Giselher Wolfgang Klebe (28 June 19255 October 2009) was a German composer, and an academic teacher. He composed more than 140 works, among them 14 operas, all based on literary works, eight symphonies, 15 solo concerts, chamber music, piano works, and sacred music.

Biography

Giselher Klebe was born in Mannheim, Germany. He received musical tuition early in his life from his mother, the violinist Gertrud Klebe. The family relocated in 1932 to Munich, where his mother's sister, Melanie Michaelis, continued the training. His father's profession required a further relocation in 1936 to Rostock.

Following the separation of his parents, Klebe moved with his mother and sister to Berlin. During 1938, the 13-year-old sketched his first compositions. In 1940, he began studies in violin, viola, and composition, supported by a grant from the city of Berlin.

After serving his term in the Reich Labour Service, Klebe was conscripted to military service as signalman. After the German surrender, he was taken prisoner of war by the Russian forces. Due to ill health, he was soon released.

Having convalesced, Klebe continued his music studies in Berlin (1946–1951), first under Josef Rufer, then in master classes by Boris Blacher. He worked for the radio station Berliner Rundfunk until 1948, when he began to work full-time as a composer.

Klebe was inspired and influenced by works of authors and artists, especially his contemporaries. In 1951 he composed Die Zwitschermaschine Op. 7, (The Twittering Machine), based on the painting by Paul Klee."Giselher Klebe", Naxos, accessed 19 February 2023 His first opera, based on Friedrich Schiller's play Die Räuber (The Robbers), was produced in 1957. He composed two operas based on plays by Ödön von Horváth.

In 1957, Klebe succeeded Wolfgang Fortner as docent for the subjects of Composition and Music Theory at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold. He was appointed professor in 1962 and, over the years, taught many students who went on to become well-known composers: Theo Brandmüller, , , Matthias Pintscher, and Lars Woldt.

Honors and legacy In 1964 Klebe was appointed member of the West Berlin Akademie der Künste (Arts Academy). In 1965 he received the Westfälischer Musikpreis (later named the Hans-Werner-Henze-Preis). In 2002, the city of Detmold, where he lived, made him an honorary citizen.

Marriage and family On 10 September 1946 Klebe married the violinist Lore Schiller. They had two daughters, Sonja Katharina and Annette Marianne. Lore Klebe wrote the librettos for some of his operas, including Der Jüngste Tag (Doomsday).

Klebe died on 5 October 2009 in Detmold at the age of 84 after a long illness.Giselher Klebe, profile, City of Detmold

Works

Opus Title Translation Category4 Piano sonata Piano sonata7 Die Zwitschermaschine Orchestral13 Wiegenlieder für Christinchen Piano22 Elegia appassionata Piano trio25 Die Räuber The Robbers Opera26 4 Inventions Piano27 Die tödlichen Wünsche The Deadly Wishes Opera29 Cello Concerto No. 1 (1958) Cello concerto, dedicated to and premiered by "Giselher Klebe: Cellokonzert Nr. 1", klassika.info (in German)32 Die Ermordung Cäsars The Murder of Caesar Opera36 Alkmene Opera37 Adagio and Fugue with a motif from Wagner's Die Walküre Orchestral39 9 Duettini per pianoforte e flauto Duo40 Figaro läßt sich scheiden Figaro Gets Divorced Opera49 Jacobowsky und der Oberst Jacobovsky and the Colonel Opera50 Concerto a cinque Concerto53 Symphony No. 3 (1966) Symphony55 Das Märchen von der schönen Lilie The Fairy Tale of the Fair Lily Opera61 Das Testament Orchestral69 Ein wahrer Held A True Hero Opera70 Nenia Chamber music72 Das Mädchen aus Domrémy The Girl from Domrémy Opera73 Orpheus Orchestral75 Symphony No. 5 (1976–77) Symphony76 9 Piano pieces for Sonja Piano78 Das Rendezvous Opera82 Der Jüngste Tag Doomsday Opera87 String Quartet No. 3 String quartet90 Die Fastnachtsbeichte Carnival Confession Opera91 Feuersturz Piano103 Glockentürme Piano107 Agitato Trombone Quartet111 Nachklang Piano119 Gervaise Macquart Opera120 Symphony No. 6 (1996) Symphony133 Mignon (2000) Violin concerto134 Chara (2002) Duo149 Chlestakows Wiederkehr (2008) Khlestakov's Return Opera

References Notes

Sources Erik Levi, "Klebe, Giselher", in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992)

External links Giselher-Klebe-Archiv, Archive of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin "Giselher Klebe (1925–2009)", Klassika "Giselher Klebe_100, Festival zum 100. Geburtstag von Giselher Klebe in Detmold, vom 24.10. bis zum 14.12.2025", program notes for the commemoration of Klebe's 100th birthday, Christian Köhn, Detmold