Christian Gerhaher (born 24 July 1969, in

Straubing Straubing () is an independent city in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany. It is seat of the district of Straubing-Bogen. Annually in August the Gäubodenvolksfest, the second largest fair in Bavaria, is held. The city is located on the Danube for ...

) is a German

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the ...

and

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

singer in opera and concert, particularly known as a

Lied In Western classical music tradition, (, plural ; , plural , ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music to create a piece of polyphonic music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary German, but among English and French s ...

er singer.

Career

Christian Gerhaher studied with

Paul Kuën Paul Kuën (8 April 1910 – April 1997) was a German operatic tenor known for character roles. One example among many such portrayals would be Mime in Wagner's ''Der Ring des Nibelungen''. Kuën was born at Sulzberg, Oberallgäu. He had origina ...

and Raimund Grumbach at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, and

with Friedemann Berger, already together with his accompanist for decades to come,

Gerold Huber Gerold Huber (born 1969) is a German classical pianist, best known as the regular duo partner of baritone Christian Gerhaher and accompanist of other singers. Career Born in Straubing, Huber studied on a scholarship at the , piano with Fried ...

. He took master classes with

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's Lieder, ...

(whose voice Gerhaher's remarkably resembles),

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Dame Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike Schwarzkopf, (9 December 19153 August 2006) was a German-born Austro-British soprano. She was among the foremost singers of lieder, and is renowned for her performances of Viennese operetta, as well as the op ...

and

Inge Borkh Inge Borkh (born Ingeborg Simon, 26 May 1921 – 26 August 2018) was a German operatic dramatic soprano. She was first based in Switzerland, where she received international attention when she appeared in the first performance in German of Meno ...

.Christian Gerhaher
on Bach Cantatas website He was a member of the opera in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg ...

from 1998 to 2000, performing in Thomas Hengelbrock's production of ''

Così fan tutte (''All Women Do It, or The School for Lovers''), K. 588, is an opera buffa in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It was first performed on 26 January 1790 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, Austria. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte ...

'', in Weber's ''

Der Freischütz ' ( J. 277, Op. 77 ''The Marksman'' or ''The Freeshooter'') is a German opera with spoken dialogue in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind, based on a story by Johann August Apel and Friedrich Laun from their 1810 ...

'' with the Cappella Coloniensis, and Papageno in Achim Freyer's staging of ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a '' Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that in ...

''. a role that he sang as his debut at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Ama ...

in 2006. In 2005 he portrayed the title role of Monteverdi's ''

L'Orfeo ''L'Orfeo'' ( SV 318) (), sometimes called ''La favola d'Orfeo'' , is a late Renaissance/early Baroque ''favola in musica'', or opera, by Claudio Monteverdi, with a libretto by Alessandro Striggio. It is based on the Greek legend of Orpheus, and ...

'' at the Opern- und Schauspielhaus Frankfurt where he appeared as Wolfram in Wagner's

Tannhäuser Tannhäuser (; gmh, Tanhûser), often stylized, "The Tannhäuser," was a German Minnesinger and traveling poet. Historically, his biography, including the dates he lived, is obscure beyond the poetry, which suggests he lived between 1245 and ...

in 2007. In concert he has collaborated with Helmuth Rilling,

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt or historically Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt; () (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music ...

Neville Marriner Sir Neville Marriner, (15 April 1924 – 2 October 2016) was an English violinist and "one of the world's greatest conductors". Gramophone lists Marriner as one of the 50 greatest conductors and another compilation ranks Marriner #14 of the ...

Philippe Herreweghe Philippe Maria François Herreweghe, Knight Herreweghe (born 2 May 1947) is a Belgian conductor and choirmaster. Herreweghe founded La Chapelle Royale and Collegium Vocale Gent and is renowned as a conductor, with a repertoire ranging from Re ...

, Heinz Holliger and Trevor Pinnock, among others. Christian Gerhaher has performed and recorded Lieder with pianist Gerold Huber, such as Schubert's ''

Winterreise ''Winterreise'' (, ''Winter Journey'') is a song cycle for voice and piano by Franz Schubert ( D. 911, published as Op. 89 in 1828), a setting of 24 poems by German poet Wilhelm Müller. It is the second of Schubert's two song cycles on Müller' ...

'', ''

Die schöne Müllerin ' (,"The Fair Maid of the Mill", Op. 25, D. 795), is a song cycle by Franz Schubert from 1823 based on 20 poems by Wilhelm Müller. It is the first of Schubert's two seminal cycles (preceding '' Winterreise'')'','' and a pinnacle of '' Lied'' ...

'', '' Schwanengesang'' and ''Gesänge des Harfners''. His Schubert album ''Abendbilder'' with Gerold Huber won a

Gramophone Award The Gramophone Classical Music Awards, launched in 1977, are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry. They are often viewed as equivalent to or surpassing the American Grammy award, and refe ...

for Solo vocal in 2006. More songs with piano or chamber ensemble have included Brahms' '' Vier ernste Gesänge'' and Martin's ''Jedermann Monologues'', Mahler's ''

Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen ''Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen'' (''Songs of a Wayfarer'') is a song cycle by Gustav Mahler on his own texts. The cycle of four ''lieder'' for medium voice (often performed by women as well as men) was written around 1884–85 in the wake of ...

'' and '' Kindertotenlieder''. He participated in the project '' Terezín / Theresienstadt'' of Anne Sofie von Otter to record songs written in the concentration camp of Terezín. Supported by her pianist

Bengt Forsberg Bengt Forsberg (born 1952) is a Swedish concert pianist most famous for his numerous collaborations with the mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter. He participated in her project to record songs written in the concentration camp of Terezín. Forsberg ...

(also accordion, guitar and double bass) and his, Gerold Huber, Bebe Risenfors (accordion, guitar), Ib Hausmann (clarinet), Philip Dukes (viola), Josephine Knight (cello) and Daniel Hope (violin) they perform music written in the concentration camp by the artists Ilse Weber, Karel Švenk, Adolf Strauss, Martin Roman,

Hans Krása Hans Krása (30 November 1899 – 17 October 1944) was a Czech composer, murdered during the Holocaust at Auschwitz. He helped to organize cultural life in Theresienstadt concentration camp. Life Hans Krása was born in Prague, the son of Anna ...

, Carlo S. Taube,

Viktor Ullmann Viktor Ullmann (1 January 1898, in Teschen – 18 October 1944, in KZ Auschwitz-Birkenau) was a Silesia-born Austrian composer, conductor and pianist. Biography Viktor Ullmann was born on 1 January 1898 in Těšín (Teschen), which belonged ...

and Pavel Haas.Terezin/Theresienstadt
review of Steve Arloff in MusicWeb International With Rilling and his Gächinger Kantorei he appeared at the 70th birthday concert in 2003 and recorded Bach's ''

Mass in B minor The Mass in B minor (), BWV 232, is an extended setting of the Mass ordinary by Johann Sebastian Bach. The composition was completed in 1749, the year before the composer's death, and was to a large extent based on earlier work, such as a Sanc ...

'' and ''

Christmas Oratorio The ''Christmas Oratorio'' (German: ''Weihnachtsoratorium''), , is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It is in six parts, each part a cantata intended for performance on one of ...

'' and Britten's '' War Requiem'', among others. In 2009, he was awarded the Rheingau Musikpreis of the Rheingau Musik Festival.Christian Gerhaher mit Rheingau Musikpreis 2009 ausgezeichnet
Hochschule für Musik und Theater München (in German) He appeared at the festival in 2010 with Gerold Huber to celebrate

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and the modernism ...

's 150th birthday, singing '' Sieben Lieder aus letzter Zeit'' (Seven Songs of Latter Days) and from '' Das Lied von der Erde'' the movements ''Der Einsame im Herbst'' (The lonely one in Autumn) and ''Der Abschied'' (The Farewell). In 2011 they performed the composer's ''

'', ''Des Knaben Wunderhorn'' and '' Kindertotenlieder''.Ein "Star für Kenner" / RMF I Der Bariton Christian Gerhaher im Gespräch und bei einem Liederabend
Axel Zibulski, Wiesbadener Kurier 23 July 2011 In 2010, he was awarded the Midem special prize "male vocalist".Biographie / Christian Gerhaher – Bariton
SONY He had his debut at

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

London in 2010 in

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

's opera ''

'' and received the

Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera The Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theat ...

for his performance as Wolfram in March 2011. He is a professor in the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, München.

Selected recordings

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

: ''

'', piano: Gerold Huber, RCA Sony BMG, January 2001 *

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

: ''Vier ernste Gesänge'',

: ''Gesänge des Harfners'' and various Lieder, Frank Martin: ''Sechs Monologe aus Jedermann'', piano: Gerold Huber, Arte Nova, August 2002 *

: '' Kindertotenlieder'', piano: Gerold Huber, ''

'',

Hyperion Ensemble Hyperion Ensemble is a Romanian chamber music ensemble based in Bucharest. It was founded in 1976 by composer Iancu Dumitrescu and specializes in the performance of contemporary classical music. In particular, it is the main proponent of spectral m ...

, Arte Nova, February 2003 *

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have le ...

: '' Die Schöpfung'',

Concentus Musicus Wien Concentus Musicus Wien (CMW) is an Austrian baroque music ensemble based in Vienna. The CMW is recognized as a pioneer of the period-instrument performance movement. History Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Alice Harnoncourt co-founded the CMW in 1953, ...

Arnold Schoenberg Chor The Arnold Schoenberg Choir (german: Arnold Schoenberg Chor) is a Viennese/Austrian choir which was founded 1972 by Erwin Ortner, who is still its artistic director. The choir has a high reputation both among conductors and among critics and the ...

, Dorothea Röschmann, Michael Schade, conductor

, harmonia mundi, February 2004 *

Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...

: ''

Dichterliebe ''Dichterliebe'', "A Poet's Love" (composed 1840), is the best-known song cycle by Robert Schumann ( Op. 48). The texts for the 16 songs come from the ''Lyrisches Intermezzo'' by Heinrich Heine, written in 1822–23 and published as part of Heine' ...

und gemischte Lieder'', piano: Gerold Huber, RCA, October 2004 *

Carl Orff Carl Orff (; 10 July 1895 – 29 March 1982) was a German composer and music educator, best known for his cantata '' Carmina Burana'' (1937). The concepts of his Schulwerk were influential for children's music education. Life Early life Carl ...

: '' Carmina Burana'', Berliner Philharmoniker, conductor

Simon Rattle Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British-German conductor. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rattle was principa ...

, EMI, 2005 *

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sym ...

: ''Elias'',

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (Gewandhausorchester; also previously known in German as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig) is a German symphony orchestra based in Leipzig, Germany. The orchestra is named after the concert hall in which it is bas ...

, conductor

Herbert Blomstedt Herbert Thorson Blomstedt (; born 11 July 1927) is a Swedish conductor. Herbert Blomstedt was born in Massachusetts. Two years after his birth, his Swedish parents moved the family back to their country of origin. He studied at the Stockholm Ro ...

, RCA, Juli 2005 * Schubert: ''Abendbilder'' (various Lieder), piano: Gerold Huber, RCA, January 2006 * Mendelssohn: ''

Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde ''Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde'' ( German, ''The Return Home from Abroad''), known in English as ''Son and Stranger'' or ''Return of the Roamer'',Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (German: ''Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR'') was a German radio orchestra based in Stuttgart in Germany. History The ensemble was founded in 1945 by American occupation authorities as the orches ...

, conductor Helmuth Rilling, hänssler classic, 2006 * Haydn: ''

Orlando paladino ''Orlando paladino'' (English: ''The Paladin Orlando''), Hob. 28/11, is an opera in three acts by Joseph Haydn which was first performed at Eszterháza on 6 December 1782. The libretto by is based on another libretto, ''Le pazzie d'Orlando'', ...

'', part of Rodomonte, Concentus musicus, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, May 2006 *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

: '' Die Zauberflöte'', part of Papageno, Wiener Philharmoniker, conductor

Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti, (; born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He currently holds two music directorships, at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and at the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Muti has previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale ...

, Decca, 2006 *

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

: ''

'', Gächinger Kantorei,

Bach-Collegium Stuttgart Bach-Collegium Stuttgart is an internationally known German instrumental ensemble, founded by Helmuth Rilling in 1965 to accompany the Gächinger Kantorei in choral music with orchestra. Its members are mostly orchestra musicians from Germany and ...

, conductor Helmuth Rilling, hänssler classic, 2007 * Bach: ''

'', Concentus Musicus Wien, Arnold Schoenberg Chor, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, November 2007 * '' Terezín / Theresienstadt'', Lieder by Victor Ullmann and others, Anne Sofie von Otter, Deutsche Grammophon, 2007 * Schumann: ''Melancholie - Liederkreis op. 39 und gemischte Lieder'', piano: Gerold Huber, RCA, March 2008 * Schumann: '' Das Paradies und die Peri'',

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (german: Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, BRSO) is a German radio orchestra. Based in Munich, Germany, it is one of the city's four orchestras. The BRSO is one of two full-size symphony orchest ...

, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, RCA, March 2008 *

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

: '' War Requiem'', Annette Dasch,

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-sell ...

, conductor Helmuth Rilling, hänssler classic, September 2008 * Mahler: '' Das Lied von der Erde'',

Orchestre symphonique de Montréal The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (french: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, or OSM) is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The orchestra’s home is the Maison symphonique de Montréal, Montreal Symphony House at Plac ...

, Klaus Florian Vogt, conductor

Kent Nagano Kent George Nagano GOQ, MSM (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and was Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 202 ...

, Sony Music, April 2009 *

Karl Amadeus Hartmann Karl Amadeus Hartmann (2 August 1905 – 5 December 1963) was a German composer. Sometimes described as the greatest German symphonist of the 20th century, he is now largely overlooked, particularly in English-speaking countries. Life Born in ...

, ''Des Simplicius Simplicissimus Jugend'', Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, conductor:

Ulf Schirmer Ulf Schirmer (born 1959) is a German conductor and opera house administrator. Born in Eschenhausen, Lower Saxony, Schirmer studied at the Bremen Conservatory, and also at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, with György Ligeti, Christ ...

, September 2009 * Haydn: '' Die Jahreszeiten'', Concentus Musicus Wien, Arnold Schoenberg Chor, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, harmonia mundi, March 2009 * Schumann: '' Szenen aus Goethes Faust'',

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra ( nl, Koninklĳk Concertgebouworkest, ) is a Dutch symphony orchestra, based at the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw (concert hall). Considered one of the world's leading orchestras, Queen Beatrix conferred the " ...

, conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, RCO live, July 2009 *

Othmar Schoeck Othmar Schoeck (1 September 1886 – 8 March 1957) was a Swiss Romantic classical composer, opera composer, musician, and conductor. He was known mainly for his considerable output of art songs and song cycles, though he also wrote a number ...

: '' Notturno'', Rosamunde Quartett, ECM, September 2009 * Mahler: Lieder, piano: Gerold Huber, Sony Music, October 2009Gustav Mahler Lieder
review of Bernhard Neuhoff,

Bayerischer Rundfunk Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR; "Bavarian Broadcasting") is a public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, capital city of the Free State of Bavaria in Germany. BR is a member organization of the ARD consortium of public broadcas ...

, 4 November 2009 (in German) * Othmar Schoeck: Elegie, Op. 36, Sony Music, April 2022

Recent Albums

References

External links

*
Christian Gerhaher
website (in German)

artist of

Gasteig Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig. Most of the events of the Fi ...

Munich
Christian Gerhaher
Sony de
Mahler/Gerhaher/Huber: Lieder
Andrew Clements,

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

, 14 January 2010
Christian Gerhaher »Ein bisschen Qual gehört dazu«
(pictured), interview of Christian Gerhaher in ''

Frankfurter Neue Presse The ''Frankfurter Neue Presse'' (FNP) is a German daily newspaper, based in Frankfurt am Main and focused on local and regional topics. History The FNP was founded on 15 April 1946 under a license of the American military government. It was lic ...

of 28 January 2010 (in German)
Mahler: Lieder - Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Gerold Huber (piano)
review in ''The Sunday Times'', 31 January 2010 {{DEFAULTSORT:Gerhaher, Christian University of Music and Performing Arts Munich alumni University of Music and Performing Arts Munich faculty Members of the Academy of Arts, Berlin Living people 1969 births German operatic baritones 20th-century German male opera singers 21st-century German male opera singers