Helmut Zapf

Was born in Rauschengesees (Thuringia) in 1956. He studied church music in Eisenach and Halle (1974­79). He participated regularly in the International Summer Courses of Newe Music in Gera. In 1979­82 he worked as a cantor in Eisenberg (Thuringia), and then (1982­86) studied with Georg Katzer at the Akademie der Künste der ddr in Berlin. Since 1986 he has worked as a free-lance composer and organist. He also teaches at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin.

Selected works: Toccata for organ (1976), Fuge a. s. for organ (1978), Recitativ for oboe and string quartet (1979), toccata 79 ­ Dir, dir Jehova will ich singen for organ (1979), Das Leiden und Sterben unseres Herren Jesu for choir and chamber ensemble (1980), Friede auf Erden for trombone (1981), Singender Mann for flute (1982), String Quartet No. 1 (1984), Brechungen I­III for flute, violin, viola and cello (1981­85), Contra-Punkte for instrumental ensemble (1985), Concertino for Orchestra (1986), Wandlungen for trombone and tape (1986), Komposition for instruments and live electronics (1986), Venezianische Erinnerungen for orchestra (1987), Tanzende Alte for cello (1987), Posaunenklang for trombone (1987), In Melodie den Geist zu wiegen, ertöne nun der Saite Zauber for harp (1987), Anklang for tape (1987), Arpeggio for harp and tape (1988), Piece 1 for voice, organ and orchestra (1989), 2+4 for six percussionists (1989­90), Pater noster for mixed choir (1990), Zusammenklang I­III for chamber ensemble (1987­91), Motette for tape (1991), Dreiklang I­II for three performers (1991­92), Dreiklang III for large orchestra (1992), sound, string quartet (1993), Dreiklang IV for piano and orchestra (1994), Etre en vie for six percussionists (1994), Zwischentöne for chamber ensemble (1994), canzone for drums and live electronics (1994), Abendklänge for chamber ensemble (1995), Canto dell1aria for oboe and tape (1995), Trio I­II for string instruments (1996), ombre for organ and casette tape-recorder (1997), Denstedter Klanglandschaften I­II for violin, organ and tape (1997­98), discantus I­III for voice and instruments (1997­98), magnificat for four voices, violin, organ and percussion (1998), Frühling, Sommer, Herbst, Winter for various instruments with accordion (1999), Lilith, oratorio scene (1999­2000), Lob der Steine for violin and chamber orchestra (2000), Klangbeschreibungen für Orgel ­ Dominus pascit me for organ (2000), Albedo III­VI for chamber ensembles (2000­02), Nürnberger Mixt(o)ur for accordion ensemble and five cd players (2001­02), Alleluia, chamber symphony (2002), Da Pacem, Domine for four viola da gambas (2002), Die letzten Sieben Worte unseres Erlösers Jesu Christi am Kreuz for mixed choir and clarinet (2002), Domine labia mea aperies for organ (2002), Lass mich hören for tape (2002).

Canto dell1aria
The electroacoustic sound material consists solely of oboe sounds transformed by means of a wide range of computer programmes (including C-Sound, Soundhack, and various plug-ins of Pro Tools tdm) in my home studio. I have created a musical arc, in the literal meaning of the word: from the murmur of air through delicate, sensitive melodic phrases, up to full fortissimo, and back. The oboist should follow the score, at the same time monitoring the electro-acoustic track reproduced from cd. This helps him to maintain a constant tempo and inspires the shape of the sounds produced, which vary from performance to performance.
Helmut Zapf