Clytus Gottwald

Full biography Clytus Gottwald

Clytus Gottwald was a prominent German composer, conductor, and musicologist, born on June 12, 1925, in Bad Waldsee, Germany. He is best known for his contributions to choral music, particularly his innovative arrangements of modern works for choir and his groundbreaking research on extended techniques for vocal music.

Gottwald was the son of a choir conductor, and his interest in music began at an early age. In the 1950s, he studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart and later worked as a conductor and professor at various institutions, including the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt and the Folkwang Universität in Essen.

Gottwald's approach to choral music was revolutionary. He believed that it should not be constrained by the traditional limitations of harmony and melody, and instead sought to explore the full range of vocal expression through extended techniques like vocal fry, glissando, and falsetto. His innovative arrangements of modern works, such as those by Ligeti and Xenakis, for choir made him a pioneer in the field.

In addition to his work as a composer and conductor, Gottwald was also a prolific musicologist. He wrote extensively on the history of choral music, including a seminal text on the music of Josquin des Prez.

Sadly, Clytus Gottwald passed away on September 14, 2017, in Frankfurt, Germany. Nonetheless, he left behind a rich legacy of innovative and ground-breaking contributions to choral music that continue to inspire and influence composers, conductors, and musicologists.