Theo Brandmüller (* 2 February 1948 in

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

; † 26 November 2012 in Saarbrücken) was a German composer of Contemporary Music,

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. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational h ...

and

university teacher Academic personnel, also known as faculty member or member of the faculty (in North American usage) or academics or academic staff (in British, Australia, and New Zealand usage), are vague terms that describe teachers or research staff of a school ...

.''Komponist, Organist und Hochschullehrer: Theo Brandmüller ist tot''.
Neue Musikzeitung online, retrieved 28 November 2012.

Life

Brandmüller studied school and

church music Church music is Christian music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. History Early Christian music The on ...

as well as

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography *Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...

with

Giselher Klebe Giselher Wolfgang Klebe (28 June 19255 October 2009) was a German composer, and an academic teacher. He composed more than 140 works, among them 14 operas, all based on literary works, eight symphonies, 15 solo concerts, chamber music, piano w ...

, Olivier Messiaen and

Cristóbal Halffter Cristóbal Halffter Jiménez-Encina (24 March 1930 – 23 May 2021) was a Spanish classical composer. He was the nephew of two other composers, Rodolfo and Ernesto Halffter and is regarded as the most important Spanish composer of the gene ...

and instrumental theatre with

Mauricio Kagel Mauricio Raúl Kagel (; 24 December 1931 – 18 September 2008) was an Argentine-German composer. Biography Kagel was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, into an Ashkenazi Jewish family that had fled from Russia in the 1920s . He studied music, his ...

;Oxford Music Online
Theo Brandmüller article.
Retrieved 14 December 2012. he was accepted as a

scholarship A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholars ...

holder of the '' Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes''. After working as organist at St. George's in Mainz-Bretzenheim, he received a call to the ''

Hochschule für Musik Saar The Hochschule für Musik Saar is a conservatory of music in Saarbrücken, Germany and dates back to 1947. From 1994 until 2002, it was named ''Hochschule des Saarlandes für Musik und Theater'' (University of Music and Drama Saarbrücken). Since ...

'' in 1979.Boosey and Hawkes
Short biography and worklist.
Retrieved 14 December 2012. There he first worked as professor for music theory, then for composition, analysis and organ improvisation. Later he was also director of the Institute for Contemporary Music. Since 1982 he has also been titular organist at the

Ludwigskirche Ludwigskirche in Old Saarbrücken, Germany, is a Lutheran baroque-style church. It is the symbol of the city and is considered to be one of the most important Protestant churches in Germany, along with the Dresden Frauenkirche and the St. Mich ...

in Saarbrücken and since 1986 consiliarius of the ''Consociatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae'' in Rome. He achieved his international breakthrough as a composer in 1977 at the World Music Days in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

with the work ''Ach, trauriger Mond'', a commissioned work for Südwestfunk. His compositional output, consisting of some 130 works, includes secular music and

chamber Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations * Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics * Debate chamber, the space or room that houses delib ...

and

vocal music Vocal music is a type of singing performed by one or more singers, either with instrumental accompaniment, or without instrumental accompaniment (a cappella), in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but d ...

as well as music for stage works and symphonic compositions. An opera commissioned by the Saarland State Theatre remained unfinished. He found inspiration for his compositions in the

poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...

Christian Morgenstern Christian Otto Josef Wolfgang Morgenstern (6 May 1871 – 31 March 1914) was a German author and poet from Munich. Morgenstern married Margareta Gosebruch von Liechtenstern on 7 March 1910. He worked for a while as a journalist in Berlin ...

and

Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936), known as Federico García Lorca ( ), was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblemat ...

, among others, as well as in the

fine art In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...

s (such as

Paul Klee Paul Klee (; 18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) was a Swiss-born German artist. His highly individual style was influenced by movements in art that included expressionism, cubism, and surrealism. Klee was a natural draftsman who experimented ...

). In addition to his work as a university lecturer, he was also active as a lecturer in various composition courses: he supervised the youth composition courses of the Jeunesses Musicales and taught at the "''Forum junger Komponisten''". He was also active internationally as a lecturer in organ composition and improvisation. In his worldwide organ concerts, Brandmüller preferred contemporary works and improvisations. He has worked with internationally renowned conductors such as

Marcello Viotti Marcello Viotti (29 June 195416 February 2005) was a Swiss classical music conductor, best known for opera. Viotti was born in Vallorbe, in the French-speaking region of Switzerland, to Italian parents. He studied cello, piano and singing at t ...

