Michael Vetter is a German composer, novelist, poet, performer, calligrapher, artist, and teacher.

Biography

Vetter was born in Oberstdorf

Oberstdorf

Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in southwest Germany, located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps.At the center of Oberstdorf is a church whose tall spire serves as a landmark for navigating around town. The summits of the Nebelhorn and Fellhorn provide...

 in the Allgäu

Allgäu

The Allgäu is a southern German region in Swabia. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia and southeastern Baden-Württemberg. The region stretches from the prealpine lands up to the Alps...

 region of Germany, and received a conventional school education. He adopted the recorder

Recorder

The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...

 as his preferred instrument, and began experimenting in the late 1950s with its timbres and techniques, such as multiphonics and microtones

Microtonal music

Microtonal music is music using microtones—intervals of less than an equally spaced semitone. Microtonal music can also refer to music which uses intervals not found in the Western system of 12 equal intervals to the octave.-Terminology:...

. He inspired composers such as Louis Andriessen

Louis Andriessen

Louis Andriessen is a Dutch composer and pianist based in Amsterdam. He teaches composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague...

, Will Eisma, and Rob du Bois

Rob du Bois

Rob du Bois is a Dutch composer, pianist, and jurist.-Background and education:Rob du Bois was born in Amsterdam. His French ancestry can be seen from his name, and he maintains a sympathy for the French mentality and language...

 in the Netherlands, Sylvano Bussotti

Sylvano Bussotti

Sylvano Bussotti is an Italian composer of contemporary music whose work is unusually notated and often creates special problems of interpretation.Born in Florence, Bussotti learned to play the violin as a child, becoming a prodigy...

 in Italy, and Mauricio Kagel

Mauricio Kagel

Mauricio Kagel was a German-Argentine composer. He was notable for his interest in developing the theatrical side of musical performance .-Biography:...

 and 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"...

 in Germany to use the instrument in their compositions. His technical discoveries were codified in a text, Il flauto dolce ed acerbo (The Sweet and Sour Flute, 1969), which included tables of some 2000 fingerings (Lasocki 2001; O’Loughlin 1982, 37; O’Kelly 1990, 59 and 99–100).

He began studying philosophy and theology in 1964, while conrtinuing his career as a performer. In 1967 he began composing graphically

Graphic notation

Graphic notation is the representation of music through the use of visual symbols outside the realm of traditional music notation. Graphic notation evolved in the 1950s, and it is often used in combination with traditional music notation...

 and verbally notated music, and beginning in 1968 turned to writing experimental

Experimental music

Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...

/improvisational

Musical improvisation

Musical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...

 vocal music for children (Stockhausen and Vetter 1996, 94 and 97).

From March to September 1970, together with nineteen other musicians, he performed works by Stockhausen (including Hymnen

Hymnen

Hymnen is an electronic and concrete work, with optional live performers, by Karlheinz Stockhausen, composed in 1966–67, and elaborated in 1969. In the composer's catalog of works, it is "Nr. 22".-Musical form and content:...

, Spiral

Spiral (Stockhausen)

Spiral , for a soloist with a shortwave receiver, is a composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, written in 1968. It is Number 27 in the catalogue of the composer’s works.-Conception:...

, Pole, and Aus den sieben Tagen

Aus den Sieben Tagen

Aus den sieben Tagen is a collection of 15 text compositions by Karlheinz Stockhausen, composed in May 1968, in reaction to a personal crisis, and characterized as "Intuitive music"—music produced primarily from the intuition rather than the intellect of the performer...

 ) in the spherical auditorium of the German Pavilion at Expo '70

Expo '70

was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese Expo '70 is often referred to as Ōsaka Banpaku...

 in Osaka

Osaka

is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

, Japan. Back in Europe, he continued his association with Stockhausen, taking part in the world premieres of Sternklang (1971) and Alphabet für Liège

Alphabet für Liège

Alphabet für Liège, for soloists and duos, is a composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen, and is Work Number 36 in the composer's catalog of works. A performance of it lasts four hours....

(1972) (Stockhausen and Vetter 1996, 95 and 98). In 1973 he returned to Japan, where he stayed for ten years as a Zen

Zen

Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...

 monk. During this period he performed what he called "structural theatre" and in 1981 published a collection of writings on "experimental Zen arts" in a book titled Shijima no oto [The Sound of Silence]. He returned to Germany in 1983 to found the Zentrum für meditative Kommunikation und kommunikative Meditation in Todtmoos

Todtmoos

Todtmoos is a village in the district of Waldshut in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-External links:...

-Rütte. In 1993 he moved his "school in the art of living", now renamed Accademia Capraia, to a location near Seggiano/Grosseto

Seggiano

Seggiano is a comune in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 100 km south of Florence and about 40 km northeast of Grosseto....

, Italy (Lasocki 2001).

In 1997, Stockhausen composed for Vetter the central role of Luca, the Operator, in Michaelion, the fourth scene of his opera Mittwoch aus Licht

Mittwoch aus Licht

Mittwoch aus Licht is an opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen in a greeting, four scenes, and a farewell. It was the sixth of seven to be composed for the opera cycle Licht: die sieben Tage der Woche . It was written between 1995 and 1997.-History:Mittwoch has not yet been given its staged premiere...

. Vetter performed the part in the world premiere on 26 July 1998 in the Prinzregententheater

Prinzregententheater

The Prinzregententheater, or Prince Regent's Theatre, is a theatre and opera house located at 12 Prinzregentenplatz in the Bavarian city of Munich, Germany.- Building and History :...

, Munich (Musica Viva series) (Stockhausen 2002, VII and XV).

Musical style

Vetter’s compositions are based in improvisation

Musical improvisation

Musical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...

. His earlier works are for voice, recorder, and piano, while later he turned to the koto

Koto (musical instrument)

The koto is a traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument, similar to the Chinese guzheng, the Mongolian yatga, the Korean gayageum and the Vietnamese đàn tranh. The koto is the national instrument of Japan. Koto are about length, and made from kiri wood...

, Tibetan singing bowls, tambura

Tambura

The tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...

, and gong

Gong

A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....

s (Lasocki 2001).

Visual art

Vetter's early interest in graphically notated music turned to purely visual expression during his time in Japan, with works such as the ink-brush

Ink brush

Ink brushes are used in Chinese calligraphy. They are also used in Chinese painting and descendant brush painting styles. The ink brush was invented in China, believed to be around 300BCE...

 paintings in The Book of Signs, his 120 colour etched monotypes

Monotyping

Monotyping is a type of printmaking made by drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The surface, or matrix, was historically a copper etching plate, but in contemporary work it can vary from zinc or glass to acrylic glass. The image is then transferred onto a sheet of paper by...

 titled Strukturelle Mandalas and Zweistimmige Inventionen (Two-part Inventions), and the Codex Aureum (Gold-Violet Dialogue between Intention and Chance). Later works, executed after his return to Germany, include a series of panel painting

Panel painting

A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel made of wood, either a single piece, or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, it was the normal form of support for a painting not on a wall or vellum, which was used for...

s as entrances and views, titled Symphonies, Duets, Trios, Quartets, Der Kreuzweg des Lichtes, Wolkenbilder, and Die Gesetzestafeln (Stockhausen and Vetter 1996, 95 and 98).

Writings

• 1969. Il flauto dolce ed acerbo 1: Anweisungen und Übungen für Spieler neuer Blockflötenmusik. Celle: Moeck-Verlag.
• 1973. Handbewegungen I/II—Roman, with a foreword by Helmut Heissenbüttel. Stuttgart: E. Klett. ISBN 3129089306 (v. 1); ISBN 3129089403 (v. 2)
• 1981. With Satoshi Yamanaka. しじまの音 : あるいは、音楽は精神の身体語 [Shijima no oto: arui wa ongaku wa seishin no shintaigo] [The Sound of Silence, or The Physical Language of the Music of the Soul]. Tokyo: Asahishuppansha.
• 1983. Blockflötenschule, 10 vols. Wiener Instrumentalschulen. Vienna: Universal Edition; Stuttgart: E. Klett.
• 1988. Seinserfahrung: das Buch von der Liebe zum Leben. Edition Esotera. Freiburg im Breisgau: Bauer. ISBN 376260357X.
• 1990. Transverbal. Kirchzarten-Geroldstal: Selbstverlag.
• 1991. Sesshin: das Fest der Aufnahme des Herzens; dreizehn Vorträge gehalten gelegentlich des Jahreswendesesshins 1990/91 im Griesgethof bei St. Georgen im Schwarzwald. Geroldstal: Vetter-Verlag.
• 1995. Musik: Texte und Bilder zur Einführung in die Kunst, sich in Nichts zu verlieben. Spiritueller Reichtum. Petersberg: Verlag Via Nova. ISBN 3928632140.
• 1997. Die Psychologie der Seinserfahrung. Freiburg i. Br.: Lüchow. ISBN 3925898735.
• 2000. Form ist Leere und Leere ist Form: Vorträge während des Sommersesshins 1992 im Griesgethof. Oberried-Geroldstal: Vetter-Verlag.

Compositions

• Felder II, ein musikalisches Projekt für Kinder (1967)
• Rezitative, für einen Blockflötisten (1967)
• Figurationen III, für ein beliebiges Instrument (1968)
• Linienspiel (1973)
• Liebesspiele: musikalische Konzepte (1973)
• Schreibspiele ohne Worte (1973)
• Cosmic Comic (1975)
• Hörspiele I–IV (1977)
• Die Wiener Blockflötenschule (1983)
• Wenn Himmel und Erde wieder vereinen: Gedanken, Meditationen und Übungen zum Weg der Stimme (1987)
• Die Oberton-Schule (1987)
• Maria: muzikalische Auslegung eines mantrischen Namens (1991)
• Musik (1995)
• Pianissimo: Konzepte für Tasteninstrumente (1996)
• Sei-Un-Sho: ein musikalisches Orakel (1997)

