Friedrich Cerha (German pronunciation: [ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈt͜sɛʁha]; 17 February 1926 – 14 February 2023) was an Austrian composer, conductor and academic teacher. His ensemble die reihe in Vienna was instrumental in spreading contemporary music in Austria. He composed several operas, beginning with Baal after Brecht's play, but is best known for completing Alban Berg's Lulu by its unfinished third act, premiered in Paris in 1979.
Friedrich Cerha | |
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 Cerha in 2006 | |
| Born | 17 February 1926 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 14 February 2023 (aged 96) Vienna, Austria |
| Education | |
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| Organizations | |
| Children | Ruth Cerha |
| Awards | |
Life and career
Cerha was born in Vienna on 17 February 1926.[1] He played the violin at age six, instructed by Anton Pejhovsky, and began composing two years later.[1][2]
Cerha was drafted as Luftwaffenhelfer in 1943,[1] at age 17[2] and initially served in Achau, near Vienna.[1] During this time, he participated in a number of acts of resistance against the fascist regime. After a semester at the University of Vienna, he was sent to an officer's school in occupied Denmark. While there, he obtained a number of blank, but signed, marching order papers and deserted. These papers allowed him to remain undetected within German territory for some time as he could use them as proof that he was supposed to be there. However, after a period, he was forced to rejoin a military unit, during an advance by the Russian forces near Pomerania. He deserted a second time and made his way to the west of Austria, where he lived in the mountains for several months, to avoid capture by the Allied forces, until he was eventually able to return Vienna[3] in November 1945.[1]
Cerha studied at the Vienna Music Academy, violin with Váša Příhoda, composition with Alfred Uhl, and music pedagogy.[1][2] Simultaneously, he studied musicology, German culture and language, and philosophy at the University of Vienna[1][4] His dissertation there, on the Turandot topic in music, was completed in 1954.[5]
In 1958 Cerha founded the ensemble die reihe together with Kurt Schwertsik, which was instrumental in spreading contemporary music in Austria. In addition to composing, Cerha earned a reputation as an interpreter of the works of Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. This work included the completion of Alban Berg's unfinished three-act opera Lulu. Cerha orchestrated sections of the third act using Berg's notes as a reference, beginning studies of the subject in 1962.[1] The completed opera was premiered by Pierre Boulez in Paris in 1979,[2] directed by Patrice Chéreau.[6]
Alongside his career as a composer and conductor, Cerha taught at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna from 1959, where he was professor of Composition, Notation and Interpretation of New Music from 1976 to 1988.[1][2]
Cerha composed both orchestral works and operas. His first opera was Baal, based on Brecht's play of the same name, and influenced by Berg's Wozzeck.[6] It was premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 1981, with performances at the Vienna State Opera, and a production at the Staatsoper Berlin in 1982.[1] It was followed by Der Rattenfänger and Der Riese vom Steinfeld, the latter commissioned by the Vienna State Opera, with a libretto by Peter Turrini,[2] and premiered by in 2002.[1]
Cerha and his wife Gertraud, a music historian, were founder members of the Joseph Marx Society in April 2006.[7]
Cerha died in Vienna on 14 February 2023, at age 96.[2][6][8][9]
Awards
- 1964: Theodor Körner Prize[10]
- 1986: Grand Austrian State Prize for Music[2][10]
- 1986: Gold Medal of the Province of Styria[10]
- 1986: Honorary Medal of Vienna in gold[10]
- 1988: Honorary Member of the Vienna Konzerthaus[11]
- 2005: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art[2][12]
- 2006: Golden Lion of the Biennale Musica in Venice[2][10]
- 2007: Honorary Member of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna[11]
- 2008: Gold Medal for services to the region of Vienna[2][10]
- 2010: Silver Commander's Cross of Honour for Services to the province of Lower Austria[10]
- 2011: Salzburg Music Prize[2][10]
- 2012: Ernst von Siemens Music Prize[2][10][13]
Honorary doctorate
- 2017: Universität Siegen[5]
Works
Cerha's compositions were published by Universal Edition,[14] including:[15]
Operas
- Netzwerk, 1981 for singers, reciter, movement groups and orchestra[4]
- Baal, 1974/81 – text: Bertolt Brecht
- Der Rattenfänger, 1987 – text: Carl Zuckmayer
- Completion of the opera Lulu by Alban Berg, 1962–78[4]
- Der Riese vom Steinfeld, 2002 – text: Peter Turrini, 2002
- Onkel Präsident, 2013 – text: Peter Wolf and Cerha
Other works
- Spiegel I, 1960 for movement groups, light objects, orchestra, and tape[4]
- Spiegel II–VII, 1960–72
- Sinfonie, 1975
- Requiem für Hollensteiner, Text: Thomas Bernhard 1982/83,[4] dedicated to Kurt Ohnsorg, commissioned by Austrian Musical Youth for the 25th anniversary of the Vienna Youth Choir.[16]
- Baal-Gesänge, 1983
- Keintate I, II, 1983 ff.[4]
- Momentum für Karl Prantl, 1988
- Fünf Stücke for clarinet in A, cello and piano, 1999–2000
- Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra, 2003–2004
- Violin Concerto, 2004
- Oboe Quintet, 2007
- Percussion Concerto, 2007–2008
- Like a Tragicomedy for orchestra, 2008–2009
- Bruchstück, geträumt for ensemble, 2009
- Paraphrase of the beginning of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, 2010
- Zebra-Trio for string trio, 2011
- Tagebuch for orchestra, 2012
- Drei Sätze für Orchester, 2015
- Fasce for orchestra,[4] before 1993
- Langegger Nachtmusiken I-III,[4] before 1993
- Relazioni fragili for chamber ensemble,[4] before 1993
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Friedrich Cerha". Universal Edition. 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Friedrich Cerha ist tot" (in German). ORF. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "Wörtlich – Friedrich Cerha". cba - cultural broadcasting archive (in German). Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Scholz, Gottfried (1993). Österreichische Musik der Gegenwart : eine Anthologie zur Schallplattenreihe des Österreichische Musikrates. Wien: Doblinger. ISBN 3-900695-22-9. OCLC 31984326.
- ^ a b Reininghaus, Frieder (15 February 2023). "Ein Repräsentant des anderen Österreich – Zum Tod des Komponisten Friedrich Cerha". Neue (in German). Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ a b c Koch, Gerhard O. (14 February 2023). "Volkstum auf vergiftetem Boden". FAZ (in German). Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ "The Executive Committee". Joseph Marx Society. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ^ Forster, Meret (14 February 2023). "Ein Komponist, eine Institution" (in German). ORF. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ Ender, Daniel (14 February 2023). "Komponist und Dirigent Friedrich Cerha gestorben". Der Standard (in German). Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Harrandt, Andrea (2001). "Cerha, Friedrich". Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon online. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Cerha, Friedrich". austria-forum.org. TU Graz. 2003. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 1665. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ^ "Friedrich Cerha, Biography". evs-musikstiftung.ch. Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "Works by Friedrich Cerha". Universal Edition. 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ Rigaudière, Pierre (14 February 2023). "Friedrich Cerha, Brahms". Ressources. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ^ "Friedrich Cerha: Requiem für Hollensteiner". Universal Edition. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
External links
- Cerha Online Archiv der Zeitgenossen (Donau-Universität Krems)
- Laudation for Friedrich Cerha by Karlheinz Essl (16 March 2017)
- "Friedrich Cerha". en.karstenwitt.com. Retrieved 14 December 2020. (management)
- Friedrich Cerha discography at Discogs
- Friedrich Cerha at IMDb