Following comprehensive musical studies in Berne, Freiburg i.Br. and Paris in theory (Theo Hirsbrunner), composition (Klaus Huber), organ (Heinrich Gurtner, Gaston Litaize, Daniel Roth) and conducting (Paul Theissen, Erich Schmid), Daniel Glaus continued with a pervasive and formative self-study of Heraclitus, Platon, the Bible, gregorianic, Frescobaldi, Bach, Swedenborg, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Debussy, Rilke, Kandinsky, Schönberg, Webern, Nono, Cacciari, butterflies, trees, mountains and most particularly life, family, children, pupils, concerts and environment (political-economical-ecological-ethical).
- Works as a composer, a church musician at the Stadtkirche Biel and as a professor at the music schools of Zurich (composition and theory) and Berne (organ)
- Plays the organ at concerts on an international level.
- Strongly engaged in questions concerning the building of organs (including the conception of the swallow's-nest organ in Biel, Metzler 1994; director of the research project 'Innov-Organ-um' for the development of a sensitive-dynamic organ)
- Co-initiator of the IV International Congress for Church Music (New Music in the Church), Ittingen/TG 1997.
- Fruitful collaboration and friendship with the poet and pastor Andres Urweider, Biel
- Lives with his family in Berne
Work list
Sonate für Bratsche und Klavier (1977)
Duration: 25' 00" Manuscript
Sechs Lieder nach frühen Gedichten von Robert Walser (1977)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Robert Walser
Abend - Wiegen - Nicht - Im Mondschein - Stille - Tiefer Winter.
Zerstreute Wege, Kammeroper, Ton- und Schauspiele (1981-1983)
Instrumentation: for mezzo-soprano, orator, pianoforte, three pianos, flute, three clarinets, three trombones, three violins and a four-channel electronic tape
Texts: Hans Georg Nägeli
Based on thoughts by Hans Georg Nägeli.
Duration: 30' 00"
Hug & Co. Musikverlage
Limmatquai 28-30 CH-8001 Zürich
Trio aus "Zerstreute Wege" (1982-1983)
Instrumentation: for clarinet trio, trombone trio and guitar trio
"Trilogie" III: "... als ein durchscheinend Glas..." (1983-1984)
Instrumentation: for harpsichord, flute in G and clavichord
Within the crepuscular sound world of the cembalo (double manual with 8' and 4' registers; 4' on the first), the flute explores the very flexible and sensitive areas between air and sound, and between pizzicato, slap and tenuto. The steady circling of the clavichord shimmers through from the background.
"Il y a une autre espèce de cadence" (G. Tartini) (1984)
Partita
Instrumentation: for Baroque or modern violin or the two instruments combined (or viola or violoncello or flute with clarinet ad lib.)
Allows the interpreter a great amount of freedom.
Version I: for Baroque or modern violin or the two instruments combined
Version IIa: for violoncello with bass clarinet ad lib.
Version IIb: for viola with clarinet ad lib.
Version III: for flute (arranged by Suzanne Huber)
Instrumentation: for two male lectors, female lector, female speaker, male speaker, soprano, alto, baritone, 16 vocalists, 4 choirs and instrumental ensemble
Texts: Kurt Marti, Adolf Muschg, Dorothea Sölle
1. De Profundis
2. Erde, Planet des Lebens (Erwählung der Erde, Entstehung des Lebens, Grenzen)
3. Atomon
4. Babel
5. Aus fiefer Not (Teschuva)
Between huge ff sounding blocks stand almost unbearably long (and even louder!) silences, which gradually increase in texture as the piece progresses (partly purely improvised indications).
"De Angelis" (in memoriam Luigi Nono) II (1990-1991)
Instrumentation: for mezzo-soprano, vocal ensemble, flute, clarinet, violoncello, percussion (and organ with live electronic)
Texts: Andreas Urweider, Rainer Maria Rilke
Part A: 'Und nur ein Lidschlag', A. Urweider - without organ or electronics.
Part B: 'Selbst Sonnen tragen den kühlen Kern', A. Urweider, R.M. Rilke - with organ and electronics.
De Angelis IV: Motetten und Gesänge zu Karfreitag (1992)
Instrumentation: for cantor, gregorian schola cantorum, congregation, alto and vocal ensemble
Texts: Rainer Maria Rilke, Bibel / Liturgie
Pietà I (R.M. Rilke) for alto voice alone (6')Pietà II (R.M. Rilke) for alto voice alone (3')Domine exaudi (Psalms 101, 1&2), for alto voice and vocal ensemble (7')Christus factus est (Phil 2,8,9), for vocal ensemble (4')Kulla. The words of Jesus on the cross (from Mark, Luke and John) for vocal ensemble (11')Ecce lignum cruces, for vocal ensemble (1'30)'Dein Kreuz, o Herr', for cantor and congregation (2')Popule meus (Michael 6,3) for alto voice, cantor and vocal ensemble (9')Kyrie for chorister and congregation (1')Crux fidelis, Hymn for Schola Cantorum, alto voice and vocal ensemble (8')
Instrumentation: for two organs (main and choir organs) improvising clarinettists and three instrumental ensembles (1.0.1.0/2.2.1.0/2perc/hp/5.0.3.2.1)
In hora mortis. Neun Versuche über die gregorianische "Missa pro Defunctis" (1987-1994)
Nine attempts based on the Gregorian ‘Missa pro Defunctis’
Instrumentation: for piano trio
I. Cello solo, II. Trio, III. Piano solo, IV. Cello, piano, V. Trio, VI. Trio, VII. Violin, piano, VIII. Trio, IX. Violin solo.Parts II, V, VI, VIII: Piano trio (1988) (17')
"Und Ihr werdet hören, durch den Schlaf hindurch" (2001)
Instrumentation: for female voice, viola and speaker (ad lib.)
Texts: Nelly Sachs, Jürgen Rennert
I. "Lange haben wir das Lauschen verlernt"
II. Several sound traces for viola to the "Neun Sonetten zum Fries
der Lauschenden" by J. Rennert
III. "Sanft ins Empfinden eingehüllt"
IV. "Presst, o presst an der Zerstörung Tag …"
Duration: 18' 00" Manuscript
Nunc dimittis (2002)
Canticum Simeonis
Instrumentation: for seven-part choir and trombone ad libitum
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Wo bleiben die Fahnen von Wind und Sand (Zwei Fahnen für Döfe Burkhardt, Nr. 1) (2002)
Instrumentation: for soprano, clarinet, violoncello and piano
Texts: Andreas Urweider
Duration: 2' 00" Manuscript
Der Wind fällt über mich her von Süden (Zwei Fahnen für Döfe Burkhardt, Nr. 2) (2002)
trio
Instrumentation: for flute (afl), oboe (ca) and violin
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Hymnus de spiritu sancto (2002)
Instrumentation: for mezzo-sopranorganoviolinist or for mezzo-soprano, violin and any discant-melody instrument
Instrumentation: for flute, oboe, bass clarinet, accordion, violin, viola and violoncello
"Chessed" (Tierce en Taille) – Duo for violin and viola
"Geburah" - Duo for flute and oboe
"Tipheret" - Sextett for alto flute, oboe, bass clarinet, accordion, violin and violoncello