Kelterborn, Rudolf
Kelterborn, Rudolf
Kelterborn, Rudolf, prominent Swiss composer and pedagogue; b. Basel, Sept. 3, 1931. He studied at the Basel Academy of Music with Gustav Güldenstein and Walther Geiser (composition) and Alexander Krannhals (conducting). He subsequently took lessons in conducting with Markevitch and in composition with Burkhard in Zürich (1952), Blacher in Salzburg (1953), and Former and Bialas at the North-West German Music Academy in Detmold (1955). He taught at the Basel Academy of Music (1955–60) and at the North-West German Music Academy (1960–68); then was on the faculty of the Zürich Cons, and Musikhochschule (1968-75; 1980-83). He was ed.-in-chief of the Schweizerische Musikzeitung (1969–75) and director of the music division of the Radio Deutschen und) R(ätoromanischen) S(schweiz) (1974–80). Kelterborn subsequently was a prof, at the Staatlichen Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe (1980–83) and director of the Basel Academy of Music from 1983. Kelterborn appeared as a guest conductor in performances of his own works, and also lectured in the U.S., England, and Japan. He was awarded the composer’s prize of the Assn. of Swiss Musicians and the Kunstpreis of the City of Basel in 1984. He publ. Zum Beispiel Mozart: Ein Beitrag zur musikalischen Analyse (Basel, 1980; Japanese tr., Tokyo, 1986). In his music, he applies a precisely coordinated serial organization wherein quantitative values of duration form a recurrent series; changes of tempo are also subjected to serialization. Both melody and harmony are derived from a tone row in which the dissonant intervals of the major seventh and minor second are the mainstays.
Works
dramatic:Opera: Die Errettung Thebens (1960-62; Zürich, June 23, 1963); Kaiser Jovian (1964-66; Karlsruhe, March 4, 1967); Ein Engel kommt nach Babylon (1975-76; Zürich, June 5, 1977); Der Kirschgarten, after Chekhov (1979-81; Zürich, Dec. 4, 1984); Ophelia (1982-83; Schwetzingen, May 2, 1984); Die schwarze Spinne, musical drama (1984); Julia, chamber opera (1989–90). Ballet: Relations (1973-74; Bern, Feb. 16, 1975). orch.: Suite for Brass, Percussion, and Strings (1954); Sonata for 16 Solo Strings (1955); Mouvements (1957; Winterthur, May 23, 1959); Canto appassionato (1958; Darmstadt, July 6, 1960); Concertino for Piano, 2 Percussion, and Strings (1958-59; Lausanne, Sept. 3, 1960); Kammersinfonie I for Violin, 10 Winds, Percussion, Harp, and Strings (Kassel, Oct. 9, 1960) and II for Strings (Zürich, Aug. 21, 1964); Variationen for Oboe and Strings (1960; Lisbon, March 2, 1961); Metamorphosen (Basel, Nov. 7, 1960); Lamentationes for Strings (1961; Stuttgart, April 1, 1962); Scènes fugitives for Alto and Sopranino Recorders and Orch. (1961; Braunschweig, Nov. 9, 1962); Vier Nachtstücke for Chamber Orch. (Zürich, Dec. 11, 1963); Musik for Clarinet and Strings (1965-66; Lucerne, Aug. 28, 1966); Phantasmen (1965-66; Hannover, Jan. 28, 1967); Sonata sacra for Brass (1965-66; Basel, Jan. 18, 1968); 4 syms.: No. 1 (1966-67; Zürich, Jan. 5, 1968), No. 2 (1969-70; Munich, Oct. 22, 1970), No. 3, Espansioni, for Baritone, Orch. and Tape (1974-75; Basel, Sept. 29, 1976), and No. 4 (1985-86; Bamberg, Feb. 3, 1987); Miroirs (1966; Detmold, May 3, 1968); Traummusik for Small Orch. (1971; Zürich, Jan. 28, 1972); Kommunikationen for 6 Orch. Groups (1971-72; Lucerne, Aug. 15, 1973); Changements (1972-73; Montreux, Sept. 19, 1973); Nuovi canti for Flute and Chamber Orch. (1973; Munich, April 24, 1974); Tableaux encadrés for 13 Solo Strings (1974; Zürich, June 15, 1975); Szene for 12 Solo Cellos (1977; Lucerne, Aug. 30, 1980); Erinnerungen an Orpheus (1977-78; Bern, Jan. 18, 1979); Visions sonores (1979; Basel, June 4, 1980); Chiaroscuro: Canzoni (1979-80; Salzburg, Aug. 29, 1980); Musica luminosa (1983-84; Locarno, Sept. 13, 1985); Sonatas for Winds (1986; Zürich, Feb. 24, 1987); Musik for Double Bass and Orch. (1986–87); Rencontres for Piano and Orch. (1991-92; Duisburg, Nov. 25, 1992); Name-los, 7 pieces for Large Ensemble and Electronic Sound (1996); 4 Movements for Classical Orch. (1997); Passions for Strings (1998). chamber: 5 string quartets: No. 1 (1954), No. 2 (1956; Munich, Oct. 27, 1959), No. 3 (1962; Hannover, Oct. 23, 1963), No. 4 (1968-70; Zagreb, May 12, 1971), and No. 5 (Basel, Oct. 25, 1989); Kammermusik for Flute, Violin, and Piano (1957); Fünf Fantasien for Transverse Flute, Cello, and Harpsichord (1958); Sieben Bagatellen for Wind Quintet (1958); Lyrische Kammermusik for Clarinet, Violin, and Viola (1959); Varianti for 6 Instruments (1959); Sonata for Oboe and Harpsichord (1960); Esquisses for Harpsichord and Percussion (1962); Meditationen for 6 Winds (1963); Musik for Violin and Guitar (1964); Vier Miniaturen for Oboe and Violin (1964); Fantasia à tre for Piano Trio (1967); Moments musicaux for Bassoon and Piano (1967); Incontri brevi for Flute and Clarinet (1967); Octet for Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass (1969; Zürich, Jan. 29, 1970); Vier Stücke for Clarinet and Piano (1969); Inventionen und Intermezzi for 2 Gambens and Harpsichord (1969); Neuen Momente for Viola and Piano (1973); Reaktionen for Violin and Piano (1973–74); Kammermusik for Flute or Piccolo, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon (1974); Consort-Music for Flute or Piccolo or Alto Flute, Clarinet or Bass Clarinet, Trumpet, and String Quartet (1975; Hamburg, June 15, 1976); 7 Minute Play for Flute and Piano (1976); Monodie I for Flute and Harp (1977); Trio for Flute, Oboe, and Bassoon (1980); Notturni for Cello and Double Bass (1981); Musik for 6 Percussionists (1983–84); 6 Short Pieces for Flute, Viola, and Guitar (1984); Cello Sonata (1985); Escursioni for Flute, Cello, and Harpsichord (1988–89); String Trio (1995–96); Ensemble-Buch III for 10 Instruments (1997). vocal:Elegie for Alto, Oboe, Viola, Percussion, and Harpsichord (1955); Missa for Soprano, Tenor, Chorus, and Orch. (1958; Basel, Dec. 1, 1961); Canta profana for Baritone, Chorus, and 13 Instruments (1959–60); Die Flut for Speaker, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1963-64; Basel, May 14, 1965); Kanal Auferstehung for Baritone, 2 Violins, and Organ (1964); Der Traum meines Lebens verdämmert for Mezzo-soprano, Flute, 2 Clarinets or Bass Clarinet, Harp, and String Quartet (1964); Très cantiones sacrae for Chorus (1967; Kassel, April 12, 1969); Fünf Madrigale for Soprano, Tenor, and Orch. (1967-68; Lucerne, Aug. 20, 1969); Oies unus for Soprano, Men’s Chorus, and Orch. (1971-72; Zürich, May 26, 1973); Drei Fragmente for Chorus (1973; Stuttgart, Feb. 10, 1974); Gesänge zur Nacht for Soprano and Chamber Orch. (1978; Zürich, March 2, 1979); Fünf Gesänge for Chorus, Clarinet, Horn, Trumpet, and Trombone (1980-81; Basel, Feb. 5, 1982); Schlag an mit deiner Sichel for 4 Voices and Renaissance Instruments (1981–82); Lux et tenebrae for Soprano, Baritone, Men’s Chorus, and Orch. (1986–87); Gesänge der Liebe for Baritone and Orch. (1987–88); Ensemble-Buch I for Baritone and Chamber Ensemble (1990) and II for Mezzo- Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (1992–94).
Bibliography
D. Larese and F. Goebels, R. K. (Amriswiler, 1970); M. Weber, Die Orchesterwerke R. K.s (Regensburg, 1980); A. Briner, T. Gartmann, and F. Meyer, eds., R. K.: Komponist, Musikdenker, Vermittler (Bern, 1993).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire