(b. 1966, Zell am See).
Austrian composer of mostly chamber works that have been performed throughout Europe and elsewhere.
Prof. Gadenstätter studied transverse flute with Urs Wollenmann in Basel and Salzburg and music theory at the Carl Orff-Institut of the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg from 1979–84. He then studied composition with Erich Urbanner and flute with Wolfgang Schulz at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna from 1984–92 and graduated with distinction. He finished his studies in composition with Helmut Lachenmann at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1992–95.
Among his honours are the Arbeitsstipendium from the city of Vienna (1987, 1994), a prize at the Forum junger Komponisten (1992), the Staatsstipendium in composition from the government of Austria (1993, 1999), the Jahresstipendium in composition from the state of Salzburg (1995), the Publicity-Preis of the SKE-Fond (1997), the Förderungspreis from the city of Vienna (1997), the Erste Bank Kompositionspreis in Vienna (2003), and a period as a guest of the Berliner Künstlerprogramm of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (2006).
He has also held other posts. He performed as a flutist in Klangforum Wien from 1989–92. He co-founded with Florian Ernst Müller the ensemble neue musik – wien in 1990 and co-founded with Ilse Kilic, Lisa Spalt and Fritz Widhalm the association for artistic endeavours .werkschaft in Vienna in 2001. He has been involved in the organisation of various events, including the multimedia festival SALON13 in collaboration with Lisa Spalt (2000). In addition, he served as editor of the music journal ton in Vienna from 1995–2000 and has written essays for numerous publications, as well as the books tag day. ein schreibspiel (2000, with Lisa Spalt, edition gegesaetze) and Stellwerk I (2002, with Ilse Kilic, Lisa Spalt and Fritz Widhalm, edition ch).
He taught at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna from 1995–2003 and has taught at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz since 1998, where he has taught analysis and music theory as a professor since 2003. He has also lectured in Germany, including at the Ferienkurse in Darmstadt in 1994, and has been a visiting professor in Dresden and Oslo.
His publishers are the Ariadne Verlag, for music written from 1990–2005; Rai Trade, for music written from 2006–17; and Edition Impronta, for music written after 2017.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS (note that publishers other than those listed above are mentioned in parentheses after the work in question)
ORCHESTRAL:
Musik für Orchesterensembles, large orchestra in 5 groups, 1990–94
auf takt, large orchestra, 1997–99
Polyskopie, clarinet, trombone, violin, cello, piano, small orchestra, 2000–01
FLUCHTEN / AGORASONIE 1, 2 pianos, 2 percussion, large orchestra (around hall), 2009
making of – intimacy, flute, large orchestra, 2022–23
ARCHIPEL LIFE, voice, viola, small orchestra in 9 groups (around hall), live electronics, 2024–25
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Trio 1990, violin, viola, cello, 1990
Trio 90/91, bass clarinet, violin, piano, 1990–91
Musik für Soloflöte 1991, flute, 1991
Musik für Soli und Ensemble 1991/1992, flute, tenor saxophone, ensemble (2 voices, 2 clarinets, 2 guitars, 2 cellos, 2 percussion), 1991–92
Duo für Violine und Violoncello 1992 (Studie I), violin, cello, 1992
Sextett 1993: und die fortsetzung – meine abmagerung – glasgewölbe, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1993
Versprachlichung, soprano, 2 trombones, 2 double basses, piano, 2 percussion, fixed media, 1992–94 (shorter concert version of Versprachlichung: dreaming of a land an arm's length away – die arie des vogelnestaushebers [Installation I])
schniTt, flute, oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, viola, 2 cellos, double bass, piano, 2 percussion, 1993–95
Streichtrio II (friction), violin, viola, cello, 1995, revised 1997
variationen und alte themen (all players also speak personal information), trombone, guitar, cello, double bass, 1996
schlagsaiten (small study), 2 guitars, 1997 (Universal Edition)
Songbook #0–11, amplified tenor saxophone (+ amplified soprano saxophone), amplified piano, amplified percussion, live electronics, 2001–02
COMIC SENSE, Staffel I/II/III (concerto), piano (+ MIDI-keyboard, synthesizer), ensemble (2 clarinets [1st + bass clarinet, 2nd + bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet], tenor saxophone [+ soprano saxophone], French horn [+ bass Wagner tuba], B-flat trumpet, tenor-bass trombone [+ tenor horn], 2 cellos, double bass [+ bass guitar], 2 percussion), live electronics, 2002–03
SEMANTICAL INVESTIGATIONS I, amplified violin, 2 amplified ad libitum players, amplified ensemble (flute [+ piccolo], 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, tenor-bass trombone, electric guitar, violin, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass, piano [+ 2 MIDI-keyboards], accordion, 2 percussion) (with conductor), live electronics, 2006
SEMANTICAL INVESTIGATIONS II, clarinet (+ bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, radio–CD-player), bassoon (+ contrabassoon, radio–CD-player, megaphone), trumpet (+ megaphone), trombone, amplified steel guitar, violin (+ radio–CD-player), cello (+ radio–CD-player), piano (+ MIDI-keyboard, sampler), accordion, 2 percussion (2nd + MIDI-keyboard, sampler, radio–CD-player, megaphone), 2007
FIGURE – ICONOSONICS I, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2008–09
Blüten. Eine soziale Schnittstelle, female speaker, variable ensemble, 2009
bodies – ICONOSONICS II, electric guitar, accordion, live electronics, 2009–10
Pictures of an exhibition – ICONOSONICS III, 9 players, fixed media, live electronics, 2009–10
Le goût du son, contrabass clarinet, 2010
SAD SONGS, saxophone, electric guitar, piano, percussion, live electronics, 2011–12
häuten/Paramyth 1, string quartet, 2012
bersten/platzen (Paramyth 4), cello, piano, 2012
moved by (A, B & C), violin, 2013
schlitzen/Paramyth 2, string quartet, 2014
les derniers cris (E. P. O. S. I), ensemble, 2015
les premiers cris (E. P. O. S. III), ensemble, 2015–16
reissen/Paramyth 3, string quartet, 2017
Studies for a portrait (2018), electric guitar, 2018
Studies for imaginary portraits 2019, recorder, 2019
Studies for imaginary self-portraits 2019, accordion, 2019
daily sonic-postcard, flute, harp, viola, 2019
studies for portraits in surroundings (with J. L. G. & P. B.), oboe, electronic keyboard, ensemble, 2019–20
4 studies for selfportraits in surroundings, accordion, live electronics, 2021–22
CHORAL:
powered by emphasis (ballade 2, 3 & 4) (text by Lisa Spalt), female voice, 4 mixed voices, mixed chorus, ensemble (saxophone, electric guitar, piano [+ MIDI-keyboard]), large orchestra (72 players), live electronics, 2003–05
MADRIGALE (text by Lisa Spalt), 6 mixed voices, 2007–11 (each of its two sections may be performed separately: HEY; WEH)
locked – In (version B), amateur chorus, 2013
locked – In (version A), mixed chorus, 2015
VOCAL:
ballade I (text by Lisa Spalt), female voice/male voice, piano, 1997
4 Szenen nach Francisco de Goya (text by Lisa Spalt), male voice (+ guitar), 2004–06 (its four sections may be performed separately: Tal para qual; Hilan delgado; Porque fue sensible; Encore: Tal para qual)
BREAK EDEN – SONGS of SIRÈNES / BREAK EDEN – GESÄNGE VON SIRENEN (text by Lisa Spalt), female voice, electronic keyboard, live electronics, 2023
building bodies, female voice, electric guitar, ensemble, 2023–24
PIANO:
...für zwei Klaviere 1992 (Studie II), 1992, revised 1993–94
akkor(d/t)anz, 1999–2000
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
Wir müssen einzelne irgendwann bitten, alle jetzt aufzupassen (Hörstück, text by Lisa Spalt), 8/36 loudspeakers (around hall), 2001
MULTIMEDIA/PERFORMANCE:
Versprachlichung: dreaming of a land an arm's length away – die arie des vogelnestaushebers (Installation I), soprano, 2 trombones, 2 double basses, piano, 2 percussion, fixed media, film installation (by Joseph Santarromana), 1992–94 (also shorter concert version as Versprachlichung)
Bildstudie: mit Ruttmann op.3, ensemble, lights/photographs, 2010–11
ES (minimal opera, libretto by Lisa Spalt), female speaker, female voice, ensemble, live electronics, film, 2011
les cris des lumières (E. P. O. S. II), ensemble, lights, 2014
daily transformations (text by Lisa Spalt), female speaker, 6 mixed voices, 6 players, live electronics, film (by Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck), 2016–17
die zelle (text by Lisa Spalt), 9 mixed voices, 9 players, live electronics, 2020
DISCOGRAPHY
Versprachlichung; schniTt; Musik für Orchesterensembles. Johannes Kalitzke, Dominique My/Klangforum Wien; Arturo Tamayo/ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien (ORF: Edition Zeitton 221, 1999)
Streichtrio II (friction); variationen und alte themen. Klangforum Wien; ensemble neue musik – wien (Durian Records: 015-2, 2001)
Polyskopie. Péter Eötvös/Radio Kamer Orkest (col legno: WWE 20215, 2002)
COMIC SENSE, Staffel I/II/III. Florian Ernst Müller, piano, MIDI-keyboard, synthesizer; Mark Foster/Klangforum Wien (Kairos: 0012452KAI, 2004)
Tal para qual. Jürgen Ruck, voice, guitar (Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm: MDG 603 1341-2, 2005)
Songbook #0–11; akkor(d/t)anz. Gerald Preinfalk, amplified tenor saxophone, amplified soprano saxophone; Florian Ernst Müller, piano, amplified piano; Lukas Schiske, amplified percussion; Peter Böhm, live electronics (col legno: WWE 20256, 2008)
Musik für Soloflöte 1991. Beatrix Wagner, flute (Edition Zeitklang: ez-44046, 2011)
FLUCHTEN / AGORASONIE 1; auf takt; ballade I. Anna Maria Pammer, voice; Johanna Gröbner, piano; Florian Ernst Müller, piano; Veronika Trisko, piano; Josef Gumpinger, percussion; Gerhard Windbacher, percussion; Pascal Rophé, Arturo Tamayo/ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien (col legno: WWE 20408, 2012)
bersten/platzen (Paramyth 4). Florian Kitt, cello; Aima Maria Labra-Makk, piano (ORF: 3179, 2012)
WEH. Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart (col legno: WWE 20412, 2013)
SAD SONGS. Ensemble Nikel (Ensemble Nikel, 2017) (4 CDs, DVD, book)
SEMANTICAL INVESTIGATIONS I; SEMANTICAL INVESTIGATIONS II; SAD SONGS; FIGURE – ICONOSONICS I; bodies – ICONOSONICS II; Pictures of an exhibition – ICONOSONICS III. Yaron Deutsch, electric guitar; Ernst Kovacic, amplified violin; Krassimir Sterev, accordion; Ensemble Nikel; L'Instant Donné; Sian Edwards/Ensemble Modern; Etienne Siebens/Klangforum Wien (Kairos: 0015006KAI, 2019)
häuten/Paramyth 1; schlitzen/Paramyth 2; reissen/Paramyth 3. Arditti String Quartet (col legno: WWE 20468, 2025)