Volker Bertelmann (born 1966) is a German
pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
and
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and Defi ...
who mainly performs and records under the name Hauschka. He is best known for his compositions for
prepared piano.
Early life
Volker Bertelmann was born in
Kreuztal
Kreuztal is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Location
Kreuztal is a town in the low mountains of the northern Siegerland and lies at the western edge of the Rothaargebirge about 10 k ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. He grew up in the village of Ferndorf in the district of
Siegen-Wittgenstein,
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...
. The fifth of six children, he discovered
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
playing at the age of nine at church service. He began studying classical piano and continued taking lessons for the next ten years.
Bertelmann formed his first rock band when he was fourteen. During the following years he was commissioned to compose music for television and sang in a number of other bands. After leaving school he moved to
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
, where he began studying medicine and then switched to a course in business economics, but gave up both in order to concentrate on music.
Career
1992-2003: Early career
In 1992, Hauschka and his cousin formed the hip-hop duo God’s Favorite Dog, who became known above all for their tracks ''Love and Pain'' and ''Sway''. They released an album on Sony Music's Epic label and went on to perform nationally and internationally, among others as a support act for
Die Fantastischen Vier. The duo split in 1995 to pursue other directions.
After a period of drifting, Bertelmann moved to
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...
and started making music again, drawing on his years of classical piano training. He composed pieces for piano and released them under the alias Hauschka – as he wanted to find an east european sounding synonym and he found Bohemian composer
Vincenz Hauschka Vincenz is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Vincenz Armann (1599–1649), Flemish or Dutch landscape painter
*Vincenz Czerny (1842–1916), German Bohemian surgeon
*Vincenz Fettmilch (died 1616), grocer and gingerbread baker wh ...
as a reference.
2004-2006: Prepared piano beginnings
The first Hauschka album ''Substantial'' was released in 2004 on the Cologne label
Karaoke Kalk, followed in 2005 by ''The Prepared Piano'' on the same label. On this second album Bertelmann explored the possibilities of the
prepared piano by wedging pieces of leather, felt or rubber between the piano strings, wrapping aluminium foil around the hammers, placing small objects on the strings or joining them together with guitar strings or adhesive tape.
2007-2010: Room to Expand, Ferndorf and Foreign Landscapes
In 2007 Bertelmann signed a recording contract with 130701, an imprint of
FatCat Records, through which his album
Ferndorf
Ferndorf ( sl, Perja vas) is a municipality in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia.
Geography
The municipal area stretches from the Drava Valley up to the Mirnock range, part of the Nock Mountains, and the southeas ...
was released in 2008.
Following a concert performance with the
Magik*Magik Orchestra, Bertelmann decided to integrate other musical instruments into his compositions, and in January 2010 the resulting works were performed in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
by an orchestra led by
Minna Choi
Minna is a city in Middle Belt Nigeria. It is the capital city of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states. It consists of two major ethnic groups: the Gbagyi and the Nupe.
History
Archaeological evidence suggests settlement in the ...
. With Ian Pellicci as the sound engineer, they were recorded in
John Vanderslice's Tiny Telephone studio. Volker Bertelmann then recorded the piano tracks at Studio Zwei in Düsseldorf, and the album ''Foreign Landscapes'' was released on the 130701 label later that year.
2011-2014: Salon des Amateurs, Silfra and film score beginnings
![Hauschka during Denovali Swingfest](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Hauschka_during_Denovali_Swingfest.jpg)
On his 2011 album ''Salon des Amateurs'' Bertelmann collaborated with notable musicians such as Samuli Kosminen (
Múm
Múm (stylized in lowercase) () is an Icelandic indietronica band whose music is characterized by soft vocals, electronic glitch beats and effects, and a variety of traditional and unconventional instruments.
History
The band was formed in 1 ...
,
Edea), Jeffrey Zeigler (ex
Kronos Quartet), Pekka Kusisto, The band Múm, Nik Bartsch, Henrik Schwarz and
Hilary Hahn, as well as
Calexico
Calexico () is a city in southern Imperial County, California. Situated on the Mexican border, it is linked economically with the much larger city of Mexicali, the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California. It is about east of San Diego ...
's
Joey Burns
Calexico is a Tucson, Arizona-based Americana, Tex-Mex, indie rock band. The band's two main members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, first played together in Los Angeles as part of the group Giant Sand. They have recorded a number of albums on Q ...
and
John Convertino
Calexico is a Tucson, Arizona-based Americana, Tex-Mex, indie rock band. The band's two main members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, first played together in Los Angeles as part of the group Giant Sand. They have recorded a number of albums on Q ...
. These recordings were originally intended as a joint release with ''Foreign Landscapes'', whereby on the one hand the piano was going to be just one instrument among many, and on the other it was to be used primarily as a rhythm instrument. The recorded pieces did not fit together in the way Bertelmann had envisaged, however, so he decided to release the two albums separately. ''Foreign Landscapes'' represents a shift of focus away from the prepared piano as a solo instrument, while ''Salon des Amateurs'' signals a move towards a more strongly rhythmic approach.
The release of Salon des Amateurs was followed by the release of remix album Salon des Amateurs Remixes, which featured notable contributions by
Michael Mayer,
Matthew Herbert
Matthew Herbert (born 1972), also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician. He often takes sounds from everyday items to produce electronic music.
Career
Mat ...
, Max Loderbauer &
Ricardo Villalobos
Ricardo Villalobos (born 6 August 1970) is a Chilean-born German electronic music producer and DJ. He is well known for his work in the minimal techno and microhouse genres, and is one of the most significant figures in today's minimal techno sc ...
,
Alva Noto and Steve Bicknell.
In May 2012 Silfra, a collaborative album with the American violinist Hilary Hahn, was released on
Deutsche Grammophon. Named after the
Silfra rift in
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
, it consists of twelve improvisations by Bertelmann and Hahn that were recorded by
Valgeir Sigurdsson at Greenhouse Studios in
Reykjavík.
In 2012 Bertelmann wrote his first score for a feature film, entitled Glück, which was directed by
Doris Dörrie
Doris Dörrie (; born 26 May 1955) is a German film director, producer and author.
Biography
Born in Hanover, Dörrie completed her secondary education there in 1973. The same year, she began a two-year attendance in film studies in the drama de ...
.
2015 - Present: Lion, What If and commissioned works
In 2015, Bertelmann was an artist-in-residence at the
MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra. He created three pieces for them, most notably his collaboration with Múm entitled ‘Drowning’, which they premiered at the
Gewandhaus in Leipzig on June 27, 2015. In 2016, he was commissioned to create a piece for acclaimed cellist
Nicholas Altstädt. The piece, Lost, premiered at Viva Cello in September 2016.
In 2016, Bertelmann collaborated with
Dustin O'Halloran
Dustin O'Halloran (born September 8, 1971) is an American composer and pianist. Aside from releasing music as a recording artist, O'Halloran is a film and TV composer, as well as one half of ambient act A Winged Victory for the Sullen.
Early l ...
on the score for the Oscar-nominated film ''
Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
''. The score of the film was nominated for all major awards including the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Critics’ Choice Awards.
In 2017, he released solo album ‘What If’ on City Slang and Temporary Residence. The album explores the possibilities of his music, inspired by hip-hop, performed by fast and accurate player pianos. Bertelmann wrote two pieces for
Avi Avital, called Flood and Drought, which premiered at the
Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival in July 2017.
In 2018, he composed the score for the film ''
Adrift
Adrift may refer to:
Media
* Adrift (band), a Tampa, Florida-based American heavy rock band
* ''Adrift'' (video game), a first-person adventure video game
* "Adrift", a song by God Is an Astronaut from the album '' Ghost Tapes #10''
Film
* ''A ...
'', which is based on the true story of a sailor stranded at sea after a storm. ''Adrift'' is directed by
Baltasar Kormákur
Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson (born 27 February 1966) is an Icelandic actor, theater and film director, and film producer. He is best known for directing the films ''101 Reykjavík'', '' The Sea'', ''A Little Trip to Heaven'', '' Contraband'' ...
and stars
Shailene Woodley
Shailene Diann Woodley (born November 15, 1991) is an American actress. Born in San Bernardino, California, Woodley was raised in Simi Valley, and started modeling at the age of four and began acting professionally in minor television roles. She ...
and
Sam Claflin. Hauschka stated, "Collaborating with
Baltasar Kormákur
Baltasar Kormákur Baltasarsson (born 27 February 1966) is an Icelandic actor, theater and film director, and film producer. He is best known for directing the films ''101 Reykjavík'', '' The Sea'', ''A Little Trip to Heaven'', '' Contraband'' ...
was a wonderful experience and he gave me a lot of freedom to find the right sound for the film. ''Adrift'' tells a story about love and the fragility of human existence, so I wanted to create some sort of instrumental tension to reflect both the darkness and peril, as well as the lightness and love in this film. We ended up recording a full string orchestra at British Grove in London and added piano and experimental electronics to create a diverse and dynamic score. I'm very happy with the result, and I feel fortunate to have been part of this powerful film."
In 2019, he created the Hauschka Composer Toolkit sample library with
Spitfire Audio, featuring many of his signature sounds.
2020 had him doing Netflix’s blockbuster movie of the summer, ''
The Old Guard'' starring
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron ( ; ; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 20 ...
, as well as ''
Summerland'' with Gemma Arterton, Francis Lee’s romantic drama ''
Ammonite
Ammonoids are a group of extinct marine mollusc animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs, commonly referred to as ammonites, are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e., octopuses, squid and cuttlefish) ...
'', and the sci-fi movie
''Stowaway'' starring
Anna Kendrick
Anna Cooke Kendrick (born August 9, 1985) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including a Satellite Award, five Teen Choice Awards, three MTV Movie Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award a ...
and
Toni Collette
Toni Collette Galafassi (born Toni Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, producer, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television and independent films, she has received various accolades throughout her career, includ ...
.
In 2022, he scored
''All Quiet on the Western Front'' for Netflix, the official Best International Feature Film Oscar-entry for Germany, and
''War Sailor'', both of which were official selections at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Discography
Albums
* ''Substantial'' (2004)
* ''The prepared piano'' (2005)
* ''What a day'' (EP 2006)
* ''Room to Expand'' (2007)
* ''Versions of the Prepared Piano'' (2007)
* ''
Ferndorf
Ferndorf ( sl, Perja vas) is a municipality in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia.
Geography
The municipal area stretches from the Drava Valley up to the Mirnock range, part of the Nock Mountains, and the southeas ...
'' (2008)
* ''Snowflakes and Carwrecks'' (2008)
* ''Small Pieces'' (2009)
* ''Foreign Landscapes'' (2010)
* ''Salon Des Amateurs'' (2011)
* ''Salon Des Amateurs Remixes'' (2012)
* ''Youyoume'' (EP 2011)
* ''Pan Tone'' (EP 2011) with
Hildur Guðnadóttir
* ''Silfra'' (2012) with
Hilary Hahn
* ''Abandoned City'' (2014)
* ''5 Movements'' (EP 2016) with
Dustin O'Halloran
Dustin O'Halloran (born September 8, 1971) is an American composer and pianist. Aside from releasing music as a recording artist, O'Halloran is a film and TV composer, as well as one half of ambient act A Winged Victory for the Sullen.
Early l ...
* ''A NDO C Y'' (2015)
* ''What If ''(2017)
* ''A Different Forest'' (2019)
* ''Upstream'' (2021)
Soundtrack albums
* ''The Boy'' (2015,
Milan Records)
* ''
Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
'' (2016,
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
)
* ''In Dubious Battle'' (2017,
Lakeshore Records
Lakeshore Entertainment Group, LLC is an American independent film production, finance, and former international sales and distribution company founded in 1994 by Tom Rosenberg and Ted Tannebaum (1933–2002). Lakeshore Entertainment is headquart ...
)
* ''Gunpowder'' (2017,
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
)
* ''1000 Arten Regen Zu Beschreiben'' (2018, Needlewood Records)
* ''Adrift'' (2018,
Sony Classical)
* ''Hotel Mumbai'' (2019,
Varèse Sarabande)
* ''The Art of Racing in the Rain'' (2019,
Fox Music)
* ''Dublin Murders'' (2020, Needlewood Records)
* ''Summerland'' (2020, Needlewood Records)
* ''The Old Guard'' (2020,
Milan Records)
* ''Schnee von gestern'' (2020, Needlewood Records)
* ''Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl'' (2020, Needlewood Records)
* ''Downhill'' (2020,
Fox Music)
* ''A Christmas Carol'' (2020,
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and country genres, as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records l ...
)
* ''Ammonite'' (2020,
Milan Records)
* ''Stowaway'' (2021, Lakeshore Records)
* ''War Sailor'' (2022, Lakeshore Records)
* ''All Quiet on the Western Front'' (2022, Netflix Music, LLC)
Filmography
Films
Documentaries
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
www.hauschka-net.de*
*
2010 NPR interview with HauschkaMarch 2014 NPR interview with Hauschka
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hauschka
1966 births
Living people
German pianists
German composers
German film score composers
21st-century pianists
Temporary Residence Limited artists
FatCat Records artists
City Slang artists