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Composer

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Augustinus Franz Kropfreiter was a renowned Austrian composer, born on August 28, 1936, in the town of St. Georgen an der Gusen, Upper Austria. He was the youngest of six children in a family of musicians. His father, Franz Kropfreiter, was a choir director and organist, while his mother, Maria Kropfreiter, was a singer and pianist. Growing up in a musical family, Kropfreiter was exposed to music from an early age and began playing the piano at the age of four. Kropfreiter received his early education at the Stiftsgymnasium Kremsmünster, a Benedictine monastery school in Upper Austria. He then went on to study music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he studied composition with Hanns Jelinek and conducting with Hans Swarowsky. He also studied musicology at the University of Vienna. Kropfreiter's early compositions were influenced by the Second Viennese School, particularly the music of Arnold Schoenberg. However, he later developed his own unique style, which was characterized by a blend of tonal and atonal elements. His music was also influenced by his interest in literature, philosophy, and theology. Kropfreiter's first major composition was his String Quartet No. 1, which he composed in 1961. The piece was well-received and helped establish Kropfreiter as a promising young composer. He went on to compose a number of other works for chamber ensembles, including his String Quartet No. 2, which was premiered in 1965. In the 1970s, Kropfreiter began to focus more on orchestral music. He composed a number of works for orchestra, including his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered in 1973. The piece was well-received and helped establish Kropfreiter as a major figure in Austrian music. Kropfreiter's music was often characterized by its emotional intensity and its exploration of existential themes. His Symphony No. 2, which was premiered in 1980, was inspired by the writings of the philosopher Martin Heidegger. The piece was praised for its powerful expression of human emotion and its exploration of the human condition. Kropfreiter also composed a number of works for choir and orchestra, including his Requiem, which was premiered in 1986. The piece was a tribute to his father, who had passed away the previous year. The Requiem was praised for its emotional depth and its powerful expression of grief and loss. In addition to his work as a composer, Kropfreiter was also a respected music educator. He taught composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna from 1971 to 2001, and he also served as the director of the university's Institute for Composition and Electroacoustics. Kropfreiter's contributions to Austrian music were recognized with a number of awards and honors. He was awarded the Austrian State Prize for Music in 1986, and he was also awarded the Grand Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria in 2001. Augustinus Franz Kropfreiter passed away on December 28, 2003, at the age of 67. He left behind a legacy of powerful and emotionally charged music that continues to be celebrated and performed today. His contributions to Austrian music have helped establish him as one of the country's most important composers of the 20th century.

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