Helmut Bieler (composer)

This article deals with the composer Helmut Bieler (not to be confused with Helmut Bieler-Wendt ). For the Austrian politician of the same name, see Helmut Bieler .

Helmut Bieler (born June 7, 1940 in Gersfeld (Rhön) ; † January 11, 2019 in Rimsting ) was a German composer , pianist and honorary professor for music didactics at the University of Bayreuth .

Life

Helmut Bieler was born in 1940 as the youngest child in a musical family in the Rhön . His father, an elementary school teacher, died during the war. In his childhood Bieler first learned the piano , later he became interested in improvisation . His violin teacher and “surrogate father” was supposed to be Leopold Zawichowski, a refugee from Bukowina (Romania) in Lamerden , in the district of Hofgeismar in North Hesse . Bieler attended the Hofgeismar grammar school , and at the age of twelve he began to occupy himself with composition .

From 1954 he was taught piano and composition by the Bayreuth Kapellmeister Robert Spilling . A year later he made his first public appearance as a pianist. Around 1960 he worked as a répétiteur with the Bayreuth Philharmonic Choir , which was led by Spilling at the time, and for singers at the Richard-Wagner-Festspielhaus . In the next few years he appeared through his accompaniments, preferably of the romantic repertoire. In addition to Spilling, Klaus Hashagen became a sponsor of Bieler. Through the composer Dieter Salbert , he came into contact with the composers' association Junge Akademie Nürnberg, which is supported by Hashagen .

After graduating from high school in Bayreuth , Bieler studied theory and composition (with Franz Xaver Lehner ), piano (with Friedrich Wührer and Aldo Schoen ), choral conducting (with Fritz Schieri ) and school music (with Fritz Schieri ) from 1961 to 1966 at the State University of Music in Munich Anton Walter). He passed his artistic and pedagogical state exams in 1965/66. From 1967 to 1979 he was a music teacher at the Musisches Margräfin-Wilhelmine-Gymnasium in Bayreuth. He also directed the local choir and taught piano. From 1967 to 1969 he also appeared as a duo partner of Alexander Asteriades and Ursula Sütterlin (both violin) in the Nuremberg series of concerts of young artists .

In the 1970s he attended the International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt, where he attended a course given by Helmut Lachenmann in 1972 . In the same year he became a member of the composers and poets group Eckiger Kreis . It was Salbert who introduced him to the Lüneburg composer Helmut W. Erdmann in 1975 . He worked with Erdmann in the Ensemble Neue Musik Lüneburg , in the International Study Week for Contemporary Music and in the Festival Neue Musik Lüneburg . In 1980 the ensemble Musica Viva Bayreuth was formed with Susanne Vill (later Marie Schmalhofer , soprano), Helmut W. Erdmann (flute) and Bernd Kremling (drums) . Concert tours took the ensemble through Gerd Domhardt to the GDR. From 1975 he was involved in numerous radio recordings (MDR, BR, NDR, WDR and Radio Bremen), especially in the field of new music . In 1988 he founded the concert series Zeit für Neue Musik in Bayreuth, which he directed together with Wolfram Graf .

From 1979 he taught music didactics and music theory at the University of Bayreuth . Bieler founded and was the director of the Bayreuth University Choir for many years. He also initiated a university improvisation ensemble. In 1988 he was appointed honorary professor for music didactics. The Senior Academic Director had been retired since 2004 . His students include u. a. Michael Starke .

Bieler's oeuvre includes over 100 works, including a chamber opera , sacred music as well as chamber, piano and orchestral music. His pieces were u. a. performed at the World Music Days in Aarhus , at the Gaudeamus Music Weeks in Amsterdam , at aspects Salzburg and at the Zagreb Music Biennale .

Awards

• 1980 Culture Promotion Prize of the City of Nuremberg
• 1992 Culture Prize of the City of Bayreuth (Laudation: Erich Rappl )
• 2008 Friedrich Baur Prize of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts (laudation: Wolfram Graf )

Compositions

Stage works

• Memorandum for a grave bell (1983). Short opera for soprano, bass, mixed choir and chamber ensemble. Libretto :? (after Friederike Kempner ). Premiere 1983 Zagreb (Music Biennale; Pocket Opera Company Nuremberg)

Ensemble: soprano / treble recorder , mandolin, double bass, piano, accordion , percussion

• Stolen Life (2009/10). Chamber opera. Libretto : Susanne Bieler (* 1969). Premiere May 7, 2010 Kaiserslautern ( Pfalztheater , Werkstattbühne; director: Uwe Drechsel; stage design and costumes: Thomas Mogendorf; dramaturgy: Andreas Bronkalla; conductor: Andreas Hotz; with Geertje Nissen [voice], Daniel Böhm [Leopold Stein], Arlette Meißner [ Johanna Stein], Steffen Schanz [Jakob Lilienberg], Adelheid Fink [Grete])

Vocal compositions

• ... et in terra pax? (1972) for soprano, speaker, flute, harpsichord and percussion. Text: Jochen Lobe (* 1937)
• Polymetrie I (1972) for soprano ( vocalise ), flute, violin, piano and percussion. Premiere 1972
• Voice over the strings (1973) for soprano (vocalise) and clavichord  / harpsichord

• Version for soprano (vocalise), violin, clavichord / harpsichord, tape and live electronics (1974)

• Musicienne du silence . Text: Stéphane Mallarmé

• Version I (1975) for soprano, flute, kantele  / guitar, synthesizer and tape. Premiere 1975
• Version II (1980) for soprano, bass flute, inside grand piano (or synthesizer), vibraphone and tape. Premiere 1980

• The farmer from Bohemia . Oratorio. Libretto : Dietrich W. Hübsch (based on the work of the same name by Johannes von Tepl )

• Version for female speaker, 2 speakers, alto, baritone, organ, synthesizer, percussion and tape (1977, revised 1982). Premiere 1977 Bad Hersfeld. Revised version: Premiere 1978
• Version for 2 speakers, organ, synthesizer, percussion and tape (1978)

• Be quiet, my soul (1977) for voice, flute, violin, organ and tape. Text: from Psalm 62. Premiere 1978
• Polymetrie II (1980) for soprano (vocalise), flute, piano and percussion
• Cet amour (1980) for soprano, guitar and percussion. Text: Wiltrud Schuster. WP 1981
• Poème (1981) for soprano, flute, piano and percussion. Text: Wiltrud Schuster
• Poème d'amour (1983) for soprano and piano. Text: Wiltrud Schuster
• Miserere Domine (1984/85). Pastoral mass for alto, baritone, speaker, mixed choir, flute, oboe, bass trombone, 2 organs, percussion (2 players) and string orchestra. Premiere 1985 Bayreuth
• Psalmgesänge (1988–1992) for medium voice and organ. Texts: from Psalms 88, 90, 103, 104. UA 1989/92
• Vier Gesänge (1990/91) for soprano, flute / piccolo / alto / bass / double bass flute, piano and percussion. Texts: Vidyapati Thakur (1352 (?) - 1448 (?)). WP 1992
• Oratio (1993) for baritone, mixed choir, flute and organ. Texts: from the Bible. WP 1993
• Credo in unum deum (1994) for alto, baritone, violoncello, percussion and organ. Text: Wiltrud Schuster. WP 1994
• Prove us God (1998) for mixed choir and organ. Text: Eugen Eckert
• Zwei Gesänge (2003) for mezzo-soprano, horn and piano. Texts: Rainer Maria Rilke . WP 2003
• Death has risen through the window (2003). Elegy for baritone and ensemble. Texts: Matthias Claudius , Christine Busta , Song of Solomon . WP 2004

Ensemble: flute, clarinet / alto saxophone, violin, viola, violoncello, percussion and piano

• Im Schatten des Kreuzes (2007) for mezzo-soprano, baritone and ensemble. Texts: Psalm 121 and Christine Busta. WP 2007

Ensemble: violin / flute, clarinet, brass consort, percussion and organ

• Hannas Dank and Ruths Klage (2010) for soprano, alto, horn, trombone, piano and organ. Text: Heide I. Bieler and Michael Herrschel. WP November 14, 2010 Fürth ( Church of the Resurrection ; 47th Fürth Church Music Days; Monika Teepe [soprano], Renate Kaschmieder [alto], Wilfried Krüger [horn], Ralf Bauer [trombone], Sirka Schwartz-Uppendieck [piano], Andreas König [organ ])

Ensemble and orchestral works

• Concerto (1979) for flute, violoncello and ensemble. Premiere 1979 Nuremberg (ars nova ensemble)

Ensemble: clarinet, trombone, violin, viola, percussion (2 players)

• Rondel (1983) for 8 flutes and orchestra. Premiere 1983
• Concerto (1995) for viola and chamber orchestra. WP 1995.
• Concentration and Outbreaks (1995) for viola and chamber orchestra. WP 1995
• Music for orchestra (1996). WP 1996
• Scenes (1998) for ensemble. WP 1998 ( Ensemble Sortisatio )
• Korrespondenz (1998) for flute, clarinet, horn, violin, viola, violoncello, piano and percussion. WP 1998
• Permutation (1999) for string orchestra. WP 1999
• Intermezzi (2000) for horn and ensemble. WP 2001

Ensemble: violin, viola, violoncello, piano, percussion

• Introduction and fantasy about " Verleih uns Frieden gnädlichen " (2002) for organ, percussion and orchestra
• Impulse (2007) for 12 saxophonists and percussion. WP 2007
• Concerto (2007/08) for piano and orchestra. Premiere September 28, 2008 Bayreuth (Stadthalle; Helmut Bieler [piano], Bayreuth Orchestra Association)

Chamber music

• Contrasts (1969) for harpsichord. Premiere 1970

• Version for piano (1988). WP 1989

• Dialog (1971) for 2 harpsichords. Premiere 1971
• Contra-con (1971) for clarinet and harpsichord. Premiere 1972
• Esothén (1971/72) for inside wings. Premiere 1973
• Quick Fingers (1973) for flute, harpsichord and percussion. Premiere 1974
• Treffpunkt (1973) for harpsichord and percussion. Premiere 1974
• Music for Five (1974) for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon ( wind quintet  I)
• Movement and Rest (1975) for Trio d'anches (oboe, clarinet and bassoon). Premiere 1975
• Musik aus dem Dunkel (1975) for organ and electronics. Premiere 1975

• Version for tape (1976). Premiere 1977

• Wave blows (1976) for soprano / alto / tenor / bass recorder, tenor viol and harpsichord

• New version: Ornaments (1983) for transverse flute, violin, violoncello and harpsichord

• Between Time and Space (1976) Sonata for clarinet, piano, percussion and tape (radiophonic material). Premiere 1976
• Passacaglia (1977) for 1–2 melody instruments, piano (ad libitum) and tape
• Schemen und Gestalten (1977) for piano

• Version for piano and tape (1984/85)

• Capriccio (1977/78) for soprano recorder , treble recorder / transverse flute and harpsichord. Premiere 1979
• Cycle (1978) for guitar and percussion
• Sounds and Figures (1979) for piano and organ

• Version for piano and tape (1980)
• Version for 2 pianos and percussion (2 players) (1983)

