(b. 4 May 1937, Biel – d. 26 January 2013, Zollikerberg, Zollikon).
Swiss composer of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, and vocal works that have been performed throughout the world.
Mr. Lehmann studied at the Musikschule Biel, where he earned a diploma in cello, and at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in Zürich, where he earned a diploma as a teacher of music theory. He then studied with Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen at the Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel from 1960–63. He later studied musicology with Kurt von Fischer at the Universität Zürich.
Among his honours were the Conrad-Ferdinand-Meyer-Preis (1973), the Komponistenpreis of the Schweizerischer Tonkünstlerverein (1988), the Kunstpreis from the city of Zollikon (1990), and the Kunstpreis from the city of Zürich (1993).
He was also active in other positions. He served as president of the Schweizerischer Tonkünstlerverein from 1983–86. He served as a member of the board of directors of the organisation SUISA from 1987–2013 and as its president from 1991–2011.
He taught at the Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel from 1961–72, taught contemporary music and music theory at the Universität Zürich from 1969–90 and taught composition and music theory at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste from 1972–98. In addition, he served as director of the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste from 1976–98.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
ORCHESTRAL:
Quanti, flute, small orchestra (14 players), 1962
Komposition für 19, small orchestra (19 players), 1964–65
Régions, 16 music boxes, 1968
Konzert, flute, clarinet, string orchestra, 1969
dis-cantus I, oboe, string orchestra, 1971
Positionen, large orchestra, 1971
zu blasen, small orchestra (12 winds, 11 brass), 1975–76
Kammermusik I, 'hommage à Mozart', small orchestra, 1978–79
Kammermusik II, small orchestra (17 players), 1979
Kammermusik III, 12 strings, 1983
Aphorismus, small orchestra, 1985
Akademisch-konservative Fragmente, small orchestra, 1986–87
Nocturnes, 1990–91
Prélude à une étendue, small orchestra, 1993–94
battements, percussion, small orchestra, 1994–95
Notturno, bass clarinet, orchestra, 2001
favole, clarinet, orchestra, 2005–06
Contradictions (viola in all moods and senses), viola, small orchestra, 2008
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Structures transparentes, clarinet, viola, piano, 1960
Régions pour un flûtiste, flute, 1963
Episoden, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1963–64
Mosaik, clarinet, 1964
Spiele, oboe, harp, 1965
Notenbüchlein, harp, 1965
Studien für Bratsche, viola, 1966
Régions III, clarinet, trombone, cello, 1970
Monodie I, any wind instrument, 1970 (also version as Monodie II, tenor recorder, 2007)
Kadenz, oboe, 1970
Sonata da chiesa, violin, organ, 1971
Tractus, flute, oboe, clarinet, 1971
faces, piano/harpsichord, ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello), 1972
Arco, violin, 1972–73
gegen-(bei)-spiele, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1973
Rota, oboe, harpsichord, 1973–74
quod libet, violin, piano, 1974
...zu streichen, 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, 1974
Points d'orgue, flute, cello, organ, 1975
de-concertante, percussion, ensemble (flute, clarinet, trombone, cello, electronic organ), 1975
Duplum I, transverse flute, basset horn, 1977
Air, clarinet, piano, 1977
Contr'aire, clarinet, piano, 1979
flautando, 3 recorders, 1981
stroiking, percussion, 1982
'...', trumpet, piano, 1982
battuto a tre – tratto, 3 percussion, 1983
Mirlitonnades, flute, 1983
Triplum, 3 basset horns/bass clarinets, 1984
sich fragend nach frühster Erinnerung, 4 recorders, 1985
ludes, cello, piano, 1985
Dédicace, trumpet, 1986
Concerti-no, cello, string quartet, 1986
In honorem S. Nicolai de Flüe, 2 flutes, 2 cellos, organ, 1986–87
Streichquartett, string quartet, 1987–88
de profundis, contrabass clarinet, cello, percussion, 1988–89
Esercizi per violoncello solo, cello, 1989
etwas Klang von meiner Oberfläche, guitar, 1991
el mar, bass clarinet/contrabass clarinet, 1993
Duo, flute, clarinet, 1995
Miniatures, flute, harpsichord ad libitum, 1998
Tele-Man(n)ia, bass flute, 1998
Duplum II, clarinet, cello, 1999
(in)aperçu, clarinet, cello, percussion, 1999
Aus der Erstarrung, accordion, 1999
vagues, bass clarinet, organ, percussion, 1999–2000
inquiétudes, harp, cello, 2000
instantanés I, harp, 2000
ritenuto, violin, cello, string quartet, 2000
dédales, alto flute, bass clarinet, harp, vibraphone, 2001–02
trajets, A-clarinet, cello, piano, 2003
viola in all moods and senses, viola, 2003
um-risse, baritone saxophone, guitar, 2003
instantanés II, harp, 2006
Duo, viola, double bass, 2009
Nachklänge, string quartet, 2009
Lieder ohne Worte, viola, piano, 2010–11
CHORAL:
Mon-Tage (texts by Helmut Heißenbüttel, Franz Mon), mixed chorus, 1969
à la recherche (texts from litanies, the Bible, the Mass), 4 mixed voices, organ, 1973
Streuungen (text by Helmut Heißenbüttel), 3 mixed choruses, orchestra, 1975–76
Motetus Paraburi (text by Kurt Marti), 3 mixed voices, 1977–78
Gottes panarchische Nacht (cantata, text by Kurt Marti), soprano, female chorus, trumpet, orchestra, 1981–82
der rat der rose (text by Kurt Marti), mixed chorus, 2002
Annäherungen an H. H. (text by Helmut Heißenbüttel), mixed chorus, 2002–03
VOCAL:
Kantate (text by Liselotte Lüscher), soprano, flute, French horn, harp, viola, 1962
Rondo (text by Helmut Heißenbüttel), soprano, orchestra, 1967
dis-cantus II (text from the Bible), soprano, organ, small orchestra, 1971 (also version for organ)
bringen um zu kommen (text by Franz Mon), soprano, flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, 1972
Tantris (text by James Joyce), soprano, flute, cello, 1976–77
Duette für drei Spieler (text by Franz Mon), soprano, flute, cello, 1980
Lege mich wie ein Siegel auf mein Herz (text by Marc Chagall), soprano, flute, clarinet, cello, 1980–81
Theolalie (text by Kurt Marti), soprano, flute, cello, 1980–81
Canticum I (text by e. e. cummings), soprano, any 2 or more melody instruments ad libitum, 1981
Canticum II (text by Kurt Marti), soprano, any 2 or more melody instruments ad libitum, 1981
Alleluja 1 zu 'Missa in festo Pentecostes', soprano, clarinet, organ, glockenspiel, 1985 (section of Propriumsteile der Pfingstmesse, a collaboration with Gerald Bennett, Josef Haselbach, Heinz Holliger, Peter Wettstein, Jacques Wildberger; may be performed separately)
Osculetur me (text from the Bible), soprano, basset horn, 1988–89
Wandloser Raum (text by Ernst Meister), speaker, flute, clarinet, harp, 1989
Ad missam Prolationum (text by Rainer Maria Rilke), tenor, bass, bass clarinet, percussion, 1989–90
ut signaculum (texts by e. e. cummings, the Song of Solomon), soprano, baritone, small orchestra, 1991–92
Sprich... (text by Rose Ausländer), alto/countertenor, tenor recorder, 1993
Book of Songs (text by e. e. cummings), baritone, flute, cello, percussion, 1998–99
twi-Light (text by e. e. cummings), soprano, small orchestra, 1998–99
Three Songs (text by e. e. cummings), alto, piano, 2000
partita di ritorno (text by Giorgio Orelli), baritone, bass clarinet, cello, 2000–01
Magica (text by Donata Berra), soprano, piano, 2003 (also version for mezzo-soprano, flute, viola, 2006)
Nachts ist der Himmel näher als am Tag (text by Anne Weber), baritone, cello, small orchestra, 2004–05
Apparition (text by Stéphane Mallarmé), soprano, orchestra, 2006–07
silences (text by e. e. cummings), soprano, 2008–09
Voyages aux îles des vestiges (text by Michel Butor), soprano, male speaker ad libitum, bass clarinet, viola, percussion, 2008–09
Dans la Nuit (text by Henri Michaux), soprano, clarinet, cello, percussion, 2010
PIANO:
Instants pour piano, 1968–69
Klavierstück, 1970
tasten, 1972
Charakterstücke, 1985
Klavierstück 2009, 2009
ORGAN:
Noten, organ/2 organs, 1964–66
dis-cantus II, 1972 (version of vocal work)
Monolog, 1976
Doppelspiel, organ (+ percussion) (with assistant), 1977
Kreuzwege, 1978
Fundamentum, 1980
HARPSICHORD:
Twi-is-light bird, 2011–12
DISCOGRAPHY
Sonata da chiesa. Anikó Katharina Szathmáry, violin; Zsigmond Szathmáry, organ (Are: 7017)
Alleluja 1 zu 'Missa in festo Pentecostes'. (Edition Jecklin: JD 617-2)
Akademisch-konservative Fragmente. Peter Wettstein/orchestra of the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (Edition Jecklin: JS 261-2)
stroiking; Mirlitonnades; Tantris; Canticum II; de profundis. Kathrin Graf, soprano; Anna-Katharina Graf, flute; Elmar Schmid, clarinet, contrabass clarinet; Walter Grimmer, cello; Isao Nakamura, percussion (Edition Jecklin: JS 689-2)
Esercizi per violoncello solo. Walter Grimmer, cello (Grammont: CTS-M 67)
Sprich... Luiz Alves da Silva, countertenor; Conrad Steinmann, tenor recorder (Grammont: CTS-M 68)
Tele-Man(n)ia. Felix Renggli, bass flute (Grammont: CTS-M 73)
dis-cantus I; Sonata da chiesa; Kammermusik II; Tractus; Triplum; Streichquartett. Ursula Burkhard, flute; Peter Fuchs, Heinz Holliger, oboes; Hans Rudolf Stalder, clarinet, basset horn; Heinz Hofer, Elmar Schmid, basset horns; Hansheinz Schneeberger, violin; Janine Lehmann, organ; Neues Zürcher Streichquartett; Alexander van Wijnkoop/Camerata Bern; Rudolf Kelterborn/Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana (Grammont: CTS-P 4)
Monodie I. Matthias Arter, oboe (Pan Classics: 510 087)
etwas Klang von meiner Oberfläche. Christoph Jäggin, guitar (Quantaphon: 30.323)