Alfred Felder was born 1950 in Lucerne. He studied violoncello and composition at the Musikhochschule Luzern (teaching diploma with distinction) before attending the Mozarteum in Salzburg (soloist's diploma on the Migros culture foundation's fellowship).
Alfred Felder was solo cellist with various orchestras and a member of the Festival Strings Lucerne from 1977 until 1983. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in most European countries and in Canada, India, China and Japan.
Alfred Felder has been a violoncello teacher at the Winterthur Conservatory since 1981. He has received numerous commissions for compositions, including from the city of Zurich, the Tonhallegesellschaft Zürich, Musikkollegium Winterthur, the Festival Strings Lucerne, the Schweizer Kammerphilharmonie and many more. His orchestral works have been performed at various festivals in Tokyo, at the Osaka Festival, in South Africa, in Russian, the USA and at the Lucerne Festival. He composed the compulsory piece 'Capriccio und Variations for Violin Solo' for the 2005 and 2006 Concours International de Violon Shlomo Mintz. 'âtesh', a commissioned work for soli, mixed choir and large orchestra (Switerland's contribution to UNESCO year) was world premiered by the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich and the Konzertchor Harmonie in 2007. His violin concert 'open secret', a piece commissioned by the Musikkollegium Winterthur, was first performed within the framework of a subscription concert. His string quartet, also commissioned by the Musikkollegium Winterthur, has to date been performed by various quartets including the Sarastro Quartet, which recorded its performance for prosperity during a tour of Argentina.
Felder's works are published by the SME, Nepomuk-Verlag, Gilgenreiner and KaNo. His compositions for children and youths include 'Wasserspiele', a piece commended by the European String Teachers Association (ESTA). Various other pieces have been labelled "particularly valuable for pedagogic purposes" by the Verband Deutscher Musikschulen. CDs featuring his work are available on the VdE Gallo, swiss pan and centaur labels. The composer has donated his complete manuscripts to Zurich's Cental Library.
Work list
Et (1976)
Instrumentation: for cello
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
for violoncello solo, harpsichord and strings (1982-1983)
A tale (ballad) told in music.
Duration: 25' 00" Manuscript
Klangstudie, Variationen über den gregorianischen Osterchoral (1985)
Instrumentation: for violoncello solo
Five variations and one coda based on the Gregorian choral 'Victimae pascali laudes'.
... pasar por la calle... Passacaglia für Streicher (1986)
Instrumentation: for string orchestra
Passacaglia in four movements: "Ich bin, ich weiss nicht wer; ich komme, ich weiss nicht woher; ich gehe, ich weiss nicht wohin; mich wunderts, dass ich so fröhlich bin." From the 'cherubinischen Wandersmann' by Angelus Silesius.
Instrumentation: for violin, violoncello and orchestra
Double concert;
Score for orchestra: strings and two percussionists.
"The fire below and the sea above battle and defeat one another…" from the symbol GO out of the Chinese oracle book I Ging.
Instrumentation: for six violoncelli and one orator (German in Bern dialect)
Texts: Mani Matter
1. "wenn doch nume die..." (4')
2. "oberi und underi" (3')
3. Ballade vom Nationalrat Hugo Sanders (5')
4. us emene lääre Gygechaste (5')
Four of Mani Matters timeless texts, this time a little different.
Can be performed and ordered singularly (sFr. 14.-, 10.-, 12.-, 14.-)
Instrumentation: for speaker, bass clarinet, and two percussionists
Texts: Eva Eisenmann-Westphal
Text: Eva Eisenmann-Westphal.
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Apache Clown Dance (1998)
Music
Instrumentation: for clarinet solo (in Bb)
Clowns are very important in the dance rituals of the Apache Indians. They can be jocular but are also holy. Attempt to be the 'holy clown' while you play the 'Apache Clown Dance'.
"We have found a strange footprint on the shores of the unknown. We have devised profound theories, one after another, to account for its origins. At last we have succeeded in reconstructing the creature that made the footprint. And lo! It is our own." (Sir Arthur Eddington, 1882-1944).
Instrumentation: for violin, viola and violoncello
Each instrument has its own individual character and its own tempo. It is like three wanderers with the same destination but each choosing a different route and each walking at a different pace. The wanderers occasionally meet, walk a while together then separate.
'Chant' deals with the search for ones own identity, the search for 'ones very own songs'. The soloist must move step by step on the stage after a pre-determined sequence.
Duration: 13' 00"
Verlag KaNo
Bachtelstr. 78 8400 Winterthur
Rhythm (2003)
Five movements
Instrumentation: for piano solo
There are five fundamental life rhythms: the chaotic, the flowing, the staccato (detached) the lyrical and the rhythm of silence.
Instrumentation: for violoncello solo, 2 baoding balls, 2 concrete tomtoms 2 wooden tomtoms and a singing bowl
Duration: 40' 00" Manuscript
evening sun (2003)
Music
Instrumentation: for guitar solo
Fantasy based on an ancient Shamanic song telling how one can impart all ones sorrows, fears and pains to the sinking sun. On its cycle around the earth the sun washes these confessions in cold water and appears again in the morning, clean, fresh and full of energy.
Duration: 7' 00"
Verlag KaNo
Bachtelstr. 78 8400 Winterthur
Chant (2004)
Instrumentation: for violin solo
'Chant' deals with the search for ones own identity, the search for 'ones very own songs'. The soloist must move step by step on the stage after a pre-determined sequence. There is a slightly modified version of 'Chant' for viola solo.
Instrumentation: for soprano, baritone, four-part mixed choir and large orchestra (2.2.2.2/4.2.3.0/3perc/str)
After poems by the Persian mystic Jelaluddin Rumi (1207-1273)
"âtesh", Persian for fire - mystical poem - die to live...
"âtesh" was the Swiss contribution to the UNESCO Year 2007, world premiered by the Tonhalleorchester and Harmonie-Chor Zürich.
Duration: 75' 00" Manuscript
âtesh (2004-2006)
Musik für Sopran, Bariton, gemischten Chor und Orchester nach Gedichten von Moulana Djalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273)
1. Satz Adagio, Bariton und Orchester
2. Satz Allegro con brio, Sopran, Bariton und Orchester (wurde noch nicht aufgeführt)
3. Satz Andante, Chor und Orchester
4. Satz, Adagio, Sopran und Orchester,
5. molto Agitato Sopran, Bariton und Orchester1. Satz Adagio, Bariton und Orchester
2. Satz Allegro con brio, Sopran, Bariton und Orchester,
4. Satz, Adagio, Sopran und Orchester,
5. molto Agitato Sopran, Bariton und Orchester,
(der 3. Satz Andante, Chor und Orchester wurde noch nicht aufgeführt.
Instrumentation: for violin solo and orchestra (2.2.2.2/4.2.0.0/2perc/str)
Inspired by a poem written by the Persian mystic Rumi. An intoxicatingly symbolic sound world alluding to a hidden second reality, steeped by mystic secrets: open secret.
Gilgenreiner Publishers
Instrumentation: for flute, clarinet, violin, viola and violoncello
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
de Profundis (2009-2010)
Musik für Sopran, Mezzosopran und Streichquartett
Instrumentation: Sopran, Mezzosopran und Streichquartett ("2Vl, Vla, Vc)
Texts: aus dem Psalm 130
1. de profundis (Mezzosopran), 2. fiant aures tuae (Sopran),
3. sustinuit anima mea (Mezzosopran), 4. misericordia (Sopran),
5. de profundis (Sopran und Mezzosopran)
es gibt auch eine Version Sopran und Bariton
Instrumentation: Klarinette in A, Violoncello, Klavier
Meine Musik „Vision quest“ ist eine Reise in die nicht alltägliche Wirklichkeit, es ist für mich eine Sinn-Suche. Es gibt einen Prolog, dann 6 Sätze, die ich links nenne, weil sie zusammen verkettet sind und einen Epilog. All diese links gehen ohne Unterbruch ineinander über.