• Meditation on Debussy's prelude «Canope» (1979/80) for 2 harpsichords / pianos. Premiere 1980
• … Listen to the sounds (1981) for piano
• How rapid movement slows down and dries up (1981) for piano. WP 1981
• Pièce (1981) for flute / alto flute. WP 1982
• Mouvements (1982) for flute / alto flute / bass flute and clarinet / bass clarinet. Premiere 1983
• Reprisen (1982) for alto saxophone, percussion and piano. WP 1982
• Blocks and Risse (1983) for piano and percussion
• Konturen (1984) for piano
• Sounding Colors (1985) for 4 saxophones. Premiere 1985 Washington
• Wie ein Dünner Schleier (1986) for flute / alto flute (based on a text by Gabriele Kellner). WP 1987
• Fantasie (1987) for alto saxophone and organ
• Three Preludes (1988) for piano. WP 1989
• Duo (1989) for clarinet and violoncello. WP 1990

• Version for flute / alto flute / bass flute and piano (or organ) (1989)
• Version for alto flute and violoncello (1990). WP 1991
• Version for viola and violoncello (1990/91)

• Stille Musik (1990) for bass flute and basset horn . WP 1991
• Introduction and fantasy about "Verleih uns Frieden gnädlichen" (1993) for organ and percussion
• Trio (1991) for violin, horn and piano. WP 1991
• Metamorphosen (1992) for organ solo. WP 1993
• Who you have the time in your hands (1993). Organ chorale prelude and organ meditation. WP 1993
• Graciously Grant Us Peace (1993). Introduction and Fantasy for Organ and Percussion. WP 1993
• Bright Night Thoughts (1993). Wind quintet II (based on texts by Else Lasker-Schüler ). WP 1994
• Answer to Reger (1993). Quintet for clarinet (in A), 2 violins, viola and violoncello. WP 1994
• Abbrüche (1995) for flute / piccolo / alto / bass / double bass flute, piano and percussion
• Klangwandlungen (1995) for double bass flute and tape. WP 1995

• Version for tenor and bass recorder and tape (1995)
• Version for bass flute and tape (1995)

• Poetry and Movement (1996). String quartet movement
• Scenes (1996) for 3 guitars. Premiere 1997

• Version for oboe, bassoon, guitar and viola (1997)

• Epitaph - thoughts on Reger (1997) for alto flute and piano. Premiere 1997
• Rhapsody (2000) for violin and piano. WP 2001
• Moving surfaces (2002) for horn and organ. WP 2002
• Seven pieces for seven women (2002/03) for piano. WP 2003
• Three pieces for three women (2005) for piano. WP 2005
• TOP-Trio (2004) for trumpet, organ and percussion
• Herbstmusik (2005) for violoncello and piano. WP 2005
• Excursion (2006) for percussion (4 players). WP 2006

Discography (selection)

• Sound documents of contemporary chamber music Vol. 1 (Symicon, 1995)
• Ensemble Sortisatio ( Querstand , 2004) with the Ensemble Sortisatio

Fonts

• The sacred music of Klaus Hashagen and his organ music . In: Klaus Bernbacher (Ed.): Klaus Hashagen . Schneider Verlag, Tutzing 2003. ISBN 3-7952-1110-7 , pp. 91-105 (= composers in Bavaria, volume 42)

literature

• Theresa Henkel, Franzpeter Messmer (ed.): Helmut Bieler (= composers in Bavaria . Vol. 58). Allitera-Verlag, Munich 2015, ISBN 978-3-86906-765-0 .
• Bieler, Prof. Helmut. In: Wilfried W. Bruchhäuser: Contemporary composers in the German Association of Composers. A manual. 4th edition, German Association of Composers, Berlin 1995, ISBN 3-555-61410-X , p. 92.
• Bieler, Helmut. In: Axel Schniederjürgen (Ed.): Kürschner's Musicians Handbook. 5th edition, Saur Verlag, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-598-24212-3 , p. 37.

Web links

• Works by and about Helmut Bieler in the catalog of the German National Library
• Helmut Bieler in the Bavarian Musicians' Lexicon Online (BMLO)
• Helmut Bieler in the Upper Franconian Culture Atlas

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Helmut Bieler died in: Süddeutsche Zeitung January 15, 2019, page 11
2. ↑ http://www.unichor.uni-bayreuth.de/de/ueberuns/index.html accessed on July 17, 2014