Rolf Liebermann
Encyclopedia
Rolf Liebermann was a Swiss
composer and music administrator born in Zurich
, and associated with several different musical genres. His output included chansons, classical
, and light music
. His classical music often combines myriad styles and techniques, including those drawn from baroque
, classical
, and twelve-tone
music. In the 1930's, he studied composition and conducting with Hermann Scherchen
in Budapest and Vienna, and later with Wladimir Vogel
in Basel
.
Liebermann was the director of the Hamburg Staatsoper
from 1959 to 1973, and again from 1985 to 1988. During his tenure in Hamburg, he commissioned 24 new operas, including The Devils by Krzysztof Penderecki
, Der Prinz von Homburg by Hans Werner Henze
, and Help, Help the Globolinks! by Gian Carlo Menotti
. In the intervening years he served as director of the Paris Opera from 1973 to 1980. He died in Paris.
At the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest
in 1956, Liebermann acted as the President of the jury; being responsible for moderating and finalising the results of the seven international juries judging the competition.
In 1989, he was the Head of the Jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival
.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
composer and music administrator born in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, and associated with several different musical genres. His output included chansons, classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, and light music
Light music
Light music is a generic term applied to a mainly British musical style of "light" orchestral music, which originated in the 19th century and had its heyday during the early to mid part of the 20th century, although arguably it lasts to the present day....
. His classical music often combines myriad styles and techniques, including those drawn from baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
, classical
Classical period (music)
The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
, and twelve-tone
Twelve-tone technique
Twelve-tone technique is a method of musical composition devised by Arnold Schoenberg...
music. In the 1930's, he studied composition and conducting with Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen was a German conductor.-Life:Scherchen was originally a violist and played among the violas of the Bluthner Orchestra of Berlin while still in his teens...
in Budapest and Vienna, and later with Wladimir Vogel
Wladimir Vogel
Wladimir Rudolfowitsch Vogel was a Swiss composer of German and Russian extraction.-Life:...
in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
.
Liebermann was the director of the Hamburg Staatsoper
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
from 1959 to 1973, and again from 1985 to 1988. During his tenure in Hamburg, he commissioned 24 new operas, including The Devils by Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
, Der Prinz von Homburg by Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze is a German composer of prodigious output best known for "his consistent cultivation of music for the theatre throughout his life"...
, and Help, Help the Globolinks! by Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti
Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italian-American composer and librettist. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept his Italian citizenship. He wrote the classic Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, among about two dozen other operas intended to appeal to popular...
. In the intervening years he served as director of the Paris Opera from 1973 to 1980. He died in Paris.
At the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
in 1956, Liebermann acted as the President of the jury; being responsible for moderating and finalising the results of the seven international juries judging the competition.
In 1989, he was the Head of the Jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival
39th Berlin International Film Festival
The 39th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 10 to 21, 1989.-Jury:* Rolf Liebermann * Leslie Caron* Chen Kaige* Vadim Glowna* Randa Haines* Vladimir Ignatovski* Adrian Kutter* Francisco Rabal...
.
Works
- 1943 Polyphone Studien for chamber orchestra
- 1944 Une des fins du monde, cantata for baritone and orchestra after Jean GiraudouxJean GiraudouxHippolyte Jean Giraudoux was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy...
- 1945 Chinese Love Songs; Furioso
- 1947 Swiss Folk Song Suite (Schweizerische Volksliedersuite)
- 1949 Music for Orchestra and Reciter; Chinese Song; Symphony No 1
- 1950 Streitlied zwischen Leben und Tod (Combat Song of Life and Death)
- 1951 Sonata for piano
- 1952 Leonore 40/45 (opera). First performance: Basle
- 1954 Penelope (opera). First performance: Salzburg FestivalSalzburg FestivalThe Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
(George SzellGeorge SzellGeorge Szell , originally György Széll, György Endre Szél, or Georg Szell, was a Hungarian-born American conductor and composer...
/Schuh/Neher); Concerto for Jazzband and Symphony Orchestra. First performance: DonaueschingenDonaueschingen FestivalThe Donaueschingen Festival is a festival for new music that takes place every October in the small town of Donaueschingen...
, cond. Hans RosbaudHans RosbaudHans Rosbaud , was an Austrian conductor, particularly associated with the music of the twentieth century....
. American première: the Sauter-Finegan OrchestraSauter-Finegan OrchestraThe Sauter-Finegan Orchestra was an American swing jazz band popular in the 1950s.The orchestra was led by Eddie Sauter and Bill Finegan, who were both experienced big band arrangers. Sauter played mellophone, trumpet, and drums, and had attended Columbia University and Juilliard; Finegan had...
with the Chicago Symphony OrchestraChicago Symphony OrchestraThe Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
, cond. Fritz ReinerFritz ReinerFrederick Martin “Fritz” Reiner was a prominent conductor of opera and symphonic music in the twentieth century.-Biography:...
(also recorded for RCARCA Red Seal RecordsRCA Red Seal Records is a classical music label and is now part of Sony Masterworks.The Red Seal label was begun in 1902 by the Gramophone Company in the United Kingdom and was quickly picked up by its United States affiliate, the Victor Talking Machine Company, and its president, Eldridge R. Johnson...
at that time) - 1955 The School for Wives (opera). First performance of the one-act version: Louisville, Kentucky
- 1957 Die Schule der Frauen (opera). European premiere: Salzburg Festival (Szell/Schuh/Neher)
- 1958 Geigy Festival Concerto for Basler drumBasler drumThe Basler drum is a kind of snare drum traditionally used in Switzerland for marching music, and notably at the Carnival of Basel.It has a height of between 40 and 60 cm and a diameter of about 40 cm....
and orchestra - 1959 Capriccio for soprano, violin and orchestra
- 1964 Concert des Echanges, Swiss National Exhibition, Lausanne
- 1981 Essai 81 for cello and piano
- 1984 Ferdinand, parable for speaker and instruments
- 1987 La Forêt (opera). First performance: Geneva (Tate/Deflo/Orlandi)
- 1988 Herring Quintet; Cosmopolitan Greetings (Gruntz/Wilson/Ginsberg)
- 1989 Medea Monologue for soprano, female choir and orchestra
- 1990 3x1 = CH+X for mezzo-soprano, choir, and orchestra
- 1992 Freispruch für Medea (opera). First performance: Hamburg 1995
- 1994 Enigma; Violin Concerto
- 1995 Piano Concerto
- 1996 Die schlesischen Weber (text: Heinrich Heine) for mixed choir, string quartet, and piano
- 1997 Variations on a Theme from Appenzell for five instruments
- 1998 Mouvance for nine percussion players and piano
External links
- Rolf Liebermann biography and works on the UE website (publisher)
- http://www.sikorski.de/en/frameloader.html?frame=http%3A//www.sikorski.de/composers/composer52.html