Short bio Rudi Stephan
Full biography Rudi Stephan
Rudi Stephan was a German composer, known for his unique blend of romanticism and modernism in his music. Born on July 28, 1887, in Worms, Germany, he displayed a keen interest in music at an early age. He played the piano and the violin and started composing music during his teenage years.
Stephan studied music in Frankfurt and later in Munich under famous composers such as Ludwig Thuille, Max von Schillings, and Felix Mottl. He was known to be influenced by the music of Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, and Arnold Schoenberg.
He became known for his composition, "Music for Seven String Instruments," and his opera, "Die ersten Menschen" (The First Humans), which was not completed before his untimely death at the age of 28 during the First World War. In addition to his composing, Stephan also served as a soldier during the war and was killed in action on September 28, 1915, in Galicia, Poland.
Stephan's music was known for its innovative blend of traditional harmonies with modern tonalities, creating a unique sound that reflected his era's changing times. His career was brief, but his contributions to music have endured.
Despite his short life, Rudi Stephan's music continues to be studied and celebrated. His works have been performed by some of the world's most renowned orchestras, and his legacy has earned him a place among the most innovative composers of his time.
Compositions featuring Rudi Stephan
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Die ersten Menschen, opera | 102:22 min | Opera | 1914 |
| 2 | Music for Orchestra 1912, in one movement | 16:53 min | Orchestral | 1912 |
| 3 | Groteske, for violin & piano | 9:27 min | Chamber Music | 1911 |
| 4 | Music for Violin & Orchestra, in one movement, Op. 4 | 18:48 min | Concerto | 1911 |
| 5 | Music for Orchestra 1910, in one movement | 24:34 min | Orchestral | 1910 |
| 6 | Mitternacht, for voice & organ | 2:33 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 7 | Weihnachtsgefühl, for voice & piano | 2:01 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 8 | Waldstille, for voice & piano | 2:05 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 9 | Waldnachmittag, for voice & piano | 2:36 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 10 | Songs (7), for voice & piano | 18:20 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 11 | Serious Songs (2) | 5:47 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 12 | Music for Seven Stringed Instruments | 24:59 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 13 | Am Abend, for voice & piano | 1:28 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 14 | Memento vivere, for voice & piano | 4:08 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 15 | Liebeszauber for baritone & orchestra | 10:27 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 16 | Im Einschlafen, for voice & piano | 4:05 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 17 | Ich will dir singen ein Hohelied, songs (6) for voice & piano | 10:17 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 18 | Heimat, for voice & piano | 2:45 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 19 | Epilogue, for harmonium | 3:34 min | Keyboard | - |
| 20 | Auf den Tod einer jungen Frau, for voice & piano | 2:00 min | Vocal Music | - |
Albums featuring Rudi Stephan
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schmidt, Stephan - Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko – Kirill Petrenko - Beethoven / Tschaikowsky / Schmidt / Stephan | 2020 | Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings |
| 2 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Hinrich Alpers, Kuss Quartett, Marie-Pierre Langlamet, Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Tehila Nini Goldstein, Nabil Shehata, Agata Szymczewska – Chamber Works And Songs(2×CD, ) | 2017 | Sony Classical |
| 3 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Mikko Franck, Orchestre National de France – Die Ersten Menschen(2×CD, Album) | 2007 | Naïve |
| 4 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Sergey Stadler, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Oleg Caetani – Orchestral Works(SACD, Hybrid, Multichannel) | 2005 | Chandos |
| 5 |  |
Nina Karmon | Maria Sofianska - Toivo Kuula | Rudi Stephan | Erwin Schulhoff – Lebenslinien(CD, ) | 2001 | Animato |
| 6 |  |
Kurt Weill / Egon Wellesz / Rudi Stephan - Stefan Tönz, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Jonathan Nott – Works For Violin And Orchestra(CD, Album) | 1999 | Pan Classics |
| 7 |  |
Korngold, Schreker, Stephan, Zemlinsky - Georg Jelden, Hans Dieter Wagner (2) – Lieder Des Frühen 20. Jahrhunderts | 1985 | Calig |
| 8 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hans Maile, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Hans Zender – "Liebeszauber" Für Bariton Und Orchester - Musik Für Orchester - Musik Für Geige Und Orchester(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1984 | Schwann Musica Mundi |
| 9 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Hermann Unger, Collegium Con Basso – Musik Für Sieben Saiteninstrumente - Klavierquintett Op. 39 | 1979 | Pair Music |
| 10 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Hildegard Uhrmacher, Peter Winkler (8) – Musik Für Orchester / 7 Lieder Nach Verschiedenen Dichtern(LP, Album) | - | Pair Music |
| 11 |  |
Rudi Stephan - Collegium Con Basso, Wolfgang Kaiser (3), Anita Felzmann, Johannes Brüning, Evelinde Trenkner, Hildegard Uhrmacher, Peter Winkler (8) – Musik Für Sieben Saiteninstrumente - Groteske Für Geige Und Klavier - Ich Will Dir Singen Ein Hohelied(L | - | Pair Music |
| 12 |  |
Ludwig Thuille, Hans Pfitzner, Rudi Stephan, Christoph Schickedanz, Bernhard Fograscher – Die Müenchner Schule (Werke Für Violine Und Klavier)(CD, Album) | - | Telos Music Records |
| 13 |  |
Rudi Stephan, Fritz Lehmann Mit Der Berliner Staatskapelle – Musik Für Orchester In Einem Satz(Shellac, 12", 78 RPM) | - | Odeon |
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