(b. 19 March 1947, Aarau).
Swiss composer of mostly stage, orchestral, chamber, vocal, piano, and electroacoustic works that have been performed throughout the world; he is also active as a pianist.
Mr. Keller studied composition with Nicolaus A. Huber, Thomas Kessler, Helmut Lachenmann, and Hans Ulrich Lehmann, as well as German, history and musicology, on a scholarship from the Heinrich-Strobel-Stiftung.
Among his honours are the Kunstpreis from the Carl Heinrich Ernst-Kunststiftung in Winterthur (1997), the Berlin-Stipendium (1999) and a prize from the canton of Aargau (2001). He was also the representative of Switzerland at the Berlin Biennale in 1985.
As a pianist, he played free jazz and improvised music from 1966–73, featuring the piano with electric instruments, and has again worked as an improviser since 1985, with Trio Ampio and other ensembles.
He is also active in other positions. He has served as a music programmer at the Theater am Gleis in Winterthur since 1985 and served as president of the Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Neue Musik from 2007–10.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
JAWS 3 (scenic musical collage), 1979
Egon – aus dem Leben eines Bankbeamten (mini-opera in 2 acts, libretto by Hans Suter), female actor, 2 male actors (any one + guitar), cello, fixed media, 1980–81 (also concert version of second overture as Egonia)
Fontamara (scenic cantata, text by Frans Denissen, after Ignazio Silone), 5 voices, 2 male actors, mixed chorus, small orchestra (17 players), 1984–86
Swissfiction (music-theatre work, text by Alex Gfeller), 4 male actors, flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, fixed media (4 tracks), 1990
Konfigurationen III – January 1991 (stage work; all players also speak), flute/oboe, bassoon, guitar, piano, 1991
Die Axt (chamber opera in 2 acts, libretto by Anke Rauthmann, Yohanan Kaldi, after Max Frisch), 3 female voices, 6 male voices, mixed chorus, small orchestra (15 players), 2004–06
ORCHESTRAL:
Grundgesetze I (texts by Karl Marx, Oskar Schammidatus, the composer), 4 speakers, large orchestra (65 players), 1976–77
Genesis, 1979–80
Das Ganze Leben (concerto), piano, orchestra, 1989–90
Pentalog, small orchestra (29 players), 1995–96
Mondlandschaft, small orchestra (12 winds, 11 brass, 3 percussion), 1998–99
25/250.orch, 2000
tenuto, battuto, fulminante, 2001
wanawizzi I, small orchestra, 2011–12
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Start, any 6 or more players, 1969
Stück für Improvisatoren, any 3 or more players, 1969–70
Trio, bass clarinet, electric guitar, piano, 1970
Aktionen für 7 Musik-Macher, any 7 players, 1970
Minima, any 3–7 players, 1970
Cum processio tum missa non est, any 3 players, 1970
Musik über Musik, ensemble, fixed media (4 tracks), 1971
Psychogramm, any 3 players, 1971
Streichquartett Nr. 181, string quartet, 1973
Eine Kleine Werbemusik, piano, celesta (+ electronic organ), fixed media, 1973–74
Veränderungen, recorder, synthesizer, fixed media, 1977–78
Sie, any improvisational ensemble, fixed media, 1978 (version of work for fixed media)
Progressionen, flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 1981
Konfigurationen I (all players also speak), oboe, English horn, trombone, violin/viola, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 1982 (its four sections may be performed separately)
Remember, bass clarinet, piano, 1982
Dornenbahn, cello, 1983
Egonia, cello, fixed media, 1983 (concert version of second overture of Egon – aus dem Leben eines Bankbeamten)
Friedenslied eines Oboisten, oboe, 1983
Zustand I–VII, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, 2 violins, viola, cello, percussion, 1984
