Siegfried Borris (born Siegfried Jakob Boris Zuckermann; 4 November 1906 – 23 August 1987) was a German composer, musicologist and music educator. He became a lecturer at the

Musikhochschule Berlin The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research universit ...

in 1929, but his career was interrupted during the Nazi regime. He was appointed professor in 1945 and became an influential pedagogue, composer of music for young players, and active in music organisations. He was president of national associations, of Deutscher Tonkünstlerverband from 1963 to 1972, and of Deutscher Musikrat from 1971 to 1976.

Life

Siegfried Jakob Boris Zuckermann was born in Berlin on 4 November 1906, the son of the economist Salomo Zuckermann and his wife Martha, a teacher. His father was Jewish and had converted to Christianity when he married in 1905. He initially studied national economics at the Humboldt University of Berlin as his father wished, but also studied music at the same time. In 1927, he was accepted in Paul Hindemith's composition class. From 1929, he additionally studied

musicology Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

. He obtained a doctorate in 1933, supervised by Arnold Schering. His dissertation was ''Kirnbergers Leben und Werk und seine Bedeutung im Berliner Musikkreis um 1750'', about the life and influence of

Johann Kirnberger Johann Philipp Kirnberger (also ''Kernberg''; 24 April 1721, Saalfeld – 27 July 1783, Berlin) was a musician, composer (primarily of fugues), and music theorist. He was a student of Johann Sebastian Bach. According to Ingeborg Allihn, Kirnberg ...

. As early as 1929, he worked as a

lecturer Lecturer is an List of academic ranks, 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. T ...

at the

Musikhochschule A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...

in Berlin. He was dismissed in 1933, at the instigation of the

Kampfbund für deutsche Kultur The ''Kampfbund'' ("Battle-league") was a league of nationalist fighting societies and the German National Socialist party in Bavaria, Germany, in the 1920s. It included Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party (NSDAP) and its '' Sturmabteilung'' (SA), the Oberl ...

under the Nazi regime. He then taught music privately. When the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 were enacted, he also lost his German citizenship which had been granted to him in 1925. He subsequently remained in

statelessness In international law, a stateless person is someone who is "not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law". Some stateless people are also refugees. However, not all refugees are stateless, and many people who are st ...

until 1950. After World War II, Borris returned to the Musikhochschule in Berlin, where he was appointed professor. He established and directed a teachers' seminary. He was made an emeritus in 1972. His focus was on topics such as school music, young musicians and the popularisation of

contemporary music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included serial ...

. He composed operas for schools and fairy-tale operas, and produced radio programs of new music. He became a member of the advisory board of the broadcaster Sender Freies Berlin. Borris was chairman of the new Institut für Neue Musik und Musikerziehung in

Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...

from 1961 to 1972, also president of Verband Deutscher Musikerzieher und konzertierender Künstler, an association of German music educators and performers from 1963 to 1972, and in a leading position in the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Musikerziehung und Musikpflege. He was a member of the Deutscher Musikrat from 1964, serving as its president from 1971 to 1976. Grab Siegfried Borris

Borris died in Berlin at the age of 80. He was buried in the

Dahlem Cemetery The Dahlem Cemetery (german: Friedhof Dahlem, italic=no, sometimes improperly referred to as Friedhof Dahlem-Dorf), is a cemetery in Berlin-Dahlem. The cemetery was built according to the plans of the architects Friedrich and Wilhelm Hennigs. Not ...

. His grave was designated as a grave of honour in Berlin until 2014.

Honours

* 1972: Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany * 1981: of Berlin. * 1986: Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Publications

As a composer, Borris wrote five symphonies, suites and divertimento, a harpsichord concerto and a flute concerto, pieces for

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

, and

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...

s. Borris also wrote several works for mandolin orchestra. The main focus of his compositional work was in the field of youth opera and ''Spielmusik'', music used in musical education. Borris also published numerous writings on music theory. His works and personal documents are held by the Academy of Arts, Berlin.

