Lachenmann, Helmut (b. November 27, 1935, Stuttgart). Esteemed German composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and piano works that have been performed throughout the world.

Prof. Lachenmann studied composition and music theory with Johann Nepomuk David and piano with J?rgen Uhde at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart from 1955-58 and was the first private student of Luigi Nono in Venice from 1958-60. He later worked at the Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music (IPEM) of the University of Ghent in 1965. He received an honorary doctorate from the Musikhochschule Hannover in 2001.

His honors include the Kulturpreis f?r Musik from the city of Munich (1965), the Kompositionpreis from the city of Stuttgart (1968, for Consolation I), the Bach-Preis Hamburg (1972), and the Ernst von Siemens Musikpreis (1997). Most recently, he received the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award for Chamber-Scale Composition (2004, for III. Streichquartett, ‘Grido’). He is a member of the Akademie der K?nste in Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Mannheim, and Munich and the Academie voor Wetenschapen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van Belgi?. His music has been featured at festivals throughout the world, including numerous occasions at Darmstadt, the Venice Biennale, the Wien Modern, and the Wittener Tage f?r Neue Kammermusik, as well as five portrait concerts and a symposium at the Salzburg Festival (2002).

Prof. Lachenmann taught at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart from 1966-70, the P?dagogische Hochschule in Ludwigsburg from 1970-76, the Universit?t Basel in 1972-73, and the Musikhochschule Hannover from 1976-81. He has regularly lectured at Darmstadt since 1978 and taught as Professor f?r Komposition at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart from 1981-99. In addition, he has lectured in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and the USA.

He is married to the pianist Yukiko Sugawara.

Breitkopf & H?rtel publishes his music.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Street address: Prof. Helmut Lachenmann, c/o Breitkopf & H?rtel, Walkm?hlstr. 52, 65195 Wiesbaden, Germany

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

STAGE: Das M?dchen mit den Schwefelh?lzern (music theatre work, libretto compiled by the composer from texts by Hans Christian Andersen [translations from the Dr?mersche Verlangsanstalt, Eva-Maria Bl?hm], Leonardo da Vinci, Gudrun Ensslin, Friedrich Nietzsche), 2 sopranos, 1-4 speakers, 16 mixed voices, sho, 2 pianos, large orchestra (97 players), 6 tapes, 1990-96, revised 1999 (incorporates ‘…zwei Gef?hle…’, Musik mit Leonardo)

ORCHESTRAL: Souvenir, orchestra (6 flutes [all + piccolo], 6 clarinets [all + E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet], piano, xylorimba, 11 violas, 8 celli, 8 double basses), tape, 1959; Notturno (Musik f?r Julia), cello, small orchestra (2 flutes [any one + piccolo], trumpet, harp, timpani, 3 percussion, 19 strings), 1966-68, revised 1990; Air, percussion, 2 ad libitum players, large orchestra (78 players), 1968-69, revised 1994; Kontrakadenz, 4 recorders, 4 ad libitum players (any 2 + radio), large orchestra (88 players), 1970-71; Klangschatten ­ mein Saitenspiel, 3 pianos, 48 strings, 1972; Fassade, 8 ad libitum players, large orchestra (94 players), tape, 1973, revised 1987; Schwankungen am Rand, orchestra (4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 2 electric guitars, 2 pianos, 4 thunder sheets [2 players], 4 violins [around hall], 2 violas [around hall], 28 strings), 6 tapes, 1974-75; Accanto, clarinet, orchestra, tape, 1975-76, revised 1982; Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied, amplified string quartet, large orchestra (74 players), 1979-80; Harmonica, tuba, large orchestra (91 players), 1981-83; Ausklang, piano, large orchestra (80 players), 1984-85, revised 1986; Staub, large orchestra (72-73 players), 1985-87; Tableau, large orchestra (89 players), 1988-89; Schreiben, large orchestra (69 players), 2002-03, revised 2004; Double (Grido II), 48 strings, 2004 (version of III. Streichquartett, ‘Grido’); Concertini, small orchestra (8 winds, 5 brass, harp, guitar, piano, 2 percussion, 7 strings), 2004-05

CHAMBER MUSIC: Streichtrio, violin, viola, cello, 1965; Int?rieur I, percussion, 1965-66; Trio fluido, clarinet, viola, percussion, 1966-67, revised 1968; Pression, cello, 1969-70; Dal niente (Int?rieur III), clarinet, 1970; Gran Torso, string quartet, 1971-72, revised 1978, 1988; Salut f?r Caudwell (players also speak texts by Christopher Caudwell, Friedrich Nietzsche), 2 guitars (with scordatura), 1977; Mouvement (­ vor der Erstarrung), 3 ad libitum players, ensemble (flute [+ piccolo], alto flute [+ piccolo], 2 clarinets [both + bass clarinet], bass clarinet, 2 trumpets, 2 violas, 2 celli, double bass, timpani, 2 xylorimbas), 1982-84; Dritte Stimme zu J.S. Bachs zweistimmiger Invention d-moll BWV 775, any 2-3 homogenous instruments, 1985; Toccatina (study), violin, 1986; Allegro sostenuto, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), cello, piano, 1986-88, revised 1989; II. Streichquartett, ‘Reigen seliger Geister’, string quartet, 1989; Sakura (variations on a Japanese folksong), saxophone, piano, percussion, 2000; III. Streichquartett, ‘Grido’, string quartet, 2000-01, revised 2002 (also version as Double [Grido II], 48 strings)

