| 1931 | born in Basel on 3 September |
| 1950-1953 | his studies include composition lessons with Walther Geiser at the Basel Music Academy and musicology with Jacques Handschin at the university there further composition studies with Willy Burkhard in Zurich and Boris Blacher in Salzburg |
| 1955 | composition studies at the Northwest German Music Academy in Detmold with Günter Bialas and Wolfgang Fortner |
| 1956-1960 | active as teacher and conductor in Basel |
| 1960-1968 | teaches theory and composition at the Northwest German Music Academy in Detmold |
| 1962 | receives the Bernhard Sprengel Prize awarded by German Industry Hannover |
| 1963 | appointed Professor |
| 1968-1975 | teaches at the Conservatory and Musikhochschule in Zurich |
| 1969-1974 | editor-in-chief of the "Schweizerische Musikzeitung" |
| 1970 | guest lecturer in the United States Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Prize Zurich |
| 1973 | Zurich radio prize for a series on understanding music by listening consciously |
| 1974-1980 | head of the Music Department at the Radio of German and Rhaeto-Romanic Switzerland (DRS) |
| 1980-1983 | Professor at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe |
| 1980 | guest lecturer in the United States |
| 1981 | guest lecturer in England |
| 1983-1994 | Director of the Music Academy in Basel |
| 1984 | Composition Prize of the "Schweizerischer Tonkünstlerverein" Arts Prize of the city of Basel |
| 1986 | guest lecturer in Japan and South Korea |
| 1987-1997 | Director of Basel Music Forum (with Heinz Holliger and Jürg Wyttenbach) |
| 1990 | composer-in-residence and instructor at Kunitachi Music College, Tokyo |
| 1992 | composer-in-residence at Cheltenham Festival |
| 1993 | visiting lecturer at Shanghai Conservatory of Music |
| 1994-1996 | teacher at Music Academy of the City of Basel |
| 1997 | Member of the Freie Akademie der Künste [Free Academy of Arts] Mannheim |
| 1998 | guest lecturer at the Lithuanian Music Academy, Vilnius |
| 2001 | composition seminar at the St. Petersburg Conservatory |
| 2007 | composer-in-residence at the Musikhochschule Münster "Musik unserer Zeit" ["Music in Our Time"] |
| 2021 | Died in Basel on March 24th |
| Until the mid-1990s Kelterborn was also active as a guest conductor, mainly as an interpreter of his own works. He has published numerous music-theoretical and analytical essays and books, and has been invited as a guest lecturer to England, the USA, Japan, China and Eastern Europe. Kelterborn’s compositions have been recognised in many essays and publications. |
| composer_first_name | composer_last_name | title | date | orchestra | conductor | location | special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Seither | Neues Werk für Stimme und Klavier | 05.07.2025 | Dietrich Henschel (Bariton), Anne Le Bozec (Klavier) | Bad Kissingen (Kissinger Sommer, Liederwerkstatt) | Uraufführung | |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XIX (wie schön leucht uns der morgenstern) für orgel solo | 18.07.2025 | Georg Gottschlich (Orgel) | Berlin (St. Marien Friedenau) | ||
| Andrea Lorenzo | Scartazzini | Enigma für Orchester | 18.07.2025 | Jenaer Philharmonie | Simon Gaudenz | Toblach (Mahler Festwochen) | |
| Beat | Furrer | Prophezeiungen – für Alt, Kontrabassklarinette und Akkordeon | 19.07.2025 | Helena Sorokina (Alt), Marco Sala (Kontrabassklarinette), Krassimir Sterev (Akkordeon), Cantando Admont | Cordula Bürgi | Salzburg (Salzburger Festspiele, Kollegienkirche) | |
| Manfred | Trojahn | Streichquartett Nr. 3 | 26.07.2025 | Kuss Quartett | Hitzacker (Sommerliche Musiktage) | ||
| Beat | Furrer | Prophezeiungen – für Alt, Kontrabassklarinette und Akkordeon | 27.07.2025 | Helena Sorokina (Alt), Marco Sala (Kontrab.klarinette), Krassimir Sterev (Akk.), Cantando Admont | Cordula Bürgi | Ossiach (Carinthischer Sommer, Stiftskirche) | |
| Charlotte | Seither | „ahnst du“ für Orchester, Chor und Vokalensemble | 02.08.2025 | Orchester, Chor und Vokalensemble der Musikakademie der Studienstiftung | Martin Wettges | Bruneck (Intercable Arena) | |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XXXVII (so nimm denn meine hände) choralvorspiel XXXVII (so nimm denn meine hände) | 07.08.2025 | Leo van Doeselaar (Orgel) | Kampen (Bovenkerk) | Niederländische Erstauff. | |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XXXVIII (schmücke dich, o liebe seele) | 13.08.2025 | Anna-Victoria Baltrusch | Trier (Konstantinbasilika) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel XXXVIII (schmücke dich, o liebe seele) | 17.08.2025 | Anna-Victoria Baltrusch | Fulda (Dom St. Salvator) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel III (die nacht ist vorgedrungen) für orgel solo | 22.08.2025 | Angela Metzger (Orgel) | Berlin (Internationaler Orgelsommer, Dom) | ||
| Dieter | Ammann | Viola Concerto „No templates“ | 30.08.2025 | Tabea Zimmermann (Viola) Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra | David Robertson | Luzern (Lucerne Festival) | |
| Bernd Alois | Zimmermann | Musique pour les soupers du Roi Ubu | 31.08.2025 | Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin | Anja Bihlmaier | Bonn | |
| Beat | Furrer | Klavierkonzert Nr. 2 | 03.09.2025 | Francesco Piemontesi (Klavier), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande | Jonathan Nott | Genf (Victoria Hall) | Urauff., auch 4.9. Genf |
| Dieter | Ammann | Violation für Violoncello und Orchester | 14.09.2025 | Sol Gabetta (Violoncello), Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra | Riccardo Chailly | Luzern (Lucerne Festival) | |
| Matthias | Pintscher | NUR für Klavier und Ensemble | 26.09.2025 | Conrad Tao (Klavier), Konzerthausorchester Berlin | Matthias Pintscher | Berlin (Konzerthaus) | auch 27.9. |
| Beat | Furrer | PHAOS für Orchester | 28.09.2025 | Basel Sinfonietta | Titus Engel | Basel (Stadtcasino) | Schweizer Erstauff. |
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel IX (erbarm dich mein, o herre gott) für orgel solo | 06.10.2025 | Henry Fairs (Orgel) | Berlin (Maria unter dem Kreuz, Vierter Orgelzyklus) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | englouti, haché | 11.10.2025 | Angela Metzger (Orgel) | Madrid (Auditorio nacional de Música) | Span. Erstauff. | |
| Dieter | Ammann | Viola Concerto „No templates“ | 16.10.2025 | Nils Mönkemeyer (Viola), Münchener Kammerorchester | Bas Wiegers | München (Prinzregententheater) | |
| Manfred | Trojahn | Herbstmusik - Sinfonischer Satz | 23.10.2025 | Tiroler Symphonieorchester | Gerrit Prießnitz | Innsbruck (Congress) | auch 24.10. |
| Beat | Furrer | Studie III für Klavier solo | 02.11.2025 | Filippo Gorini (Klavier) | Hong Kong (City Hall) | Uraufführung | |
| Beat | Furrer | PHAOS für Orchester | 02.11.2025 | Basel Sinfonietta | Titus Engel | Essen (Philharmonie) | |
| Andrea Lorenzo | Scartazzini | Earth für Orchester (Neues Werk zum 200. Jubiläum der Bremer Philharmoniker) | 02.11.2025 | Bremer Philharmoniker | Marko Letonja | Bremen (Die Glocke) | Urauff., auch 3.11. |
| Giselher | Klebe | Das Mädchen aus Domrémy | 23.11.2025 | Alexander Hannemann, Regie: Michael Dissmeier | Detmold (Hochschule für Musik) | ||
| Lubica | Cekovská | Toy Procession or orchestra | 28.11.2025 | Houston Symphony Orchestra | Juraj Valcuha | Houston (Jones Hall) | Uraufführung |
| Philipp | Maintz | jag die hunde zurück! für sechs soprane und sechs schlagzeuger | 29.11.2025 | N. Senatskaya/S. Bódi/I. Balzer-Wolf/C. Vélez Murcia/H. Kim/M. Viera (Soprane), Christoph Sietzen | Wien (Festival Wien Modern, Konzerthaus) | Österr. Erstaufführung | |
| Philipp | Maintz | haché für orgel solo, englouti für orgel solo | 09.12.2025 | Angela Metzger (Orgel) | München (musica viva, Herkulessaal der Residenz) | ||
| Philipp | Maintz | choralvorspiel II (rorate cæli desuper) für orgel solo | 14.12.2025 | Andreas Sieling (Orgel) | Berlin (Dom) | Uraufführung | |
| Beat | Furrer | „Ira-Arca“ für Bassflöte und Kontrabass | 20.01.2026 | Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin | Berlin (Konzerthaus) |
Flexible Forms
Rudolf Kelterborn’s Ensemble-Buch V”, a composition for six instruments, receives its premiere in Zurich. His series of “Books” for differently-scored ensembles explore a multifaceted variety of forms.
[t]akte: Rudolf Kelterborn, your Ensemble-Bücher I, II and IV are works for voice and different instrumental forces, and explore the multitude of relationships between text and music. In your new Ensemble-Buch V you’ve composed a purely instrumental work (as you did previously in Buch III), however, the movements have very eloquent, poetic titles: Chemins, Dark music – Cris du monde, Natura morta 1, Illuminations, Beating and Whispering, Natura morta 2 – Apertura). Is there also a reference here to literary works?
Kelterborn: With my Ensemble-Buch V there is no literary background or other references to extra-musical events. The “eloquent, poetic” movement titles might, however, draw the listener’s imagination in a particular direction, and in the process, illustrative or poetic associations are more than possible – but such personal associations would be, so to speak, “private” and in no way universally binding.
What should the listener expect in the individual movements of Ensemble-Buch V? How do you approach the delightful forces of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion?
My Ensemble-Bücher are compositions in which the whole ensemble is only used as one of several scoring formations. In my Ensemble-Buch I for baritone and 13 instruments to poems by Erika Burkart, as well as tutti movements there are, for example, two movements just for baritone and piano, a movement for baritone, violin and cello, a “Nachtstück” for eight instruments, etc. In my most recent purely instrumental Ensemble-Buch V, in five of the six movements all six instruments are used; but within the individual movements different sub-groups are constantly created. The first movement “Chemins”, for example, begins with a duo of piano/percussion, and a longer section for clarinet, cello, piano and percussion follows – tutti scoring is only used in the last section of the movement. Or in the second movement “Dark Music – Cris du monde”, the opening is scored for a darkly-coloured ensemble with bass flute, bass clarinet, cello, piano and percussion, whilst the last part is contested by a quartet (flute, clarinet, violin and cello). “Natura morta 1” (the third movement) is scored for just violin and piano, the last movement “Natura morta 2 – Apertura” for bass clarinet and percussion in the first section, and in the second section then for the whole ensemble.
Your Ensemble-Bücher seem to be like an encyclopaedia of the many and diverse possibilities for the different scorings. Do the “Bücher” also form a cycle within themselves which the titles might suggest?
The Ensemble-Bücher I–V are each independent compositions, they don’t form a cycle. But you could definitely perform three of the works one after another in a concert, for example. I can well imagine that this might produce the effect of a greater whole.
Which formal aspects should be emphasized?
The special approach to the scoring of the ensemble in each Ensemble-Buch, in which the tutti is only one of several different formations, of course essentially determines the forms of the individual movements as well as the whole work. At the same time the use of different types of a family of instruments (for example, flute, piccolo, alto and bass flute) can enrich the formal possibilities.
Interview by Marie Luise Maintz
(from [t]akte 1/2015)
Miroslav Srnka’s new opera “Voice Killer” is based on a real criminal case
Conclusion of the Mahler-Scartazzini cycle with the premiere of “Einkehr” in Jena
Miroslav Srnka’s new opera “Voice Killer” is based on a real-life criminal case
Bärenreiter awarded a special prize at the renowned competition in Göttingen.
Bärenreiter Urtext prizes also awarded at the 13th International Telemann Competition
Bärenreiter donates special prizes at the International Piano Competition in Kronberg
Jan Čmejla, first prize recipient of this year’s Bach Competition receives the Bärenreiter Urtext Prize.
Beat Furrer’s opera “DAS GROSSE FEUER” based on Sara Gallardo’s novel “Eisejuaz” will premiere at Zurich Opera House on March 23, 2025
Siegbert Rampe, protagonist of Early Music, died on February 2, 2025
Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini adds “Enigma” to his cycle of works on Gustav Mahler’s symphonies.
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