Wolfgang Mitterer
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Mitterer is an Austrian composer
and musician
(organ
, keyboard
).
in 1977, and then from 1978 to 1983 at the Vienna University of Music he studied organ with Herbert Tachezi and composition with Heinrich Gattermeyer before working for a year at the studio for electroacoustic music
(EMS) in Stockholm
in 1983. This was followed by scholarships to Rome
in 1988 and Berlin
from 1995 to 1996. In 1991 Mitterer founded the Olongapo label
.
Mitterer is considered to be one of the most important contemporary Austrian composers and a pioneer in the field of electroacoustic music
. He currently does a lot of work together with other artists, frequently with international improvisation and jazz musicians such as Wolfgang Puschnig, Wolfgang Reisinger, Linda Sharrock
, Klaus Dickbauer, Sainkho Namtchylak
, Tscho Theissing, Tom Cora
, Ernst Reijseger
, Hozan Yamamoto
, Roscoe Mitchell
, Georg Breinschmid
, David Liebman, David Moss
, Max Nagl, Achim Tang, Patrick Pulsinger, Christof Kurzmann, Christian Fennesz
, Marc Ducret
, Franz Koglmann
, Louis Sclavis
, Harry Pepl and others.
In addition Mitterer has appeared as an organist
, interpreting works by Bach
, Messiaen
and Ligeti
among others. He has played in off locations such as in a quarry and in a disused fortification complex in Tyrol
. He has also been involved in the Donaueschingen Festival
(Donaueschinger Musiktage), the steirischer herbst and the Darmstädter Ferienkurse (Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music). Alongside sound installation
s and numerous electronic collages Wolfgang Mitterer has also written chamber music
, scenic works, also opera
s, a piano concerto
and music for orchestra
and organ
. In addition he has worked on experimental film
s, radio plays
and theatre
s, has written live accompaniments to silent movies
, but also music for the shows of a fashion design
er.
Wolfgang Mitterer has lectured
at the Vienna University of Music as well as at the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music. He is a supervisory board member
of austro mechana.
, plays the organ and electronic instruments
. The space-relatedness, which he frequently emphasises in his titles, gave works such as “Waldmusik”, “silbersandmusik”, “Turmbau zu Babel”, “horizontal noise”, “vertical silence” and “Labyrinth 6–11” a particular character. Sometimes up to 4000 people worked on these; in addition many traditional sounds such as brass band
s and choral societies were used. These projects ultimately emerged from Wolfgang Mitterer’s recordings in the most diverse musical genre
s and through joint appearances with representatives of the DJ scene and concerts, also through reinterpretations of classical works from Bach
, to Schubert
.
Wolfgang Mitterer also works on scenic and dramatic productions, the texts of which he partly collects and adapts himself, such as in “Ka und der Pavian”, based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead
and in “Massacre”, based on religious murders from the 16th century after Christopher Marlowe
or the lieder cycle “Im Sturm”, based on the lieder of Franz Schubert
. In 2004 his performance with dancers, Labyrinth for soprano and electronics, was performed at the Semper Depot of Vienna, by the group DANS.KIAS, choreographed by Saskia Hölbling
, and Katia Plaschka
, soprano.
Published by KAIROS Music
Published by HatHutRecords
Published by moers music
Published by LondonHALL
Published by wanadoo
Limited edition; published on his own label, Olongapo
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 musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
(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...
, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
).
Life and work
Wolfgang Mitterer studied with Otto Bruckner in GrazGraz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
in 1977, and then from 1978 to 1983 at the Vienna University of Music he studied organ with Herbert Tachezi and composition with Heinrich Gattermeyer before working for a year at the studio for electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
(EMS) in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in 1983. This was followed by scholarships to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1988 and 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...
from 1995 to 1996. In 1991 Mitterer founded the Olongapo label
Label
A label is a piece of paper, polymer, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or article, on which is printed a legend, information concerning the product, addresses, etc. A label may also be printed directly on the container or article....
.
Mitterer is considered to be one of the most important contemporary Austrian composers and a pioneer in the field of electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
. He currently does a lot of work together with other artists, frequently with international improvisation and jazz musicians such as Wolfgang Puschnig, Wolfgang Reisinger, Linda Sharrock
Linda Sharrock
Linda Sharrock is an American jazz singer....
, Klaus Dickbauer, Sainkho Namtchylak
Sainkho Namtchylak
Sainkho Namtchylak is a singer originally from Tuva, a small autonomous republic in the Russian Federation just north of Mongolia. She is known for her Tuvan throat singing or Khöömei.-Style:...
, Tscho Theissing, Tom Cora
Tom Cora
Thomas Henry Corra , better known as Tom Cora, was a United States cellist and composer, best known for his improvisational performances in the field of experimental jazz and rock...
, Ernst Reijseger
Ernst Reijseger
ERNST REIJSEGER Cellist and composer Ernst Reijseger plays the cello from the age of seven and began as a performing cellist and improviser in 1969. From that time on he developed his own musical vocabulary...
, Hozan Yamamoto
Hozan Yamamoto
Hōzan Yamamoto is a Japanese shakuhachi player, composer and lecturer....
, Roscoe Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell
Roscoe Mitchell is an African American composer, jazz instrumentalist and educator, mostly known for being "a technically superb—if idiosyncratic—saxophonist." He has been called "one of the key figures" in avant-garde jazz who has been "at the forefront of modern music" for the past...
, Georg Breinschmid
Georg Breinschmid
Georg Breinschmid , is an Austrian double bass player, composer and jazz musician.-Biography:...
, David Liebman, David Moss
David Moss (musician)
David Moss is an American composer, percussionist and self-taught vocalist, founder of the David Moss Dense Band; co-founder and artistic director of the Institute for Living Voice, Antwerp...
, Max Nagl, Achim Tang, Patrick Pulsinger, Christof Kurzmann, Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz is an Austrian guitarist active in electronic music, often credited on albums simply as Fennesz....
, Marc Ducret
Marc Ducret
Marc Ducret is a jazz, and avant garde, guitarist, self-taught, who is most well known for his work with saxophonist Tim Berne.-Selected discography:As leader2011 Tower, vol.2...
, Franz Koglmann
Franz Koglmann
Franz Koglmann is an Austrian jazz composer. He performs on both the trumpet and flugelhorn in a variety of contexts, most often within avant-garde jazz and third stream contexts...
, Louis Sclavis
Louis Sclavis
Louis Sclavis is a French jazz musician. He performs on clarinet, bass clarinet, and soprano saxophone in a variety of contexts, including jazz and free jazz...
, Harry Pepl and others.
In addition Mitterer has appeared as an organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, interpreting works by 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...
, Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
and Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
among others. He has played in off locations such as in a quarry and in a disused fortification complex in Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
. He has also been involved in the Donaueschingen Festival
Donaueschingen Festival
The Donaueschingen Festival is a festival for new music that takes place every October in the small town of Donaueschingen...
(Donaueschinger Musiktage), the steirischer herbst and the Darmstädter Ferienkurse (Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music). Alongside sound installation
Sound installation
Sound installation is an intermedia and time based art form. It is an expansion of an art installation in the sense that it includes the sound element and therefore the time element...
s and numerous electronic collages Wolfgang Mitterer has also written chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
, scenic works, also 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, a piano concerto
Piano concerto
A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.See also harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano...
and music for orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
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...
. In addition he has worked on experimental film
Experimental film
Experimental film or experimental cinema is a type of cinema. Experimental film is an artistic practice relieving both of visual arts and cinema. Its origins can be found in European avant-garde movements of the twenties. Experimental cinema has built its history through the texts of theoreticians...
s, radio plays
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
and theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
s, has written live accompaniments to silent movies
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
, but also music for the shows of a fashion design
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
er.
Wolfgang Mitterer has lectured
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
at the Vienna University of Music as well as at the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music. He is a supervisory board member
Supervisory board
A supervisory board or supervisory committee, often called board of directors, is a group of individuals chosen by the stockholders of a company to promote their interests through the governance of the company and to hire and supervise the executive directors and CEO.Corporate governance varies...
of austro mechana.
Artistic works
Wolfgang Mitterer works and composes in the field of collective improvisation musicMusical 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...
, plays the organ and electronic instruments
Electronic musical instrument
An electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
. The space-relatedness, which he frequently emphasises in his titles, gave works such as “Waldmusik”, “silbersandmusik”, “Turmbau zu Babel”, “horizontal noise”, “vertical silence” and “Labyrinth 6–11” a particular character. Sometimes up to 4000 people worked on these; in addition many traditional sounds such as brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s and choral societies were used. These projects ultimately emerged from Wolfgang Mitterer’s recordings in the most diverse musical genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
s and through joint appearances with representatives of the DJ scene and concerts, also through reinterpretations of classical works from 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...
, to Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
.
Wolfgang Mitterer also works on scenic and dramatic productions, the texts of which he partly collects and adapts himself, such as in “Ka und der Pavian”, based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead
Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead is the modern name of an ancient Egyptian funerary text, used from the beginning of the New Kingdom to around 50 BC. The original Egyptian name for the text, transliterated rw nw prt m hrw is translated as "Book of Coming Forth by Day". Another translation would be "Book of...
and in “Massacre”, based on religious murders from the 16th century after Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. As the foremost Elizabethan tragedian, next to William Shakespeare, he is known for his blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his mysterious death.A warrant was issued for Marlowe's arrest on 18 May...
or the lieder cycle “Im Sturm”, based on the lieder of Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
. In 2004 his performance with dancers, Labyrinth for soprano and electronics, was performed at the Semper Depot of Vienna, by the group DANS.KIAS, choreographed by Saskia Hölbling
Saskia Hölbling
Saskia Hölbling is an Austrian choreographer and dancer - Life and work :Hölbling was born in Vienna. She created her first works during her degree course at the Konservatorium der Stadt Wien in from 1991 to 1995. She then continued her training until 1997 at Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s PARTS in...
, and Katia Plaschka
Katia Plaschka
Katia Plaschka is a German coloratura soprano who performs in opera, especially contemporary opera, and concert performances of oratorios.-Professional career:...
, soprano.
Awards (selection)
- 1986: German Record Critics’ PrizePreis der deutschen SchallplattenkritikThe Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik is an annual prize presented for achievement in recorded music.It was inaugurated in Germany in 1963 by publisher Richard Kaselowsky with the aim of recognizing the "most rigorous standards for supreme achievement" in the field of recording.The awards...
- 1989: State Scholarship for Composition
- 1990: Prix Ars Electronica Recognition PrizePrix Ars ElectronicaThe Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important yearly prizes in the field of electronic and interactive art, computer animation, digital culture and music...
- 1992: Max Brand Prize
- 1995: Emil Berlanda Prize
- 1995: Prix Futura Berlin
- 2002: Tyrol Prize for Art
- 2004: Vienna Music Prize
- 2008: Prix ItaliaPrix ItaliaThe Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri...
Discography
Published by col legno- Konzert für Klavier und Orchester (DonaueschingenDonaueschingenDonaueschingen is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Danube ....
; 2000) - Mixture 5 (live; Darmstadt 2004) (for organ and electronics)
- Das tapfere Schneiderlein (mini opera for children; 2007)
- Im Sturm (with Georg Nigl; 2007)
- Sopop (with Birgit MinichmayrBirgit MinichmayrBirgit Minichmayr is an Austrian actress and singer born in Linz, Austria. Birgit Minichmayr studied drama at the Max-Reinhardt-Seminar in Vienna.-Career:...
; 2008) - Music for checking e-mails (2009)
Published by KAIROS Music
- Coloured Noise (with Klangforum Wien and Peter Rundel)
Published by HatHutRecords
- Radio Fractal / Beat Music (with Patrick Pulsinger, John Schröder, Max Nagl, …)
Published by moers music
- Obsoderso (with Wolfgang Puschnig)
- Pat Brothers (with Wolfgang Reisinger, Wolfgang Puschnig, Linda SharrockLinda SharrockLinda Sharrock is an American jazz singer....
) - Call Boys Inc. I (with Klaus Dickbauer, Günther Selichar and Gunter Schneider)
Published by LondonHALL
- Amusie
Published by wanadoo
- Masters of Zen YamamotoHozan YamamotoHōzan Yamamoto is a Japanese shakuhachi player, composer and lecturer....
/Mitterer (ShakuhachiShakuhachiThe is a Japanese end-blown flute. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in ABS and hardwoods. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of...
/Orgel)
Limited edition; published on his own label, Olongapo
- Grand jeu
- Reluctant Games
- Violettes Gras
- Mimemata
- Matador
- Turmbau zu Babel
- Call Boys Inc. II
- Two Days till tomorrow
- Dirty Tones
- I.R.S.
- Carbon Copy
- Piber 2003
External links
- Wolfgang Mitterer website
- Wolfgang Mitterer Music Information Center Austria (mica)
- Osttiroler Bote: Wolfgang Mitterer. Published by Gemeinde AsslingAsslingAssling is a municipality in the district of Lienz in Tyrol in Austria.- External links :*...
, Dezember 12 2002.