CHORAL: Consolation I (text by Ernst Toller), 12 mixed voices, 4 percussion, 1967, revised 1990, 1993 (also incorporated into Les Consolations); Consolation II (text from the Wessobrunner Gebet [9th century German prayer (modern German translation)]), 16 mixed voices, 1968 (also incorporated into Les Consolations); Les Consolations (texts by Hans Christian Andersen [translation from the Dr?mersche Verlangsanstalt], Ernst Toller, the Wessobrunner Gebet), 16 mixed voices, large orchestra (76 players), 6 tapes, 1977-78 (incorporates Consolation I, Consolation II); NUN (text by Kitaro Nishida [translated by Peter P?rtner]), 8 male voices, flute (+ bass flute), trombone, large orchestra (74 players), 1997-99, revised 2002

VOCAL: temA (vocalise), mezzo-soprano, flute, cello, 1968; ‘…zwei Gef?hle…’, Musik mit Leonardo (in memoriam Luigi Nono, text by Leonardo da Vinci [translated by Kurt Gerstenberg]; most musicians also speak text by Friedrich Nietzsche), 1-2 speakers, small orchestra (22 players), 1991-92 (also incorporated into Das M?dchen mit den Schwefelh?lzern)

PIANO: F?nf Variationen ?ber ein Thema von Franz Schubert, 1956; Echo Andante, 1961-62; Wiegenmusik, 1963; Guero, 1970, revised 1988; Ein Kinderspiel (7 small pieces), 1980; Serynade, 1997-98, revised 2000

DISCOGRAPHY

Allegro sostenuto; Dal niente (Int?rieur III); Pression; Wiegenmusik. Alain Damiens, clarinets; Pierre Strauch, cello; Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano (Accord: 202082)

Int?rieur I; Notturno (Musik f?r Julia); ‘…zwei Gef?hle…’, Musik mit Leonardo. Helmut Lachenmann, speaker; Andreas Lindenbaum, cello; Bj?rn Wilker, percussion; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (Accord: 204852)

Ein Kinderspiel. Silvia Vidal, piano (Ah/Note 1)

Salut f?r Caudwell. Kei Koh, Norio Sato, guitars (ALM Records: ALCD 53)

Int?rieur I. Babette Haag, percussion (Animato: ACD 6056)

F?nf Variationen ?ber ein Thema von Franz Schubert. Susanne Kessel, piano (Arte Nova: 74321 75498)

II. Streichquartett, ‘Reigen seliger Geister’. Quatuor Diotima (Assai: 222.492)

Pression. Taco Kooistra, cello (Attacca Babel: 9369)

Int?rieur I. Cornelia Monske, percussion (Audite: Aud 20.005)

Notturno (Musik f?r Julia). Andreas Lindenbaum, cello; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (BMG/RCA: 74321 73512)

Staub. Myung-Whun Chung/Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbr?cken (BMG/RCA: 74321 73518)

Air (original version). Michael W. Ranta, percussion; Lukas Foss/Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt (BMG/RCA: 74321 73550)

Salut f?r Caudwell. Christopher Brandt, Robin Hoffmann, guitars (Cadenza: 800 875)

Consolation I; Consolation II. Arno Arndt, Siegfried Fink, Hermann Gschwendtner, Michael W. Ranta, percussion; Clytus Gottwald/Schola Cantorum Stuttgart (Cadenza: 800 893)

Salut f?r Caudwell. Wilhelm Bruck, Theodor Ross, guitars (Classic World: 5005)

Air (revised version). Christian Dierstein, percussion; Lothar Zagrosek/Staatsorchester Stuttgart (Col Legno: WWE 20041)

Ein Kinderspiel; Wiegenmusik; Guero; Echo Andante; Serynade. Marino Formenti, piano (Col Legno: WWE 20222)

Int?rieur I; Schwankungen am Rand; Air (revised version). Christoph Caskel, Christian Dierstein, percussion; Lothar Zagrosek/Staatsorchester Stuttgart; Ernest Bour/SWF-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (Col Legno: WWE 20511)

Gran Torso; Salut f?r Caudwell. Wilhelm Bruck, Theodor Ross, guitars; Berner Streichquartett (Col Legno: AU 31804)

Echo Andante; Ein Kinderspiel; Guero; F?nf Variationen ?ber ein Thema von Franz Schubert; Wiegenmusik. Roland Keller, piano (Col Legno: AU 31813)

Accanto. Eduard Brunner, clarinet; Zolt?n Pesk?/SWR-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (Col Legno: AU 31836)

