Biography
Ulrich Leyendecker (29 January 1946 — 1 December 2018) was a German composer of classical music. His output consists mainly of symphonies, concertos, chamber and instrumental music.
Leyendecker studied composition with Ingo Schmitt (1962–1965) and Rudolf Petzold (1965–1970), and piano with Günter Ludwig. In 1971 he became a lecturer at the Hamburg Academy for Music and Performing Arts, and in 1976 he was appointed Professor of Composition and Theory at the Hamburg Music and Theatre Hochschule. Since 1994 he has been Professor of Composition at the State Hochschule for Music and the Performing Arts of Heidelberg-Mannheim.
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Leyendecker's music, although not serial, is largely atonal, but often with subtle hints of tonality. He employs regular time signatures in his pieces, yet does not sound so for he utilizes carefully calculated and complex rhythms. His music often contains novel sonic architectures, while still managing to express powerful emotions directly to the listener. He often employs classical abstract forms such as the symphony and concerto form while avoiding operas and ballets.
Works
Orchestral
Symphonies
Symphony No. 1 (1974)
Symphony No. 2 (1985)
Symphony No. 3 (1990-1)
Symphony No. 4 (1997)
Symphony No. 5 (Concerto for Orchestra) (2000)
Con espressione (1979)
Verwandlung, five pieces for chamber orchestra (1980)
Impromptu (1981)
Erinnerung, symphonic movement (1995)
Penseés sur un Prélude, variations on a prelude by Debussy (2001)
Evocation (2006)
Mannheim Concerto (2006), for 2 chamber orchestras
Concertante
Piano Concerto (1980)
Cello Concerto (1983)
Violin Concerto (1995)
Guitar Concerto (2004–2005)
Viola Concerto (2007–2008)
Vocal
Two Chinese Songs, for soprano and piano (1964)
Nocturne, for bass and orchestra (1968)
Versunken in die Nacht, for soprano and chamber orchestra (1981)
Canción última, for alto and chamber ensemble (1983)
Nocturne, for soprano and four cellos (1987)
Chamber Concerto (1989)
Hebrew Ballads
version for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, harp, viola, and double-bass (1993)
version for mezzo-soprano and piano (1993)
Serenade
version for soprano, violin/viola, saxophone, and percussion (1997)
version for soprano, viola, bass clarinet, and piano (2001)
Chamber
Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1964–1967)
String Trio No. 1 (1966)
Trio for viola, bass clarinet and piano (1966, revised 2001)
Maqam, for violin, cello, and piano (1967)
String Trio No. 2 (1972)
String Quartet No. 1 (1978)
String Quartet No. 2 (1987)
Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1988)
String Quartet No. 3 (1989)
Quintet for Bass Clarinet and String Quartet (2000)
Midnight Music, for guitar and harp (2008)
Instrumental
Clarinet Sonata (1966)
Canto, for solo violin (1979)
Verso Parsifal, for guitar (1982)
Etüde for viola solo (1989)
Two Etudes for Bass Clarinet (1990)
Piano
Sonata for Two Pianos (1985)
13 Bagatelles (1989)
Ricercar, for two pianos (1993)
Impromptu, for two pianos (1994)
Discography
Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 3 (Naxos) – Recensions:(1),
Cello Concerto, Piano Concerto, String Quartett No. 1, Canto per Violino solo (Wergo)
Piano Works (Cantate Musicaphon)
Hebräische Balladen in Andere Welten – 50 Jahre Neue Musik in NRW – Ausstrahlungen (1996)
Guitar Concerto, Evocazione, Symphony No. 4 (Cantate Musicaphon)
String quartets No. 1-3, Quintet for bass clarinet and strings (Cantate Musicaphon)
Notable students
Timo Jouko Herrmann
Friedrich Heinrich Kern
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.