Carlos Veerhoff

Carlos Enrique Veerhoff (born June 3, 1926 in Buenos Aires ; † February 18, 2011 in Murnau am Staffelsee ) was a German-Argentinian composer of serious music . Carlos Veerhoff used his middle name in German in later years, initially varying between "Heiner" and "Heinrich", but ultimately opting for "Carlos Heinrich Veerhoff".

Live and act

Carlos Enrique Veerhoff was born prematurely with his twin brother Wolfgang Otto. The father was only able to find a hospital with an incubator two days later, so that June 5, 1926 is stated on the birth certificate. The father Heinrich Veerhoff was German and ran his own company in Buenos Aires. The mother Karla Veerhoff was a violinist herself and the daughter of the conductor Karl Panzner and the concert singer Ida Panzner .

The Veerhoff family moved back to Germany in 1930 because their father changed jobs, but in 1933 they moved on to South Africa. According to his own statement, the encounter with the completely different world of Africa had such a lasting impact on the young Veerhoff that it found expression not only in his 1st Symphony panta rhei , but also in his last, the 6th Symphony Desiderata , through the inclusion of elements foreign cultures did not find their way into sound, but through texts. In addition to the impressions of Africa, a second experience was formative: when the first airline opened in South Africa in 1935, the young Carlos was invited to a sightseeing flight. After that he developed a great passion for aircraft and aerodynamics, which was only later replaced by music. Carlos Veerhoff retained a penchant for science throughout his life.

After the Veerhoff family returned to Germany from South Africa in 1935, Carlos Veerhoff began attending orchestral and chamber music concerts. His parents' house music - the father was a good pianist, the mother a trained violinist - also contributed to his interest in music. As a result, Carlos Veerhoff, at the age of 15, turned to composition late, but in the end. He took his first lessons in composition and in 1942 he became a student at the Musisches Gymnasium in Frankfurt am Main.

Veerhoff spent the Second World War in Germany , where he studied from 1943 at the Berlin Music Academy with Hermann Grabner and after the end of the war privately with Kurt Thomas and was also advised by Boris Blacher . At the Cologne University of Music he continued his studies with Walter Braunfels (composition) and Günter Wand (conducting), while he found a piano teacher in Walter Gieseking in Wiesbaden. In 1947 he went to Argentina and in 1948/49 taught music theory at the University of Tucumán in the Department of Musical, newly founded by Ernst von Dohnányi , but also attended Hermann Scherchen's conducting courses in Buenos Aires . When he was able to experience the world premiere of one of his works by Ferenc Fricsay in 1950 , he followed Fricsay to Berlin as his assistant in 1951, but he found the atmosphere in post-war Germany so hostile to art that he returned to Buenos Aires the following year, where he worked intensively 12-tone music dealt with. He wrote the libretto himself for a number of his considerable number of stage works .

In the following decades Veerhoff created a large number of compositions, almost all of which were also performed. Renowned and celebrated musicians of world fame were very often the interpreters of his music: Hans Rosbaud (premier of "Mirages"), Ruggiero Ricci (premier of Violin Concerto No. 1), Bruno Maderna (premier of "Cantos"), Stanislaw Skrowaczewski (premier of "Gesänge auf dem weg"), Ladislav Kupkovič (premiere of "Gesänge aus Samsara" and Symphony No. 4), Gerhard Oppitz (premiere of piano concerto No. 2), Thomas Zehetmair (premiere of violin concerto No. 2) or Peter Sadlo (WP of the Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra No. 2). In 1955 "Karl Heinrich Veerhoff" also received the advancement award of the Düsseldorf Robert Schumann Prize for his 1st symphony panta rhei , in 1998 he was guest of honor of the Bavarian State Ministry for Art, Science and Research in the Villa Massimo in Rome .

Despite these successes and performances, Carlos Veerhoff always remained an outsider.

“In the musical life of Germany, Carlos H. Veerhoff remained a composer who did not allow himself to be captured by any of the prevailing trends. He described himself as a clique-free and had to accept the price for his independence that he was neither given a job nor a well-known publisher. He was never recognized by the circle of influential composers and critics in German musical life as a real avangardist, since his further development of the twelve-tone technique is unorthodox and, despite all its modernity, his music always has references to tradition. "

- Franzpeter Messmer

Because of this lack of affiliation with the innermost music circle in Germany, Veerhoff often moved back to Argentina. He only moved to Germany permanently in 1970. From 1988 he lived in Murnau am Staffelsee. Some of his works and original notes are stored in the music archive of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich and some in the private archive of Tobias Bröker .

“Despite all the precision and conciseness, Veerhoff's musical language is strongly expressive in its structural design. From his preoccupation with dodecaphony, which he also met quite late, he developed compositional techniques derived from it. At the core of his work are two central concerns. On the one hand, his compositions are always a call to preserve the world, life and earth. On the other hand, Veerhoff understands tradition as a responsibility towards the new, which is evident not only in the turn to traditional forms, but also in the sounds to be heard, which associate the description quite clichéd: late romanticism with wrong tones "

- New music newspaper

Works

Orchestral works

6 symphonies

• op.9: 1st Symphony Sinfonia panta rhei (1953/54, WP 14 September 1961)
• op. 15: 2nd Symphony Hen ta panta (1958, premiere 1958)
• op. 22: 3rd Symphony Spirales (1968, revised version 1971, premiere 1968)
• op. 32: 4th Symphony (1972/73, premiere 1979)
• op.43: 5th Symphony for Strings (1975)
• op. 70: 6th Symphony Desiderata for speaker, 3 soloists, choir and large orchestra (1985/96, premiere: April 30, 1997, Leipzig)

• op.0: Musica concertante, for chamber orchestra (1950, WP 1950)
• op. 3: Symphonic Inventions, for large orchestra (1951, premiere 1952)
• op.5: Movimiento Sinfonico, for large orchestra (1952, premier 1955)
• op.16: Mirages, for large orchestra (1961, premiere 1962)
• op.18: Prologue, for large orchestra (1950, WP 1966)
• op.20: Gesänge auf dem Weg, for baritone and orchestra (1966, premiere 1967)
• op.21: Akróasis, for orchestra (1966, premiere 1966)
• op.26: Texture, for string orchestra (1970, WP 1971)
• op. 29: Sinotrauc, for large orchestra (1972, premiere 1972)
• op. 30: Torso, for large orchestra (1972, WP 1972)
• op. 39: Dorefami, chimes for orchestra (1974, WP 1981)
• op. 45: Concertino da camera (1978, WP 1979)
• op.51: Pater Noster, for chamber orchestra and choir (1985)
• op. 59: 5 bagatelles for large wind orchestra (1974)

Concerts

• op. 40: 1st violin concerto (1976, premiere 1977)
• op.44: 1st piano concerto (1978/79, WP 1979)
• op.46: 1st percussion concert (1982, WP 1984)
• op.55: Concerto for 2 violins and orchestra (1983, WP 1984)
• op.63: Double Concerto for Cello and Double Bass (1990, WP 1990)
• op.66: 2nd piano concerto (1989, premiere 1990)
• op. 67: 2nd percussion concert (1994, WP 1994)
• op. 69: 2nd violin concerto (1992, WP 1993)
• op. 72: 3rd piano concerto (2005, premiere February 6, 2009, Munich, Musica Viva)

Chamber music

• op. 1: 1st string quartet (1949, premier 1951)
• op.7: Mosaicos, for piano (1952, WP 1954)
• op.10: Sonant for violin solo (1956, new version 1974, WP 1974)
• op.11: Kaleidoscope, for piano (1953)
• op.14: 1st wind quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon (1961, premier 1961)
• op.25: Dialogues 1, for saxophone and piano (1966, premier 1966)
• op. 27: 2nd wind quintet (1972, premiere 1973)
• op. 33: 2nd string quartet (1972, premiere 1974)
• op.37: 1st brass quintet for 2 trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba (1975, WP 1975)
• op. 41: Nonett (1976, WP 1977)
• op.47: Sonata for violin and piano (1982, WP 1983)
• op. 48: Divertimento per tre, for violin, double bass and clarinet (1979, WP 1980)
• op. 49: Sonant No. 2 for cello and double bass (1982, WP 1982)
• op.50: Moments Musicaux, for saxophone, accordion and percussion (1982, WP 1982)
• op.52: 2nd brass quintet (1982, premier 1983)
• op. 53: Piano Sonata (1985, WP 1988)
• op. 56: 1st string trio (1983, WP 1987)
• op. 58: 7 times 1, for solo percussion (1987, WP 1987)
• op. 60: Ballade for accordion (1986, WP 1986)
• op.61: Corimba for percussion (unfinished)
• op.61: Dialogues 2, for viola and percussion (1986, WP 1987)
• op. 62: 2nd string trio (1991, WP 1991)
• op.64: Sobre la plata, for vibraphone, glockenspiel and crotales (unfinished)
• op.65: Aphorisms for solo viola (1990, WP 1992)
• op.68: Trio for horn, violin and piano (1992, WP 1992)
• op.71: Sonata for viola and piano (1999, WP 2000)

