Siegfried Kurz

In 1983, he ended his permanent engagement at the Staatsoper Dresden but remained associated with the house as a conductor. From 1984, he was Kapellmeister at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Kurz was awarded several important prizes, he was among others two-time National Prize of the GDR (1976, 1988). In 2001 Kurz, who lives in Radebeul-Niederlößnitz, was awarded the Art Prize of the Great District City of Radebeul.

Kurz appeared as a composer mainly from the 1950s to the 1970s; later his duties as a conductor predominated. The focus of his work is on orchestral works. At first he wrote in a neoclassicist, playful-musical idiom. In addition to the influence of Paul Hindemith, echoes of jazz music can also be detected to a limited extent, for example in the Trumpet Concerto, probably his best-known work.

Towards the end of the 1950s, Kurz strove to intensify his musical expression. He leaned more towards Béla Bartók and experimented with the possibilities of the twelve-tone technique (symphonies). Pure twelve-tone technique, however, seemed too dogmatic for him. Although his further compositions repeatedly include twelve-tone rows, they do not consistently implement the strict requirements of dodecaphonic compositional technique. Kurz treated twelve-tone rows more as stylistic devices, dealt with them freely and used a freitonal harmony. Further characteristics of his style are Counterpointish design, powerfully emphasised rhythm, vitality and freshness. His mature works combine serious and thoughtful to exuberant and cheerful passages in the sense of an optimistic attitude.

Born in Dresden, Kurz began his musical career as a trumpeter. From 1945, he studied composition (with Fidelio F. Finke), orchestral conducting and trumpet at the Academy of Music and Theatre in his home town. Already in 1949, a year before completing his studies, he was given the direction of the drama music at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden. He remained in this position until 1960, then moved to the Staatsoper Dresden, where he began as Kapellmeister, was promoted to Staatskapellmeister in 1964, to General Music Director in 1971 and finally to executive musical director in 1976. In addition, Kurz taught at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber from 1976, and became a professor in 1979.

Siegfried Kurz (born 18 July 1930) is a German conductor and composer.