Discography

• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. Goldstaub (from Aus den Sieben Tagen, Mai 1968). Peter Eötvös; Herbert Henck; Michael Vetter. 1985, 1973. Deutsche Grammophon 410 935-1; 2720 073; 2561 301. LP. Hamburg: Deutsche Grammophon,
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. "Spiral" für Blockflöte und Kurzwellen; Zyklus für einen Schlagzeuger; Klavierstück Nr. 10. Michael Vetter (recorder and shortwave radio); Max Neuhaus (percussion); Frederic Rzewski (piano); Christoph Caskel (percussion). LP. Wergo, Hörzu Black Label SHZW 903 BL. Mainz: Wergo.
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. Spiral, Integrale Version. Michael Vetter, voice and short-wave receiver. 2-CD set. Stockhausen Complete Edition CD 46 A–B. Kürten: Stockhausen-Verlag, 1996.
• Stockhausen, Karlheinz. Sternklang. 2-LP set. Deutsche Grammophon 2707 123 (2531 281; 2531 282). [Hamburg]: Deutsche Grammophon, 1976. Polydor 2612 031 (2335 116; 2335 117). [Hamburg]: Polydor International, 1976. Reissued on 2-CD set, Stockhausen Complete Edition CD 18 A–B. Kürten: Stockhausen-Verlag, 1992.
• Szathmáry, Zsigmond
  Zsigmond Szathmáry
  Zsigmond Szathmáry is a Hungarian organist, pianist, composer, and conductor.-Life:Szathmáry studied composition with Ferenc Szabó and organ with Ferenc Gergely at the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest from 1958 to 1963...
  
  . Organ Improvisations. Zsigmond Szathmáry: Omaggio a György Ligeti; Michael Vetter: Der Kreis; John Cage: Music for Carillon No. 5; Shinichi Matsushita: Konzentration; Roman Haubenstock-Ramati: Ohne Titel. Wergo CD 60119-50 (1983). Reissued in 1996 under the same catalog number as Music and Graphic: Organ Improvisatons.
• Vetter, Michael. Ancient Voices. Michael Vetter and the Overtone Choir. New Music Series. CD. Amiata Records ARNR 0192. Seggiano: Amiata Records, 1992.
• Vetter, Michael. Clouds: Music for Koto Harp and Voice. Michael Vetter, koto harp and voice. Jecklin-Disco JD 636-2. 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Il flauto dolce ed acerbo. Michael Vetter (recorder). LP recording. Jürg Baur, Mutazioni; Rob du Bois, Pastorale VII; Klaus Hashagen, Gesten; Dieter Schönbach, Canzona da sonar III; Michael Vetter, Figurationen III and Rezitative. Corono, 1974.
• Vetter, Michael. Flowers: Musical Icons for Piano and Voice. Michael Vetter, piano and voice. Jecklin-Disco JD 637-2. 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Light: Music for Tamburas and Voice. Michael Vetter, tamburas and voice. Jecklin-Disco JD 640-2. 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Missa Universalis: Obertonmesse für Stimme und Instrumentarium. LP, Spectrum SM 1051, Mainz: Spectrum, 1985. CD. Spectrum SM 1051-50. Mainz: Spectrum, 1986.
• Vetter, Michael. Om. 3-CD set. Ginkgo SM 1812-2, 1813-2, 1814-2; Ginkgo 281 812-2, 281 813-2, 281 814-2. [Mainz, Germany]: Ginkgo, 1996, 1987.
• Vetter, Michael. Overtones in Old European Cathedrals: Senanque. Compact Disc. Wergo SM 1078-50. Mainz: Wergo, 1989, 1987.
• Vetter, Michael. Overtones: Voice and Tambura. 2-LP set. Mainz: Wergo Spectrum, 1983.
• Vetter, Michael. Pianissimo. CD. WER T 335-2. Zürich: Atlantis Musikbuch-Verl., 1996.
• Vetter, Michael. Silence. Michael Vetter, voice, singing bowls, and cymbals. CD. Jecklin Disco JD 641-2. Zürich: Jecklin Disco, 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Spaces. Compact disc. Jecklin Disco JD 639-2. Zürich: Jecklin Disco, 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Tambura Meditations. Compact disc . Mainz: Wergo Spectrum, 1984. Reissued on CD, Wergo Spectrum SM 1039-50. Mainz: Wergo Spectrum, 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Wind: Music for Flutes, Voice and Gongs. Michael Vetter, flutes, voice, and gongs. Jecklin-Disco JD 638-2. 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Zen Glocken. Wergo Spectrum SM 1054-2. Mainz: Wergo Spectrum, 1990.
• Vetter, Michael. Zen-Gong. Compact disc. Wergo Spectrum SM 1053-2. Mainz, W. Germany: Wergo Spectrum, 1990, 1986.
• Vetter, Michael. Zen-Flöte. Michael Vetter. LP recording. Spectrum SM 1062. Mainz, W. Germany: Spectrum, 1987.
• Vetter, Michael. Zen-Koto: Erinnerungen in die Gegenwart. Compact disc. Wergo Spectrum SM 1052-2. Mainz, W. Germany: Wergo Spectrum, 1990, 1985.