Rudolf Mors (16 July 1920[1] – 24 September 1988) was a German composer.
Life
Born in Munich, the son of the composer Richard Mors (1874-1946), a representative of the Munich School around
Ludwig Thuille, Mors began his training during the Second World War with
Gustav Geierhaas [
de] and continued it after his return from Soviet captivity with
Joseph Haas and
Karl Höller. His graduation from the Munich Academy of Music was honoured with the Richard Strauss Prize of the city of Munich, of which Mors was the first recipient.
In 1951, he became Kapellmeister and composer for the Schauspiel in
Ingolstadt, followed by an engagement as First Kapellmeister at the Theater Ulm, where he wrote and premiered the two musical parodies Freiheit in Krähwinkel [
de] and Der Weiberstreik in collaboration with the cabaret artist
Hanns Dieter Hüsch.,[2] also broadcast by
ZDF in the sixties, is still occasionally found on playbills today. In 1963, Mors changed to the position of a drama composer at the
Bielefeld Theatre, where he could devote himself more to the composition of free works.
1. Symphony for Orchestra, WV 4 (burnt by the effects of war; sketches complete and parts partially preserved).
2nd Symphony for Orchestra, WV 14 (1953–55) ca.30', 1955 (Ulm)
Concertante
Lyrische Suite for flute and strings, WV 11a (1950/86) ca.9', 1986 (Bielefeld)
Concerto for piano and orchestra, WV 24 (1976) ca.30', 1977 (Regensburg)
Chamber music
Quintet
Quintet for horn and string quartet, WV 21 (1972) ca.16', 1973 (Bielefeld)
Quartets
String Quartet in E minor, WV 5 (1939–44) ca.18', 1964 (Bielefeld)
5 Bagatelles for 4 recorders or flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon, WV 16 (1957) ca.5', 1957 (Lindau)
Variations on "Es ist ein Schnitter" for 2 trumpets and 2 trombones, WV 23 (1974) c.8', 1974 (Trebgast)
Variations on an own theme for 4 cellos, WV 39 (1987) ca.7', 1987 (Würzburg)
Duos
Sonatine A-Dur für Violine und Klavier, WV 2 (1937) ca.9', 1943 (Munich)
Sonate für Violine und Klavier, WV 8 (1949) ca.14', 1950 (Munich)
Lyrische Suite für Flöte und Klavier, WV 11 (1950) ca.9', 1950 (Munich)
12 Miniaturen für Violine und Cello, WV 20 (1971) ca.7', 1974 (Bielefeld)
Fantasie für Flöte und Akkordeon, WV 28 (1983) ca.3', 1984 (Stuttgart)
Sonate für Oboe und Klavier, WV 43 (1984-?) (Fragment) daraus: Adagio für Oboe und Klavier, WV 33 (1984) ca.5', 1989 (Bielefeld) auch als: Adagio für Oboe und Orgel, WV 33, 1985 (Bielefeld)
Sonate für Cello und Klavier, WV 37 (1986) ca.6', 1986 (Bielefeld)
Sonate für Viola und Klavier, WV 37a (1986/88) ca.6' (Neufassung der Sonate für Cello und Klavier, WV 37), 1988 (Bielefeld)
Solo
Kleine Suite für Alt-Blockflöte, WV 36 (1986) ca.3', 1986 (Bielefeld)[5]
Piano
Sonate für Klavier zu 4 Händen, WV 13 (1950) ca.12', 1950 (Munich)
Steinigung, Fantasie für Klavier, WV 26a (1982) ca.11' (Konzertante Fassung des Balletts WV 26), 1983 (Bielefeld)
Orgel-Fantasie on H-C-A-B, WV 34 (1985) ca.6', 1986 (Bielefeld)
Kleine Orgi-Suite for Organ, WV 38 (1987) ca.7', 1987 (Bielefeld)
Vocal music
Choir with Orchestra
Symphonic Cantata after serious words by
Christian Morgenstern for soprano and baritone solo, large choir and orchestra, WV 10 (1950) ca.25; first performed in 1963 by the
Oratorienchor Ulm [
de] under the conduct of
Hans Jakob Haller.
Pater noster for mezzo-soprano solo, four- to six-part choir and orchestra, WV 27 (1983) ca.6'
Die Versuchung Jesu, cantata for alto and bass solo, mixed choir and instruments, WV 35 (1985) ca.16', 1989 (Brilon)
Oratorio based on texts from the Bible, Christian Morgenstern, the
Sioux Indians (in the transcription by
Jörg Zink [
de]), the composer and Jörg Zink for solo voices (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), four- to six-part choir and orchestra, WV 44 (198?-88) (fragment; I.part completed, in II.part the composition breaks off) ca.46', 1992 (Bielefeld)
Choir a cappella
Morgenstern-Zyklus für großen Chor, WV 9 (1948) ca.11'
Lieder an den Wind after poems by Christian Morgenstern for soprano solo and three to five-part children's choir (Knaben-, Frauenchor), WV 40 (1987) ca.10'
Wiegenlied after a text by
Clemens Brentano for three to four-part boys', children's or women's choir, WV 41 (1988) ca.3'
Solo singing with orchestra
Vier Sommerlieder after poems by
Hermann Hesse for soprano and orchestra, WV 17a (1960/63) ca.12', 1963 (Ulm)
Die Flamme, Elementarphantasie after Christian Morgenstern for soprano and large orchestra, WV 19 (1968–70) ca.12', 1971 (Bielefeld).[6]
Klänge aus dem Orient, Four Lieder after poems by
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff for soprano and Orchestra, WV 32a (1984/85) ca.8', 1986 (Göttingen)
Solo singing with several instruments
Holde Mutter mit dem Kind, text: Martin Knapp, Christmas cantata for flute, violin, voice and piano, WV 7 (1948) ca.8', 1969 (Bielefeld)
Solo singing with piano
Vier frühe Lieder für Sopran und Klavier, WV 3 (1937-1948) ca.8', 1983 (Bielefeld)
Drei Lieder aus dem „Totentanz“ nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern für dramatischen Alt oder Bariton und Klavier, WV 12 (1950) ca.8', 1950 (Munich)
Drei Lieder der Nacht nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern für Singstimme und Klavier, WV 15 (1953–55) ca.7', 1955 (Ulm)
Vier Sommerlieder nach Gedichten von Hermann Hesse für Sopran und Klavier, WV 17 (1960) ca.12', 1964 (Regensburg)
Vom Abend zum Morgen, 4 Lieder nach Gedichten von Christian Morgenstern für Singstimme und Klavier, WV 22 (1973) ca.11', 1974 (Bielefeld)
Four sacred songs for solo singing in worship with organ accompaniment (also possible with piano), WV 29 (1978–84) ca.7', 1983/84 (Bielefeld)
Six Lieder after poems by
Li Tai-Pe in the transcription by
Klabund for lower voice and piano, WV 30 (1983) ca.11', 1984 (Münster)
Three Lieder after Chinese poems in the German transcription by Klabund for lower voice and piano, WV 31 (1983–84) ca.11', 1984 (Münster)
Klänge aus dem Orient, Four songs after poems by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff for soprano and piano, WV 32a (1984) ca.8', 1984 (Münster)
Melodramas
Das kleine Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern, arrangement of the Symphonic Fairy Tale Poem from 1935/36 for speaker and piano, WV 1a (1985) ca.9'
Melodeclamation on Goethe's elegy Ein zärtlich jugendlicher Kummer for speaker and piano or orchestra, WV 6 (1946; Orchestral version 1979) ca.5'
Stage work
Operas
Vineta, Opera according to own libretto, WV 18 (1960–67), 1968 (Bielefeld)
Der Kreidekreis, Opera in four acts based on the play of the same name by Klabund; text arrangement by the composer, WV 25 (1977–82), 1983 (Bielefeld)
Musicals
Freiheit in Krähwinkel, A free musical by
Hanns Dieter Hüsch. Music by Rudolf Mors. Adapted in freedom from a farce by
Johann Nestroy, 1957 (Ulm)
Film music
In the period from 1954 to 1960, music was composed for agricultural and industrial films for the director Georg Munck. Since an exact order can no longer be reconstructed, the films are listed alphabetically in the following overview.
Aktuelle Landwirtschaftliche Filmschau, 10.–14. Folge
Ein Dorf spielt mit. Kulturfilm
Gesunde Landschaft – Unser Schicksal. Kulturfilm
Handwerk – Industrie – Film
Immer hungrig, immer frisch
In den Himmel gehoben (Bosch in der Landwirtschaft). Industriefilm
Papiersack
Pappelzucht
Und überall Strom. Kulturfilm
Wachsen Bäume in den Himmel
Worauf es ankommt. Kulturfilm
Bielefeld, die freundliche Stadt am Teutoburger Wald. Tonbildschau, Regie: Hans J. Sramek
Westfalen – Biographie einer Reiselandschaft. Tonbildschau, Regie: Hans J. Sramek
Further reading
Rudolf Mors[8] edited by Alexander L. Suder. Hans Schneider,
Tutzing 1992 (Komponisten in Bayern 30).