Dittrich, Paul-Heinz

Dittrich, Paul-Heinz, German composer and teacher; b. Gornsdorf, Dec. 4, 1930. He studied composition at the Leipzig Hochschule für Musik (1951–56; diploma, 1958), and then attended Wagner- Régeny’s master classes at the Academy of Arts in East Berlin (1958–60). From 1960 to 1976 he taught at the Harms Eisler Hochschule für Musik in East Berlin, returning there as a prof, of composition in 1990. In 1991 he founded the Bandenburgische Colloquium für Neue Musik in Zeuthen. In 1976 he won the UNESCO Rostrum of Composers Prize, in 1978 the Harms Eisler Prize of Berlin, and in 1990 the Berlin Music Critics Prize. He received the Artist’s Prize in 1981 and the National Prize in 1988 of the German Democratic Republic. In 1983 he became a member of the Academy of Arts in East Berlin, and in 1998 of the Academy of Arts “Saxonia” in Dresden. His works astutely utilize modern forms and technical idioms while observing and preserving the pragmatic elements of instrumental and vocal writing.

Works

CHAMBER opéra : Zerbrochene Bilder (1998). ORCH.: Passacaglia (1955); Divertimento for Chamber Orch. (1959); 9 Pieces (1960); Cello Concerto (1974–75; Berlin, Feb. 24, 1976); Cantus I (1975; Hamburg, Dec. 20, 1977); Illuminations (1976; Royan, April 3, 1977); Concert avec plusieurs instruments No. 2 for Viola, Cello, and 2 Orch. Groups (1977–78; Metz, Nov. 18, 1978), No. 3 for Flute, Oboe, Orch., and Live Electronics (1978–79; Dresden, May 31, 1979), No. 4 for Piano and Orch. (1983; Warsaw, Sept. 25, 1984), No. 6 for Oboe and Chamber Orch. (1985; Berlin, Nov. 15,1991), and No. 8 for Cello and Chamber Orch. (1992); Etym (1981–82; Leipzig, Oct. 2, 1984). CHAMBER : Violin Sonata (1954); 4 string quartets (1958–59; 1982; 1987; 1991–92); Kammermusik I for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Piano, and Tape (1970), II for Oboe, Cello, Piano, and Tape (1973), V for Wind Quintet and Live Electronics (1976–77), VI for Oboe, Engish Horn, Trombone, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Piano, and Percussion (1980), VIII for Oboe, Cello, and Piano (1988), IX for Flute, Clarinet, Cello, Harpsichord, Speaker, and Tape (1988), X for Flute, Bass Clarinet, and Piano (1989), XII for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1997), and XIII for Oboe, Cello, and Piano (1997); Concert avec plusieurs instruments No. 1 for Harpsichord and 7 Instruments (1976) and No. 5 for Flute and 7 Cellos (1984); String Trio (Berlin, Dec. 3, 1995); Pierre de Coeur

for Chamber Ensemble (1997; Dresden, Oct. 2, 1998). VOCAL: Memento vitae for Baritone, 12 Vocalists, 4 Choral Groups, and Percussion (1971–73); Vokalblatter for Soprano and 12 Vocalists (1972–73); Areae Sonantes for 3 Vocal Groups and Orch. (1972–73); Kammermusik III for Baritone and Wind Quintet (1974), IV for Soprano, 7 Instruments, and Live Electronics (1977), VII for 5 Speakers, Wind Quintet, and Harpsichord (1985), and XI for Soprano, Cello, Piano, and Wind Quintet (1990); Laudatio Pads for Reciter, 4 Soloists, Chorus, and Vocal Ensemble (1975; Berlin, Oct. 3, 1993; in collaboration with S. Gubaidulina and M. Kopelent); Cantus II for Soprano, Cello, Orch., Tape, and Live Electronics (1977); Engfiirung for 6 Vocalists, 6 Instrumentalists, Orch., Live Electronics, and Tape (Donaueschingen, Oct. 16, 1981); Memento mori for Baritone, Double Chorus, and Percussion (1985; Stuttgart, March 15, 1988); Spiel for 3 Speakers, 3 Singers, 11 Instrumentalists, and Live Electronics (1986–87; Berlin, Nov. 17, 1987); Hymnischer Entwurffor Speaker and Orch. (1987; Dresden, June 10, 1989); Concert avec plusieurs instruments No. 7 for Oboe, Trombone, Cello, 2 Pianos, 4 Speakers, 4 Percussion, and Chamber Orch. (1989); Menetekel for Soprano, Tenor, Speaker, 8 Vocalists, and 6 Instruments (Berlin, Nov. 4, 1993); Dies irae for Soloist, Chorus, and Orch. (1994–95; Stuttgart, Aug. 16, 1995); Fahlstimmig for Soprano, 3 Women’s Voices, and Chamber Ensemble (Berlin, Dec. 3, 1995); Der Gliicklose Engel for Soprano and Ensemble (N.Y., Nov. 21, 1997).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire