Ruth Zechlin
Encyclopedia
Ruth Zechlin née Oschatz ( b. 22 June 1926, d. 4 August 2007) was a German composer.
. She began piano lessons at five years old, and wrote her first composition at the age of seven. From 1943 to 1949 she studied music theory with Johann Nepomuk David
and Wilhelm Weismann, church music and organ
with Karl Straube
and Günther Ramin
and piano with Rudolf Fischer
and Anton Rohden at the Music Academy in Leipzig
. After she completed the state exam, she worked at the Academy for a year as a lecturer and also worked as a deputy organist at the Nikolai Church in Leipzig.
In 1951 she married pianist Dieter Zechlin
, and the marriage lasted until 1972 when the couple divorced. Ruth Zechlin gained lectureship in music theory at the German College of Music in Berlin
in 1986, where she taught harpsichord
and studied harmony, counterpoint, form, orchestration and composition. After 1969 she was professor of composition at the Academy of Arts and taught a master class in composition. After her retirement in 1986, Zechlin continued teaching as a visiting professor.
Beginning in 1990, she was a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin and served as vice president of that organization. From 1997 she was a member of the Free Academy of the Arts of Mannheim
, and in 1998 became an honorary member of the German Music Council.
Zechlin composed works for instrumental and vocal performance and stage works, as well as music for radio plays, documentaries and TV movies. She was also an active conductor, harpsichordist and organist, and received numerous awards for her work. Zechlin died in Munich
in 2007, and her estate is owned by the State Library in Berlin
.
, Stefan Carow, Hans Jürgen Wenzel, Hans Ostarek, Stephan Winkler, Henry Berthold, Thomas Buchholz, Reiner Böhm, John Rich
, Thomas Böttger
, Peter Dege, Tsvetan Denev, Herchet Jörg, Ralf Hoyer, Peter Jarchow, Georg Katzer
, Stefan Maltsev, Bert Poulheim, Dieter Reuscher, Hans Thiemann, Jan TriederBernd Wefelmeyer and Manfred Weiss.
Life
Ruth Zechlin was born Ruth Oschatz in Grosshartmannsdorf, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She began piano lessons at five years old, and wrote her first composition at the age of seven. From 1943 to 1949 she studied music theory with Johann Nepomuk David
Johann Nepomuk David
Johann Nepomuk David was an Austrian composer.He began his musical career in the monastery of Sankt Florian, and was a composition student of Joseph Marx....
and Wilhelm Weismann, church music and organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
with Karl Straube
Karl Straube
Montgomery Rufus Karl/Carl Siegfried Straube was a German church musician , organist, and choral conductor, famous above all for championing the abundant organ music of Max Reger. He studied organ under Heinrich Reimann in Berlin from 1894 to 1897 and became a widely respected concert organist...
and Günther Ramin
Günther Ramin
Günther Werner Hans Ramín was an influential German organist, conductor, composer and pedagogue in the first half of the 20th century....
and piano with Rudolf Fischer
Rudolf Fischer
Rudolf Fischer may refer to:* Rudi Fischer , Swiss racing driver* Rudolf Fischer , German musician* Rudolf Fischer , German writer...
and Anton Rohden at the Music Academy in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. After she completed the state exam, she worked at the Academy for a year as a lecturer and also worked as a deputy organist at the Nikolai Church in Leipzig.
In 1951 she married pianist Dieter Zechlin
Dieter Zechlin
Dieter Zechlin is a German pianist. He was one of East Germany's most prominent pianists throughout the 1950-60s. In 1959 he received the Art Prize of the GDR and in 1961 the National Prize of the GDR....
, and the marriage lasted until 1972 when the couple divorced. Ruth Zechlin gained lectureship in music theory at the German College of Music in 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...
in 1986, where she taught harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
and studied harmony, counterpoint, form, orchestration and composition. After 1969 she was professor of composition at the Academy of Arts and taught a master class in composition. After her retirement in 1986, Zechlin continued teaching as a visiting professor.
Beginning in 1990, she was a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin and served as vice president of that organization. From 1997 she was a member of the Free Academy of the Arts of Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, and in 1998 became an honorary member of the German Music Council.
Zechlin composed works for instrumental and vocal performance and stage works, as well as music for radio plays, documentaries and TV movies. She was also an active conductor, harpsichordist and organist, and received numerous awards for her work. Zechlin died in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in 2007, and her estate is owned by the State Library in Berlin
Berlin State Library
The Berlin State Library is a library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation.-Buildings:The State Library runs several premises, three of which are open for users, namely House 1 in Unter den Linden 8, House 2 in Potsdamer Straße 33 and the newspaper archive...
.
Students
Among her students are Gerd DomhardtGerd Domhardt
Gerd Domhardt was a German composer.Domhardt grew up in Schleusingerneundorf. He studied music education, German studies and musicology at the University of Halle-Wittenberg from 1963 to 1968...
, Stefan Carow, Hans Jürgen Wenzel, Hans Ostarek, Stephan Winkler, Henry Berthold, Thomas Buchholz, Reiner Böhm, John Rich
John Rich
John Rich may refer to:* John Tyler Rich, US Congressman* John Rich , television and film director* John Rich , American musician* John Rich , 18th century theater manager and father of English Pantomime...
, Thomas Böttger
Thomas Böttger
Thomas Böttger is a German composer and pianist. From 1975 to 1980 he studied composition and piano at the Berlin College of Music "Hanns Eisler". From 1980 to 1981 he studied with Tadeusz Baird at the Fryderyk Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw. From 1981 to 1983 he was a master's student of Ruth...
, Peter Dege, Tsvetan Denev, Herchet Jörg, Ralf Hoyer, Peter Jarchow, Georg Katzer
Georg Katzer
Georg Katzer is a German composer. He was one of the pioneers of electronic new music in the German Democratic Republic .-Biography:...
, Stefan Maltsev, Bert Poulheim, Dieter Reuscher, Hans Thiemann, Jan TriederBernd Wefelmeyer and Manfred Weiss.
Awards
- 1955: Silver Medal at the World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow for the Sonatine for flute and piano
- 1962 Goethe PrizeGoethe PrizeThe Goethe Prize of Frankfurt-am-Main is a German literary award of high prestige named after Johann Wolfgang Goethe. It was initially an annual award, but became triennial...
of the City of Berlin - 1965: Prize of the GDR
- 1968: Hanns Eisler Prize for "Reflections on a piano piece by Prokofiev for piano and chamber ensemble"
- 1968: Critics Award of the City of Berlin for Reineke Fuchs, opera for actors
- 1975: National Prize of East Germany for Organ I
- 1982: National Prize of East Germany for the orchestral works
- 1996 Artist Award of the City of Heidelberg
- 1997: Merit, 1st Class of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 2001: Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and ArtBavarian Maximilian Order for Science and ArtThe Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art was first established on 28 November 1853 by King Maximilian II. von Bayern. It is awarded to acknowledge and reward excellent and outstanding achievements in the field of science and art...
Works
- Reineke Fuchs, Opera (1968)
- La Vita, Ballet (1985)
- Die Reise, Chamber Opera (1992, premiered 1998)
- In Memorian Witold Lutosławski for viola solo (1995)
- Requiem for G. Domhardt for orchestra (1998)
- Three Songs on Texts of Hildegard of Bingen (chamber music) (1998)
External links
- Ruth Zechlin website