Short bio Wolfgang Fortner
Full biography Wolfgang Fortner
Wolfgang Fortner (1907-1987) was a German composer and music teacher known for his progressive and innovative style, which drew on both serialism and classical forms. Fortner was born in Leipzig and studied music in Weimar before working as a church musician in various cities around Germany. He began composing in the 1920s, influenced by the avant-garde music of Arnold Schoenberg and others.
Fortner became well-known for his use of serialism, a compositional technique in which a specific ordering of musical elements (such as pitches, rhythms, or dynamics) forms the basis of a piece of music. However, he also retained elements of classical forms and tonality within his works, creating a unique and distinctive style. His music often featured complex rhythms and textures, and he experimented with various instrumentation and vocal techniques.
In addition to his composing, Fortner was a highly regarded music teacher and mentor. He taught at the music conservatories in Freiburg and Heidelberg and had a significant influence on many composers who later went on to shape the contemporary music scene in Germany. Some of his notable students included Hans Werner Henze, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Aribert Reimann.
Fortner's compositions include works for orchestra, chamber music, and vocal ensembles. One of his most famous pieces is a composition for cello solo using the musical notes of his name , which was commissioned by the Swiss art patron Paul Sacher. Other notable compositions include his Violin Concerto, which premiered in 1947 and showcases his individualistic blend of tonal and serial techniques.
Overall, Wolfgang Fortner was a significant figure in the development of 20th century classical music, known for his innovative use of serialism and classical forms. His compositions remain influential today, and his impact as a teacher and mentor is still felt in the contemporary music landscape.
Compositions featuring Wolfgang Fortner
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Variations for chamber orchestra | 18:17 min | Orchestral | 1978 |
| 2 | Zum Spielen für den 70. Geburstag: Theme and Variationen for cello solo | 7:41 min | Chamber Music | 1976 |
| 3 | String Quartet No. 4 | 17:16 min | Chamber Music | 1975 |
| 4 | Terzinen, for male voice & piano | 3:36 min | Vocal Music | 1966 |
| 5 | Mitte des Lebens, cantata on words of the late Hölderlin, for soprano & 5 instruments | 13:00 min | Vocal Music | 1951 |
| 6 | Sonata for flute & piano | 12:43 min | Chamber Music | 1947 |
| 7 | Symphony | 27:34 min | Symphony | 1947 |
| 8 | Suite for solo cello | 16:50 min | Chamber Music | 1932 |
| 9 | Songs (4) nach Worten von Hölderlin, for voice & piano | 12:19 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 10 | Zyklus, for cello & piano | 21:22 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 11 | Trio, for violin, cello & piano | 23:20 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 12 | Toccata and Fugue | 7:54 min | Miscellaneous (Classical) | - |
| 13 | The Creation, for medium voice & orchestra | 17:28 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 14 | Songs (12) for voice & piano after texts by Shakespeare | Vocal Music | - | |
| 15 | Abbitte, for voice & piano | 2:32 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 16 | Sonata for violin & piano | 15:45 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 17 | Sonata for cello & piano | 16:16 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 18 | Lied vom Weidenbaum, for voice & piano | 3:52 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 19 | Hyperions Schicksalslied, for voice & piano | 3:08 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 20 | Elegies (7), for piano | 18:28 min | Keyboard | - |
| 21 | Die Bluthochzeit, opera | 65:26 min | Opera | - |
| 22 | Concerto for violin & orchestra | 22:05 min | Concerto | - |
| 23 | Aulodie, for oboe & orchestra | 19:05 min | Concerto | - |
Albums featuring Wolfgang Fortner
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Ernst Toch, Wolfgang Fortner, Samuel Adler, Giselher Klebe, Friedemann Döling – New Works For Cello Solo(CD, Album) | 2017 | TYXart |
| 2 |  |
Melos Quartett · Haydn · Fortner · Ravel – Quartet Recital 1979(CD, Album, Remastered) | 2012 | Hänssler Classic |
| 3 |  |
Max Bruch, Hans Pfitzner, Wolfgang Fortner - Gerhard Taschner, SDR-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Hans Müller-Kray, RIAS-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Rudolf Kempe, SWR-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden, Hans Rosbaud – Violin Concertos(CD, Compilation) | 2007 | MDG |
| 4 |  |
Wolfgang Fortner | Günter Wand, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Chor der Oper Der Stadt Köln – Bluthochzeit(2×CD, Album, Remastered) | 2007 | Profil Edition Günter Hänssler |
| 5 |  |
Fortner | Medek | Ligeti | Dinescu | Goldmann | Henze – Klaviermusik - Moderne Traditionen(CD, Compilation) | 2006 | RCA Red Seal |
| 6 |  |
Bernd Alois Zimmermann, Igor Stravinsky, György Ligeti, Wolfgang Fortner, Nikita Magaloff, Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, NDR Sinfonieorchester, Günter Wand – Günter Wand-Edition Volume 9(CD, Album, Remastered) | 2006 | Profil Edition Günter Hänssler |
