Courtesy of A. Aigmüller (private archives ©)
Aigmüller Andreas
- Compositions
- General Information
- Education
- Activities
- Performances (Selection)
- Commissions (Selection)
- Awards
- Description of Style
- Press Reviews
- Contact, Links
Compositions
General Information
Andreas Aigmüller was born in 1952 as son of a musician in Magdeburg, which at the time was part of the German Democratic Republic. He trained as a timpanist, drummer and composer in Berlin. During his studies, he was very much interested in Jazz and collaborated with well-known Jazz musicians. In the 1970s and 1980s, Aigmüller worked as solo timpanist at the Rostock Philharmonic Orchestra and at the "Staatskapelle Berlin" (orchestra of the Berlin State Opera). This was also the time when his works were first performed. Concert tours, in his function as musician and composer, led him to several music centres in Germany and abroad. He worked for two years at the Academy of Arts in the former German Democratic Republic, as a student at the master classes of Siegfried Matthus. In 1985, Andreas Aigmüller moved to Salzburg, where he still holds the post as solo timpanist in the Mozarteum orchestra. He has won several prizes and awards for his compositions which include film, stage, ballet and dance music, as well as chamber music, symphonic works and one opera. Famous ensembles, such as the Berlin Philharmonics, the Staatskapelle Berlin, Philharmonica Hungaria, the Mozarteum orchestra, the Staatskapelle Weimar etc. have performed his music.
Education
| Period | Education | Instrument | Teacher | Education Organisation | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1969 - 1974
|
timpani, percussion | ||||
|
1973 - 1976
|
composition | ||||
|
1983 - 1985
|
master class student for composition (Siegfried Matthus) | ||||
|
1989 - 1991
|
conducting |
Activities
| Period | Activity | Organisation | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1974 - 1978
|
Philharmonic Orchestra Rostock: solo timpanist | ||
|
1976
|
founder of a percussion-piano duo | ||
|
1977
|
founder of an organ-percussion duo | ||
|
1978 - 1985
|
solo timpanist | ||
|
solo timpanist |
Performances (Selection)
| Period | Performance | Composition | Organisation | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1999
|
Hubert Soudant (conductor), Rainer Luft (soloist) | |||
|
2003
|
conductor George A. Albrecht: performance on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the century project "Goldithal" in the presence of the Thuringian government and the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder | |||
|
2006
|
Kongreßhalle Augsburg |
Commissions (Selection)
| Period | Commission | Composition | Commissioner (Organisation) | Commissioner (Person) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1983
| ||||
|
1987
|
Salzburg Wind Octet | |||
|
1993
| ||||
|
1993
|
Kleist Festival Frankfurt an der Oder | |||
|
DEFA - Deutsche Film AG: film music a.o. | ||||
|
1997
| ||||
|
in cooperation with the IG Komponisten Salzburg |
Awards
| Period | Award | Composition | Awarding Organisation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1981
|
prize winner at the international Gaudeamus Interpreter Competition of contemporary music in Rotterdam | ||
|
1982
|
IDK - Interessenverband Deutscher Komponisten: audience award | ||
|
1982
|
City of Reinbek: Theodor Berger Award | ||
|
1988
|
state scholarship for composition | ||
|
City of Dresden: Carl-Maria von Weber Award |
Description of Style
Usually, most critics have difficulties in putting my music into categories, such as classical or popular music. This is partly because I have deep roots in traditional, occidental music on the one hand, and feel drawn to Jazz due to my active experiences on the other. Also, my training as percussionist adds the love for rhythm to my music. This creates a style acknowledged by both performers and the audience.
Andreas Aigmüller, 1996
Press Reviews
27. February 1984
Aigmüller, the brilliant solo timpanist of the Staatskapelle Berlin, opens the floodgates of musical joy for rich orchestral sound in his new orchestra piece, the title of which (Giuramento) means as much as oath or vow. This appears fresh, congenial and has immediately touching and lively pizzazz. It might be possible to say that the opulence of sounds, the incorporation of familiar melodic, dance-like clichés was slightly exuberant, despite striving for clear, musico-dramaturgical arrangement. However, the musical impetus of the whole attests impressive, creative power.
Neues Deutschland
9. September 1997
The State Orchestra Frankfurt started their season with a bang. Or rather timpani, cymbal crashes and drum rolls, which cannot be heard every day in this opulence and swinging elegance, even by this orchestra, which is open to all kinds of musical show cases. Whirring violins, a few dull thuds on the big drum, followed by a dark motif played by tuba and celli - this is how the piece "Il Tempo di Cambiamento" in four movements started, composed by percussionist Andreas Aigmüller for the 25th anniversary of the Frankfurt Orchestra and now first performed by him with determination and a fine sense for the instrumental timbre change. Aigmüller is not always tinkering with sounds, but is more an airy master of ceremonies, playing with melodic clichés and rhythmic embellishments. His idiom is somewhere between Mahler and Stravinsky, between Bernstein, Jazz and Bolero.
Märkische Allgemeine
4. December 2001
As a former student of the master classes of Siegfried Matthaus and endowed with German and Austrian awards for composition, he has kept his sense for catchy subjects and shapes so that his works have a strong musical effect, often against the background of Jazz. Irrational experiments are alien to him, working with the melodic instruments of percussion, their combination with each other or with other solo instruments appears to be his predominant interest.
Thüringische Landeszeitung (H-J. Thiers)
28. October 2002
He is a master of instrumentation.
Salzburger Nachrichten (R. Kriechbaum)
21. November 2005
Finally, Andreas Aigmüller [...] provided an ecstatically, rallying, jazzy finale.
Salzburger Nachrichten