Ausklang; Tableau. Massimiliano Damerini, piano; Peter E?tv?s/K?lner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester; Hans Zender/Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbr?cken (Col Legno: WWE 31862)

Allegro sostenuto; Dal niente (Int?rieur III); Int?rieur I; Pression. Eduard Brunner, clarinets; Walter Grimmer, cello; Massimiliano Damerini, piano; Johannes Beer, percussion (Col Legno: WWE 31863)

Schwankungen am Rand. Ernest Bour/SWF-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (Col Legno: WWE 31899)

Allegro sostenuto; Dal niente (Int?rieur III); Ein Kinderspiel; Pression. David Smeyers, clarinets; Michael Bach, cello; Bernhard Wambach, piano (CPO: 999 102)

Harmonica. Richard Nahatzki, tuba; Hans Zender/Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbr?cken (CPO: 999 484)

Salut f?r Caudwell. Barbara Romen, Gunter Schneider, guitars (Durian: 018)

‘…zwei Gef?hle…’, Musik mit Leonardo. Benedikt Leitner, Robert Sedlak, speakers; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (Durian: 097/098)

Dal niente (Int?rieur III). Eduard Brunner, clarinet (ECM New Series: 1599)

Mouvement (­ vor der Erstarrung); Schwankungen am Rand; ‘…zwei Gef?hle…’, Musik mit Leonardo. Franck Ollu, Ueli Wiget, speakers; Peter E?tv?s/Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Modern Orchestra (ECM New Series: 1789)

Das M?dchen mit den Schwefelh?lzern (revised version). Eiko Morikawa, Nicole Tibbels, sopranos; Helmut Lachenmann, speaker; Mayumi Miyata, sho; Tomoko Hemmi, Yukiko Sugawara, pianos; Sylvain Cambreling/SWR-Vokalensemble Stuttgart, SWR-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (ECM New Series: 1858/59)

F?nf Variationen ?ber ein Thema von Franz Schubert. Lars Vogt, piano (EMI Classics: 567-754446)

Dritte Stimme zu J.S. Bachs zweistimmiger Invention d-moll BWV 775. Trio di Clarone (EMI Classics: 7243 557003)

Pression. Benjamin Carat, cello (GRAME: CB0898)

Salut f?r Caudwell. Mats Scheidegger, Stephan Schmidt, guitars (Grammont: CTS-M 90)

NUN; Notturno (Musik f?r Julia). Gaby Pas-Van Riet, flutes; Michael Svoboda, trombone; Andreas Lindenbaum, cello; Jonathan Nott/Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, WDR-Sinfonieorchester; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien (Kairos: 0012142KAI)

Mouvement (­ vor der Erstarrung); ‘…zwei Gef?hle…’, Musik mit Leonardo; Consolation I; Consolation II. ensemble aisthesis; Walter Nussbaum/Schola Heidelberg; Hans Zender/Klangforum Wien, members of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra Bratislava (Kairos: 0012202KAI)

Serynade; Allegro sostenuto. Shizuyo Oka, clarinets; Lucas Fels, cello; Yukiko Sugawara, piano (Kairos: 0012212KAI)

Kontrakadenz; Klangschatten ­ mein Saitenspiel; Fassade. Gerhard Gregor, Peter Roggenkamp, Zsigmond Szathm?ry, pianos; Michael Gielen/SWR Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, NDR-Sinfonieorchester, SWR-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg (Kairos: 0012232KAI)

Das M?dchen mit den Schwefelh?lzern (original version). Elizabeth Keusch, Sarah Leonard, sopranos; Salome Kammer, speaker; Mayumi Miyata, sho; Tomoko Hemmi, Yukiko Sugawara, pianos; Lothar Zagrosek/Staatsopernchor, Staatsorchester Stuttgart (Kairos: 0012282KAI)

II. Streichquartett, ‘Reigen seliger Geister’; Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied. Arditti String Quartet; Olaf Henzold/Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (Montaigne Auvidis: MO 782019)

temA; Trio fluido; Streichtrio. Linda Hirst, mezzo-soprano; Martin Fahlenbock, flute; Uwe M?ckel, clarinet; Barbara Maurer, viola; Lucas Fels, cello; Christian Dierstein, percussion; trio recherche (Montaigne Auvidis: MO 782023)

Ein Kinderspiel; Guero; Int?rieur I; Pression; Toccatina; Wiegenmusik. Melise Mellinger, violin; Lucas Fels, cello; Helmut Lachenmann, piano; Christian Dierstein, percussion (Montaigne Auvidis: MO 782075)

Echo Andante. Steffen Schleiermacher, piano (Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm: MDG 613 1005)

II. Streichquartett, ‘Reigen seliger Geister’. Arditti String Quartet (Wittener Tage f?r Neue Kammermusik 1990, documentation CD)

III. Streichquartett, ‘Grido’. Arditti String Quartet (Wittener Tage f?r Neue Kammermusik 2002, documentation CD)

(Last updated on May 19, 2005)