 1990 Munich ...

, Fritz Schwinghammer, recorded in 1998 in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

, premiere nos 4 and 6 in

Prien am Chiemsee Prien am Chiemsee (official: , High German [], Bavarian (local) dialect []) is a municipality in the Upper Bavarian Rosenheim (district), district of Rosenheim in Germany. The town is a certified Luftkurort, air and Sebastian Kneipp, Kneipp spa o ...

, 25 October 1998,

, Rudi Spring, recorded in 1999 by BR *''Ach sender schenke'' op. 55 (1992/93), prelude, song cycle and dance, for baritone and quintet (clarinet/

Bassett horn The basset horn (sometimes hyphenated as basset-horn) is a member of the clarinet family of musical instruments. Construction and tone Like the clarinet, the instrument is a wind instrument with a single reed and a cylindrical bore. However, ...

, percussion, Tenorhackbrett, viola and violoncello, texts: Ulrich von Winterstetten, premiere 11 June 1993 in Schloss Achberg, Anselm Richter, Wolfgang Meyer, Stefan Hüge, Marianne Kirch, Hariolf Schlichtig,

Manuel Fischer-Dieskau Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...

*''Incontro'' op. 79 (2003), canzone in dialogue for baritone and piano (or

Hammerflügel A fortepiano , sometimes referred to as a pianoforte, is an early piano. In principle, the word "fortepiano" can designate any piano dating from the invention of the instrument by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1698 up to the early 19th century. M ...

). text:

Francesco Petrarca Francesco Petrarca (; 20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch (), was a scholar and poet of early Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited ...

, premiere 30 May 2004 in Biedenkopf, Eckelshausener Musiktage,

Martin Bruns Martin Bruns (born 1960) is a Swiss baritone and music lecturer. Life and career Buns was born in Basel. During his school years, Martin Bruns was a member of the Knabenkantorei Basel and was influenced by this musical environment. He first stud ...

Jan Philip Schulze Jan Philip Schulze is a German classical pianist. Life Schulze studied with Klaus Schilde and Michael Schäfer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich and with Lev Naumov at the Moscow Conservatory. As accompanist and chamber mu ...

;for voice and ensemble/orchestra *''Entzündet'' op. 70e (2001) for Chanson baritone, accordion and string orchestra, text: Konstantin Wecker, premiere 24 June 2001 in München,

, Konstantin Wecker, Maria Reiter, Abonnentenorchester of the Münchner Philharmoniker, conductor Heinrich Klug *''Heimkunft'' (Chamber Symphony No. 3) op.74 (2000/01) for mezzo-soprano (or contralto), flute, clarinet, trumpet, accordion, harp and string orchestra, text:

Friedrich Hölderlin Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin (, ; ; 20 March 1770 – 7 June 1843) was a German poet and philosopher. Described by Norbert von Hellingrath as "the most German of Germans", Hölderlin was a key figure of German Romanticism. Pa ...

, ''Heimkunft. An die Verwandten'' (1801–04), premiere 19 May 2001 in Tettnang, Neues Schloss,

Christa Mayer Christa Mayer is a German operatic mezzo-soprano. She is particularly known for her portrayal of Erda in Richard Wagner's ''Ring Cycle''; a role which she has performed several times at the Bayreuth Festival and recorded on the BBC Legends Reco ...

;for voices a cappella *''Von guten Mächten wunderbar geborgen'' op. 45 (1983–1988) for five-part mixed choir,

text Text may refer to: Written word * Text (literary theory), any object that can be read, including: **Religious text, a writing that a religious tradition considers to be sacred **Text, a verse or passage from scripture used in expository preachin ...

: " Von guten Mächten wunderbar geborgen" by

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonhoeffer (; 4 February 1906 – 9 April 1945) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti- Nazi dissident who was a key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity's role in the secular world h ...

(19 December 1944), premiere 8 June 1991 in Minich, Studienchor of the Musikhochschule München, conductor Max Frey *''Narcissus und Echo'' op. 59 (1994), vocal scene for six-part mixed choir, texts from Ovid's

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' ( la, Metamorphōsēs, from grc, μεταμορφώσεις: "Transformations") is a Latin narrative poem from 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his '' magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the ...

, premiere 6 August 1994 in Irsee Abbey, conductor Kurt Suttner

Instrumental

;for one to four players *''Sonatine'' (op. 1; 1979) for violoncello and piano, recorded 1980 by the (

in Linz, Heinrich Schiff, Rudi Spring *''Quartett'' (op. 47; 1989) for two flutes, Naturton- Hackbrett and piano *''Canto sopra un’ idea frattale'' (op. 81e; 2005) for bassoon and organ, premiere 28 April 2005 in Vienna, Radio-Kulturhaus of the

*''Risonanze'' (op. 82b; 2005) for flute, premiere 6 July 2005 in Rome, Villino of the Villa Massimo, Roberto Fabbriciani orn 1949 ;or five to eight players *''Praeludien'' (op. 37; 1986/87) for string sextet and Klavier, premiere 12 May 1992 in

Schwaz Schwaz () is a city in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is the administrative center of the Schwaz district. Schwaz is located in the lower Inn valley. Location Schwaz lies in the middle of the Lower Inn Valley at the foot of the Kellerjoch a ...

, Wiener Streichsextett, Rudi Spring lavier, recorded in 1992 by

in Innsbruck ;for ensemble/orchestra *''Szene 1'' (op. 10; 1981, revised 1987) for violoncello and orchestra, premiere 28 November 1981 in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, Heinrich Schiff, Prager Symphoniker, conductor

Jiří Bělohlávek Jiří Bělohlávek, (; 24 February 1946 – 31 May 2017) was a Czech conductor. He was a leading interpreter of Czech classical music, and became chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in 1990, a role he would serve on two occasio ...

orn 1946*''Chamber Symphony No. 1'' (op. 63; 1995) for 12 brass players, premiere 6 June 1995 in Berlin *''Chamber Symphony No. 2'' (op. 68; 1997) for clarinet/tenor saxophon, horn, percussion, accordion and string orchestra, premiere 12 February 1998 in the Herkulessaal of the

Munich Residenz The Residenz (, ''Residence'') in central Munich is the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria. The Residenz is the largest city palace in Germany and is today open to visitors for its architecture, room decorations, and disp ...

, Münchener Kammerorchester, conductor: Jobst Liebrecht

References

External links

Rudi Spring
at

Hochschule für Musik und Theater München The University of Music and Performing Arts Munich (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater München), also known as the Munich Conservatory, is a performing arts conservatory in Munich, Germany. The main building it currently occupies is ...

(in German)
Rudi Spring
at the Leopold-Mozart-Zentrum of the Augsburg University (in German)
Rudi Spring
at Schott
Auf eine existentielle Musik hin
Interview by Christoph Schlüren, musikmph.de, 1998 (in German)
Federleichte Pointen, verschollene Lieder – der Komponist und Pianist Rudi Spring
Michael Herrschel in ''neue musik zeitung'', 2009 (in German)
Works list (1979–2008)
(PDF, 496 kB)
Entries for Rudi Spring
on

WorldCat WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the O ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spring, Rudi German classical composers German classical pianists Male classical pianists 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers University of Music and Performing Arts Munich alumni Academic staff of the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich Composers for piano 1962 births Living people People from Lindau German male classical composers 20th-century German composers 21st-century German composers German pianists German male pianists 21st-century classical pianists 20th-century German male musicians 21st-century German male musicians