Michael Obst (composer)
Encyclopedia
Michael Obst is a German composer
and pianist
.
and Aloys Kontarsky
at the Hochschule für Musik Köln
, where he sat his piano examination in 1982. At the same time, between 1979 and 1986, he studied composition with Hans Ulrich Humpert in the Studio for Elektronic Music of the Hochschule für Musik Köln
. From 1981 to 1986 he was the pianist and a founding member of the Ensemble Modern
, from 1986 to 1989 he worked as an interpreter with Karlheinz Stockhausen
, playing synthesizer in Stockhausen’s operatic cycle Licht
(Visscher 2001).
He was invited to the Studios of Gent (IPEM), Stockholm (EMS), Bourges (Groupe de musique expérimentale de Bourges), Paris (IRCAM
), and Freiburg (SWF
-Heinrich Strobel Stiftung) as well as to the Studio for Electronic Music of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk
in Cologne
. At IRCAM he realized the electronics for his chamber opera Solaris (to a libretto by Stanisław Lem), which was premiered at the Munich Biennale
in 1996. Since 1997 he has been Professor of Composition at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar
(Visscher 2001).
In works such as Solaris, Obst adopts a modernist sensibility while at the same time questioning its underlying philosophy (Meph 1997, 44).
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Life
At first Obst studied music education from 1973 to 1978 in Mainz, and from 1977 to 1982 studied piano with Alfons KontarskyAloys and Alfons Kontarsky
Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky were German duo-pianist brothers who were associated with a number of important world premieres of contemporary works. They had an international reputation for performing modern music for two pianists, although they also performed the standard repertoire and they...
and Aloys Kontarsky
Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky
Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky were German duo-pianist brothers who were associated with a number of important world premieres of contemporary works. They had an international reputation for performing modern music for two pianists, although they also performed the standard repertoire and they...
at the Hochschule für Musik Köln
Hochschule für Musik Köln
The Cologne University of Music is a music college in Cologne, and Germany's largest academy of music.-History:The academy was founded by Ferdinand Hiller in 1850 as Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln...
, where he sat his piano examination in 1982. At the same time, between 1979 and 1986, he studied composition with Hans Ulrich Humpert in the Studio for Elektronic Music of the Hochschule für Musik Köln
Hochschule für Musik Köln
The Cologne University of Music is a music college in Cologne, and Germany's largest academy of music.-History:The academy was founded by Ferdinand Hiller in 1850 as Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln...
. From 1981 to 1986 he was the pianist and a founding member of the Ensemble Modern
Ensemble Modern
Ensemble Modern is a chamber ensemble dedicated to the music of modern composers. Formed in 1980, the group is based in Frankfurt, Germany and made up variously of about twenty members from numerous countries....
, from 1986 to 1989 he worked as an interpreter with Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
, playing synthesizer in Stockhausen’s operatic cycle Licht
Licht
Licht , subtitled "The Seven Days of the Week," is a cycle of seven operas composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen between 1977 and 2003. In total, the cycle contains over 29 hours of music.-Origin:...
(Visscher 2001).
He was invited to the Studios of Gent (IPEM), Stockholm (EMS), Bourges (Groupe de musique expérimentale de Bourges), Paris (IRCAM
IRCAM
IRCAM is a European institute for science about music and sound and avant garde electro-acoustical art music. It is situated next to, and is organizationally linked with, the Centre Pompidou in Paris...
), and Freiburg (SWF
Südwestrundfunk
The Südwestrundfunk is a public broadcasting company for the southwest of Germany, specifically the states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. The company has main offices in three cities: Stuttgart, Baden-Baden and Mainz, with the director's office being in Stuttgart. It is an...
-Heinrich Strobel Stiftung) as well as to the Studio for Electronic Music of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. At IRCAM he realized the electronics for his chamber opera Solaris (to a libretto by Stanisław Lem), which was premiered at the Munich Biennale
Munich Biennale
The Munich Biennale is an opera festival in the city of Munich. The full German name is Internationales Festival für neues Musiktheater, literally: International Festival for New Music Theater. The biennial festival was created in 1988 by Hans Werner Henze and is held in even-numbered years over...
in 1996. Since 1997 he has been Professor of Composition at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
(Visscher 2001).
In works such as Solaris, Obst adopts a modernist sensibility while at the same time questioning its underlying philosophy (Meph 1997, 44).
Stage works
| Premiere | Title | Description | Libretto and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Dec 1996, Muffathalle/ Munich Biennale Munich Biennale The Munich Biennale is an opera festival in the city of Munich. The full German name is Internationales Festival für neues Musiktheater, literally: International Festival for New Music Theater. The biennial festival was created in 1988 by Hans Werner Henze and is held in even-numbered years over... |
Solaris | Chamber opera in 3 parts with an overture and an intermezzo, 90' | the composer, after the novel Solaris (novel) Solaris is a 1961 Polish science fiction novel by Stanisław Lem. It is about the ultimate inadequacy of communication between human and non-human species.... by Stanislaw Lem Stanislaw Lem Stanisław Lem was a Polish writer of science fiction, philosophy and satire. He was named a Knight of the Order of the White Eagle. His books have been translated into 41 languages and have sold over 27 million copies. He is perhaps best known as the author of the 1961 novel Solaris, which has... |
| 10 Jul 1999, National Theater Weimar | Caroline | Opera in two parts | Ralph Günther Mohnnau |
| 25 Sep 2010, Mainfranken Theater Würzburg Mainfranken Theater Würzburg Mainfranken Theater Würzburg is a theatre in Bavaria, Germany.... |
Die andere Seite | Opera | Hermann Schneider, after the novel The Other Side by Alfred Kubin Alfred Kubin Alfred Leopold Isidor Kubin was an Austrian printmaker, illustrator and occasional writer. Kubin is considered an important representative of Symbolism and Expressionism.-Biography:... |
Other works
- 1987 Kristallwelt III, for ensemble and tape
- 1987 Chansons, for mezzosoprano, 5 instruments, live-electronics, and tape
- 1989 Miroirs, for 6 vocalists
- 1990 Nachtstücke, for 7 instruments and live-electronics
- 1992 Fresko, for 5 instruments
- 1993 Dr. Mabuse Part I + II, for ensemble and live-electronics (film music for the restored complete version of the silent film "Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler" by Fritz LangFritz LangFriedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
) - 1995 Diaphonia, for soloists, orchestra and live-electronics
- 1997 Shadow of a Doubt, for percussion and ensemble
- 1999 Octet for Winds
- 2001 Piano Trio no. 1
- 2001 Transit, for orchestra
- 2003 Nosferatu, (music for the classic silent film by Friedrich Wilhelm MurnauFriedrich Wilhelm MurnauFriedrich Wilhelm "F. W." Murnau was one of the most influential German film directors of the silent era, and a prominent figure in the expressionist movement in German cinema during the 1920s...
) - 2005 Espaces sonores, for wind quintet and orchestra
- 2006 Piano Trio no. 2
Discography (selective list)
- Metal Drops, inside-metal drop music-Ye-Na-Je, electronic music, CD Wergo WER SM 1043-2
- Crystal World, Crystal World I-III, electronic music, CD Wergo WER 2011-50
- Michael Obst, Kristallwelt III-Fresko-Nachtstücke, EIC/IRCAM, CD Universal UN 925 0-048946-530627 (formerly: Adès 205832)