Max Pommer Max Pommer (born 9 February 1936) is a German musicologist and conductor, a director of the Leipziger Universitätschor and the founder and conductor of the Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum. Career Born in Leipzig, Pommer was a student of th ...

, Gabriel Chmura,

Leif Segerstam Leif Selim Segerstam ( , ; born 2 March 1944) is a Finnish conductor, composer, violinist, violist and pianist, especially known for writing 350 symphonies as of August 2022, along with other works in his extensive oeuvre. Segerstam has con ...

and Peter Ruzicka.

Awards

* 1972: Prize for Composers of the State of

Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...

* 1977: Composition Prize of the City of Stuttgart * 1979: Rome Prize of the

Villa Massimo Villa Massimo, short for Deutsche Akademie Rom Villa Massimo ( it, Accademia Tedesca Roma Villa Massimo), is a German cultural institution in Rome, established in 1910 and located in the Villa Massimo. The fellowship of the German Academy in Rom ...

* 1986: Art Prize of the

Saarland The Saarland (, ; french: Sarre ) is a state of Germany in the south west of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and ...

* 1986: Prix Marzena,

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

* 1998: Art Prize of

* 2005: Honorary Diploma of the ''Observatoire des Relations Franco-Allemandes pour la Construction Européenne'' * 2007: Guest of Honour of the Villa Massimo (Rome)

Works (selection)

Chamber music

* ''Musik der Stille und Obertöne'' (1972, rev. 1978) für for piano trio and percussion * ''Cis-Cantus II'' (1986) for viola, violoncello and double bass * ''Still und heiter'' (1991) for recorder (Sino.A.T.B) and percussion * ''Konzert auf dem E-Zweig'' (1991) (after a picture by Paul Klee) for viola solo (dedicated to Eckart Schloifer) * ''Imaginations'' (1991) for viola and chamber ensemble * ''Nirwana-Fax I – in memoriam John Cage'' (1996) for chamber ensemble * ''Nirwana-Fax II – in memoriam Olivier Messiaen'' (1996/97) for chamber ensemble * ''Nachtflug mit Messiaenfenster'' (2008) for piano quartet * ''Geheime Botschaften'' (2012) for clarinet quintet

Concert works

* ''Sonata a tre'' (1973) for flute, mezzo-soprano and violoncello * ''Apokalyptische Vision'' (1975) for bass voice and organ after words from the Holy Scriptures * ''Reminiszenzen'' (1975, rev. 1976) for orchestra * ''Ach, trauriger Mond'' (1977).. Lament for Federico García Lorca for percussion solo and strings * ''Morgenstern – Abendstern'' (1977). "Settings" of some evening poems by Christian Morgenstern for baritone, two pianos, tuba, double bass and percussion. * ''Wie Du unseren Vätern geschworen hast'' (1978). Cantata for alto voice, two trumpets, two trombones, organ after texts of the Holy Scripture * ''Dramma per Musica'' (1979/80) for large orchestra * ''Venezianische Schatten'' (1981). Epitaph to Igor Stravinsky for small orchestra * ''Konzert für Orgel und Orchester'' (1981) - Concerto for organ and orchestra * ''U(h)rtöne'' (1985) for large orchestra * ''Cis-Cantus III „Lorca-Kathedralen"'' (1987) for large orchestra * ''OrganuM–zart'' (1991). Orchestral fantasy on a Mozartian minor triad for clarinet, strings, percussion and organ * ''Und der Mond heftet ins Meer ein langes Horn aus Licht und Tanz'' (1992/93). 5 cosmic episodes for viola, violoncello, double bass and large orchestra (with tape) after text ideas by Federico García Lorca * ''Chimères'' (1996) for saxophone quartet and orchestra (with tape) * ''Antigone'' (1999) 3rd sound song for choir with soli, 2 pianos and percussion * ''Lass den Balkon geöffnet'' (2004/05). 5 Night Calls for orchestra

Stage music

* for ''Zwei zu Ross und einer auf dem Esel'' by Oldřich Daněk * for ''Die Bluthochzeit'' by

* for ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

* for ''Sir John und Goldjunge Heinz'' (freely based on The Merry Wives of Windsor) * for ''Katharina Knie'' by

Carl Zuckmayer Carl Zuckmayer (27 December 1896 – 18 January 1977) was a German writer and playwright. His older brother was the pedagogue, composer, conductor, and pianist Eduard Zuckmayer. Life and career Born in Nackenheim in Rhenish Hesse, he was ...