| 7 |  |
Fortner | Meyer | Wagner-Régeny | Beyer | B.A. Zimmermann – Chorgesang Mit Orchester 1948-1970(CD, Compilation) | 2005 | RCA Red Seal |
| 8 |  |
Fortner | Schubert | Medek | Beyer | Bialas | Brandmüller – Ballet Imaginaire(CD, Compilation) | 2004 | RCA Red Seal |
| 9 |  |
Olivier Messiaen, Anton Webern, Wolfgang Fortner - Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Symphonie-Orchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks – Günter Wand-Edition Volume 2(CD, ) | 2004 | Profil Edition Günter Hänssler |
| 10 |  |
Fortner / Beethoven, Gerhard Taschner, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Georg Solti – Violin Concerto / Violin Concerto Op. 61(CD, ) | 2002 | MDG |
| 11 |  |
Strauss | Orff | Fortner | Henze | Wagner-Régeny | Gerster | Hindemith – Neue Harmonien (Oper 1948-1962)(CD, Compilation) | 2002 | RCA Red Seal |
| 12 |  |
Fortner | Dessau | Eisler | Hartmann | Reutter | Blacher | Klebe | Matthus | Schwaen | Wagner-Régeny – Solo & Klavier 1945-1970(CD, Compilation) | 2001 | RCA Red Seal |
| 13 |  |
Sonate - Zyklus - Sieben Elegien - Trio(CD, ) | 1998 | WERGO |
| 14 |  |
Gerhard Taschner - Max Bruch, Hans Pfitzner, Wolfgang Fortner – Portrait Eines Legendären Geigers / Portrait Of A Legendary Violinist(2×CD, Compilation, Mono) | 1997 | EMI Classics |
| 15 |  |
Werner Egk, Wolfgang Fortner – Werner Egk · Wolfgang Fortner Dirigieren Eigene Werke(CD, Remastered) | 1996 | Berlin Classics |
| 16 |  |
Strawinsky • Fortner • Webern • Martin - Günter Wand, NDR-Sinfonieorchester – Modern Pictures | 1991 | RCA Victor Red Seal |
| 17 |  |
Boëllmann, Duruflé, Fortner, Gigout, Haas, Henze, Hindemith, Kraft, Reger, Widor · Rosalinde Haas – Toccaten | 1987 | WERGO |
| 18 |  |
Karl Höller, Wolfgang Fortner / Furtwängler – Concerto Per Violoncello E Orchestra Op. 50 / Concerto Per Violino E Orchestra(LP) | 1982 | Fonit Cetra |
| 19 |  |
Werner Egk, Wolfgang Fortner – Egk - Musik Aus "Die Zaubergeige" "Siebzehn Tage Und Vier Minuten" "Peer Gynt" / Fortner - Zwischenspiele Aus "Bluthochzeit" | 1979 | ETERNA |
| 20 |  |
Genzmer · Reutter · Rapf · Fortner, Ludwig Hoelscher – Musik Des XX. Jahrhunderts Für Violoncello Und Klavier(LP, Album) | 1978 | MPS Records |
| 21 |  |
Prismen / Bluthochzeit (Zwischenspiele)(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1977 | WERGO |
| 22 |  |
Wolfgang Fortner, Alfred Koerppen – Versuch Eines Agon - Um...? / Das Stadtwappen(LP) | 1973 | Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover |
| 23 |  |
Malipiero / Fortner / Henze / Stockhausen / Becker - Danzi-Quintett / Heinz Holliger – Zeitgenössische Musik Für Bläser | 1973 | Philips |
| 24 |  |
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Aribert Reimann / Schwarz-Schilling, Fortner, Reutter, Blacher, Reimann – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Singt Lieder Zeitgenössischer Komponisten | 1962 | Odeon |
| 25 |  |
Wolfgang Fortner / Hans Werner Henze – Grosser Kunstpreis Des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen 1955/1956 | 1960 | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 26 |  |
Wolfgang Fortner, Kammerorchester Tibor Varga Der Nordwestdeutschen Musikadademie – Sechs Madrigale Für Violinen Und Violoncelli, Vorübungen Zu Den Madrigalen, Es Spricht Der Komponist(LP, Mono) | 1957 | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 27 |  |
The RIAS Symphony Orchestra, Berlin / Ferenc Fricsay / Blacher / von Einem / Fortner / Hartmann / Liebermann – New Directions In Music And Sound Vol. 1 - Contemporary European Orchestral Music(LP, Album, Mono) | 1955 | Decca |
| 28 |  |
Wolfgang Fortner, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Ferenc Fricsay, RIAS Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – Finale Der Sinfonie (4. Satz). Adagio Appassionato (Finale Der Sinfonie Für Streichorchester)(7", 45 RPM, Mono) | - | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 29 |  |
Herr Bleibe Bei Uns - 1945(LP) | - | Canticum |
| 30 |  |
The Creation (1955) - Mouvements (1954)(LP, Album, Mono) | - | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 31 |  |
Wolfgang Fortner, Stella Doufexis, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Ralf Lukas, Christopher Lincoln, Axel Bauni, Aribert Reimann – Lieder(CD, ) | - | Orfeo (2) |
Videos featuring Wolfgang Fortner
"The creation" on the eponymous poem by James Weldon Johnson,* for medium voice and orchestra (1954)
Barry McDaniel - Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk
">Wolfgang Fortner (1907-1987): The creation (1954)
"The creation" nach James Weldon Johnson* für eine mittlere Singstimme und Orchester (1954)
"The creation" on the eponymous poem by James Weldon Johnson,* for medium voice and orchestra (1954)
Barry McDaniel - Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk
Wolfgang Fortner Mouvements
Wolfgang FORTNER (1909 - 1987)
Mouvements for piano and orchestra (1954)
1. Prélude. Andante tranquillo
2. Etude I. Allegro molto vivace
3. Interlude. Andante molto sostenuto
4. Etude II. Allegro molto vivace - Boogie-Tempo
5. Epilogue. Quasi andante
Lud
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