Operas

* ''Hans im Glück'', Funkoper, op. 40, Berlin: S. Borris, 1947 * ''Hirotas und Gerlinde'', Funkoper, op. 41, Wilhelmshaven: Heinrichshofen’s, 1946 * ''Die Rübe'', Eine heitere Märchenoper (nach Grimm), op. 56, Berlin: Sirius 1955 * ''Ruf des Lebens'', Szenische Kantate, op. 72, Berlin: Sirius, 1954

Orchestral music

* ''Concertino für Flöte und Streichorchester'' op. 71, Berlin: Sirius, a. 1950ref name="Knickmann" /> * ''Divertimento'' op. 31,3 für Streicher und 5 Bläser, Wilhelmshaven: Heinrichshofen’s * Symphony No. 1 in B minor, op. 19 for orchestra, Berlin: Sirius, 1952 * Symphony No. 2 in E-flat major, op. 21 * Symphony No. 3 in A major, op. 29Siegfried Borris
musicalics.com * Symphony No. 4 in E major, op. 60 * Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor, op. 61 * ''Frühlingsgesellen'' op. 49 * ''Orchestersuite'', op. 25 * Concertino for Englisch horn and string orchestra, op. 48, 1949 * ''Intrada'' for orchestra, op. 57 * ''Ländliche Suite – Spielmusik zum "Bruder Singer"'' for three wind instruments and string, 1954 * ''Konzert für Gambe, 3 Holzbläser und Streichorchester'', op. 87 * ''Konzert für Orgel und kleines Orchester'', op. 110 * ''Concerto for Orchestra'' in one movement, op. 112 * ''Konzert für Sopran Saxophon und Orchester'', op. 120, 1966

Chamber music

*''Partita'' for viola and cello, Op. 4, 1928, Berlin: Merkantil- und Musikalien-Druckerei Hannes Helm, zwischen 1939 und 1944 oder Berlin: S. Borris, 1947 *Quartet for flute, violin, viola and cello, Op. 17 No. 2, Berlin: Sirius-Verlag, 1952 *''Bläserquintett'' (Wind Quintet), Op. 25 No. 2, Berlin: Sirius, 1946 *''Partita'' for flute, Op. 27 No. 1, Halle (Saale): Mitteldeutscher Verlag, 1951 *''Partita'' for two violins, Op. 27 No. 2, Leipzig: Friedrich Hofmeister, 1959 *Sonata for piano in B minor, Op. 21, 1940 *Sonata for flute and piano, Op. 22 No. 2, 1942, Berlin: Sirius, 1948 * ''3 Kleine Suiten'' (3 Little Suites) for piano, Op. 31, 1942, 1949–1950 *Sonata in F for viola and piano, Op. 51 (published 1950) * ''Villanellen'' for flute, violin and cello, Op. 97 *Canzona for viola and organ (or harpsichord), Op. 110 *''Kleine Suite'' (Little Suite) for viola and piano

Vocal music

*''Fahrtenkantate'' op. 54, 2, für gemischten Chor a cappella, Fassung für gemischten Chor, Instrumente ad libitum (3 Bläser, Streichquintett), Berlin: Sirius, 950ref name="Knickmann" /> *''Frühlingsgesellen'' op. 49, Ein Liederspiel, Berlin: Sirius, 1950 *''Missa "Dona nobis pacem"'' op. 63 für gemischten Chor a cappella, Berlin: Sirius, 1955

School music

*''Kleine Lieder für Karen-Isela'', Berlin: A. Nauck & Co., 1945 *''Das grosse Spielbuch'', 4 Bde., Leipzig: Peters, 951–1954ref name="Knickmann" />

Poem collections

Source: * ''Herbstaufbruch'', printed as manuscript, 47 pages, undated * ''Der klingende Kreis'', printed as manuscript, Berlin 1938 * ''Weg und Wende'', printed as manuscript, 1941

Books

Source: * ''Beiträge zu einer neuen Musikkunde'' 1947/48 * ''Praktische Harmonielehre'', Berlin (1938) 1950/1977 * ''Einführung in die moderne Musik'' Halle 1950 * ''Der Schlüssel zur Musik von heute''. Düsseldorf, Wien: Econ-Verlag 1967 * ''Grundlagen einer musikalischen Umweltkunde''. Wolfenbüttel, Zürich: Möseler 1975 * ''Kulturgut Musik als Massenware''. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel 1978

Notes

References

External links

* *
Siegfried Borris Archive
at the

Akademie der Künste, Berlin The Academy of Arts (german: Akademie der Künste) is a state arts institution in Berlin, Germany. The task of the Academy is to promote art, as well as to advise and support the states of Germany. The Academy's predecessor organization was fo ...

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Borris, Siegfried 20th-century classical composers 20th-century German composers 20th-century German musicologists German music educators Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Berlin University of the Arts alumni Berlin University of the Arts faculty Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 1906 births 1987 deaths Musicians from Berlin German people of Jewish descent Stateless people People who lost German citizenship