Koenig, Gottfried Michael

Koenig, Gottfried Michael, German composer; b. Magdeburg, Oct. 5, 1926. He attended the Braunschweig Staatsmusikschule (1946–47), and then was a student of Bialas (composition) and Maler (analysis) at the North West German Music Academy in Detmold (1947–50); later he studied at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik (1953–54) and at the Univ. of Bonn (1963–64). After working in the electronic music studios of the West German Radio in Cologne (1954–64), he was artistic and scientific director of the Instituut voor Sonologie at the Univ. of Utrecht (1964–86). In 1987 he was awarded the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize of the City of Amsterdam. Koenig was one of the leading figures in the development of electronic music, being particularly influential in the application of the computer to the creation of musical works. As an important theorist on serial music, he has written extensively. Among his most significant works is the study on serial and aleatory music publ. as Musik in ihrer technischen Rationalität (Bilthoven, 1963).

Works

orch.: Harpsichord Concerto (1948–49); Horae (1951); Beitrag (1985–86). chamber: Woodwind Quintet (1958–59); 2 string quartets (1959; 1987-88); Project I for 14 Instruments (1965-66; also 2 other versions); Segmente 99-105 for Violin and Piano (1982); Drei ASKO Stücke for 14 Instruments (1982); Segmente 92-98 for Violin and Cello (1983); Segmente 85-91 for Flute or Piccolo, Bass Clarinet, and Cello (1984); Intermezzo for Flute or Piccolo or Bass Flute, Bass Clarinet or E-flat Clarinet, and Piano (1987).piano: 2 Pieces (1957); Übung (1969–70); Segmente 1-7 (1982). electronic:Klangfiguren I (1955) and II (1955–56); Essay (1957–58); Materialien zu einem Ballett (1961); Suite (1961); Terminus I (1962), 2 (1966–67), and 10 (1967); Funktion Grün (1967); Funktion Gelb (1968); Funktion Orange (1968); Funktion Rot (1968); Funktion Blau (1969); Funktion Indigo (1969); Funktion Violett (1969); Funktion Grau (1969). computer:Output (1979).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire