Born in Hohndorf, Saxony, Kurzbach came from a humble background and became involved early on among others as a leader of workers' choirs in the labour movement. From 1916 to 1923, he studied at the teacher training college Zschopau and worked as a teacher from 1921 to 1933. In 1920 he began studying music at the Leipzig Conservatory, which he completed in 1928. Here he made the acquaintance of Hermann Scherchen, who encouraged the young composer. From 1939 to 1942 he was a pupil of Carl Orff. During the National Socialist era, Kurzbach became a member of the NSDAP in 1939.[1] He became a soldier in World War II and was a prisoner of war until 1946. He then moved to Karl-Marx-Stadt and became a member of the SED and the FDGB. He worked as a choir director and as an employee of the FDGB, the Kulturbund and other institutions. Kurzbach re-entered the teaching profession and was, among other things, head of the Karl-Marx-Stadt Folk Music School. From 1951 to 1975 he was chairman, then honorary chairman, of the composers' association in the Karl-Marx-Stadt district. Kurzbach was also active in the central board of the composers' association and was its vice-president from 1968 to 1977. He had been a freelance composer since 1955. Kurzbach was highly respected in the GDR; among other awards, he received the Honorary Ribbon of the Patriotic Order of Merit in gold in 1982,[2] the Order of Star of People's Friendship in gold in 1987[3] as well as the Prize for Popular Artistic Creation. He was also an honorary citizen of Karl-Marx-Stadt.[4]
Styleedit
Decisive for Kurzbach's musical language were impulses from Carl Orff and Hanns Eisler. Orff's influence can be seen above all in a differentiated, complex rhythm, a sound described as rough, hard or pithy and a preference for clear structures. Eisler gave Kurzbach important ideas regarding his understanding of the social function of music: Kurzbach saw himself as motivated by a social mission, strove to create musical institutions for a broad mass and saw music as a means of changing the world. His oeuvre therefore contains many works composed for amateurs. Kurzbach's musical creativity only found its full expression roughly since the founding of the GDR. The main focus of his work is vocal music. Song-like, vocal melodies can also be found in his instrumental music. Although Kurzbach was not categorically opposed to musical innovations, he was of the opinion that comprehensibility and the relationship to the listener had to be given top priority. For this reason, he did not abandon the reference to tonality, although he repeatedly explored its limits. In reunified Germany, however, he did not find the recognition he had enjoyed in the GDR.[5]
Sonata for violoncello solo Mother and the Neutron Bomb (after Yevgeny Yevtushenko) (1985)
Piano music
3 Sonatinas (1947, 1947, 1963)
Further readingedit
Leonhardt, Arne: Paul Kurzbach, in Aus dem Leben und Schaffen unserer Komponisten, issue 4 of the series Aus dem Leben und Schaffen großer Musiker, Berlin 1972
Laux, Karl (ed.): Das Musikleben in der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, Leipzig o.-J.
Hollfelder, Peter: Die Klaviermusik, Hamburg 1999
Schaefer, Hansjürgen: Beiheft zur LP ETERNA 8 25 892 unsere neue musik 42: Otto Reinhold: Triptychon for Orchester, Paul Kurzbach: Concertino für Klavier und Streicher
Müller, Hans-Peter: Beiheft zur LP NOVA 8 85 114 Paul Kurzbach. Ein Komponistenporträt
Referencesedit
^Harry Waibel: Diener vieler Herren. Former Nazi functionaries in the SBZ/DDR. Peter Lang, Frankfurt among others, 2011, ISBN978-3-631-63542-1, p. 190.
paul, kurzbach, december, 1902, august, 1997, german, composer, contents, life, style, work, further, reading, references, external, linkslife, editborn, hohndorf, saxony, kurzbach, came, from, humble, background, became, involved, early, among, others, leader. Paul Kurzbach 13 December 1902 2 August 1997 was a German composer Contents 1 Life 2 Style 3 Work 4 Further reading 5 References 6 External linksLife editBorn in Hohndorf Saxony Kurzbach came from a humble background and became involved early on among others as a leader of workers choirs in the labour movement From 1916 to 1923 he studied at the teacher training college Zschopau and worked as a teacher from 1921 to 1933 In 1920 he began studying music at the Leipzig Conservatory which he completed in 1928 Here he made the acquaintance of Hermann Scherchen who encouraged the young composer From 1939 to 1942 he was a pupil of Carl Orff During the National Socialist era Kurzbach became a member of the NSDAP in 1939 1 He became a soldier in World War II and was a prisoner of war until 1946 He then moved to Karl Marx Stadt and became a member of the SED and the FDGB He worked as a choir director and as an employee of the FDGB the Kulturbund and other institutions Kurzbach re entered the teaching profession and was among other things head of the Karl Marx Stadt Folk Music School From 1951 to 1975 he was chairman then honorary chairman of the composers association in the Karl Marx Stadt district Kurzbach was also active in the central board of the composers association and was its vice president from 1968 to 1977 He had been a freelance composer since 1955 Kurzbach was highly respected in the GDR among other awards he received the Honorary Ribbon of the Patriotic Order of Merit in gold in 1982 2 the Order of Star of People s Friendship in gold in 1987 3 as well as the Prize for Popular Artistic Creation He was also an honorary citizen of Karl Marx Stadt 4 Style editDecisive for Kurzbach s musical language were impulses from Carl Orff and Hanns Eisler Orff s influence can be seen above all in a differentiated complex rhythm a sound described as rough hard or pithy and a preference for clear structures Eisler gave Kurzbach important ideas regarding his understanding of the social function of music Kurzbach saw himself as motivated by a social mission strove to create musical institutions for a broad mass and saw music as a means of changing the world His oeuvre therefore contains many works composed for amateurs Kurzbach s musical creativity only found its full expression roughly since the founding of the GDR The main focus of his work is vocal music Song like vocal melodies can also be found in his instrumental music Although Kurzbach was not categorically opposed to musical innovations he was of the opinion that comprehensibility and the relationship to the listener had to be given top priority For this reason he did not abandon the reference to tonality although he repeatedly explored its limits In reunified Germany however he did not find the recognition he had enjoyed in the GDR 5 Kurzbach died in Chemnitz at the age of 94 6 Work editOrchestra pieces Symphony op 12 designated as No 1 1926 Symphony in C 1952 Chamber Symphony op 21 1931 Dafnis Lyrical Portrait for Orchestra after Arno Holz 1950 Divertimento for small orchestra 1953 Peasant Music Four Pieces for Orchestra 1959 60 Thyl Claas a portrait 1961 62 Orchestral Variations on a Melody by Henry Purcell 1966 7 Serenades among others No 1 for orchestra 1964 No 2 for orchestra 1968 No 3 for orchestra 1969 No 5 for wind orchestra No 6 for strings 1971 No 7 for soprano bass and orchestra after texts by Weisenborn Brecht and Strittmatter 1972 Concertos Concerto for Harpsichord and Strings 1957 Concertino for piano and strings 1965 Violin Concerto 1969 Violoncello Concerto 1982 Stage work Young Love opera based on Gottfried Keller s Romeo and Juliet in the Village 1933 36 Historia de Susanna Opera 1946 Thomas Muntzer Opera 1948 51 rev 1972 73 Thyl Claas Opera 1955 56 Jean the Soldier three act opera 1981 Vocal music May Cantata after Gunter Felkel 1951 An die Nachgeborenen cantata after Bertolt Brecht 1951 Cantata of Friendship after Horst Salomon 1959 Hymn to the Era of Peaceful Times cantata 1960 Alles wandelt sich cantata after Brecht 1970 News about Ole Bienkopp cantata after Erwin Strittmatter 1978 Stella caerulea nostra oratorio 1988 206 solo songs songs and chansons 150 choral and mass songs Chamber music Concerto for solo double bass wind quintet harpsichord and percussion 1980 String quintet O miracol d amore conversazione con Carlo Gesualdo 1989 Piano Quintet 1990 9 string quartets 1945 1947 1948 1958 1975 1977 1985 1986 1991 Quartet for flute horn harp and violin 1990 Piano Trio op 9 c 1925 26 Piano Trio 1967 Trio for oboe clarinet and bassoon 1938 Trio for accordion guitar and violoncello 1983 Sonatina for violin and piano 1962 Sonatina for violoncello and piano 1961 Sonata for violoncello solo Mother and the Neutron Bomb after Yevgeny Yevtushenko 1985 Piano music 3 Sonatinas 1947 1947 1963 Further reading editLeonhardt Arne Paul Kurzbach in Aus dem Leben und Schaffen unserer Komponisten issue 4 of the series Aus dem Leben und Schaffen grosser Musiker Berlin 1972 Laux Karl ed Das Musikleben in der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik Leipzig o J Hollfelder Peter Die Klaviermusik Hamburg 1999 Schaefer Hansjurgen Beiheft zur LP ETERNA 8 25 892 unsere neue musik 42 Otto Reinhold Triptychon for Orchester Paul Kurzbach Concertino fur Klavier und Streicher Muller Hans Peter Beiheft zur LP NOVA 8 85 114 Paul Kurzbach Ein KomponistenportratReferences edit Harry Waibel Diener vieler Herren Former Nazi functionaries in the SBZ DDR Peter Lang Frankfurt among others 2011 ISBN 978 3 631 63542 1 p 190 Neues Deutschland 6 October 1982 p 2 Neues Deutschland 3 4 October 1987 p 3 Paul Kurzbach on Italiano Opera Paul Kurzbach Ein Komponistenportrat on Google Books Paul Kurzbach 1902 1997 on EarSenseExternal links editLiterature by and about Paul Kurzbach in the German National Library catalogue Paul Kurzbach discography at Discogs nbsp Sachsische Biografie Portals nbsp Classical music nbsp Germany Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Kurzbach amp oldid 1144866121, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
