Friedrich Cerha

INFOBOX

BIOGRAPHY

Composer Friedrich Cerha, born in Vienna in 1926, has long been considered one of the most important Austrian composers of our time. In 1958, he founded the Vienna-based ensemble die reihe. Cerha directed die reihe, an ensemble comprised of gifted soloists, for decades. In 1960 and 1961, Cerha composed a work that became central to his compositional output – a cycle entitled Spiegel. In 1979, he completed Berg’s three-act opera Lulu, a work which garnered him international attention. Friedrich Cerha spent much of his career delving into various 20th century musical styles, such as twelve-tone technique, neoclassicism, and serial music. He also maintained an interest in replicable emotional developments, which permeate both his orchestral and chamber works.

Friedrich Cerha passed away on February 14th, 2023.

VIDEO

RELATED ARTICLES

Austrian Music Highlights: May 2026

The month of May arrives with a strong wave of new releases, highlighting the breadth of Austria’s contemporary music scene across pop, electronic, jazz, experimental, indie and new music. Alongside a packed festival calendar in … read more »

Austrian Music Highlights: January 2026

Hello, 2026! A new year brings fresh momentum, and January sees Austrian artists stepping into new terrain with a strong slate of releases alongside an active run of international live dates. From new albums, EP’s … read more »

FRIEDRICH CERHA PASSES AWAY AT THE AGE OF (NEARLY) 97

FRIEDRICH CERHA has been present in the Austrian concert scene like hardly any other contemporary composer. But he has left his mark on the music scene, not only through his diverse musical output, but also … read more »