Role

:

Composer Conductor

Country

:

Austria

Birth

:

February 17, 1926 in Vienna, Austria

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Friedrich Cerha is a renowned Austrian composer, born on February 17, 1926, in Vienna, Austria. He is best known for his contributions to contemporary classical music, particularly in the field of serialism. Cerha's music is characterized by its complexity, dissonance, and unconventional use of instruments. Cerha's interest in music began at a young age, and he started taking piano lessons when he was just six years old. He later studied composition and conducting at the Vienna Music Academy, where he was a student of Joseph Marx and Hans Swarowsky. After completing his studies, Cerha worked as a conductor and composer for various orchestras and ensembles in Austria and Germany. Cerha's early works were influenced by the Viennese classical tradition, but he soon became interested in the avant-garde movements of the 20th century. In the 1950s, he began experimenting with serialism, a compositional technique that uses a series of musical elements to create a piece of music. Cerha's use of serialism was particularly innovative, as he often combined it with other techniques, such as aleatoric music (music that is partially or wholly left to chance) and electronic music. One of Cerha's most famous works is his orchestration of Alban Berg's opera "Lulu." Berg had left the opera unfinished at the time of his death, and Cerha spent over 30 years completing the score. The completed version of "Lulu" premiered in Paris in 1979 and has since been performed all over the world. Cerha's orchestration has been praised for its faithfulness to Berg's original intentions while also adding a modern touch. Cerha's other notable works include "Spiegel," a piece for orchestra and tape that uses electronic sounds to create a dreamlike atmosphere, and "Eine Art Chansons," a collection of songs that blend elements of cabaret and classical music. He has also composed numerous chamber music works, including string quartets, piano trios, and solo pieces for various instruments. In addition to his work as a composer, Cerha has also been a teacher and mentor to many young musicians. He has taught at the Vienna Music Academy and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. He has also served as a guest lecturer and conductor at universities and music festivals around the world. Cerha's contributions to contemporary classical music have been widely recognized. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Grand Austrian State Prize for Music in 2006 and the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize in 2012. His music continues to be performed and recorded by orchestras and ensembles around the world, and he remains an important figure in the world of contemporary classical music.

More....