Bresgen, Cesar

Bresgen, Cesar, Austrian composer and teacher of German descent; b. Florence, Oct. 16, 1913; d. Salzburg, April 7, 1988. He studied organ, piano, conducting, and composition at the Munich Academy of Music (1930–36), his mentors being Emmanuel Gatscher, Gottfried Riidinger, and Joseph Haas. In 1936 he won the Felix Motti Prize for composition. After working in the music division of the Bavarian Eadio in Munich, he settled in Salzburg in 1939 and organized his own music school; he also taught composition at the Mozarteum. He served in the army during World War II, and then was a church organist and choir director in Mittersill. In 1947 he returned to the Salzburg Mozarteum as prof, of composition. In 1974 he was awarded the Austrian State Prize for music. He publ, the books Musikalische Doku-mentation (Vienna, 1982) and Die Improvisation in der Musik (Wilhelmshaven, 1983), as well as folk song collections. As a composer, Bresgen acquired a notable facility for writing effective Gebrauchsmusik.

Works

DRAMATIC: Der Goggolore, Singspiel (1937–39; unfinished); Dornroschenm, Singspiel (Strasbourg, April 15, 1942); Paracelsus, opera (1942–43); Das Urteil des Paris, komis-ches Singspiel (Gòttingen, Jan. 31, 1943); Der Igei ais Brautigam, children’s opera (Esslingen, Nov. 3, 1948; rev. version, Nuremburg, Nov. 13, 1951); Visiones amantis or Der Wolkensteiner, Ludus tragicus (1951; Bremen Radio, Feb. 17, 1964; first stage perf., Innsbruck, Dec. 20, 1971); Niño fliegt mit Niña, “insect comedy” for Children (Munich, May 14, 1953); Briiderlein Hund, children’s opera (Nuremberg, Nov. 12, 1953); Der ewige Arzt, Mystereinspiel (Schwyz, Feb. 10, 1956); Èrcole, opera (Hamburg Radio, 1956); Der Mann im Mond, musical fairy tale (Nuremberg, May 22, 1960); Die alte Lokomotive, scenic cantata (Munich, Oct. 7, 1960); Die Schattendiebe or AH und der Bilderdiebel, children’s Singspiel (Vienna, April 13, 1962); Bastían der Faul-pelz, musical pantomime (Hamburg, 1966); Trubloff, Singspiel (1970); Der Engel von Pra, opera (Salzburg, Dec. 25, 1978; rev. 1985); Pilatus, opera (Villach, Aug. 2, 1980); Krabat, Singspiel (1982); Albolina, oder der Kampf der Geister um die Morgenrote, musical fairy tale (Villach, July 12, 1987). orch.: Chamber Concerto for Guitar and Small Orch. (1962); Elegie for 12 Cellos (1979); Ballade for Violin, Harpsichord, and 13 Strings (1983); Impressioni nella notte for Small Orch. (1984); Clarinet Concerto (1986); Magnolia Dei, symphonic metamorphosis for Orch. and Speaker (1987). other: Chamber music and choral pieces.

Bibliography

D. Larese, C. B.(Amriswil, 1968); R. Lück, C. B. (Vienna, 1974).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire