Delz, Christoph

views updated

Delz, Christoph

Delz, Christoph , Swiss-born German composer and pianist; b. Basel, Jan. 3,1950; d. there, Sept. 13,1993. He began studies in performance and counterpoint early, completing a concert pianist diploma before finishing school. He then studied with Stockhausen (composition), Aloys Kontarsky (piano), and Wangenheim (conducting) at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik (1974–81). His compositions involved musical collage, theatrical gestures, eclectically combined styles, and revolutionary agendas, and were performed at ISCM World Music Days in Cologne, Paris, Donaueschingen, Venice, and London. In 1983 he received the Music Prize of the City of Cologne.

Works

Piano Quartet (1975–76; Bonn, Nov. 25, 1977); Kolner Messe for Tape and Chorus (1977–81; Cologne, Nov. 4, 1983); Im Dschungel, Ehrung fiir Rousseau den Zöllner for Large Orch. (1981–82; Donaueschingen, Oct. 16,1983); String Quartet (1982; Witten, April 28, 1985); Arbeitslieder for Soli, Chorus, Piano, and Wind Quintet (1983–84; Venice, Nov. 23,1985); Piano Concerto (1984–85; London, Feb. 22,1986); Solde, Lecture d’après Lautréamont for Soli, Chorus, and Percussion (1985–86); 2 Nocturnes for Piano and Orch. (1986); Jahreszeiten for Piano, Small Orch., and Tape (1988–89); Joyce-Fantasy for Soprano, Chorus, 2 Pianos, and Harmonium (1990).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire