In the late 20th century, the zeitgeist of postmodernism shifted the focus of musical creation from the modernist pursuit of novelty toward the active integration of ‘tradition’ as an essential compositional resource. In this context, recomposing ...
In the late 20th century, the zeitgeist of postmodernism shifted the focus of musical creation from the modernist pursuit of novelty toward the active integration of ‘tradition’ as an essential compositional resource. In this context, recomposing music, which involves rewriting an entire existing work or freely using parts of it as creative material, began to flourish and continues into the twenty first century.
Among many composers, the German composer Hans Zender(1936–2019) pursued this kind of musical practice consistently throughout his life and defined recomposing music through the concept of ‘composed interpretation(komponierte Interpretation)’. Starting from the recognition that an interpretation of a musical score is inevitable, Zender emphasized that composers should create diverse and creative interpretations instead of merely attempting to follow the original work faithfully. Accordingly, he reworked the compositions of masters such as Schumann and Schubert or utilized them as creative material. His concrete works of ‘composed interpretation’ include six pieces: Dialog mit Haydn(1983), Schubert-Chöre(1986), Claude Debussy: Fünf Préludes(1991/1997), Schuberts Winterreise(1993), Schumann-Phantasie(1997), and 33 Veränderungen über 33 Veränderungen(2011).
Zender argued that his works are not mere reproductions of existing pieces but creative transformations that emerge as new creations with distinct qualitative differences. Based on this perspective, this study explores three primary questions: First, how do the creative transformations described by Zender manifest themselves? Second, can the resulting works be classified as original compositions rather than arrangements? Third, why did Zender present this type of work under the title of composed interpretation? Focusing on these questions, this study aims to examine Zender’s six works in close detail.
Through a detailed analysis of the six aforementioned works, this study identifies distinct patterns in the scope and methods of Zender’s creative intervention, reflecting his continuous experimentation with various possibilities. Based on this analysis, this study drives three core types that characterize Zender’s concept of composed interpretation.
First is ‘recomposition through deconstruction(De , Re Komposition)’. This method involves fragmenting core elements of the original work, such as its melody and rhythm, and then reorganizing or utilizing these materials. More specifically, four distinct techniques were identified within this category: the transformation and recombination of fragments, expansion through fragments, creation using fragments, and the imitation of musical progression. The second type is ‘Musical Addition(musikalischer Anbau)’, which involves overlaying new creative layers while preserving the original work. Zender’s approach to addition expands the existing piece both vertically and horizontally by adding elements that were not present in the original score. Through this process, acoustic tension is generated, the external and internal facets of characters are expressed, and the symbolic elements or initial creative intentions of the original work are re-actualized. The third is the ‘Maximization of Musician Intuition(Maximierung der Musiker intuition). Zender sought to compositionally utilize the intuitive scope of the performer, whom he defined as a co-creator of the work. Reflecting Zender’s aesthetic stance on the performer, this intuition is seen to expand to a degree that directly influences the musical structure. This particular compositional strategy is employed to reveal the internal psychological states of characters or to manifest allusions to death.
These characteristics indicate that Zender’s ‘composed interpretation’ constitutes a creative work in which creativity directed toward previously composed works is fully realized, grounded in the premise that existing compositions must be interpreted in diverse ways. For Zender, the interpretation of an existing work was equivalent to the act of composition. He utilized historical texts as productive sources to stimulate his own musical creativity. Just as a composer manifests inspiration within a score, Zender practiced compositional thinking through a deliberate process of selection deciding which elements of the original work to emphasize, transform, or omit based on his own inspiration. Consequently, Zender’s composed interpretation, born from this rigorous process, should be recognized as an original creative work.