* ''Löwe, leih mir deine Stimme. Luzifer-Monodram'' (1999–2000) after a poem by Johannes Kühn

Organ works

* ''Hommage à Pérotin'' (1978) for organ * ''La nuit de Pâques'' (1980). A Litany for Organ and Live Electronics * ''Innenlicht'' (1982) for organ * ''Sieben Stücke zur Passionszeit'' (1983) for organ * ''Enigma I'' (1989) for violin and organ * ''Monodie für I.'' in memoriam Isang Yun (1995) for organ * ''Drei Engel für Scelsi'' (2001) for three clarinets and organ * ''Norge'' (2007). Mountain resonances with shepherd calls for Organ

Pupils

His students include, among others: Manuel Gera (* 1963),

Zeynep Gedizlioğlu Zeynep Gedizlioğlu (born 4 December 1977) is a Turkish composer who won the Ernst von Siemens Young Composer of the Year Award in 2012. Biography Zeynep Gedizlioğlu was born 4 December 1977 in İzmir and grew up in Istanbul. She has spent most ...

(* 1977), Wolfram Graf (* 1965), Han Aseon (* 1963), Christian Klein (* 1967), Stefan Lindemann (* 1969), Karola Obermüller (* 1977), Javier Party (* 1980), Marc Schubring (* 1968), Wang Lin (王琳) (* 1976), Anton Steinecker (* 1971) and the organist Dan Zerfaß (* 1968).

Literature

* Theo Brandmüller: ''Arrièregarde – Avantgarde. Texte zur Musik 1980–1998.'' (= ''Quellentexte zur Musik des 20. Jahrhunderts.'' Bd. 6.1.) Edited by Stefan Fricke, Wolfgang Frobenius, Sigrid Konrad and Friedrich Spangemacher. Pfau-Verlag, Saarbrücken 1998, ISBN 3-89727-006-4. * Joachim Dorfmüller: ''Impulse von Perotin bis Messiaen. Zum Schaffen Theo Brandmüllers für und mit Orgel.'' In: '' Musica Sacra.'' Regensburg 1980. Pages 316–318. * Jörg Abbing, Sigrid Konrad: ''Vingt Regards sur Theo. Komponist, Konzertorganist, Hochschullehrer.'' Pfau-Verlag, Saarbrücken 2013, ISBN 978-3-89727-496-9. * Friedrich Spangemacher: ''Creator, Spiritus, Musicus: Theo Brandmüller – eine Biographie.'' Pfau-Verlag, Saarbrücken 2013, ISBN 978-3-89727-497-6.

Discography

* ''Canzona lirica e danza di morte''. Reinbert Evers (guitar). CD Darbinghaus and Grimm 3292 * ''Cis-Cantus II. trio basso''. CD Koch-Schwann 310 041 * ''Enigma I''. Christiane Edinger (violin), Theo Brandmüller (organ). CD MDG 625 0551-2 * ''Enigma III „Ex oriente lux"''. Albert Schönberger (organ), Benedikt Sturm and Christopher Ludwig (boy sopranos of the Mainz Cathedral Choir), ''Mainzer Dombläser'', Direction: Mathias Breitschaft. CD "''Komponisten aus Rheinland-Pfalz''", Studio Tonmeister 10778-01 * ''"Und der Mond heftet ins Meer ein langes Horn aus Licht und Tanz ..."''. Contra-Trio, ''Radio-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken'', direction:

. CD MDG 625 0551-2

References

External links

Biografie und Werkliste
(biography and list of works) on breitkopf.com
Kurzbiografie und Werkliste
(short biography and list of works) on boosey.com German composers 1948 births 2012 deaths Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Saar 20th-century German musicians {{Germany-composer-stub