Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik
The Witten Days for New Chamber Music is a music festival, held since 1969 jointly by the City of Witten and the West German Radio, currently also supported by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, Culture and Sport of the State of North Rhine -Westphalia and supported by the Local Government Association Ruhr (until 2004 ) or Regional Association Ruhr 2005 and the Regional Association of Westphalia -Lippe. Dracula Festival enjoy the Witten Festival, held annually on the last weekend in April, international attention. Concerts learn about the broadcast on WDR 3, the exchange program of the ARD and the EBU worldwide distribution.
History
In 1936, the composer called Robert Ruth Francis ( 1905-1970 ), the " Witten Music Days " in life. It seems remarkable that even in the Third Reich, a Festival of Contemporary Music was launched, it was but to music that tended to be seen as "degenerate". However, this is probably due to clever political action by Robert Ruth Francis, who was since 1937 a member of the NSDAP. After the war he described his commitment to the Witten Festival as an act of "silent opposition". A review of this section of the story, the connection between the festival and cultural politics of the Third Reich seems at present still difficult.
Already 1947, Robert Ruth Francis, the festival continued at irregular intervals (1947, 1948, 1950, 1953 and 1957 ), only from 1960 found the Witten Music Festival held annually. The city of Witten participated from 1957 with annually increasing sums of the music days. In 1964, the Cultural Office of the organization and financing (up to the entrance of the WDR) completely.
1969-1989
Leading the way for the Witten Festival the commitment of the WDR, which not only mitschnitt the festival's concerts from 1969, but also the former editor of New Chamber Music Wilfried Brennecke was indemnified in the future on its activities for broadcasting addition, the textual responsibility for the Witten Days to wear. At this time was also renamed the " Witten Music Days " to the " Witten Days for New Chamber Music ." 1973 organized by the WDR for the first time officially, the final concert, advertised as a "special concert by the West German Radio ". Portrait concerts were from 1978, a formative part of Brenneckes dramaturgy. A focus of his program work was from the beginning to the composer of the Soviet Union and other countries " behind the Iron Curtain ". Many composers were first heard in the western part of Europe in Witten. For example, György Kurtág was the Witten audience known long before Pierre Boulez helped him years later to his breakthrough. After 21 editions put Brennecke 1989 his activity down. At his farewell written numerous composers to Brenneckes excitation total of 30 "Farewell to pieces ," the " interludes " the program supplemented in three.
After 1990
Since 1990 is the artistic director of the Festival at the editor for New Music of the WDR, Harry Vogt. Under his aegis, the Chamber Music Festival opened in all its varieties, in addition to sound installations and improvised music, aspects of musical theater were increasingly taken into account. The number of first performances was also increased. Play a major role in the conception Vogts performers, these include regular trio and ensemble recherche, the Arditti String Quartet, sound Wien, Ensemble Modern, inter alia, also new formations experienced in recent years its premiere as inter alia Ensemble Ascolta or ensemble 2x2. Under Vogt's leadership, the reputation of the Witten Days consolidated as a " Donaueschingen of the Ruhr ".
The Witten In Nomine Broken Consort Book
On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Harry Vogt asked the ensemble recherche for the Witten Festival 1999 numerous composers to a surprise piece. The composition should take on a popular hymn of the 16th century by John Taverner reference. About 50 composers of the invitation of the ensemble have since followed. The Witten " in nomine " book has become a small encyclopedia of contemporary composition.
Crisis in 2012
After the over-indebted Witten was not allowed to make their contribution of € 40,000 to the festival after domestic requirements of the country fell into the promised land from the promotion of 30,000 €. Only an assumption of costs by the WDR, the festival could be saved. For the future to be renegotiated on the financing, according to a report from the NMZ.