Wolfgang Mitterer
Wolfgang Mitterer is an Austrian composer and musician.
Biography
Wolfgang Mitterer studied with Otto Bruckner in Graz in 1977, and then from 1978 to 1983 at the Vienna University of Music he studied organ with Herbert Tachezi and composition with Heinrich Gattermeyer before working for a year at the studio for electroacoustic music in Stockholm in 1983. This was followed by scholarships to Rome in 1988 and Berlin from 1995 to 1996. In 1991 Mitterer founded the Olongapo label.Mitterer is considered to be one of the most important contemporary Austrian composers and a pioneer in the field of electroacoustic music. He currently does a lot of work together with other artists, frequently with international improvisation and jazz musicians such as Wolfgang Puschnig, Wolfgang Reisinger, Linda Sharrock, Klaus Dickbauer, Sainkho Namtchylak, Tscho Theissing, Tom Cora, Ernst Reijseger, Hozan Yamamoto, Roscoe Mitchell, Georg Breinschmid, David Liebman, David Moss, Max Nagl, Achim Tang, Patrick Pulsinger, Christof Kurzmann, Christian Fennesz, Marc Ducret, Franz Koglmann, Louis Sclavis, Harry Pepl and others.
In addition Mitterer has appeared as an organist, interpreting works by Bach, Messiaen and Ligeti among others. He has played in off locations such as in a quarry and in a disused fortification complex in Tyrol. He has also been involved in the Donaueschingen Festival, the steirischer herbst and the Darmstädter Ferienkurse. Alongside sound installations and numerous electronic collages Wolfgang Mitterer has also written chamber music, scenic works, also operas, a piano concerto and music for orchestra and organ. In addition he has worked on experimental films, radio plays and theatres, has written live accompaniments to silent movies, but also music for the shows of a fashion designer.
Wolfgang Mitterer has lectured at the Vienna University of Music as well as at the Darmstadt International Summer Courses for New Music. He is a supervisory board member of austro mechana.
Artistic works
Wolfgang Mitterer works and composes in the field of collective improvisation music, plays the organ and electronic instruments. The space-relatedness, which he frequently emphasises in his titles, gave works such as "Waldmusik", "silbersandmusik", "Turmbau zu Babel", "horizontal noise", "vertical silence" and "Labyrinth 6–11" a particular character. Sometimes up to 4000 people worked on these; in addition many traditional sounds such as brass bands and choral societies were used. These projects ultimately emerged from Wolfgang Mitterer's recordings in the most diverse musical genres and through joint appearances with representatives of the DJ scene and concerts, also through reinterpretations of classical works from Bach, to Schubert.Wolfgang Mitterer also works on scenic and dramatic productions, the texts of which he partly collects and adapts himself, such as in "Ka und der Pavian", based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead and in "Massacre", based on religious murders from the 16th century after Christopher Marlowe or the lieder cycle "Im Sturm", based on the lieder of Franz Schubert. In 2004 his performance with dancers, Labyrinth for soprano and electronics, was performed at the Semper Depot of Vienna, by the group DANS.KIAS, choreographed by Saskia Hölbling, and Katia Plaschka, soprano.
