About

Vita

Composer Friedrich Cerha was born in Vienna in 1926. He started fighting actively against fascism as a student, deserted twice from the German Wehrmacht and survived the end of World War II as the innkeeper of a cabin in Tyrol. In 1946, he entered the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna to study violin, composition and music education. At the same time, he studied musicology, philosophy and German philology at the University of Vienna.

As a concert violinist and music teacher he was in contact with young composers, poets and painters of the avantgarde underground who later joined together to form the Art-Club. He also became part of the Austrian section of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) and analysed works of the Viennese School with Josef Polnauer, a former Schoenberg pupil. In 1956, 1958 and 1959 he attended the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music. With comrades such as the composer Kurt Schwertsik (and later also H.K. Gruber) as well as his wife Gertraud, he founded the ensemble die reihe in 1958 to create a forum for contemporary music. The ensemble toured extensively to great acclaim presenting works of the Avantgarde, the Viennese School and the early 20th century. From 1959 to 1988 Friedrich Cerha held a position at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna, where he taught a class of composition, notation and interpretation of contemporary music from 1976 to 1988.

From 1960 to 1997 he was active as a conductor and worked with renowned ensembles and orchestras at festivals and concert series such as Salzburger Festspiele, Berliner und Wiener Festwochen, Venice Biennale, Warsaw Autumn, Festival d’Automne Paris, Jyväskylä Festival, musica viva Munich, Nutida Musik Stockholm, Neues Werk Hamburg, Musik der Zeit Köln and others. In addition, he has made guest appearances at international opera houses such as State Opera Unter den Linden Berlin, Vienna, Bavarian State Opera Munich, Liceo Barcelona and Teatro Colon Buenos Aires. In 1978 together with Hannes Landesmann he established the concert series “Wege in unsere Zeit” at the Vienna Konzerthaus which he directed until 1983. In 1994 he became president of the Klangforum Wien, a post he held until 1999.

Friedrich Cerha’s music historical significance is also ensured by his completion of the third act of Alban Berg’s Lulu. While working on this (from 1962 to 1978) he also completed his own music theatre Netzwerk (World Premiere in 1981 at Wiener Festwochen) that translates questions of organic growth from the realm of Biology to Music. His other music theatre works Baal, Der Rattenfänger(The Pied Piper), Der Riese vom Steinfeld (The Giant of Steinfeld) and Onkel Präsident (Uncle President) tell different facets of the relationship between society and the individual – a subject that has occupied Friedrich Cerha since his early youth.

It is not possible to relate Friedrich Cerha to only one aesthetic or tradition. He has spent much of his career delving into various musical styles of the 20th century, including 12-tone technique, neoclassicism, and serial music. However, the most important feature of his work is not its use of each music theory, but its sensuous sound experiences, which are easy for even the untrained ear to follow. A perfect example of Cerha’s artistic pursuit is the cycle Spiegel I – VII for orchestra, on which the composer started work in 1960/61, with its complete performance first given in 1972. The sound world of the seven pieces for orchestra exerts a compelling power on the listener.

His oeuvre encompasses all genres, and he wrote numerous pieces for ensemble, choir and orchestra commissioned by major international institutions and festivals such as Koussevitzky-Foundation New York, BNP Paribas Paris, Festival de Música de Canarias, Südwestfunk Baden-Baden, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, musica viva Munich, Konzerthaus Berlin, ORF Wien, steirischer herbst Graz, Wiener Konzerthaus, Musikverein Wien, Wiener Philharmoniker and others.

Friedrich Cerha is a recipient of the Grand Austrian State Prize, a member of the European Academy of Arts and Sciences, and an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. The Venice Biennale awarded Cerha with the Golden Lion for his life’s work in 2006. Friedrich Cerha was honoured with the 2012 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, known as the “Nobel Prize of Music”.

This biography is to be reproduced without any changes, omissions or additions, unless expressly authorised by the artist management.

Chronology

1926 – Born in Vienna on 17 February.

1933 – Violin instruction with Anton Pejhovsky.

1935 – First attempts at composition.

1936 – Attends the Realgymnasium in Vienna's 17th district.

1939 – Instruction in counterpoint and harmony.

1943 – Drafted as Luftwaffe support personnel and sent to Achau near Vienna.

1944 – Entrance into the German military; training at an officers' academy in Denmark.

1945 – Desertion during a transport to Germany; contact to the Danish and German resistance efforts; travel by foot to Tirol. Works there as cabin keeper and mountain guide. Return to Vienna in November.

1946 – Student at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna: Violin (with Gottfried Feist and Vasa Prihoda), composition (with Alfred Uhl), music education; at the same time at the University of Vienna: German studies, musicology, and philosophy. In the following years, contact with young composers (including Paul Kont), painters and poets, who later joined together to form the Art-Club and became part of the Austrian section of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM). Analysis of works of the Viennese School with Josef Polnauer. Extensive work as a concert violinist.

1950 – Awarded the degree of Dr. phil. Start of work as music educator at Vienna Mittelschulen. In the years 1960-65, work in developing and leading school orchestras. Further numerous concerts as violinist.

1956–58 Attends the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music. Also attends the courses of Rudolf Kolisch and Eduard
Steuermann as a violinist, two further experts on the musical ideals of the Schönberg school. First compositions after studying the ideas of serialism (including Formation et solution, premièred in Darmstadt in 1958, Relazioni fragili, premiéred in Vienna in 1960).

1957 – Rome stipend. Composition of Espressioni fondamentali for orchestra (premièred in Berlin in 1960).

1958 – Founding of the ensemble „die reihe" with Kurt Schwertsik to create a permanent forum for new music in Vienna; pioneering efforts in the presentation of new works, but also of the music of classical modernism, especially of the Viennese school. Performance of works of the Viennese school on violin at the World's Fair in Brussels.

1959 – First instruction post at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna. First concerts of "die reihe". Composition of Mouvements and Fasce.

1960 – Founding of the ensemble "Camerata Frescobaldiana" for Italian music of the 17th century, in the years following concerts using period instruments. Editions of early music. Composition of the Spiegel für großes Orchester und Tonband (1960/61) and draft of the related musical theatre concept (continues work on it until 1971).

1961 – First international success as composer and conductor with Relazioni fragili at the ISCM festival in Vienna. Start of increased activity as a conductor (ensemble, orchestra, opera) at leading institutions in the promotion of contemporary music, and at leading festivals and opera houses.

1962 – Starts study of the third act of Alban Berg's opera Lulu (continues work on it until 1978). First extensive tour with "die reihe" (including Relazioni fragili) throughout Germany and to Paris.

1962–67 – Composition of Exercises (première in Vienna in 1968).

1963 – Purchase of residence in Maria Langegg.
First Cerha Portrait at the Wiener Festwochen.

1967 – Extensive visual artwork in Maria Langegg (drawings, watercolors since the 1950s); later construction of a stone chapel and increased work on stone sculpture.

1968–75 – President of the Austrian section of the ISCM.

1969 – Named associate professor at the Conservatory of Music in Vienna.

1970 – Tour of the ensemble „die reihe" throughout Canada and the USA. Première of Langegger Nachtmusik I at the Berliner Festwochen.

1970/71 – Stipend from the DAAD in Berlin.

1971 – Funding prize of the National Ministry of Education and Art.

1972 – Première of the entire Spiegel cycle at the ISCM festival/steirische herbst festival - musikprotokoll in Graz.

1973 – Première of Curriculum (commission of the Koussevitzky Foundation) in New York.

1974 – Commission by the National Ministry of Education and Art for composition of the opera Baal. Composed 1974-1980.
Prize of the City of Vienna.

1976 – Named full professor at the Conservatory of Music in Vienna, leads a class for „composition, notation and interpretation of contemporary music" until 1988. Première of his Concerto for Violin in Vienna.

1978 – Establishment and direction of the concert series „Wege in unsere Zeit" at the Vienna Konzerthaus, to show important developments in the music of our century through ensemble and orchestral concerts (until 1983).

1979 – Première of the three-act version of Alban Berg's opera Lulu in Paris.
Performances of the entire Spiegel cycle at the Venice Biennale.

1981 – Première of the musical theatre piece Netzwerk at the Wiener Festwochen; première of the opera Baal based on Bertold Brecht at the Salzburg Festspiele and later performances at the Vienna State Opera.

1982 – Première of the Baal Gesänge with Theo Adam at the North German Radio in Hamburg; performances of Baal at the Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin.

1983 – Composition of the Requiem für Hollensteiner based on texts by Thomas Bernhard (première NDR Hamburg 1984). Première of the 1. Keintate on Viennese Pieces by Ernst Kein in Vienna.

1984 – Start of work on the opera Der Rattenfänger based on Carl Zuckmayer (commissioned by the steirische herbst festival).

1986 – Great Austrian State Prize (donated by Cerha for performances of works by young composers); Golden Medal of Honour of the State of Steiermark, City of Vienna Medal of Honour in Gold. Exhibit at the Austrian National Library: the childhood of a composer in Vienna.

1987 – Première of Der Rattenfänger at the steirische herbst festival at the Graz Opera and the Vienna State Opera.

1988 – Honorary member of the Society of the Vienna Konzerthaus. After leaving the conservatory, increased activity as composer and conductor. Composition of the Monumentum for Karl Prantl (première at the Salzburger Festspiele 1989).

1989 – Featured composer at the festival "Wien modern". Composition and première of the Phantasiestück in C.s Manier for cello and orchestra, composition of the First String Quartet (commissioned by the Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg).

1990 – Composition of the Second String Quartet (commission of the Concours international de quatuor à cordes d'Evian).

1991 – Première of the First String Quartet at the Mozart Week in Salzburg. Première of the Second String Quartet in Evian. Composition of Langegger Nachtmusik III for orchestra, with première in Berlin.

1992 – First prize at the ICONS competition in Torino for the First String Quartet. Composition of Impulse for orchestra (1992/93), commissioned by the Vienna Philharmonic. Member of the European Academy of Sciences.

1993 – Composition of the Viola Concerto (première in Vienna in 1995) and of For K for ensemble. Start of work on interpretations of the Viennese School with the Klangforum Wien.

1994 – Cerha Days in Linz. Composition of the Concertino for violin, accordion, and ensemble (première in Vienna in 1996). Composition of the Introitus, Kyrie, and Libera me of the Requiem of Reconciliation (commissioned by the Bachakademie Stuttgart). President of the Klangforum Wien.

1995 – Première of the Requiem of Reconciliation in Stuttgart. Honorary member of the ISCM Austria. Composition of the Saxophone Quartet (première in Vienna in 1996). Composition of Eight Movements on Hölderlin Fragments for string sextet (commissioned by the Philharmonie Cologne, premièred in Cologne in 1996).

1996 – Première of Impulse for orchestra (Vienna Philharmonic under André Prévin). Composition of Jahrlang ins Ungewisse hinab (Hölderlin) for ensemble (commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences). Numerous concerts on the occasion of his 70th birthday in Austria and beyond.
Composer-in-residence at the Mozarteum Salzburg.

1997 – Première of Jahrlang ins Ungewisse hinab in Vienna. Composition of the Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra (commissioned by the Berliner Festspiele).
Commissioned by the Vienna State Opera to compose the opera Der Riese vom Steinfeld (Libretto: Peter Turrini).

1998 – Première of the Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra at the Berliner Festwochen.

1999 – Composition of the cycle Im Namen der Liebe (Texts by Peter Turrini) for baritone and orchestra (commissioned by the Festival de Música de Canarias).

2000 – Commission of the Konzerthaus Berlin for the composition of the orchestral piece Hymnus

2001 – Première of Five Pieces for Clarinet, Violoncello and Piano for the 50th Birthday of Heinrich Schiff.
Composition of the Rhapsodie pour violon et piano, commissioned by the Jacques Thibaud competition, Paris.
Start of work on the Requiem for Soli, Choir, and Orchestra as commissioned by the Konzerthaus Vienna.

2002 – Première of the opera Der Riese vom Steinfeld at the Vienna State Opera.

2003/04 – Composition of the Concerto for Soprano, Saxophone and Orchestra

2004 – Composing the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (with Doblinger Music Publishers) and Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet (Commission from BNP Paribas)
World première of Requiem for solo voices, chorus and orchestra

2006 – Awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement (leone doro alla carriera) of the Biennale di Venezia World Première of Momente for solo voices, chorus and large orchestra orchestra (commissioned by Musica Viva Munich)
World Première of Momente for solo voices, chorus and large orchestra orchestra (commissioned by Musica Viva Munich)

2008 – Awarded the Goldene Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um das Land Wien

2009 – World première of Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra

2010 – 13 Feb: World première of Like a Tragicomedy for large orchestra (commissioned by BBC Manchester)

2010 – 23 Apr: world première of Bruchstück, geträumt

2010 – 27 Jun: world première of 9 Bagatellen

2010 – 17 Oct: world première of Wiener Kaleidoskop

2011 – 13 Mar: Awarded the Musikpreis Salzburg 2011 – Internationaler Kompositionspreis des Landes Salzburg

2011 – 11 Jun: world première of 4 Paraphrasen for oboe, violoncello and piano

2011 – 29 Sep: world première of Baal – reduced version

2011 – 06 Oct: world première of Paraphrase über den Anfang der 9. Symphonie von Beethoven for orchestra

2011 – 29 Oct: world première of Für Marino (gestörte Meditation) for piano

2012 – 22 Jun: awarded the 2012 international Ernst von Siemens Music Prize

2013 – “carte blanche” at the Orquesta Nacional de España between 2 and 12 April
3 Aug: world première of Étoile for 6 percussionists at the Salzburg Festival
Cerha’s Schlagzeugkonzert wins a Coups de Coeur Musique Contemporaine

2014 – 7 Feb: world première of Tagebuch for orchestra (hr-Sinfonieorchester, cond. Andrés Orozco-Estrada)

2016 – 9 Apr: 3 Sätze for orchestra premièred by Cornelius Meister and the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien

2016 – 11 Aug: world première of Eine blassblaue Vision at the Salzburg Festival

2023 - Died in Vienna on 14 Feb

Cerha has been the recipient of commissions from numerous orchestras, festivals and agencies, including the Southwest Radio Baden-Baden, North German Radio Hamburg, Radio Bremen, South German Radio Stuttgart, Radio Orchestra Vienna, Styrian Autumn Graz, Austrian Federal Ministry for Education and Art, Festival Royan, and the Koussevitzky Foundation New York. He has been awarded a number of compositions prizes, e.g. the Prize of the City of Vienna (1974) and the Great Austrian State prize (1986) which he donated for performances of works by young composers.

The chronological curriculum vitae was kindly provided by Universal Edition.

Main Works

Orchestra:

Spiegel – for large orchestra and tape – 1960

Monumentum für Karl Prantl – for large orchestra – 1988

Momente – for orchestra – 2005

Instants – for orchestra – 2006

Nacht – for orchestra – 2011

Espressioni fondamentali – for orchestra – 1956

Impulse – for orchestra – 1992

Langegger Nachtmusik I – for orchestra – 1969

Orchestra + Instruments:

Concerto – for percussion and orchestra – 2007

Concerto – for soprano saxophone and orchestra – 2003

Concerto – for violin and orchestra – 2004

Concerto – for violoncello and orchestra – 1989

Concerto – for viola and orchestra/ensemble – 1993

Phantasiestück in C’s Manier – for violoncello and orchestra/ensemble – 1989