Erinnerungen IV, 'Es geht ein' dunkle Wolk' herein', guitar, 1987
Karikaturen, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1987
aushalten und bewegen, accordion, 1988
Ausharren im Grauen, oboe, cello, piano, 1988
Kreisen in den Tiefen, viola, cello, double bass, 1988
Entfernung und Annäherung, saxophone, piano, percussion, 1989
senza e con, flute, 3 saxophones, French horn, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, double bass, piano, 1989
Mozmax, 4 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 1991
Strich-Punkt-Strich, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, 1992
zerblasen, flute, oboe, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, double bass, 1992–93
Neungestalt, drum kit, 1993
Grafik, bass clarinet, 2 saxophones, piano, percussion, 1993
Heterophonie, bass clarinet, 2 saxophones, piano, percussion, 1993
Akkordsequenz, 3 saxophones, piano, percussion, 1993
Konstellationen, flute, cello, piano, 1993–94
Walk-Music, flute, guitar, violin, percussion, 1994
2. Streichquartett, string quartet, 1995
Fünf Improvisationsmodelle für Jugendliche, any 3–8 players, 1995
Ritardando, 3 bassoons, 1995
Siebensang, flute, 1995
Solitario, flute, guitar, percussion, 1996
NONONONO, violin, 1996
weniger und mehr, violin, piano, accordion, 1996
les pompiers (souvenir de Berlin), 4 trombones, electric guitar, piano, live electronics, 1996
aufflackern und verlöschen, tenor saxophone, 1997
Integration I, any 3 improvisational players, string quartet, 1998
Miniatur, flute, 1998
Rotondo, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, viola, double bass, piano, accordion, percussion, 1998–99 (collaboration with Werner Bärtschi, Ulrich Gasser, Martin Sigrist, Peter Wettstein)
Food, percussion, 1999
Skizzen, flute, guitar, 1999
Integration II, any 3 improvisational players, string quartet, 1999
Integration III, any 3 improvisational players, string quartet, 1999
Dialogfelder, double bass, percussion, 2000
insieme, a coppie, indipendente, 4 percussion, 2000
Sans cesse, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2001
Farbenfahrten, violin, viola, cello, 2001
Zwillinge, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), trombone, cello, piano, 2001
Schnitt-Muster, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2002
Unione e tremolo, violin, viola, 2002
Le Croce, ensemble, 2002
Inseln, viola, cello, 2002
Wie ein Kanon, 4 clarinets ad libitum, 4 double basses, 2002
3. Streichquartett, string quartet, 2003
changements, tuba, piano, percussion, live electronics, 2003
Verschmelzungen, recorder, piano, 2003
calmo e furioso, clarinet, double bass, accordion, 2003
Kalkül und Emotion, 4 saxophones, string quartet, 2004
Schlaglichter, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, double bass, percussion, 2006
nel pomeriggio, baritone saxophone, string quartet, 2006
Eingriffe, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2006
gebündelt und ausfasernd, flute, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, piano, 2007
les sons perdus, 3 alto recorders (1st + sopranino recorder, 2nd + soprano recorder, 3rd + bass recorder), 2007
concertare e improvvisare, flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, improvisational piano, 2007
Wie Kraut und Rüben, oboe, bassoon, guitar, viola, 2008
Cinque, 4 bassoons, 2008
Dialoge, guitar, live electronics, 2008
hasten und warten, violin, live electronics, 2008
Fünf Improvisationsmodelle (for children), any number of players, 2008
In Regen, Blitz und Donner (improvisation concept for children), 2 saxophones, cello, any number of players, 2008
accent-figure-layer (6 improvisation concepts), bass clarinet (+ tenor saxophone), violin, viola, cello/double bass, piano, percussion, 2008
