Rolf Liebermann

Rolf Liebermann (September 14, 1910 – January 2, 1999), born in Zurich, was a Swiss composer of different kinds of music. His output included chansons, classical, and light music. His classical music often combines a myriad of styles and techniques, including 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 for 14 years from 1959 to 1973, and again from 1985 and 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. He later served as director of the Paris Opera from 1973 to 1980, and died in Paris. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,322199,00.html Tom Sutcliffe, "Fanfare of the opera" (obituary for Rolf Liebermann). "The Guardian", 14 January 1999.] ]

Works

*1943 "Polyphone Studien" for chamber orchestra
*1944 "Une des fins du monde", cantata for baritone and orchestra after Jean Giraudoux
*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 Festival(Szell/Schuh/Neher); "Concerto for Jazzband and Symphony Orchestra". First performance: Donaueschingen, cond. H. Rosbaud. American première: Chicago Symphony Orchestra, cond. Fritz Reiner
*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 drum 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

References

External links

*http://www.universaledition.com/truman/en_templates/view.php3?f_id=164&spr=en
*http://www.sikorski.de/en/frameloader.html?frame=http%3A//www.sikorski.de/composers/composer52.html