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Born in 1941 in Vienna, he studied in
Vienna and Paris such subjects as music education, German
philology, art history, cello, composition (with Karl
Schiske, Gottfried von Einem, Olivier Messiaen and Renè
Leibovitz) and electro-acoustic music (with Pierre Schaeffer
and Francois Bayle at the Groupe Recherches Musicales of
French Radio). Since 1970 he has been a teacher of
electro-acoustic music at the University of Music and
Dramatic Arts in Vienna. Today he is a head of two
master-classes, in composition (since 1990) and in
electro-acoustic music (since 1997). From 1983 to 1988 he
was the president of the Austrian section of iscm, from 1988
to 1990 the president of the Society of Electro-acoustic
music in Austria (gem).
In 1975 together with his wife Gunda König he founded the
music-theatre ensemble k&k Experimental Studio. It made
numerous tours in Europe, the Americas, Egypt and Taiwan. He
has also prepared a series of programmes entitled 'Was soll
der Klang in meiner Hand' for Austrian Radio.
Kaufmann's output includes chamber, symphonic and vocal
music as well as music theatre (4 operas and many
multi-media works), electro-acoustic and live electronic
music. He has received numerous national and international
prizes, e. g. Prix Magisterium Bourges, Ernst Krenek Preis
der Stadt Wien, the prizes of Carinthia Land and of the
Republic of Austria.
Selected compositions (since 1980): Der
west-östliche Walzer, Op. 43, for clarinet, trombone,
cello, piano and tape ad libitum (1980), Ständchen für
einen Potentaten, Op. 45, for instrumental ensemble (1982),
Studie nach der Natur, Op. 47, for orchestra (1983),
Quodlibet über drei Choräle und eine Operettenmelodie für
gemischten Chor, Op. 49 (1984), Für Clara, Op. 51, romantic
piano concerto (1985), Himmel und Erde, Op. 53, for tape
(1985), Die Reise ins Paradies, Op. 56, vocal theatre after
a sketch by Robert Musil from The Man without Qualities, for
actors, reciters, singers, projections and electroacoustic
devices (1987), Missa Povera, Op. 58, for mixed choir a
cappella (1987), Bruder Boleslaw, Op. 61, opera and mass
with texts by Roman BrandstÖtter and by the composer
(1989), Wer hat mein Lied so zerstört, Op. 62, for voice
and tape, with various texts (1989), Still ist das Land, Op.
64, multi-media performance after the play by Albert Tisal
(1990), Tag-Nacht-Morgen, Op. 65, electroacoustic piece
(1991), Genius Compact, Op. 67, six bagatelles for saxophone
quartet (1992), Blech und Kehle. Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 68,
for tape (1992), Schrott und Korn. Eine Abfallsinfonie, Op.
69 (1992), Grand jeu, Op. 70, for accordion and tape (1993),
Requiem in A for large orchestra and bells (1993), MoritÖten
for vocal-instrumental ensemble (1994), O santa acusmatica:
'La mer', Op. 75, electroacoustic piece (1994), O santa
acusmatica: 'Offenes Meer', Op. 75a, for orchestra, tape and
live electronics (1996), Dolores - ein Heldenleben? Op. 76,
operetta (1996), Allgemeine Erklärung der Menschenrechte
for soloists, mixed choir, orchestra, bells, organ and
electronics (1999/2000).
Grand jeu. The organ - the great relative
of the accordion - is the first association with this title.
Grand jeu should be understood however in a theatrical
sense. The accordion is placed somewhere in the middle
between 'the king of instruments' and his poor little
brother, the barrel organ. In the Grand jeu the accordion
tries to discover its identity - going through the fields of
folklore, classical music, and experimental music, fighting
with its mirror image (presented by the loudspeakers). The
sound content of tape was produced in the 'factory of
accordion sounds' by Alfred Mélichar. This material has
been transformed to achieve the counter-image of the
accordion player.
The composition consists of three five-minute long
movements: the first creates a quasi-waltz; the second - a
quasi-tango, and the third, introducing a
cz‡rd‡s motif, leads to the final cadenza, a
tragic attempt to achieve the summit of a 'great play'
('grand jeu').
But also on the more elementary level there is about a play:
the breath (the air blows out of the instrument) - to
survive in a physical sense,
the laughter - to survive in a psychological sense,
the joy of play - play of sounds, play of music, play of
life...
This work was composed on the suggestion of the accordion
player Alfred Mélichar. It was commissioned by gmem and was
realized in gmem studios on December 1992 - January 1993.
Grand jeu is dedicated to Christian and Chantal.
Dieter Kaufmann
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