Zimmermann, Bernd (actually, Bernhard) Alois
Zimmermann, Bernd (actually, Bernhard) Alois
Zimmermann, Bernd (actually, Bernhard) Alois, remarkable German composer; b. Bliesheim, March 20, 1918; d. (suicide) Königsdorf, Aug. 10, 1970. He commenced training as a music teacher at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik in 1937. In 1939 he was drafted into the German Army. After being discharged due to ill health in 1942, he returned to Cologne and studied musicology In 1945 he resumed his training as a music teacher, taking his examination in 1947. He concurrently studied music theory with Heinrich Lema-cher and composition with Philipp Jarnach. In 1948 he attended the summer course in new music in Darmstadt given by René Leibowitz. Zimmermann served as president of the German section of the ISCM in 1956-57. In 1957 he received a scholarship to the Villa Massimo in Rome, where he was in residence again in 1963. He was appointed prof, of composition at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik in 1957. In 1960 he was awarded the Grosser Kunstpreis of North Rhine-Wesphalia, and in 1966 the Kunstpreis of the City of Cologne. In spite of his talent, Zimmermann was haunted by self doubt and increasing despair. At the age of 52 he took his own life. His works reveal a mastery of various techniques, ranging from serialism to electronics, and including what he described as collage. Whatever means he utilized, he created works of notable individuality and merit. C. Bitter ed. a vol. of his writings as Intervall und Zeit: Aufsätze und Schriften (Mainz, 1974).
Works
dramatic: Alagoana, ballet (1950-55; Essen, Dec. 17,1955); Des Menschen Unterhaltsprozess gegen Gott, radio opera after Calderón de la Barca (WDR, Cologne, June 12,1952; concert perf., Cologne, July 13, 1987); Kontraste, ballet (1953; Bielefeld, April 24, 1954); Perspektiven, ballet for 2 Pianos (1955-56; 1st complete perf., Darmstadt, July 10, 1956; stage perf., Düsseldorf, June 2, 1957); Die Soldaten, opera after J.M.R. Lenz (1957-65; Cologne, Feb. 15, 1965); Présence, ballet for Violin, Cello, and Piano (concert perf., Darmstadt, Sept. 8,1961; stage perf., Stuttgart, May 16,1968); Musique pour les soupers du Roi Ubu, ballet (1962-66; concert perf., Berlin, Jan. 31, 1968; stage perf., Düsseldorf, April 25, 1968); Cello Concerto in the form of a “pas des trois’’ (1965-66; concert perf., Strasbourg, April 8, 1968; stage perf., Wuppertal, May 12, 1968). ORCH.:Sinfonia prosodica (1945; 1st complete perf., Mönchengladbach, Sept. 9,1947); Sym. (1947; rev. version, Brussels, Nov. 20,1953); Concerto for Orchestra (1948; Darmstadt, July 10,1949); Concerto for Strings (1948; Schloss Brühl, July 25, 1949; after the Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello, Cologne, June 23, 1944); Symphonische Variationen und Fuge über “In dulci jubilo” (Koblenz, Dec. 10, 1949); Violin Concerto (Baden-Baden, Dec. 10, 1950); Alagoana, suite after the ballet (1950-55; Baden-Baden, Nov. 24, 1956); Concerto for Oboe and Small Orch. (Donaueschingen, Oct. 11, 1952); Suite (Hamburg, Oct. 31, 1952); Concerto for Cello and Small Orch. (1953; rev. version as Canto di speranza for Cello and Small Orch., 1957; Südwestfunk, Baden-Baden, July 28, 1958; concert perf., Darmstadt, Sept. 12,1958); Metamorphose for Small Orch. (Hamburg, March 13,1954); Nobody knows de trouble I see, trumpet concerto (1954; Hamburg, Oct. 11, 1955); Impromptu (Cologne, June 24, 1958); Dialoge, concerto for 2 Pianos and Orch. (WDR, Cologne, Dec. 5, 1960; concert perf., Mannheim, March 10, 1968; also as Monologe for 2 Pianos, 1964; Cologne, Jan. 7, 1965); Giostra Genovese for Small Orch. (Bonn, Nov. 30. 1962); Cinque Capricci, after Frescobaldi (partial perf., Cologne, Dec. 17,1962); Antiphonen for Viola and Orch. (1962; Berlin, Oct. 8, 1965); Un “petit rien” for Small Orch. (1964; Berlin, Sept. 24, 1989); Cello Concerto in the form of a “pas de trois” (1965-66; concert perf., Strasbourg, April 8, 1968; stage perf., Wuppertal, May 12, 1968); Photoptosis (1968; Gelsenkichen, Feb. 14, 1969); Stille und Umkehr (1970; Nuremberg, March 19, 1971). Wind Ensemble: Söbensprung (1950); Rheinische Kirmenstänze (1950-62; WDR, Cologne, Aug. 2, 1963). CHAMBER: Kleine Suite for Violin and Piano (1942; Cologne, Jan. 22,1944); Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello (Cologne, June 23,1944; also utilized in the Concerto for Strings, 1948; Schloss Brühl, July 25, 1949); Violin Sonata (1949; Cologne, Feb. 15, 1950); Sonata for Solo Violin (Darmstadt, July 8,1951); Sonata for Solo Viola (Donaue-schingen, Oct. 15, 1955); Sonata for Solo Cello (Stuttgart, April 23, 1960); Présence, ballet for Violin, Cello, and Piano (concert perf., Darmstadt, Sept. 8, 1961; stage perf., Stuttgart, May 16, 1968); Tempus loquendi for 3 Flutes, 1 Player (1963; Darmstadt, July 18,1964); Die Befristeten for Jazz Quintet (1967); Intercomu-nicazione for Cello and Piano (WDR, Cologne, April 26, 1967); Vier kurze Studien for Cello (1970; Frankfurt am Main, March 1, 1971). Piano: Extemporale, 5 pieces (1939-46; Cologne, April 12,1946); Capriccio (Horrem, July 12,1946); Enchridion for Piano, 4-Hands (1949); Perspektiven, ballet for 2 Pianos (1955-56; 1stcomplete perf., Darmstadt, July 10, 1956; stage perf., Düsseldorf, June 2, 1957); Konfigurationen, 8 pieces (Basel, Nov. 25, 1956); Monologe for 2 Pianos (1964; Cologne, Jan. 7,1965; also as Dialoge, concerto for 2 Pianos and Orch., WDR, Cologne, Dec. 5, 1960; concert perf., Mannheim, March 10,1968). VOCAL: Fünf Lieder for Middle Voice and Piano (1942-6); Drei Geistliche Lieder for Middle Voice and Piano (1946; Cologne, June 18, 1952); Die Briinnlein, die da fliessen for Alto, Baritone, Chorus, and Orch. (1947); Lob der Torheit, burlesque cantata for Soprano, Tenor, Bass, Chorus, and Orch., after Goethe (Cologne, May 25, 1948); Omnia tempus habent, cantata for Soprano and 17 Instruments (1957; WDR, Cologne, Nov. 27, 1958); Die Soldaten, vocal sym. for Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, and Orch., after the opera (1957-63; WDR, Cologne, May 20, 1963); Requiem für einem jungen Dichter for Speaker, Soprano, Baritone, 3 Choruses, Tape, Orch., Jazz Combo, and Organ (1967-69; Düsseldorf, Dec. 11,1969); Ich wandte mich und sah an alles Unrecht, das geschah unter der Sonne, ecclesiastical action for 2 Speakers, Bass, and Orch. (1970; Kiel, Sept. 2, 1972). ELECTRONIC: Tratto (1965-67; Cologne, Nov. 29, 1967); Tratto II (1970).
Bibliography
W. Konoid, ed., B.A. Z.: Dokumente und Interpretationen (Cologne, 1986); idem, B.A. Z.: Der Komponist und sein Werk (Cologne, 1986); J. Hiekel, B.A. Z.s Requiem für einen jungen Dichter (Stuttgart, 1995); S. Hilger, Autonom oder angewandt?: Zu den Hörspielmusiken von Winfried Zillig und B.A. Z.(Mainz, 1996).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire