Hellmuth Christian Wolff
Encyclopedia
Hellmuth Christian Wolff (23 May 1906 Zürich
- 1 July 1988 Leipzig
) was a German
composer
and musicologist. As a young man he studied music in Berlin
and Kiel
. He later taught music in Leipzig
from 1954-1971. He is particularly remembered for his numerous publications on the history of opera
and in particular the subject of baroque opera. Also of interest, are his writings on the visual aspects of music which led him to study iconography
, including a pictorial history of opera.
Wolff’s reputation rests on his many publications rather than on his compositions which were rarely performed. He composed four operas: Der kleine und der grosse Klaus (1931, revised 1940), Die törichten Wünsche (1943), Der Tod des Orpheus (1947), and Ich lass' mich scheiden (1950). He also wrote a ballet
and several orchestral and chamber works. He also became known as a painter later in life.
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
- 1 July 1988 Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and musicologist. As a young man he studied music in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
. He later taught music in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
from 1954-1971. He is particularly remembered for his numerous publications on the history of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and in particular the subject of baroque opera. Also of interest, are his writings on the visual aspects of music which led him to study iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
, including a pictorial history of opera.
Wolff’s reputation rests on his many publications rather than on his compositions which were rarely performed. He composed four operas: Der kleine und der grosse Klaus (1931, revised 1940), Die törichten Wünsche (1943), Der Tod des Orpheus (1947), and Ich lass' mich scheiden (1950). He also wrote a ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and several orchestral and chamber works. He also became known as a painter later in life.
Sources
- Horst Seeger/Andrew Clark. The New Grove Dictionary of OperaNew Grove Dictionary of OperaThe New Grove Dictionary of Opera is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes....
, edited by Stanley Sadie (1992). ISBN 0-333-73432-7 and ISBN 1-56159-228-5