Christoph Poppen
Encyclopedia
Christoph Poppen is a German
conductor, violin
ist and academic teacher.
, later with Oskar Schumsky, Nathan Milstein
, and Joseph Gingold.
In 1978, Poppen founded the Cherubini Quartet, winning in 1981 at the international string quartet competition in Evian. He was the conductor of the chamber orchestra Detmolder Kammerorchester from 1989 to 1995. He then succeeded Hans Stadlmair
as the conductor and artistic director of the Münchener Kammerorchester. In collaboration with ECM he recorded with the orchestra contemporary music of composers such as Karl Amadeus Hartmann
, Tigran Mansurian
, Anton Webern
, Sofia Gubaidulina
, Giacinto Scelsi
, Valentin Silvestrov
and Barry Guy
. As a violinist, he recorded in 2000 works of Johann Sebastian Bach
with the Hilliard Ensemble
. The title Morimur (We shall die) stands for a juxtaposition of Bach's Partita for Violin No. 2, which is related to Easter
according to scholar Helga Thoene, and interspersed chorale
s, some from his cantata
s and Passions. The Partita's final Ciaconna is performed twice, once with the chorale which Bach may have had in mind, along with the violin music. The recording was described as
From 2006 Poppen has been the conductor of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, which was, together with the Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern, named Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern in 2007. In 2007 he conducted in the Herkulessaal the premiere of Wilhelm Killmayer
's Dithyramben for orchestra with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
Poppen was the artistic director of the ARD International Music Competition
from 2000 to 2005.
. He taught at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin from 1995 and was its director from 1996 to 2000. He has been professor for violin and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
since 2003.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
conductor, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and academic teacher.
Professional career
As a violinist, Poppen was awarded first prize in the Kocian Violin Competition age 14. He studied the violin with Kurt Schäffer at the Robert Schumann InstituteRobert Schumann Hochschule
The Robert-Schumann-Hochschule is a college for music studies on university level in Düsseldorf, Germany.-History:...
, later with Oskar Schumsky, Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein
Nathan Mironovich Milstein was a Russian-born American virtuoso violinist.Widely considered one of the finest violinists of the 20th century, Milstein was known for his interpretations of Bach's solo violin works and for works from the Romantic period...
, and Joseph Gingold.
In 1978, Poppen founded the Cherubini Quartet, winning in 1981 at the international string quartet competition in Evian. He was the conductor of the chamber orchestra Detmolder Kammerorchester from 1989 to 1995. He then succeeded Hans Stadlmair
Hans Stadlmair
Hans Stadlmair is an Austrian conductor and composer. He conducted the Münchener Kammerorchester for almost four decades.-Professional career:...
as the conductor and artistic director of the Münchener Kammerorchester. In collaboration with ECM he recorded with the orchestra contemporary music of composers such as Karl Amadeus Hartmann
Karl Amadeus Hartmann
Karl Amadeus Hartmann was a German composer. Some have lauded him as the greatest German symphonist of the 20th century, although he is now largely overlooked, particularly in English-speaking countries.-Life:...
, Tigran Mansurian
Tigran Mansurian
Tigran Mansurian is an Armenian composer of classical music and film scores. He was born in Beirut and educated in Yerevan, Armenia, where his family had moved in 1947...
, Anton Webern
Anton Webern
Anton Webern was an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Second Viennese School. As a student and significant follower of Arnold Schoenberg, he became one of the best-known exponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of...
, Sofia Gubaidulina
Sofia Gubaidulina
Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina, is a Russian composer of half Russian, half Tatar ethnicity.Gubaidulina's music is marked by the use of unusual instrumental combinations...
, Giacinto Scelsi
Giacinto Scelsi
Giacinto Scelsi , Count of Ayala Valva was an Italian composer who also wrote surrealist poetry in French....
, Valentin Silvestrov
Valentin Silvestrov
Valentyn Vasylyovych Sylvestrov is a Ukrainian pianist and composer of contemporary classical music.-Education:Sylvestrov began private music lessons at age 15...
and Barry Guy
Barry Guy
Barry John Guy is a British composer and double bass player. His range of interests encompasses early music, contemporary composition, jazz and improvisation, and he has worked with a wide variety of orchestras in the UK and Europe...
. As a violinist, he recorded in 2000 works of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
with the Hilliard Ensemble
Hilliard Ensemble
The Hilliard Ensemble is a British male vocal quartet originally devoted to the performance of early music. Founded in 1974, the group is named after the Elizabethan miniaturist painter Nicholas Hilliard....
. The title Morimur (We shall die) stands for a juxtaposition of Bach's Partita for Violin No. 2, which is related to Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
according to scholar Helga Thoene, and interspersed chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
s, some from his cantata
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
s and Passions. The Partita's final Ciaconna is performed twice, once with the chorale which Bach may have had in mind, along with the violin music. The recording was described as
... one of those increasingly rare things – a moving and intelligently programmed disc that is effective from beginning to end.
From 2006 Poppen has been the conductor of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken, which was, together with the Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern, named Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern in 2007. In 2007 he conducted in the Herkulessaal the premiere of Wilhelm Killmayer
Wilhelm Killmayer
Wilhelm Killmayer is a German composer of classical music and an academic.-Professional career:Wilhelm Killmayer studied conducting and composition from 1945 to 1951 in Munich at Hermann Wolfgang von Waltershausen’s Musikseminar...
's Dithyramben for orchestra with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.
Poppen was the artistic director of the ARD International Music Competition
ARD International Music Competition
The ARD International Music Competition is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is held once a year in Munich.-History:...
from 2000 to 2005.
Teaching
In 1988 Poppen was appointed professor of violin and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik DetmoldHochschule für Musik Detmold
The University of Music Detmold is one of Germany's leading university-level schools of music, situated in Detmold, Germany.- Academics :...
. He taught at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin from 1995 and was its director from 1996 to 2000. He has been professor for violin and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
The Hochschule für Musik und Theater München is one of the most respected traditional vocational universities in Germany specialising in music and the performing arts. The seat of the Hochschule is the former Führerbau of the NSDAP, located at Arcisstraße 12, on the eastern side of the Königsplatz...
since 2003.
Awards
- 2002 Prize of the Christoph und Stephan Kaske Foundation, with the Münchener Kammerorchester
- 2010 Kunstpreis des Saarlandes
External links
- Christoph Poppen website
- Christoph Poppen Deutsche Radiophilharmonie
- Christoph Poppen PR2, agent
- Christoph Poppen (Conductor, Baroque Violin) bach-cantatas.com
- Interview mit dem Dirigenten Christoph Poppen arte.tv 2007