Koellreutter, Hans Joachim

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Koellreutter, Hans Joachim

Koellreutter, Hans Joachim, German conductor, composer, and teacher; b. Freiburg im Breisgau, Sept. 2, 1915. He studied with Martienssen (piano), Scheck (flute), Thomas and Scherchen (conducting), Schunemann and Seifert (musicology), and Hindemith (composition) at the Berlin Academy of Music (1934–36), and then with Moyse (flute) at the Geneva Cons. (1937–38). He went to Rio de Janeiro, where he taught at the Brazilian Cons. (1937–52) and at the Säo Paulo Inst. of Music (1942–44). He was director of the Säo Paulo Free Academy of Music (1952–55) and the music dept. of Bahia Univ. (1952–62); was also chief conductor of the Bahia Sym. Orch. (1952–62). He then was in charge of the music programs of the Goethe Inst. in Munich (1963–65); was its regional representative in New Delhi (1965–69), where he also was head of the Delhi School of Music (1966–69). From 1970 to 1975 he was director of the Goethe Inst. in Tokyo, where he also was prof, at the Inst. of Christian Music and conductor of the Heinrich Schütz Chorale; then returned to Brazil (1975) and taught at the Goethe Inst. in Rio de Janeiro (until 1980). After serving as director of the Tatui Cons. (1983–84), he was a prof, at the Univ. in Minas Gérais (1984–88) and at the Säo Paulo Cons. (1988–90). His music follows Classical forms, while the thematic materials are modeled after the 12-tone method of composition; in several of his works, he makes use of exotic motifs of South America, India, and Japan.

Writings

Attitudes of Consciousness in Indian and Western Music (New Delhi, 1966); Three Lectures on Music (Mysore, 1968); Jazz Harmonia (Sâo Paulo, 1969); Ten Lectures on Music (New Delhi, 1969); History of Western Music (New Delhi, 1970).

Works

orch.:4 Pieces (1937); Variations (1945); Mùsica (1947); Sinfonia de camara for 11 Instruments (1948); Mutacoes (1953); Concretion for Orch. or Chamber Orch. (1960); Construc-tio ad synesin for Chamber Orch. (1962); Advaita for Sitar and Orch. or Chamber Orch. (1968); Sunyata for Flute, Chamber Orch. of Western and Indian Instruments, and Tape (1968); Acronon (1978–79); Wu-Li (1988). chamber: 2 flute sonatas (1937, 1939); Violin Sonata (1939); Inventions for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1940); Variations for Flute, English Horn, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1941); Mùsica 1947 for String Quartet (1947); Diaton 8 for Flute, English Horn, Bassoon, Harp, and Xylophone (1955); Tanka I-VII for Voice and Instrument (1970–82). vocal:Noturnos de Oneyda Alvarenga for Mezzo-soprano and String Quartet (1945); O cafe, choral drama (1956); 8 Haikai de Pedro Xisto for Baritone, Flute, Electric Guitar, Piano, and Percussion (1963); Cantos de Kulka for Soprano and Orch. (1964); Indian Report, cantata for Soprano, Speaker, Chamber Chorus, Speaking Chorus, and Chamber Orch. of Western and Indian Instruments (1967); Yü for Soprano and Japanese Instruments (1970); Mu-dai for Voice (1972); O cafe for Chorus (1975).