Vocal music

• o. op .: songs for high voice (1952, premiere 1952)
• op. 2: Old German songs, for soprano and piano (1951, premier 1951)
• op.4: Songs from the Sea, for baritone and piano (1951, WP 1951)
• op. 6: Cheerful songs, for baritone and piano (1951, WP 1952)
• op.19: Cantos for high voice and 7 instruments based on poems by Hans Magnus Enzensberger (1965, premier August 21, 1966, Darmstadt)
• op. 24: Ut omnes unum sint, for bass and 4 wind instruments (1975, WP 1989)
• op.38: Ringelnatz Duets, for soprano, alto and piano (1975, premiered 1975)
• op.51: Pater Noster, for six-part choir and orchestra (1985, WP 1988)
• op.54: Alpha-Zeta Burleske for a cappella choir (1986, WP 2002)
• op. 57: Allegretto Cabaretto, for voice, piano and percussion

Stage works

• Pavane royal , ballet (1949/50)
• Targusis (Carlos H. Veerhoff), Opera, op. 13 (1955–1958), withdrawn
• El porquerizo del rey / The King's Swineherd (Hans Christian Andersen), Ballet, op. 12 (1958–1962; UA 1963 Buenos Aires)
• Dance of Life / The Last Guest (Fred Schneckenberger), Puppenoper, op.17 (1962/63; premiered 1963 Zurich)
• The Golden Mask (Carlos H Veerhoff), Opera, op.23 (1967/68)
• There are still zebra crossings (Edith Sartorius), Minioper, op.28 (1971; premiered 1973 Ulm)
• Die Manipulatoren (Carlos H Veerhoff), Minioper, op.31 (1971), unfinished, entered into Mana op.73
• Dualis, Ballet op.42 (1975/76; premiered 1976 Munich)
• Der Grüne (Carlos H. Veerhoff), Minioper, op.34 (1982), unfinished
• The Protégé (Ephraim Kishon / Carlos H. Veerhoff), Opera, op.56 (1990)
• Mana (Carlos H. Veerhoff), Opera, op.73 (2007)
• Chants from Samsâra or Chants from Sangsâra for soprano, tapes, voices and orchestra, op. 36. Concertante radio play. (1976, premiere November 6, 1978, Stuttgart)

literature

• Franzpeter Messmer, Thomas Schipperges, Verena Weidner, Günther Weiß: Carlos H. Veerhoff. (= Alexander L. Suder (Ed.): Composers in Bavaria Vol. 47 ) Verlag Hans Schneider, Tutzing 2006, ISBN 3-7952-1201-4
• Thomas Schipperges: Veerhoff, Carlos H. In: Hanns-Werner Heister, Walter-Wolfgang Sparrer (Hrsg.): Composers of the present . 10. Subsequent delivery. text + kritik, Munich 1996
• Thomas Schipperges: Veerhoff, Carlos H. In: Music in the past and present (MGG). 2nd edition, vol. 16: Strat – Vil, personal section . Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel and Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-476-41031-5 , Sp. 1377-1379.
• Wilfried Wolfgang Bruchhaeuser (Ed.): Contemporary composers in the German Composers' Association. Publisher of the German Composers' Association, Berlin 1985, p. 752

Web links

• Tobias Pfleger: Carlos H. Veerhoff - Never heard of it !? Klassik.com; Discussion of Symphony No. 6 Desiderata
• Carlos Veerhoff archive - free scores

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Obituary on February 26, 2011 ( Memento from July 21, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
2. ↑ Carlos Veerhoff archive ( Memento of the original from June 10, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on Tobias Broeker's website; Retrieved June 5, 2015 
3. ↑ Hans Vogt: New Music since 1945. 3rd, extended edition. Reclam, Stuttgart 1982 ISBN 3-15-010203-0 , p. 507 ff.
4. ^ MusicWeb International
5. ↑ Musica Viva concerts  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF)  
6. ↑ duesseldorf.de
7. ^ Franzpeter Messmer: Musical citizen of the world - The life path of Carlos Heinrich Veerhoff . In: Composers in Bavaria . Volume 47: Carlos H. Veerhoff. Hans Schneider, Tutzing 2006, p. 28
8. ↑ Murnau - adopted home and domicile of contemporary composers ( Memento of the original from May 22, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
9. ^ Carlos Veerhoff Archive . ( Memento of the original from June 10, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
10. ↑ nmz new music newspaper , 4/03
11. ↑ Samsara as well as Sangsâra according to the catalog of the Bavarian State Library
12. ↑ Chants from Samsara . In: Franzpeter Messmer: Carlos Veerhoff. Composers in Bavaria, Volume 47. Tutzing 2006, p. 26
13. ↑ Chants from Sangsara at Myjala Pansegrau, repertoire  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
14. ↑ Chants from Saint Sarah . In: Christian Scholz: Investigations on the history and typology of sound poetry . (PDF; 615 kB) Part 3: Discography. Gertraud Scholz-Verlag, Obermichelbach 1989