Wolfgang von Schweinitz

Wolfgang von Schweinitz studied with Ligeti * His multilayered and often complex textures reveal music of impassioned eloquence and lyrical beauty * Sensitivity to poetic texts shown in song-cycles such as Papiersterne (1981), written for Doris Soffel and Aribert Reimann * Works for large forces include the Mass (recorded with Cheryl Studer as a soloist on Wergo) and Patmos (1989), a setting of the complete book of Revelation, staged by Ruth Berghaus at the Munich Biennale and Kassel Opera * His recent output has taken an experimental turn, exploring tonal phenomena drawn from acoustic theory.

Works by Wolfgang von Schweinitz include:
Mass (1983) for soloists, chorus and orchestra
Englische Serenade (1984) for wind sextet
Wir aber singen (1992-) cycle of works for cello and orchestra

"Schweinitz has achieved remarkable things here: not only translucent and tellingly original harmony within a serialist idiom, but memorably singable lines, rare indeed these days." — Financial Times on Patmos