Klebe, Giselher (Wolfgang)

Klebe, Giselher (Wolfgang), German composer and teacher; b. Mannheim, June 28, 1925. He went to Berlin and studied violin, viola, and composition with Kurt von Wolfurt at the Cons. (1940–43) before pursuing his composition studies with Rufer at the Internationales Musikinstitut (1946) and with Blacher (1946–51). He worked in the music division of the Berlin Radio (1946–49), and then taught composition and theory at the Nordwestdeutsche Musikakademie in Detmold from 1957. In 1962-63 he held a fellowship at the Deutsche Akademie in Rome. He was made a member of the Freie Akademie der Künste in Hamburg (1963), the Akademie der Künste in Berlin (1964; president, 1986-89), and the Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste in Munich (1978). Klebe has developed an expressive style of composition in which melody, harmony, timbre, and rhythm are complemented by a judicious handling of 12-tone writing.

Works

dramatic:Die Räuber, opera (1951-56; Düsseldorf, June 3, 1957; rev. 1962); Die tödlichen Wünsche, opera (1957-59; Düsseldorf, June 14, 1959); Die Ermordung Cäsars, opera (1958-59; Essen, Sept. 20, 1959); Alkmene, opera (Berlin, Sept. 25, 1961); Figaro lässt sich scheiden, opera buffa (1962-63; Hamburg, June 28, 1963); Jakobowsky und der Oberst, comic opera (Hamburg, Nov. 2, 1965); Das Märchen von der schönen Lilie, opera (1967-68; Schwetzingen, May 15, 1969); Das Testament, ballet-sym. (1970-71; Wiesbaden, April 30, 1971; as Sym. No. 4, Bochum, Jan. 27, 1972); Ein wahrer Held, opera (1972-73; Zürich, Jan. 18, 1975); Das Mädchen aus Domrémy, opera (1975; Stuttgart, June 19, 1976); Das Rendezvous, opera (Hannover, Oct. 7, 1977); Der jüngste Tag, opera (1978-79; Mannheim, July 12, 1980); Die Fastnachtsbeichte, opera (Darmstadt, Dec. 20, 1983). orch.:Con moto (1948; Bremen, Feb. 23, 1953); Divertissement joyeux for Chamber Orch. (Darmstadt, July 8, 1949); Die Zwitschermaschine (Donaueschingen, Sept. 10, 1950); 2 Nocturnes (1951; Darmstadt, July 20, 1952); 6 syms.: No. 1 for 42 Strings (1951; Hamburg, Jan. 7, 1953), No. 2 (1953), No. 3 (1966; WDR, Cologne, Oct. 6, 1967), No. 4, Das Testament, ballet-sym. (1970-71; Bochum, Jan. 27, 1972; as a ballet, Wiesbaden, April 30, 1971), No. 5 (Duisburg, Sept. 13, 1977), and No. 6 (1995); Rhapsody (1953); Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orch. (Frankfurt am Main, June 19, 1954); Moments musicaux (1955); Cello Concerto (1957); Omaggio (1960); Adagio and Fugue (1962); Scene und Arie (Detmold, May 8, 1968); Herzschläge:Furcht, Bitte und Hoffnung for Beat Band and Orch. (1969; Gelsenkirchen, June 1, 1970); Concerto for Electronically Altered Harpsichord and Small Orch. (1971; Schwetzingen, May 12, 1972); Orpheus (Zagreb, Oct. 22, 1976); La Tomba di Igor Strawinsky for Oboe, 14 Strings, and Piano (1978; Cologne, April 25, 1979); Organ Concerto (Duisburg, Nov. 19, 1980); Begrussung (Lüdenscheid, Nov. 6, 1981); Boogie agitato (Stuttgart, Oct. 24, 1981); Clarinet Concerto (1984; Marl, May 24, 1985); Umbria verde (1984); Lied (Ludwigshafen, Sept. 30, 1985); Notturno (1987; Salzburg, Jan. 30, 1988); Harp Concerto (1988; Münster, Oct. 25, 1989); Cello Concerto (1989; Berlin, May 19, 1990). chamber: Wind Quintet (1948); 3 string quartets (1949, 1963, 1981); Viola Sonata (1949); 2 sonatas for Solo Violin (1952, 1955); 2 violin sonatas (1953, 1972); Elegia appassionata, piano trio (1955); Dithyrambe for String Quartet (1957); Missa “Miserere nobis” for 18 Winds (1965); Concerto a cinque for Piano, Harpsichord, Harp, Percussion, and Double Bass (1965); Quasi una fantasia, piano quintet (1966); Variationen über ein Thema von Hector Berlioz for Organ and 3 Percussionists (1970); Double Bass Sonata (1971); Tennen No Bi for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Harp, Piano, Cello, and Double Bass (1971–72); Al Rovescio for Flute, Harp, Piano, and Metal-lidiophone (1972); 6 Pieces for Double Bass (1973); Nenia for Cello (1974); Alborada for Harp (1977); Cinq chants sans paroles for Harpsichord and Percussionist (1978); Der dunkle Gedanke for Clarinet or Bassett Horn and Piano (1979); Quattrofonia for 2 Pianos and 2 Percussionists (1981–82); Soirée for Trombone and Chamber Ensemble (1987). KEYBOARD : Piano: Nocturnes (1949); Sonata for 2 Pianos (1949); 4 Inventions (1956); Neun Klavierstucke für Sonja (1973, 1974, and 1977); Feuersturz (1983); Glockentürme for Piano, 4-Hands (1990); Widmungen, 5 pieces (1993). Organ: Passacaglia (1968); Fantasie und Lobpreisung (1970); Surge aquilo: et veni, auster (1970); Orgelfanfare (1989). vocal:Geschichte vom lustigen Musikanten for Tenor, Chorus, and 5 Instruments (1946–47); 5 Römische Elegien for Narrator, Piano, Harpsichord, and Double Bass (1952); Raskolni-kows Traum for Soprano, Clarinet, and Orch. (1956); 5 Lieder for Alto and Orch. (1962); Stabat Mater for Soprano, Mezzo- soprano, Alto, Chorus, and Orch. (1964); Gebet einer armen Seele, Mass for Chorus and Organ (Kassel, Oct. 8, 1966); Beuge dich, du Menschenseele for Medium Voices and Organ (1975–77); 3 Lieder for High Voice and Piano (1975–76); Choral und Te Deum for Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1977-78; Braunschweig, Sept. 24, 1978); Weihnachtsoratorium for Mezzo-soprano, Baritone, Speaker, Chorus, and Orch. (Bonn, Dec. 7, 1989).

Bibliography

M. Rentzsch, G. K.: Werkverzeichnis und einführende Darstellung seines Opernschaffens (diss., Univ. of Münster, 1990).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire