Gottfried von Einem
Encyclopedia
Gottfried von Einem was an Austria
n composer. He is known chiefly for his opera
s influenced by the music of Stravinsky
and Prokofiev
, as well as by jazz
. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ.
, into an Austrian diplomat family. According to Einem's publisher, his father was William von Einem, a part of the Austrian military attaché in Bern. According to another source, however, he was adopted by Einem, his natural father being the Hungarian aristocrat Count László von Hunyadi. After his school days he went to Berlin
, where he studied with Boris Blacher and became a répétiteur
for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
. Through Blacher, Einem met his first wife, Lianne von Bismarck, whom he married in 1946 http://www.einem.org/en/komp_ll.htm. They had a son, Caspar Einem
(born 1948), who is now a former Austrian cabinet minister who still sits in the National Council
on the Social Democratic
bench. In 1953, the family moved back to Vienna.
Lianne von Bismarck died in 1962. In 1966 Einem married his librettist
, the renowned Austrian playwright and author Lotte Ingrisch
. Apart from Vienna, the couple spent much of their time in the Waldviertel
of Lower Austria
(specifically, at Oberdürnbach
and Rindlberg
/Großpertholz
), a virtually pristine region that clearly inspired not only his own work, but also the literature of Ingrisch.
The composer died in Oberdürnbach in 1996.
at the Salzburg Festival
of 1947. His last operas, starting with Jesu Hochzeit, are based on libretti
of his wife.
In 1973 he wrote as a commission of the UN
to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its foundation the cantata
An die Nachgeborenen for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, based on diverse texts. The title is taken from a poem of Bertolt Brecht
, translated as To Those Who Follow in Our Wake. The premiere in 1975 in New York with Julia Hamari
, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
, the Chorus of Temple University and the Wiener Symphoniker was conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini
.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n composer. He is known chiefly for his opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s influenced by the music of Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
and Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
, as well as by jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ.
Biography
Einem was born in Bern, SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, into an Austrian diplomat family. According to Einem's publisher, his father was William von Einem, a part of the Austrian military attaché in Bern. According to another source, however, he was adopted by Einem, his natural father being the Hungarian aristocrat Count László von Hunyadi. After his school days he went to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he studied with Boris Blacher and became a répétiteur
Répétiteur
Répétiteur , repetitore , or Korrepetitor / Repetitor , originally from the French verb répéter meaning "to repeat, to go over, to learn, to rehearse"....
for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The Berlin Philharmonic, German: , formerly Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester , is an orchestra based in Berlin, Germany. In 2006, a group of ten European media outlets voted the Berlin Philharmonic number three on a list of "top ten European Orchestras", after the Vienna Philharmonic and the...
. Through Blacher, Einem met his first wife, Lianne von Bismarck, whom he married in 1946 http://www.einem.org/en/komp_ll.htm. They had a son, Caspar Einem
Caspar Einem
Caspar Einem is a former Austrian Austrian politician and former minister . He currently serves as board member of Jetalliance.-Biography:...
(born 1948), who is now a former Austrian cabinet minister who still sits in the National Council
National Council of Austria
The National Council is one of the two houses of the Austrian parliament. According to the constitution, the National Council and the complementary Federal Council are peers...
on the Social Democratic
Social Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
bench. In 1953, the family moved back to Vienna.
Lianne von Bismarck died in 1962. In 1966 Einem married his librettist
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
, the renowned Austrian playwright and author Lotte Ingrisch
Lotte Ingrisch
Lotte Ingrisch, birthname Charlotte Gruber , daughter of Emma and Karl Gruber, is a well known Austrian author and playwright.From 1949 to 1965, the author was married to the Austrian philosopher Hugo Ingrisch...
. Apart from Vienna, the couple spent much of their time in the Waldviertel
Waldviertel
The Waldviertel is the northwestern region of the Austrian state Lower Austria. It is bounded to the south by the Danube, to the southwest by Upper Austria, to the northwest and the north by the Czech Republic and to the east by the Manhartsberg , which is the survey point dividing Waldviertel...
of Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
(specifically, at Oberdürnbach
Maissau
Maissau is a municipality in the district of Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, Austria....
and Rindlberg
Sandl
Sandl is a municipality in the district of Freistadt in Upper Austria, Austria....
/Großpertholz
Bad Großpertholz
Bad Großpertholz is a town in the district of Gmünd in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.-References:...
), a virtually pristine region that clearly inspired not only his own work, but also the literature of Ingrisch.
The composer died in Oberdürnbach in 1996.
Works
Gottfried von Einem composed mainly operas based on dramas. He was internationally recognized after the premiere of his opera Dantons TodDantons Tod
Dantons Tod is an opera by composer Gottfried von Einem to a libretto by Boris Blacher and Gottfried von Einem after Georg Büchner's 1835 play Danton's Death. Its first performance took place in Salzburg, August 6, 1947...
at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
of 1947. His last operas, starting with Jesu Hochzeit, are based on libretti
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
of his wife.
In 1973 he wrote as a commission of the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its foundation the cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
An die Nachgeborenen for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, based on diverse texts. The title is taken from a poem of Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
, translated as To Those Who Follow in Our Wake. The premiere in 1975 in New York with Julia Hamari
Julia Hamari
Julia Hamari, originally Hamari Júlia , is a Hungarian mezzo-soprano and alto singer in opera and concert, appearing internationally. She is an academic voice teacher in Stuttgart.- Professional career :...
, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is a retired German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous lieder performers of the post-war period and "one of the supreme vocal artists of the 20th century"...
, the Chorus of Temple University and the Wiener Symphoniker was conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini
Carlo Maria Giulini was an Italian conductor.-Biography:Giulini was born in Barletta, Italy, to a father born in Lombardy and a mother born in Naples; but he was raised in Bolzano, which at the time of his birth was part of Austria...
.
Awards
- 1958: Preis der Stadt Wien für Musik
- 1965: Großer Österreichischer Staatspreis für Musik
- 2002: posthumously Righteous Among the NationsRighteous Among the NationsRighteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
by Yad VashemYad VashemYad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
http://www.jmi.org.uk/suppressedmusic/newsletter/ifsm_news5.html#IIevents, for helping save the life of musician Konrad Latte http://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/home/20000213mag-schneider2.html.
Selected operas
- Dantons TodDantons TodDantons Tod is an opera by composer Gottfried von Einem to a libretto by Boris Blacher and Gottfried von Einem after Georg Büchner's 1835 play Danton's Death. Its first performance took place in Salzburg, August 6, 1947...
(1947) after Georg BüchnerGeorg BüchnerKarl Georg Büchner was a German dramatist and writer of poetry and prose. He was the brother of physician and philosopher Ludwig Büchner. Büchner's talent is generally held in great esteem in Germany... - Der Prozeß after Franz KafkaFranz KafkaFranz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
- Der Zerrissene after Johann NestroyJohann NestroyJohann Nepomuk Eduard Ambrosius Nestroy was a singer, actor and playwright in the popular Austrian tradition of the Biedermeier period and its immediate aftermath...
- Kabale und Liebe after Friedrich SchillerFriedrich SchillerJohann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
- Der Besuch der alten DameDer Besuch der alten DameDer Besuch der alten Dame is an opera in three acts by Gottfried von Einem to a German libretto by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, based on his play of the same name.-Performance history:...
(1971) after Friedrich DürrenmattFriedrich DürrenmattFriedrich Dürrenmatt was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant-garde dramas, philosophically deep crime novels, and often macabre satire... - Jesu Hochzeit
- Der Tulifant
- Luzifers Lächeln