Bredemeyer, Reiner

Bredemeyer, Reiner, German composer; b. Velez, Colombia, Feb. 2, 1929. He studied composition with Karl Holler at the Akademie der Tonkunst in Munich (1949– 53); then took courses with Wagner- Regény at the Akademie der Künste in East Berlin (1955– 57). In 1961 he was appointed conductor of the German Theater in East Berlin; in 1978 he joined the faculty of the Akademie der Künste there. In his music he is an astute experimenter, but he adheres to the tenets of classical forms and avoids the extremes of modernism.

Works

DRAMATIC: Leben der Andrea, opera after Brecht’s Galileo (1971); Die Galoschenoper, after The Beggar’s Opera (1978); Candide, after Voltaire (1981– 82; Halle, Jan. 12, 1986). orch.:Integration (1961); Variante (1962); Violin Concerto (1963); Composition for 56 Strings (1964); Spiel (1964); Schlagstiick 3 for Orch. and 3 Percussion Groups (1966); Baga-tellenfür B. for Piano and Orch. (1970); Spiel zu 45 (1970); Piano una..., piano concerto (1972); Oktoberstück (1973); Sym. (1974); Anfangen—aufhoren (1974); Double Concerto for Harpsichord, Oboe, and Orch. (1974); 2 tempi for Flute, Recorder, and Strings (1976); Auftakte for 3 Orch. Groups (1976); Concerto for Oboe and Strings (1977); 4 Pieces (1979); 9 Bagatelles for Strings (1984); 3 Pieces for 2 Orch. Groups (1986); Horn Concerto (1986); Sonatas I– III (1988); Vermasseltes Doppel, NOK, oboe concerto (1994). chamber: Quintet for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Double Bass (1956); Concertino for 12 (1957); Octet (1959); 2 woodwind quintets (1959, 1969); Schlagstiick 1 for Percussionist (1960), 2 for Piano and Percussion (1965), and 5 for Piano and Percussion (1970); 3 string quartets (1961, 1968, 1983); String Quintet (1962); 5 Pieces for Oboe and 3 Bassoons (1964); 6 Serenades for various instrumental combinations (1966– 80); Pointing for 18 String Instruments (1966); Sonata for Violin, Viola, and Piano (1967); Schlagquartett for Piano, Double Bass, and 2 Percussionists (1967); Ab 14 for Piano and 13 String Instruments (1971); (Cello)²for Cello and Tape (1971); 8 Pieces for String Trio (1971); 6 Solos for Various Instruments (1973– 80); (Oboe)Hor Oboe and Tape (1975); Grosses Duet for 2 Instrumental Groups (1975); Piano und...⁵ for Piano, Flute, Horn, Trombone, Cello, and Double Bass (1976); Interludium for Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Cello, Double Bass, and Percussion (1977); Piano und...⁶ for Piano, 2 Cellos, Wind Instrument, and 3 Percussionists (1977); Still Leben? mit Gitane for Guitar and 4 Trombones (1978); 5 Blechstiicke for 2 Trumpets and 2 Trombones (1979); Dfiir Paul Dessau for 15 String Instruments (1980); Septet 80 for 2 Oboes, Cello, Double Bass, Percussion, Trombone, and Harpsichord (1980); Septet 87 for 2 Guitars, Percussion, and String Quartet (1987); Vorwahl 522 (Kein Anschluss unter dieser Nummer?) for Chamber Ensemble (1989). vocal:Cantata for Alto and Women’s Chorus (1961); Wostock for Chorus and Orch.(1961); Karthago for Chorus and Chamber Ensemble (1961); Satze und Sentenzen for Chorus and Orch. (1963); Canto for Alto, Men’s Chorus, and 10 Instruments (1965); Synchronisiert-Asynchron for Soprano, Oboe, Bassoon, Cello, Piano, Percussion, and Tape (1975); Zum 13. 7. (Fur Schonberg) for Woman’s Voice, Clarinet, Saxophone, and Percussion (1976); Cantata 2 for 16 Voices and 16 Instruments (1977); Madrigal, Rezitativ und Arie for Tenor and 8 Instruments (1979); Das Alltagliche for Soprano, Tenor, and Orch. (1980); Musica Vivarese for Soprano, Bass Chorus, and Instruments (1982); Die Winterreise for Baritone, Horn, and Piano, after Wilhelm Müller (1984); Lieder auf der Flucht for Mezzo-soprano and Piano (1986); Die schône Miillerin for Baritone, String Quartet, and Horn Quartet, after Müller (1986; Berlin, Feb. 21, 1987); Post-modern for Chorus and 4 Horns (1988).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire