THE LIVING COMPOSERS PROJECT  

Helmut Lachenmann

(b. 27 November 1935, Stuttgart).

German composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and piano works that have been performed throughout the world.

Prof. Lachenmann studied composition and music theory with Johann Nepomuk David and piano with Jürgen Uhde at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1955–58 and composition privately with Luigi Nono in Venice from 1958–60. He later studied at the Instituut voor Psychoacustica en Elektronische Muziek (IPEM) at the Universiteit Gent in 1965. He received an honorary doctorate from the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover in 2001, an honorary doctorate from the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden in 2010 and an honorary doctorate from the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne in 2012.

Among his honours are the Kulturpreis für Musik from the city of Munich (1965), the Kompositionspreis from the city of Stuttgart (1968, for Consolation I), the Bach-Preis der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg (1972), the Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis (1997), the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award for Chamber-Scale Composition (2004, for III. Streichquartett, 'Grido'), the Berliner Kunstpreis from the Akademie der Künste in Berlin (2008), the Leone d'oro alla carriera from the Biennale di Venezia (2008), and the Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse des Verdienstordens from the government of Germany (2010). He was later named Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France (2012). He is a member of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, the Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste in Munich, the Freie Akademie der Künste in Hamburg, the Freie Akademie der Künste Rhein-Neckar in Mannheim, the Freie Akademie der Künste zu Leipzig, and the Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten. He is the subject of several publications, including Helmut Lachenmann–Inward Beauty (2004, edited by Dan Albertson, Contemporary Music Review) and Helmut Lachenmann–Music with Matches (2005, edited by Dan Albertson, Contemporary Music Review), as well as the film ...Wo ich noch nie war: Der Komponist Helmut Lachenmann by Bettina Ehrhardt (2006).

He is also active in other positions. He has written numerous articles on aesthetics, many of which appear in the collection Musik als existentielle Erfahrung – Schriften 1966–1995 (1996, second edition 2004, edited by Josef Häusler, Breitkopf & Härtel).

He taught at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1966–70, the Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg from 1970–76, the Universität Basel in 1972–73, and the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover from 1976–81. He has lectured regularly at the Ferienkurse in Darmstadt since 1978 and taught as Professor für Komposition at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1981–99. In addition, he has lectured in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and the USA.

He is married to the pianist Yukiko Sugawara.

His publisher is Breitkopf & Härtel.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address for consulting scores: reinisch@breitkopf.de

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

STAGE:

Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern (music-theatre work, libretto compiled by the composer, texts by Hans Christian Andersen [translations from the Drömersche Verlagsanstalt, Eva-Maria Blühm], Leonardo da Vinci [translated by Kurt Gerstenberg], Gudrun Ensslin, Friedrich Nietzsche), 2 sopranos, 1–4 speakers, 16 mixed voices, shō (mouth organ from Japan), 2 pianos, large orchestra (97 players), fixed media, 1990–96, revised 1999 (incorporates '...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo)

ORCHESTRAL:

Souvenir, orchestra (6 flutes [all + piccolo], 6 clarinets [all + E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet], piano, xylorimba, 11 violas, 8 cellos, 8 double basses), fixed media, 1959

Notturno (Musik für Julia), cello, small orchestra (2 flutes [any one + piccolo], trumpet, harp, timpani, 3 percussion, 19 strings), 1966–68, revised 1990

Air, percussion, 2 ad libitum players, large orchestra (78 players), 1968–69, revised 1994

Kontrakadenz, 4 recorders, 4 ad libitum players (any 2 + radio), large orchestra (88 players), 1970–71

Klangschatten – mein Saitenspiel, 3 pianos, 48 strings, 1972

Fassade, 8 ad libitum players, large orchestra (94 players), fixed media, 1973, revised 1987

Schwankungen am Rand, orchestra (4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 2 electric guitars, 2 pianos, 4 thunder sheets [2 players], 4 violins [around hall], 2 violas [around hall], 28 strings), fixed media, 1974–75

Accanto, clarinet, orchestra (2 flutes, 3 clarinets, contrabassoon, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, electric guitar, piano, timpani, xylorimba, 2 percussion, 38 strings), fixed media, 1975–76, revised 1982 (also version for clarinet, orchestra [2 flutes, 3 clarinets, contrabassoon, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, electric guitar, piano, timpani, xylorimba, 2 percussion, 19 strings], fixed media, 2005)

Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied, amplified string quartet, large orchestra (74 players), 1979–80

Harmonica, tuba, large orchestra (91 players), 1981–83

Ausklang, piano, large orchestra (80 players), 1984–85, revised 1986

Staub, large orchestra (72/73 players), 1985–87

Tableau, large orchestra (89 players), 1988–89

Schreiben, large orchestra (69 players), 2002–03, revised 2004

Double (Grido II), 48 strings, 2004 (version of III. Streichquartett, 'Grido')

Concertini, small orchestra (8 winds, 6 brass, harp, guitar, piano, 4 percussion, 7 strings), 2004–05

Marche fatale, large orchestra, 2017 (version of work for piano)

My Melodies, 8 French horns, large orchestra (16 winds, 10 brass, 2 harps, 2 electric guitars, 2 pianos, 2 timpani, maximum 8 percussion, 48 strings), 2008–18

CHAMBER MUSIC:

Streichtrio, violin, viola, cello, 1965

Intérieur I, percussion, 1965–66

Trio fluido, clarinet, viola, percussion, 1966–67, revised 1968

Pression, cello, 1969–70, revised 2010

Dal Niente (Intérieur III), clarinet, 1970

Gran Torso, string quartet, 1971–72, revised 1978, 1988

Salut für Caudwell (guitarists also speak texts by Christopher Caudwell, Friedrich Nietzsche), 2 guitars (with scordatura), 1977

Mouvement (– vor der Erstarrung), 3 ad libitum players, ensemble (flute [+ piccolo], alto flute [+ piccolo], 2 clarinets [both + bass clarinet], bass clarinet, 2 trumpets, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass, timpani, 2 xylorimbas), 1982–84

Dritte Stimme zu J. S. Bachs zweistimmiger Invention D-moll BWV 775, any 2/3 homogeneous instruments, 1985

Toccatina (study), violin, 1986

Allegro sostenuto, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), cello, piano, 1986–88, revised 1989

II. Streichquartett, 'Reigen seliger Geister', string quartet, 1989

Sakura (variations on a folksong from Japan), saxophone, piano, percussion, 2000

III. Streichquartett, 'Grido', string quartet, 2000–01, revised 2002 (also version as Double [Grido II], 48 strings)

CHORAL:

Consolation I (text by Ernst Toller), 12 mixed voices, 4 percussion, 1967, revised 1990, 1993 (also incorporated into Les Consolations)

Consolation II (text from the Wessobrunner Gebet [9th-century prayer (modern German translation)]), 16 mixed voices, 1968 (also incorporated into Les Consolations)

Les Consolations (texts by Hans Christian Andersen [translation from the Drömersche Verlagsanstalt], Ernst Toller, the Wessobrunner Gebet), 16 mixed voices, large orchestra (76 players), fixed media, 1977–78 (incorporates Consolation I and Consolation II)

NUN (text by Kitarō Nishida [translated by Peter Pörtner]), 8 male voices, flute (+ bass flute), trombone, large orchestra (74 players), 1997–99, revised 2002

VOCAL:

temA (vocalise), mezzo-soprano, flute, cello, 1968

'...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo (in memoriam Luigi Nono, text by Leonardo da Vinci [translated by Kurt Gerstenberg]; most musicians also speak text by Friedrich Nietzsche), speaker/2 speakers, small orchestra (22 players), 1991–92 (also incorporated into Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern)

GOT LOST (texts by Friedrich Nietzsche, Fernando Pessoa, an anonymous source in English), soprano, piano, 2007–08

PIANO:

Fünf Variationen über ein Thema von Franz Schubert, 1956

Echo Andante, 1961–62

Wiegenmusik, 1963

Guero, 1970, revised 1988

Ein Kinderspiel (7 small pieces), 1980

Serynade, 1997–98, revised 2000

Marche fatale, 2016 (also version for large orchestra)

DISCOGRAPHY

Allegro sostenuto; Dal Niente (Intérieur III); Pression; Wiegenmusik. Alain Damiens, clarinet, bass clarinet; Pierre Strauch, cello; Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano (Accord: 202082)

'...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo; Notturno (Musik für Julia); Intérieur I. Helmut Lachenmann, speaker; Andreas Lindenbaum, cello; Björn Wilker, percussion; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (Accord: 204852)

Ein Kinderspiel. Silvia Vidal, piano (Ah/Note 1)

Salut für Caudwell. Kei Koh, Norio Sato, guitars (ALM Records: ALCD-53)

Intérieur I. Babette Haag, percussion (Animato: ACD 6056)

Fünf Variationen über ein Thema von Franz Schubert. Susanne Kessel, piano (Arte Nova: 74321 75498-2)

II. Streichquartett, 'Reigen seliger Geister'. Quatuor Diotima (Assai: 222.492)

Pression. Taco Kooistra, cello (Attacca Babel: 9369)

Intérieur I. Cornelia Monske, percussion (Audite: Aud 20.005)

Dal Niente (Intérieur III). Rolf Borch, clarinet (Aurora: ACD5046)

Consolation II. Grete Pedersen/Det Norske Solistkor (BIS Records: BIS-2139) (SACD)

