Kunad, Rainer
Kunad, Rainer
Kunad, Rainer German composer; b. Chemnitz, Oct. 24, 1936; d. Tübingen, July 17, 1995. He studied with Kurzbach and Hübschmann in Chemnitz, at the Dresden Cons. (1955–56), and with Finke, Gerster, and Schenk at the Leipzig Hochschule für Musik. He worked at the Dresden State Opera (1960–75). After serving as a prof, of composition at the Dresden Hochschule für Musik (1978–84), he settled in West Germany. Kunad was principally influenced by Lutosawski, with some indirect inspiration from Penderecki and Henze. He found his métier as a composer for the theater.
Works
dramaticBill Brook, music theater (Dresden, March 14, 1965); Old Fritz, music theater (Dresden, March 14, 1965); Maître Pathelin, oder Die Hammelkomodie, opera (Dresden, April 30, 1969); Sabellicus, opera (Berlin, Dec. 20, 1974); Der Eiertanz, mini-opera (DDR-TV, 1975; 1st stage perf., Tübingen, June 7, 1986); Litauische Claviere, opera (Dresden, Nov. 4, 1976); Vincent, opera (Dresden, Feb. 22, 1979); Amphytrion, musical comedy (Berlin, May 26, 1984); Der Meister und Margarita, opera (Karlsruhe, March 9, 1986); Die Menschen von Babel, scenic mystery play (1986); Der verborgene Name, opera (1990); Kosmischer Advent, opera (1991). ORCH.: Aphorismen (1956); Sinfonia variatione (1959); 2 syms. (1964, 1967); Concerto per archi (1967); Sinfonietta (1969); Piano Concerto (1969); Quadrophonie for Strings, Winds, and Timpani (1973); Die sieben Siegel, choral sym. (1993). OTHER: Choral pieces; chamber music; piano works.
Bibliography
S. Kreter, Alles auf Hoffnung: Bobrowski-Vertonungen von R. K. (Münster and N.Y., 1994).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire