Thomas Daniel Schlee
Encyclopedia
Thomas Daniel Schlee is an Austria
n composer
, arts administrator, and organist
.
and studied at the Vienna Musikhochschule with Michael Radulescu
and Erich Romanovsky. He then earned a PhD in musicology and art history at Vienna University. During 1977-78, Schlee was an auditor in Olivier Messiaen
's composition class in Paris
and studied privately with composer and organist Jean Langlais
. Upon returning to Austria, he also studied with noted Austrian composer Francis Burt.
Schlee has taught at a number of Austrian universities including the Vienna Musikhochschule and Salzburg University.
He began his career as an arts administrator by serving as the artistic director of the International Bruckner Festival in Linz
from 1990-98. He served as the deputy director of the International Beethoven Festival in Bonn
from 1999-2003. In 2004, he became the director of the Carinthischer Sommer.
As a composer, Schlee has written works in all forms which have been widely performed and recorded by ensembles such as the Vienna Symphony Orchestra
and the Warsaw Philharmonic. As an organist, he has made many recordings which have won awards including the Diapason d'Or
and the German Record Critics Prize. Schlee has received numerous awards as a composer and administrator, including the Joaquín Rodrigo
Medal, the Upper Austria State Cultural Music Prize, the City of Neuss
Church Music Prize, and was made an Officier des Arts et Lettres in 2005.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n 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...
, arts administrator, and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
.
Life and work
Thomas Daniel Schlee was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and studied at the Vienna Musikhochschule with Michael Radulescu
Michael Radulescu
Michael Radulescu is a Romanian-German composer, organist, and professor.He was born to a Romanian father and a German mother. He studied with Anton Heiller and Hans Swarowsky at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria....
and Erich Romanovsky. He then earned a PhD in musicology and art history at Vienna University. During 1977-78, Schlee was an auditor in Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
's composition class in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and studied privately with composer and organist Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser.- Biography :Jean Langlais was born in La Fontenelle , a small village near Mont St Michel, France...
. Upon returning to Austria, he also studied with noted Austrian composer Francis Burt.
Schlee has taught at a number of Austrian universities including the Vienna Musikhochschule and Salzburg University.
He began his career as an arts administrator by serving as the artistic director of the International Bruckner Festival in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
from 1990-98. He served as the deputy director of the International Beethoven Festival in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
from 1999-2003. In 2004, he became the director of the Carinthischer Sommer.
As a composer, Schlee has written works in all forms which have been widely performed and recorded by ensembles such as the Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Vienna Symphony Orchestra
-History:In 1900, Ferdinand Löwe founded the orchestra as the Wiener Concertverein . In 1913 it moved into the Konzerthaus, Vienna. In 1919 it merged with the Tonkünstler Orchestra. In 1933 it acquired its current name...
and the Warsaw Philharmonic. As an organist, he has made many recordings which have won awards including the Diapason d'Or
Diapason d'Or
The Diapason d'Or is a recommendation of outstanding classical music recordings given by reviewers of Diapason magazine in France, broadly equivalent to "Editor's Choice", "Disc of the Month" in the British Gramophone magazine....
and the German Record Critics Prize. Schlee has received numerous awards as a composer and administrator, including the Joaquín Rodrigo
Joaquín Rodrigo
Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez , commonly known as Joaquín Rodrigo, was a composer of classical music and a virtuoso pianist. Despite being nearly blind from an early age, he achieved great success...
Medal, the Upper Austria State Cultural Music Prize, the City of Neuss
Neuss
Neuss is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf. Neuss is the largest city within the Rhein-Kreis Neuss district and owes its prosperity to its location at the crossing of historic and modern trade routes. It is primarily known...
Church Music Prize, and was made an Officier des Arts et Lettres in 2005.
Major works
- Konzertoverture, Musik für ein Fest, op. 64 (2005) for orchestra
- Missa, op. 61 (2005) for baritone solo, mixed choir, brass, percussion, and organ
- Die schöne Lau, op. 60 (2004) for soprano, speaker, and orchestra
- Drittes Streichquartett, "Tempus Floridum" op. 56 (2003) for string quartet
- und ich sah, op. 55 (2002-03) oratorio for soloists, chorus, and ensemble
- Der Kreuzweg unseres Herrn und Heilandes, op. 52 (2001) for organ and string orchestra
- Symphonie No. 1, op. 51 (2000-01) for orchestra
- De Profundis for viola and double bass, Op.43 (2000)
- Der Esel Hesékiël, op. 46 (1998-99) for narrator and orchestra
- Orchesterspiel, op. 45 (1997-98) for orchestra
- Sonata da Camera, op. 42 (1996-97) for chamber orchestra
- Licht, Farben, Schatten, op. 38 (1995-96) for orchestra
- Concertino, op. 36 (1995) for two piccolo trumpets (or oboes) and string orchestra
- Wacht auf, Harfe und Saitenspiel, op. 35 (1994-95) for harp and string orchestra
- Aurora, op. 32 (1992-93) for orchestra
- Ricercar, op. 31 (1990-92) for orchestra
- Cinq Pièces , op. 29 (1990-92) for organ
- Das Feuer des Herrn, op. 27 (1989) cantata for soloists, children's chorus, and chamber orchestra
- Alba for flute and viola, Op.26 (1986)
- Zweites Streichquartett, op. 21 (1983-85, rev. 1997) for string quartet
- ... und mit einer Stimme rufen, op. 20 (1987) for orchestra