Notturno (Musik für Julia). Andreas Lindenbaum, cello; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (BMG/RCA: 74321 73512 2)

Staub. Myung-Whun Chung/Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern (BMG/RCA: 74321 73518 2)

Air (original version). Michael W. Ranta, percussion; Lukas Foss/hr-Sinfonieorchester (BMG/RCA: 74321 73550 2)

Guero. Yukiko Sugawara, piano (BMG/RCA: 74321 73590 2)

Dal Niente (Intérieur III). Eduard Brunner, clarinet (BMG/RCA: 74321 73600 2)

Streichtrio. trio recherche (BMG/RCA: 74321 73627 2)

Salut für Caudwell. Christopher Brandt, Robin Hoffmann, guitars (Cadenza: 800 875)

Consolation I; Consolation II. Arno Arndt, Siegfried Fink, Hermann Gschwendtner, Michael W. Ranta, percussion; Clytus Gottwald/Schola Cantorum Stuttgart (Cadenza: 800 893)

Ein Kinderspiel. Daniel Schlosberg, piano (Centaur Records: CRC 3218)

Allegro sostenuto; Ein Kinderspiel; Dal Niente (Intérieur III); Pression. David Smeyers, clarinet, bass clarinet; Michael Bach Bachtischa, cello; Bernhard Wambach, piano (classic production osnabrück: cpo 999 102-2)

Harmonica. Richard Nahatzki, tuba; Hans Zender/Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern (classic production osnabrück: cpo 999 484-2)

Salut für Caudwell. Wilhelm Bruck, Theodor Ross, guitars (Classic World: 5005)

Gran Torso; Salut für Caudwell. Wilhelm Bruck, Theodor Ross, guitars; Berner Streichquartett (col legno: AU 31804)

Echo Andante; Ein Kinderspiel; Guero; Fünf Variationen über ein Thema von Franz Schubert; Wiegenmusik. Roland Keller, piano (col legno: AU 31813)

Accanto (original version). Eduard Brunner, clarinet; Zoltán Peskó/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (col legno: AU 31836)

Air (revised version). Christian Dierstein, percussion; Lothar Zagrosek/Staatsorchester Stuttgart (col legno: WWE 20041)

Ein Kinderspiel; Wiegenmusik; Guero; Echo Andante; Serynade. Marino Formenti, piano (col legno: WWE 20222)

Intérieur I; Schwankungen am Rand; Air (revised version). Christoph Caskel, Christian Dierstein, percussion; Ernest Bour/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg; Lothar Zagrosek/Staatsorchester Stuttgart (col legno: WWE 20511)

Ausklang; Tableau. Massimiliano Damerini, piano; Péter Eötvös/WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln; Hans Zender/Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern (col legno: WWE 31862)

Allegro sostenuto; Dal Niente (Intérieur III); Intérieur I; Pression. Eduard Brunner, clarinet, bass clarinet; Walter Grimmer, cello; Massimiliano Damerini, piano; Johannes Beer, percussion (col legno: WWE 31863)

Schwankungen am Rand. Ernest Bour/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (col legno: WWE 31899)

Salut für Caudwell. Barbara Romen, Gunter Schneider, guitars (Durian: 018)

'...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo. Benedikt Leitner, Robert Sedlak, speakers; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (Durian: 097/098)

Dal Niente (Intérieur III). Eduard Brunner, clarinet (ECM New Series: 1599)

Mouvement (– vor der Erstarrung); Schwankungen am Rand; '...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo. Franck Ollu, Ueli Wiget, speakers; Péter Eötvös/Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Modern Orchestra (ECM New Series: 1789)

Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern (revised version). Eiko Morikawa, Nicole Tibbels, sopranos; Helmut Lachenmann, speaker; Mayumi Miyata, shō; Tomoko Hemmi, Yukiko Sugawara, pianos; Sylvain Cambreling/SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (ECM New Series: 1858/59)

Fünf Variationen über ein Thema von Franz Schubert. Lars Vogt, piano (EMI Classics: 567 754446 2)

Dritte Stimme zu J. S. Bachs zweistimmiger Invention D-moll BWV 775. Trio di Clarone (EMI Classics: 7243 557003)

Ausklang. Ueli Wiget, piano; Markus Stenz/Ensemble Modern Orchestra (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMCD-003)

NUN. Dietmar Wiesner, flute, bass flute; Uwe Dierksen, trombone; Markus Stenz/SCHOLA HEIDELBERG, Ensemble Modern Orchestra (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMCD-004)

Concertini; Kontrakadenz. Brad Lubman/Ensemble Modern; Markus Stenz/Ensemble Modern Orchestra (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMSACD-001) (SACD)

Pression. Benjamin Carat, cello (GRAME: CB0898)

Salut für Caudwell. Mats Scheidegger, Stephan Schmidt, guitars (Grammont: CTS-M 90)

NUN; Notturno (Musik für Julia). Gaby Pas-Van Riet, flute, bass flute; Mike Svoboda, trombone; Andreas Lindenbaum, cello; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien; Jonathan Nott/Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln (Kairos: 0012142KAI)

Mouvement (– vor der Erstarrung); '...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo; Consolation I; Consolation II. Walter Nußbaum/SCHOLA HEIDELBERG, ensemble aisthesis; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien, Slovenská filharmónia (Kairos: 0012202KAI)

Serynade; Allegro sostenuto. Shizuyo Oka, clarinet, bass clarinet; Lucas Fels, cello; Yukiko Sugawara, piano (Kairos: 0012212KAI)

Kontrakadenz; Klangschatten – mein Saitenspiel; Fassade. Gerhard Gregor, Peter Roggenkamp, Zsigmond Szathmáry, pianos; Michael Gielen/strings of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (Kairos: 0012232KAI)

Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern (original version). Elizabeth Keusch, Sarah Leonard, sopranos; Salome Kammer, speaker; Mayumi Miyata, shō; Tomoko Hemmi, Yukiko Sugawara, pianos; Lothar Zagrosek/chorus and orchestra of Oper Stuttgart (Kairos: 0012282KAI)

Salut für Caudwell; Les Consolations; Concertini. Wilhelm Bruck, Theodor Ross, guitars; Johannes Kalitzke/SCHOLA HEIDELBERG, Klangforum Wien, WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln (Kairos: 0012652KAI)

III. Streichquartett, 'Grido'; II. Streichquartett, 'Reigen seliger Geister'; Gran Torso. Arditti String Quartet (Kairos: 0012662KAI)

Schreiben; Double (Grido II). Matthias Hermann/Lucerne Festival Academy Ensemble; Sylvain Cambreling/SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (Kairos: 0013342KAI)

'...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo; Wiegenmusik; Pression; Guero; Ein Kinderspiel. Helmut Lachenmann, speaker, piano; Lauren Radnofsky, cello; Brad Lubman/Ensemble Signal (Mode Records: mode 252)

Gran Torso; II. Streichquartett, 'Reigen seliger Geister'; III. Streichquartett, 'Grido'. JACK Quartet (Mode Records: mode 267)

II. Streichquartett, 'Reigen seliger Geister'; Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied. Arditti String Quartet; Olaf Henzold/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (Montaigne Auvidis: MO 782019)

temA; Trio fluido; Streichtrio. Linda Hirst, mezzo-soprano; Martin Fahlenbock, flute; Uwe Möckel, clarinet; Barbara Maurer, viola; Lucas Fels, cello; Christian Dierstein, percussion; trio recherche (Montaigne Auvidis: MO 782023)

Ein Kinderspiel; Guero; Intérieur I; Pression; Toccatina; Wiegenmusik. Melise Mellinger, violin; Lucas Fels, cello; Helmut Lachenmann, piano; Christian Dierstein, percussion (Montaigne Auvidis: MO 782075)

Echo Andante. Steffen Schleiermacher, piano (Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm: MDG 613 1005-2)

Ausklang. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano; Jonathan Nott/Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (NEOS: 11423)

'...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo; Schreiben. Helmut Lachenmann, speaker; Péter Eötvös, Susanna Mälkki/Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (NEOS: 11424)

'...zwei Gefühle...', Musik mit Leonardo; Consolation I; Consolation II; Mouvement (– vor der Erstarrung). Helmut Lachenmann, speaker; Walter Nußbaum/SCHOLA HEIDELBERG, ensemble aisthesis (WERGO: NZ 53) (DVD)

Dal Niente (Intérieur III); temA; Toccatina; Pression; Allegro sostenuto. Carola Schlüter, soprano; Angelika Bender, flute; Thomas Löffler, clarinet, bass clarinet; Mariette Leners, violin; Wolfgang Lessing, cello; Andreas Sommer, piano (WERGO: WER 6682 2)

Accanto (original version); Consolation I; Kontrakadenz. Eduard Brunner, clarinet; Arno Arndt, Siegfried Fink, Hermann Gschwendtner, Michael W. Ranta, percussion; Clytus Gottwald/Schola Cantorum Stuttgart; Michael Gielen/Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR (WERGO: WER 6738 2)

Intérieur I. Leonie Klein, percussion (WERGO: WER 7375 2)

II. Streichquartett, 'Reigen seliger Geister'. Arditti String Quartet (Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik 1990, documentation CD)

III. Streichquartett, 'Grido'. Arditti String Quartet (Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik 2002, documentation CD)