Peter freedom

Wolfgang Peter Freiheit (born January 14, 1940 in Breslau ; † December 4, 2001 in Halle (Saale) ) was a German composer , cellist and pianist .

Life

Peter Freedom 1978

Childhood, training and studies

Freedom spent his childhood and youth in Halle (Saale) . Because of the increasing number of bombings, he lived with relatives near Liegnitz in Lower Silesia from 1943 until the end of the war . From 1951 to 1954 he was a member of the Stadtsingechore Halle. During this time he also received his first piano lessons from 1953, and since 1954 also the cello and harpsichord. After primary school, at the age of 14, he went to the Georg Friedrich Handel College for Music and then studied at the Halle / S Conservatory from 1958 to 1962. with Heinz Lösche violoncello and with Gerd Ochs composition. As part of his studies, he completed an internship as a cellist in the Mühlhausen State Cultural Orchestra. In March 1962 he married the singer Inge Nahlik and in June his son Jan was born.

First engagements

After completing his studies, his first engagement as a deputy solo cellist at the Landestheater Altenburg followed , before moving to the State Symphony Orchestra in Halle in 1963 . A year later his daughter Uta was born. Shortly afterwards he founded the “Kammeroper 65”, an ensemble that was the essence of his entire musical activity: bringing the big form with a small cast and on small stages. This idea was later reactivated by him after a long break with the “Halleschen Kammeroper”. The first marriage to Inge Nahlik-Freiheit was divorced in 1968.

Work as a musician in Halle

In 1969 he moved to the Theater Junge Garde in Halle as musical director. Numerous drama music was created here until 1977. While he played the cello himself in his own works until 1972, from then on he only appeared as a pianist and harpsichordist, from where he also directed the concerts.

In 1975 he remarried Inge Nahlik-Freiheit and moved to Berlin. Since 1977 he has worked here and in Halle exclusively as a freelance composer and musician. After the second divorce, he returned to Halle in 1981 and founded his second opera company here, the “Hallesche Kammeroper”, primarily as an ensemble to perform his compositions in conjunction with 18th century music.

During his time in Halle, Peter Freiheit campaigned intensively in the “Reinhard Keizer Working Group” for the work of Reinhard Keiser and the promotion of chamber music. The “Hallesche Kammeroper” played a decisive role in maintaining Reinhard Keizer's work. As part of the association, his own works were also performed.

At the XVI. Hallischen Musiktage on October 31, 1982 the chamber opera Der Bär by Peter Freiheit was performed under the direction of the composer. As part of the XVII. Hallischen Musiktage followed in 1984 with the world premiere of the chamber opera Der Marriage Proposal with the Handel Festival Orchestra under the direction of Christian Kluttig .

His performances were followed very closely by the press in Saxony-Anhalt, which is reflected in numerous newspaper reviews and composer portraits.

Last years

In 1988 he married the singer Angelika geb. Plass. His two wives have always played a central role in his compositions and concerts, be it in chamber operas or in lied. Due to a poor order situation and a lack of support from politics and business, he tried to find sponsors and supporters in the area of ​​tension between old and new music by founding the “Händeliana” association in 1994 to promote chamber music and chamber opera.

Because of his deteriorating health, these efforts were no longer noticeable. He spent the last years of his life in a nursing home in Halle.

Works (selection)

• Roman love (opera scenes, 1965)
• Violoncello Concerto (1st version 1968, 2nd version 1978, premiere November 20, 1978 Halle / S.)
• Harpsichord Concerto (1968)
• Pesterwitzer St. Jacobus Cantata (1973)
• Seven Hallesche Portraits (Chamber Music, 1974)
• Chilean Concerto for Flute, Alto and Orchestra (1974)
• Amphitruo (Opera, 1975)
• The Song of Songs (Cantata, 1975)
• Four Arno Holz songs (1977)
• Mosigkau Castle and Park (Chamber Music, 1977)
• Libyan Ode (1979)
• Wind Quintet No. 1 (1979)
• Eleven Old French Chansons (1980)
• The Bear (Chamber Opera based on Chekhov, 1982)
• The marriage proposal (Chamber Opera based on Chekhov, 1984)
• Schaffrath adaptation (1985)
• Wind quintet No. 2 (1988)
• The Müntzer with the sword by Gideon (Cantata, 1990)

Web links

• Hallische Musiktage with appreciation of freedom operas The Bear and The Marriage Proposal (PDF file; 576 kB)
• Sound document 4 occasional songs in the SLUB Dresden
• Opus

Individual evidence

1. ^ Chronicle of the Reinhard Keizer Association .
2. ↑ Reinhard Keizer Working Group 1974–1991 .
3. ^ Hallische Musiktage 1955–2005: A small chronicle by Thomas Buchholz, p. 17. (PDF; 590 kB).
4. ↑ Folklore is his creative source. In: Magdeburg Latest News , March 16, 1973. - The autograph. In: Freiheit , Halle, April 6, 1973. Turbulent music-theatrical fun. In: Der Neue Weg , Halle, January 7, 1984. - With humor, charm and hearty eroticism. In: Liberaldemokratische Zeitung , Halle, June 6, 1988 (p. 6). - First Hall concert ... In: Mitteldeutsche Zeitung , Halle, November 26, 1991 (p. 18). - counterpoints, counterpoints. In: Nordbayerischer Kurier , Bayreuth, December 4, 1996.
5. ↑ GEMA factory no .: 4533858-001.
6. ↑ GEMA works no .: 3295112-001.
7. ↑ GEMA-Werk.-Nr .: 2715532 and 3526110.
8. ↑ Entry at Breitkopf & Härtel  ( 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.  
9. ↑ GEMA work no .: 2754311.
10. ↑ GEMA factory number: 2788644-001.