Prof. i.R. Norbert Fröhlich

Vita

Norbert Fröhlich, born in Essen in 1960, studied composition at the Folkwang Hochschule Essen with Wolfgang Hufschmidt from 1974-82 and piano/cembalo with Iwona Salling. In 1980 he stayed in Israel for study purposes with Haim Alexander, Zwi Avni and Mark Kopytman. 1983-86 he studied mathematics, religious studies and musicology in Bonn.

From 1985-96 Norbert Fröhlich held teaching posts in music theory and composition at the Folkwang Hochschule Essen and the Hochschule für Künste Bremen. In 1990-93 he was a lecturer at the HdK Berlin, since 1993 he has been Professor of Music Theory at the Trossingen University of Music. 

He has received the Stuttgart Composition Prize, the Promotion Prize of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Prize of the WDR Forum of Young Composers and the NDR Music Prize, among others. 

The focus of his compositional work is on the use of language: in numerous works based on texts by Pablo Neruda, Nelly Sachs, Paul Celan and H.C.Artmann, it is not only a matter of "setting language to music", but also of creating an appropriate musical ambience in which it retains its speaking expression as spoken and staged. The most important work in this context: the full-length stage work anselm, antonia und der böse Caspar - Küchenoper in 1 Akt for 1 speaker and 1 clarinettist based on texts by H. C. Artmann, a joint production with the speaker Sabine A. Werner and the clarinettist Albrecht Friedrich. 

Works (selection):

"...for alto voice and large orchestra" after Nelly Sachs (1980/81) 
noch gestern - a post-song with texts by Paul Celan for chamber ensemble and tape (1983) 
Piano pieces after Yiddish songs (1980-94) 
Four episodes, after Pablo Neruda, for voice, violin and percussion (1984) 
"The garments of the morning are not the garments of the evening" for alto voice and chamber ensemble after a text by Nelly Sachs (1986) 
Three gymnopedia by Erik Satie, arranged for two guitars (1988) 
Chansons after texts by Mascha Kaléko (1989/90) 
nach der mitternacht I. for large orchestra (1993) 
tralatradiridirom for violin solo (1995) 
"Always there where children die" - a text by Nelly Sachs for speaking voice and viola solo (1996) 
"The Puppet Master" from: "Epitaphs written in the air" by Nelly Sachs (2000) 
"Possibly Animal" - A story by Nina Jäckle, with piano and trombone sounds (2002) 
"St. Pauler Sommerstücke" - tone poems for violin/viola solo (2003/04) 
"Tenderness, imprecise..." - Fantasy with Rilke associations for vibraphone solo - Klaus Huber for his 80th birthday (2004) 
anselm, antonia und der böse caspar - a kitchen opera in 1 act for 1 female speaker and 1 male clarinettist after H.C. Artmann (2001/06) 
Bicini book for clarinet and oboe (2007/08) 
"Don't forget Satie!" Four pieces for guitar solo (2008) 
"Drawing lines... in the invisible" - for trombone solo (2008) 
"Breathe, you invisible poem" - Elegies for Historical TUTZ Clarinet (2010)  
"... homeless" - for viola solo (2010)  
"Sleep, sleep..." - Music for piano after Yiddish song (2010)  
SISYPHOS" - Fantasia quasi infinita for solo chalumeau (2011)  
"Back to the Roots" - Music at the Museum Biedermann (with an arrangement of Variations I by Cage for cello solo, the Canons from Bach's Musical Offering for 8 accordionists and SISYPHOS) (2011/12) 
WOLKEN - Fantasy on Monteverdi's "Lamento d'Arianne" (Solo for Soma) for viola da gamba (2012)  
Music about Seasons (I) - Poems for Traverso (2012/13)  
Musette (with poem by Paul Celan) - for basset horn trio (2013) Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)