Boris Blacher German composer and musicologist. Date of Birth: 22.01.1903 Country: Germany

1. Early Life and Education
2. Arrival in Berlin
3. Early Compositions
4. Recognition and Pedagogical Activities
5. Post-War Compositions
6. Late Career and Electronic Music
7. Personal Life and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Boris Blacher was born into a German family in Tallinn, Estonia. His father, a bank manager, worked in various locations throughout Asia, including China, Siberia, and Manchuria. Blacher's childhood was spent in cities such as Yantai, Wuhan, Irkutsk, and Harbin. By the age of 18, he had mastered five languages: German, Russian, English, Chinese, and Italian. His musical education began with violin and piano lessons. He also developed a keen interest in opera, working as an intern at various theaters.

Arrival in Berlin

In 1922, Blacher traveled to Berlin via Shanghai and Paris. Initially, he studied architecture and mathematics. However, in 1924, he pursued his musical aspirations at the Berlin University of the Arts, where he studied under Friedrich Ernst Koch.

Early Compositions

Blacher's early compositions included music for a film about Otto von Bismarck (1925), three pieces for flute, two clarinets, and percussion (1927), and his Dadaist chamber opera "Habemeajaja" (1929). To earn a living, he taught music, composed light music, and worked as a pianist in cinemas.

Recognition and Pedagogical Activities

A breakthrough came in 1937 when the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Karl Schuricht, premiered Blacher's "Concertante Musik für Orchester." Despite being dismissed from the Dresden Conservatory in 1939 for defending the music of Arnold Schoenberg, Paul Hindemith, and Darius Milhaud, Blacher established a reputation as a composer.

Post-War Compositions

After World War II, Blacher composed a wide range of works, including his popular "Variations on a Theme of Paganini" for orchestra (1947). He wrote 14 operas, 9 ballets, concertos for various instruments, symphonies, cantatas, choral and chamber works, and songs. Blacher's music often employed his unique system of "variable meter." Despite their atonal nature, his compositions were widely appreciated due to their colorful orchestration and cheerful spirit.

Late Career and Electronic Music

In the 1960s, Blacher turned his attention to electronic music and became interested in jazz. He taught composition at the International Music Institute in Berlin and was appointed professor at the Berlin University of the Arts in 1948. From 1953 to 1971, he served as its director. Notable students included Gottfried von Einem, George Crumb, Arne Mellnäs, Isang Yun, Francis Burt, Klaus Huber, and Aribert Reimann.

Personal Life and Legacy

Blacher married the pianist Gerta Blacher-Herzog in 1922. Together, they had four children. His son, Kolya, became a violinist, while his daughter, Tatiana, pursued an acting career. Boris Blacher's music continues to be performed and admired, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of contemporary classical music.