4. Streichquartett, string quartet, 2008
Wendepunkte (for advanced amateurs), piano, percussion, string quartet, 2009
Il Filo, French horn, violin, 2009
Trio fluido, violin, cello, piano, 2009
Peanuts, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, 2009
Grillen, French horn, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, 2009
ich, du, wir, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2010
Gravuren, percussion, string quartet, 2010
Où est le roi?, flute, violin, cello, organ, 2010
Pourquoi (player also speaks text by Anthony Phelps), violin, 2010
wanawizzi II, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 2012
mit Pfiff, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, 2012
Der Rutengänger (after Landschaft mit dem Rutengänger by Paul Klee), oboe, bassoon, guitar, viola, 2012
Mobile, any 1–5 players, 2013
CHORAL:
Es ist kalt, children's chorus/female chorus, 1993
Abschied (text by the composer), 16 mixed voices, 2011
VOCAL:
Gesänge I (texts by Wolfgang Beutin, Fitzgerald Kusz, Bertolt Brecht), voice, cello, percussion, 1975–76
Sicher sein..., speaker, fixed media, 1976 (version of work for fixed media)
Gesänge II (text by Erich Fried), soprano, flute (+ alto flute), clarinet, cello, piano, 1977
Grundgesetze III, 2 speakers, fixed media, 1977 (version of work for fixed media)
Sie, speaker, fixed media, 1978 (version of work for fixed media)
Zum 1. August (text by the composer), soprano, flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 1978
Hymnen, speaker/2 speakers, fixed media, 1979 (version of work for fixed media)
Gesänge III, 'Die Lautlosigkeit der Ameisen' (text by Jürg Weibel), soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, piano, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 1981
Sehr verehrter Herr Direktor, voice, piano, fixed media, 1982
Hände, soprano, bass, percussion, 1982–83
Konfigurationen II (texts by Franz Hohler, Hansjörg Schneider, Jürg Schmied, Sascha Anderson, the composer, textes trouvés), alto, flute, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1989
Zuflucht (text by the composer), alto, piano, 1990
Gesänge IV – Zehn Gedichte von Kurt Marti (text by Kurt Marti), soprano, flute, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, cello, piano, 1992
Moralinski (text by Adrian Sollberger), voice, saxophone, piano, percussion, 1994
Deformationen (texts by the composer, Eduardo Galeano), soprano, flute, guitar, 1998
Fern(seh) – Mitleid, soprano, violin, 2001
Vom Grunde (text by Barbara Köhler), baritone, piano, 2003
Uf Ärde (meditation on the folksong from Switzerland 's Vreneli ab em Guggisberg), baritone, 2003
Löwen Löwen (text by Klaus Merz), soprano, violin, 2004
Graduale (text by Silja Walter), mixed chorus, clarinet, percussion, 2005
12-06-07 (texts from 2 newspapers from 12 June 2007), soprano, oboe, alto saxophone, French horn, viola, 2007
allemal (text by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg), soprano, clarinet, piano, 2007
Schwein gha! (Lied for children in 3 strophes, text by the composer), voice, piano, 2008
blau rot soft (text by the composer), 3 sopranos, 2009 (collaboration with Ralf Hoyer, Susanne Stelzenbach; also version as Blauer Regen, soprano, 2009)
Snowflakean Thoughts (text by James A. Emanuel; for amateurs), voice–speaker, alto saxophone, piano, 2010
1968 – und heute? (text by the composer), countertenor/tenor, recorder, 2010
Ruh' (text by the composer), soprano, cello, 2011
Shopping List (text by Barry Wallenstein), voice–speaker, alto saxophone, piano, 2011
Pour aller mieux (text by Jean Miniac), tenor, tenor saxophone, piano, 2011
Die Schwestern (text by Christian Morgenstern), soprano, double bass, 2011
Mutter Natur (texts by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, the composer), soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2011
Will it matter (text by Heng Siok Tian), mezzo-soprano, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, 2012
Les Fleurs du Mal (text by Charles Baudelaire), soprano, guitar, 2012
Das Tattoo blickt böse (text by the composer), soprano, string quartet, 2012
PIANO:
Dreiklang, 1976
Erinnerungen II, 1980
Erinnerungen III, 1986
Achuapa / Nicaragua (pianist also speaks), 1986
Vier Klavierstücke, 1993 (its four sections may be performed separately)
Kobold, 1998
agieren und reagieren, piano, live electronics, 1998–99
Three lines (hommage à Johann Sebastian Bach), 2000 (collaboration with Werner Bärtschi, Martin Sigrist)
Selbstgespräche, piano, live electronics, 2006
Movements, 2009 (also shorter version as Spontaneous Movements, 2009)
ORGAN:
Erinnerungen V, 1988
HARPSICHORD:
Repetitionen I–V, 1980
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
Sicher sein..., fixed media, 1976 (also version for speaker, fixed media)
Grundgesetze III, fixed media, 1977 (also version for 2 speakers, fixed media)
Sie, fixed media, 1978 (also versions for speaker, fixed media; any improvisational ensemble, fixed media)
Hymnen, fixed media, 1979 (also version for speaker/2 speakers, fixed media)
Erinnerungen I, fixed media, 1980
Puls und Trigger, fixed media, 1984
trotz-dem, fixed media, 1988
DIDACTIC MUSIC:
zusammenwachsen, bassoon, piano, 2012
DISCOGRAPHY
Sicher sein... (second version). (SMI: 001, 1977) (LP)
Repetitionen I–V. Martin Derungs, harpsichord (pläne: 88 633, 1988) (LP)
Dornenbahn; Friedenslied eines Oboisten; Zustand I–VII; Achuapa / Nicaragua; Konfigurationen II. Béatrice Mathez Wüthrich, alto; Gerhard Erber, voice, piano; Burkhard Glaetzner, oboe; David Riniker, cello; Dominik Blum/ensemble für neue musik zürich; Bernhard Wulff/Sinfonieorchester Basel (col legno: AU 31801, 1990)
Erinnerungen IV, 'Es geht ein' dunkle Wolk' herein'; Gesänge IV – Zehn Gedichte von Kurt Marti; Neungestalt; zerblasen; aushalten und bewegen. Martina Bovet, soprano; Christoph Jäggin, guitar; Teodoro Anzellotti, accordion; Christoph Brunner, drum kit; Ensemble Opera Nova; Ensemble Aventure (Edition Jecklin: JS 310-2, 1995)
Pentalog. Howard Griffiths/Sinfonietta Wetzikon (Grammont: CTS-M 54, 1997)
Sie (original version). (Cybele Records: 960.104/LC 3738, 2001)
Rotondo. Christian Hommel/Ensemble Aventure (Schweizerischer Tonkünstlerverein: STV/ASM 016, 2002)
Mondlandschaft; Dialogfelder; Progressionen; agieren und reagieren; Deformationen; 2. Streichquartett. Eiko Morikawa, soprano; Sarah Hornsby, flute; Daniel Göritz, guitar; Johannes Nied, double bass; Susanne Stelzenbach, piano; Victoria Ifrim, percussion; Schlesisches Streichquartett; Gruppo Musica Insieme di Cremona; David Zinman/Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich (Grammont: CTS-M 84, 2003)
insieme, a coppie, indipendente. Leipziger Schlagzeugensemble (M&S: 5042/4, 2006)
accent-figure-layer; Unione e tremolo; NONONONO. Christoph Erb, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone; Egidius Streiff, violin; Muriel Schweizer, viola; Dominique Girod, double bass; Max E. Keller, piano; Dani Schaffner, percussion (Dreamscape: DEA 4765, 2010)
tenuto, battuto, fulminante; Selbstgespräche; Cinque; Trio fluido. Werner Bärtschi, piano, live electronics; Trio Flair; Quadriga Fagott Ensemble; David Zinman/Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich (NEOS: 11121, 2011)
Die Schwestern. Katja Guedes, soprano; Matthias Bauer, double bass (Grammont: CTS-M 137, 2012)