Meinrad Schütter was born in Chur in the Canton of Graubünden, surrounded by three cultures: German, Romantsch and Italian. His mother sang and her wide repertoire already included songs by Othmar Schoeck, who became the child's first important influence. Later, the youngster would come under the spell of Arthur Honegger's and Igor Stravinsky's expressive music.
As a schoolboy Schütter had piano and organ lessons as well as theoretical instruction with Antoine Cherbuliez. After studies at the Zurich Conservatoire, Schütter travelled in Switzerland and abroad as an accompanist, received a small Rome scholarship in 1939, and studied by correspondence with Willy Burkhard during the war and with Paul Hindemith at Zurich University from 1950 to 1954. He earned his living at the Zurich Opera as ballet repetiteur and director of lighting, at the same time being active as a composer. Since 1976 he has lived as a freelance composer in Küsnacht (Canton of Zurich).
Meinrad Schütter was mainly autodidact. His music is characterized by transparency and density; he is concerned with tonal colour and chordal analysis. Still influenced in the "thirties" by Expressionism and "Neue Sachlichkeit", he soon created his own style, the "Fragmentary Composition", short segments containing quotations and collages. Concise rhythms, expressiveness, dance elements and a bent to humour and irony create a particularly personal style. Schütter works with free tonalities, nevertheless relating to all kinds of tonal progressions.
He wrote choral music, two masses, the opera "Medea", ballet music, orchestral works (one symphony a.o.), songs with instrumental accompaniment, 58 songs with piano, piano music, chamber music and one piano concerto. In his songs we can recognize the width of his stylistic development, ranging from the traditions of Hindemith and Schoeck to the "Second Viennese School". His vocal church music ranges in scope from the Gregorian melodic style to polyphony using free tonality.
In his youth Schütter was considered an extreme modernist (A. Cherbuliez, 1938), but his path was never revolutionary; he preferred a progressive development. In his later works he achieves a new lightness and intensity of colour, expression and movement.
Meinrad Schütter died in Küsnacht/Zürich.
Ute Stoecklin
Work list
Vier kleine Stücke für Klavier (1933/1960)
I. Hommage à Paul Hindemith
II. Hommage à Paul Hindemith
III. Kinderreigen im Hinterhof
IV. Regentag im Schrebergarten
Duration: 4' 50" Manuscript
Serenade (1934/1970)
Instrumentation: for voice and string trio
Texts: Hermann Hesse
Duration: 12' 30" Manuscript
Sonate für Klavier (1934/1954)
Duration: 13' 30" Manuscript
Serenade (1934/1987)
Instrumentation: for flute, oboe and clarinet
Duration: 2' 30" Manuscript
"Gute Nacht, gute Nacht! Liebchen sieh." (1934)
Instrumentation: for soprano, flute and viola
Duration: 2' 30" Manuscript
Wess' Leben so sich endet (1934)
Instrumentation: for male choir
Texts: Wolfram von Eschenbach
Duration: 1' 00" Manuscript
2 Stücke für Violoncello und Klavier (2 pieces for violoncello and piano) (1935/1946)
I Es wird si ätte muusä (1'45'')
II Das "Langwieser Lied" (3'20'')
Duration: 4' 30" Manuscript
Wanderers Nachtlied (1948)
Instrumentation: for male choir and large orchestra
Texts: J. W. v. Goethe
Duration: 3' 30" Manuscript
Et incarnatus est (1950)
Instrumentation: for soprano, flute, oboe and string quintet
Multiple strings also possible.
Duration: 6' 00" Manuscript
Grosse Messe (Grand Mass) (1950/1970)
Instrumentation: for mixed choir, soli and organ
Duration: 38' 00" Manuscript
"Dr Joggeli sött go Birli schüttle" (1951)
Chamber ballet
Instrumentation: for 8 dancers, 2 pianos and percussion
After a series of images by Lisa Wenger.
Duration: 20' 00" Manuscript
Introduzione e Passacaglia aus dem Ballett "Der Joggeli sött go Birli schüttle" (introduction and passacaglia from the ballet "Der Joggeli sött go Birli schüttle") (1951/1986)
Adaptation
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Manuscript
Introduzione e Passacaglia (1951/1986)
From the ballet "Der Joggeli sött go Birli schüttle"
Instrumentation: for 2 pianos
Manuscript
Ricercare (1946-1952)
Instrumentation: for orchestra
Duration: 4' 30" Manuscript
"Medea" (1941-1952)
Opera in 3 acts
Loosely based on poetry by Franz Grillparzer, Euripides, Apollonius Rhodins and Jean Anouilh.
Cast:
Kreon, King of Corinth – bass
Kreusa, his daughter – soprano
Jason – tenor
Aigeus, King of Athens – baritone
Medea – soprano
Gora, Medea's nurse – soprano
A chorus leader, a slave
2 boys, children of Jason and Medea
Herold's attendant
The myths
Instrumentation:
3largefl(3small).3ob(3ca).3cl(3bcl,asx,tsx).3bn(3cbn)/4hn.3tbn.tba/timp.perc/pf(cel).hp/xyl.glock/str
Duration: 2h 30' 00" Manuscript
"Medea" - 2nd version (1941-1952/2005)
Loosely based on poetry by Franz Grillparzer, Euripides, Apollonius Rhodins, Jean Anouilh and Robinson Jeffers.
Shortened concertante version 2005, for 4 soloists, speaker and piano.
Adaptation: Ute Stoecklin and Peter Niklaus Sterner.
Duration: 50' 00" Manuscript
Triptychon (1952)
Instrumentation: for soprano and organ
1. Praeludium
2. "Wanderers Nachtlied" (J. W. v. Goethe)
3. Postludium
Duration: 7' 30" Manuscript
Ögls e stailas (1953)
Instrumentation: for male choir
Texts: Men Rauch
Duration: 2' 00" Manuscript
Zuspruch (1953)
Instrumentation: for mixed choir
Texts: N. Währing
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
2 Chorsätze für Frauenstimmen (1954)
Instrumentation: for female choir
Zwischen Berg und tiefem Tal
Ach Mutter, gib mir keinen Mann
Duration: 2' 00" Manuscript
Hymnus "Tantum ergo" (1954)
Instrumentation: for mixed choir
Texts: Thomas von Aquin
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
Suite (1955)
Instrumentation: for small orchestra (1fl.2cl.1bn/2hn.tpt/dm/str)
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Fragment (1957/1997)
Instrumentation: for viola and piano
Manuscript
Tanzstück (1957)
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 2' 10" Manuscript
Verbunkos (Chanson et danse hongroise) (1957)
Instrumentation: for violin and piano
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Verbunkos (1957)
Instrumentation: for four-handed piano
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Psalm (Mariä Verkündigung) (1958)
Instrumentation: for mezzo-soprano and organ
Duration: 1' 40" Manuscript
"Der Wunsch des Liebhabers" (from the Chinese) (1958)
Instrumentation: for soprano, flue, clarinet-A, viola, violoncello and piano
Vier alte Spielmannsweisen (four old gleeman forms) (1933-1995)
Instrumentation: for medium voice and piano
I Wess' Leben so sich endet (Wolfram von Eschenbach), 1933/70 (1'20'')
II Deutsche Spielmannsweise I (Walther von der Vogelweide, Chançona tedesca aus einer toskanischen Handschrift, 14. Jahrhundert), 1934 (50''): "Ir sult sprechen willekomen"
III Deutsche Spielmannsweise II (Neidhart von Reuental), 1995 (1'): "Mayenzeit one neidt"
IV Minnelied (Dichter unbekannt), 1933/70 (1'20''): "Nachtigall sing"
Duration: 4' 30" Manuscript
Bagatelle (1993-1995)
Instrumentation: for horn and piano
Duration: 2' 00" Manuscript
Consolazione (1995)
Instrumentation: for clarinet and organ
Manuscript
Clownesque (1995)
A pantomime
Instrumentation: for one dancer and piano
Manuscript
Ausgewählte Lieder für mittlere oder hohe Stimme und Klavier (Heft 1: Lieder für mittlere Stimme) (selection of songs for medium or high voice and piano (booklet 1: songs for medium voice)) (1931-1996)
1. Vorfrühling (Max Dauthendey) 1934 (2'23'')
2. Herbsttag (R. M. Rilke) 1934 (1'57'')
3. Ernste Stunde (R. M. Rilke) 1935 (1'46'')
4. Der Tod (M. Claudius) 1956/76 (1'22'')
5. Dumonda (G. Caduff) 1931 (2'17'')
6. Pos o matg (G. Caduff) 1962 (3'27')
Ausgewählte Lieder für mittlere oder hohe Stimme und Klavier (Heft 2: Lieder für mittlere Stimme) (selection of songs for medium or high voice and piano (booklet 2: songs for medium voice)) (1931-1996)
1. Morgentau (K. Stamm) 1934 (2'02'')
2. Die müden Sterne (K. Stamm) 1934 (2')
3. Südliches Glockenspiel (K. Stamm) 1934 (2'24'')
4. Abgrund (N. Währing) 1934/39 (1'34'')
5. Denn: Aller Anfang ist schwer (W. Mehring) 1980 (2'48'')
6. In der Hängematte (R. Münch) 1990 (2'17'')
Ausgewählte Lieder für mittlere oder hohe Stimme und Klavier (Heft 3: Lieder für mittlere Stimme) (selection of songs for medium or high voice and piano (booklet 3: songs for medium/high voice)) (1931-1996)
1. Hochzeitslied (aus dem Jugoslawischen), 1933 (1'40'')
2. Vor der Ernte (M. Greif), 1936 (1')
3. Kyrie (M. Schmid), 1938 (2')
4. Als er seiner Magdalis nichts zum grünen Donnerstag schenken konnte (Joh. Chr. Günther, 1695-1723), 1933 (2')
Ausgewählte Lieder für mittlere oder hohe Stimme und Klavier (Heft 4: Lieder für mittlere Stimme) (selection of songs for medium or high voice and piano (booklet 4: songs for medium/high voice)) (1931-1996)
1. Herbst - Haiku (Flandrina v. Salis, "Wahrnehmungen"), 1993 (2'20'')
2. Ein Blick (Eric Waldmann), 1994/96 (2'10'')
3. Sehnsucht (G. Karst), 1960/96 (1'55'')
4. Matg (G. Caduff) in romanischer Sprache (Bearbeitung), 1955/77 (3')
Ausgewählte Lieder für mittlere oder hohe Stimme und Klavier (Heft 5: Lieder für mittlere Stimme) (selection of songs for medium or high voice and piano (booklet 5: songs for medium/high voice)) (1931-1996)
3 cadences to Carl Stamitz: concert for flute and orchestra G major op. 29, 2001
3 cadences to W.A. Mozart: concert for flute and orchestra G major op. KV 313 (285c)