Awards (selection)
- 1986: German Record Critics' Prize
- 1989: State Scholarship for Composition
- 1990: Prix Ars Electronica Recognition Prize
- 1992: Max Brand Prize
- 1995: Emil Berlanda Prize
- 1995: Prix Futura Berlin
- 2002: Tyrol Prize for Art
- 2004: Vienna Music Prize
- 2008: Prix Italia
Projects/Works
- Für VC und Klav
- Fractals 13
- Fractals 3
- Fractals 9
- Ostinato
- Senza Cauda
- Composto
- Larifari
- Charivari
- Danza Saltata
- Idee Fixe
- Idefix
- Farce
- Nichts
- Bewegungen
- Uluru 1
- Uluru 2
- Selbstähnlich
- Facile
- String Quartet
- Do not Touch it
- Just an Idea of Something
- Surfaces 1–5
- Fisis
- Networds 1–5
- Waldmusik
- Turmbau zu Babel
- Modemusik 1
- Modemusik 2
- Off Limits
- Broken Consort
- Dirty Tones
- More Dirty Tones
- Free Flow
- Reluctant Games
- Ab und zu
- Das Schattengedächtnis
- Amusie
- Contracis
- Und träumte seltsam
- Angelos
- Taktspende
- With Usura
- Radio Fractal
- Beat Music
- Ka und der Pavian
- Silbersandmusik
- Vertical Silence
- White Foam
- Konzert für Klavier, Orchester und Elektronik
- Horizontal Noise
- Espirando
- Kadout
- Massacre
- Crushrooms
- Labyrinth 1+2
- Coloured Noise
- Im Sturm
- Labyrinth 3
- Das tapfere Schneiderlein
- Inwendig losgelöst
- Labyrinth 4
- Mit einem lachenden Auge
- Go Next
- Kleines Requiem
- Stück Nr.2
- Äpfel und Birnen
- Orgelmusik
- Oboe
- Grand jeu
- Krummhorn
- Vox acuta
- Schlagstück
- Regentoccata
- Toccata ohne sorge
- Stop playing
- Piber 2003
- Tränenblind
- Seltsam unruhig
- Sonori
- Ive 1
- Fractals 5
- Oitasitros
- Obsoderso
- Holladijodldijo
- Ive
- Sortisatio
- Histrio
- Tastatura
- Cantus Fractus
- Burleska
- Mixture
- Homage a Bonbonidodonidonido
- 5 Stücke für Orgel und 7-Kanalband
- Balancement
- www.bwv.org
- Surfaces 1–5
- Fast Actions for Small Orgean
- Realtimesinfony
- Mir wird schlecht
- Violettes Gras
- Mimemata
- Funeral March
- Lied auf einem Ton
- Lied eines einsamen
- Mit dem Regen in die
- Impac Drullen
- Olongapo
- Fractals 2
- Roxy
- Materials: Slow Motion 1
- Quiet Moments
- Langsam mahlen
- Reiseis
- Sopop
- Astrologia Mundi
- Fractals 11
- Pat Brothers"
- Hirn mit Ei"
- Call Boys Inc.
- Namtchylak/Mitterer"
- Mitchell/Reisinger/Mitchell
- Matador 1"
- The Four Seasons"
- Two Days Till Tomorrow
- Lied
- Mikado
- Transitions 1
- Tenebre
- I:R:S:
- Carbon Copy
- Carbon Copy und Alex Deutsch
- Badminton
- Some Like it Soft
- Running Boxes
- Box Blocks
- Greiz
- Zeit vergeht
- Ottenstein
- Waldreichs
- TVKM
- Drunk
- Nit weiter geht
- Chargaff
- Trilogie
- Falter
- 1500 circa
- Nosferatu
- GT
- Carl Mayer
- Oktober
- Northern Light Pictures
- Nu
- 17 und 4
- Der Erzbischof ist da
- Der Irre
- Lenz
- Guernika
- Xanadu
- Koltes
- Nemo Nemo Loquetur
- Glöckner von Belgrad
- Theatermusik 4
- Theatermusik 5
- Musik zur Ursonate
- Ciao Mama
- Battuto
- Kirschgarten
- Nachtflug 2
- Eur.oper
- Nullmelodie
- Krok
- Null Bytes
- Brain
- Lady Killer
- Viruskonferenz
- Splitter
- Rafael Sanchez readsOnce Upon a Time in the West"
- Indigenous people
- Goldrausch
- Schrödingers Katze"
- Casanova Matador
- Santo Subito
- Nacht der Wünsche
- Blackwater Redux''
Discography
- Konzert für Klavier und Orchester
- Mixture 5
- Das tapfere Schneiderlein
- Im Sturm
- Sopop
- Music for checking e-mails
- Beethoven: 9in1
- Coloured Noise
- Radio Fractal / Beat Music
- Obsoderso
- Pat Brothers
- Call Boys Inc. I
- Amusie
- Masters of Zen Yamamoto/Mitterer
- Grand jeu
- Reluctant Games
- Violettes Gras
- Mimemata
- Matador
- Turmbau zu Babel
- Call Boys Inc. II
- Two Days till tomorrow
- Dirty Tones
- I.R.S.
- Carbon Copy
- Piber 2003
Literature (selection)