Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter

Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter (Requiem for a Young Ludwig Wittgenstein (from his Philosophical Investiga-
Poet)[1] is an extended composition by Bernd Alois Zim- tions), Pope John XXIII, James Joyce (Molly Blooms
mermann, written from 1967 to 1969 for two speakers, Monologue from Ulysses), Alexander Dubek (an address
soprano and baritone soloists, three choirs, jazz band, to the Czech people), Hitler, Chamberlain, Andreas Pa-
organ, tapes and a large orchestra. Subtitled Lingual pandreou, Ezra Pound, Kurt Schwitters, Albert Camus
(speech work),[1] it sets a text that includes the Latin litur-
and Sndor Weres.[3] Quoted music includes fragments
gical Mass for the Dead and literary, philosophical, reli-
from Wagners Tristan und Isolde, Milhauds La cra-
tion du monde, Messiaens L'ascension and The Beatles
gious and political texts, related to politics and the his-
tory of mind during the composers life. The work has "Hey Jude".[3] In the section Dona nobis pacem (Grant us
elements of a cantata, an oratorio and an audio play. peace), excerpts from Beethovens Ninth Symphony are
Three poets whose texts are quoted in the work ended contrasted with texts by Joachim [3]
von Ribbentrop, Stalin,
their life in suicide: Vladimir Mayakovsky, Konrad Goebbels, Churchill and Bayer. The work has elements
Bayer and Sergei Yesenin. Taped additions include the of a cantata, an oratorio and an audio play.[5]
voices of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, Pope Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter was premiered in
John XXIII, James Joyce, Alexander Dubek, Hitler, 1969 at the Rheinhalle in Dsseldorf.[6] Michael Gie-
Chamberlain, Andreas Papandreou, Ezra Pound, Kurt len conducted the WDR Rundfunkchor Kln, prepared
Schwitters, Albert Camus and Sndor Weres. Quoted by Herbert Schernus and the Klner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-
music includes fragments from Wagners Tristan und Orchester, with soloists Edda Moser and Gnter Re-
Isolde, Milhauds La cration du monde, Messiaens ich, speakers Hans Franzen and Matthias Fuchs, and
L'ascension and The Beatles "Hey Jude". In the sec- the Manfred-Schoof-Quintett.[1] It was published by
tion Dona nobis pacem (Grant us peace), excerpts from Schott.[1]
Beethovens Ninth Symphony are contrasted with texts
by Joachim von Ribbentrop, Stalin, Goebbels, Churchill
and Bayer. It was premiered in Dsseldorf in 1969, con- 2 Structure and scoring
ducted by Michael Gielen. The composer died by suicide
in 1970.
Zimmermann structured the work in six movements.
Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter was published by Only the rst and the last have the titles from the Latin
Schott, and has been recorded three times. Requiem, the others are titled in Italian:[5]

1. Prolog, Requiem I
1 History 2. Rappresentazione

Zimmermann composed Requiem fr einen jungen Dich- 3. Elegia

ter on a commission by the broadcaster Westdeutscher
Rundfunk.[1] He worked on it from 1967 to 1969. The
composition for two speakers, soprano and baritone
soloists, three choirs, jazz band, organ, tapes and a large
orchestra is based on a text which juxtaposes the Latin
liturgical Mass for the Dead with literary, philosophical,
religious and political texts. They relate to political events
and the history of mind which inuenced the composers
life from 1918 to 1969.[2] Three poets whose texts are
quoted in the work ended their life in suicide, as Zimmer-
manns also: Vladimir Mayakovsky, Konrad Bayer and
Sergei Yesenin. The motto of the work, What can we
hope for? There is nothing that awaits us except death[3]
(frage: worauf hoen? / es gibt nichts was zu erre-
ichen wre, auer dem tod.),[4] was written by Bayer.[3]
Taped additions include the voices of the philosopher
4. Tratto
5. Lamento
6. Dona nobis pacem
The duration is given as a little longer than an hour.[5]
Zimmermann scored the work for two speakers, soprano
and baritone soloists, three choirs, a jazz combo, organ,
tapes and a large orchestra of 4 utes (all doubling on
piccolo), 4 oboes (13 also oboe d'amore), 4 clarinets (4
also bass clarinet), alto saxophone (also soprano and tenor
saxophone), tenor saxophone (also baritone saxophone),
3 bassoons (3 also contrabassoon), 5 trombones (4 and 5
also tenor trombone), 4 trumpets, bass trumpet, percus-
sion (3 players), crotals, cymbals, 4 tamtams, 3 tomtoms,

1
2 4 REFERENCES

small drums, large drums, triangle, 4 marimbas, leg- [7] Clements, Dominy (2009). Bernd Alois Zimmer-
nophon, harp, glockenspiel, 2 pianos, and strings.[1] mann (19181970) / Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter.
musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 2 May 2017.

[8] Bernd-Alois-Zimmermann: Requiem fr einen jungen

3 Recordings Dichter. JPC. Retrieved 2 May 2017.

Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter was rst recorded in

1989 with choir and orchestra of the WDR, conducted
by Gary Bertini, with singers Phyllis Bryn-Julson and
Roland Hermann, speakers Lutz Lansemann and Hans
Franzen, and the Manfred Schoof Quintett.[7][8]
It was recorded in 1995 with soloists Vlatka Orani and
James Johnson, speakers Bernhard Schir and Christoph
Grund, Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Bratislava Slovak
Chorus, Bratislava City Chorus, Rundfunkchor Kln,
Rundfunkchor Stuttgart, South West German Radio
Symphony Orchestra and Alexander von Schlippenbach
Jazz Band. A reviewer of this recording notes that the
work is a humbling polyphony of twentieth-century mis-
deeds riveting, provocative, uncompromising and as es-
sential to our understanding of 1960s 'serious music as
The Beatles are to an informed perception of that decades
pop culture.[3]
Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter was recorded in
2008 by Cybele Records, with soloists Claudia Barain-
sky and David Pittman-Jennings, speakers Michael
Rotschopf and Lutz Lansemann, the Czech Philhar-
monic Choir Brno, the Slovak Philharmonic Choir,
EuropaChorAkademie, Eric Vloeimans Quintet, Holland
Symfonia, conducted by Bernhard Kontarsky. The
recording follows the specications to position the three
choirs at dierent locations in the hall.[5] A reviewer
notes: Freedom, ideology, liberation, human dignity,
struggle and death all of these issues dealt with in a vast
dramatic canvas.[7]

4 References
[1] Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter (in German). Schott.
15 December 1969. Retrieved 26 April 2017.

[2] Bernd Alois Zimmermanns: Requiem fr einen jungen

Dichter (in German). ARD. Retrieved 25 April 2017.

[3] Zimmermann Requiem for a Young Poet.

Gramophone. 1995. Retrieved 26 April 2017.

[4] Becher, Chr. (15 March 2007). Klassiker der Moderne

(53): / Worauf hoen?". Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved
25 April 2017.

[5] Bernd Alois Zimmermanns: Requiem fr einen jungen

Dichter (in German). Cybele Records. Retrieved 1 May
2017.

[6] Musik / Zimmermann / Schriller Grabgesang. Der

Spiegel (in German). 15 December 1969. Retrieved 26
April 2017.
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5 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.1 Text
Requiem fr einen jungen Dichter Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem_f%C3%BCr_einen_jungen_Dichter?oldid=
783030101 Contributors: Tea2min, The Rambling Man, Curly Turkey, Deborahjay, Gerda Arendt, LouisAlain and BU Rob13

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