The composer, pianist, conductor and music educationalist Margrit Zimmermann was born in Berne. She studied piano in her hometown under Jeanne Bovet and composition under Walter Furrer with further studies under Denise Bidal and Alfred Cortot in Lausanne. She continued her studies at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, simultaneously studying composition under Arthur Honegger, and received her diploma in piano in 1952. After 1952, Margrit Zimmermann trained as a conductor under Ewald Körner in Berne and participated in master courses headed by Igor Markevitch in Monte Carlo and Hans Swarowski in Ossiach. Following several years of teaching activities, she then undertook studies in composition with Aurelio Maggioni and Umberto Rotondi at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, where she received the "Diploma di composizione" in 1978. It was here that she also completed a course in opera conducting under the tutelage of Umberto Cattini.
In 1973 Margrit Zimmermann founded an orchestra in Berne, taught and worked as a conductor and composer. She has received numerous prizes and awards for her works including the "Jubiläumsstiftung der Schweizerischen Bankgesellschaft" award in 1986, the city of Unna's first international female composer's competition award and the city of Kassel's female composer's award, both in the same year. She received an honour from the Japan International League of Artists in Tokyo in 1989. Margrit Zimmermann's multifaceted oeuvre encompasses works for chamber orchestra, voice and symphonic orchestra as well as ballet music and solo works for piano, string and wind instruments, and guitar. "My music is atonally traditional, that is to say, I write for traditional instruments in traditional notation using my own symbols in order to allow the performers room for individual interpretation. I am continually searching for new sound and melody combinations that are based on certain principles."
During her activities as a composer, Margrit Zimmermann has created a quarter-tone system.
Work list
Sungguhpun'ku djauh, op. 3 (1955)
Instrumentation: for song and piano
Texts: Kasim St. M. Sjah
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Carlos Gardel: Mi Buenos Aires Querido (Tango) (1975)
Instrumentation: for fl, cl, pf, 2vn, vc, db
Instrumentation by Margrit Zimmermann.
Manuscript
Carlos Gardel: Tomo y obligo (Tango) (1975)
Instrumentation: for flute, clarinet, piano and string orchestra
Instrumentation by Margrit Zimmermann.
Manuscript
Carlos Gardel: El Dia que me Quieras (Tango) (1975)
Instrumentation: for string quartet
Instrumentation by Margrit Zimmermann.
Manuscript
Musica per nove archi, op. 17 (1977)
Instrumentation: for 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 violoncelli and double bass
Molto lento, Allegro ritmato.
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Drei Lieder, op. 5 (1977-1978)
Instrumentation: for tenor and piano
Texts: Heinz Peyer
Zahl, Lachen, Gedanke.
Manuscript
Suoni, op. 4 (1978)
Instrumentation: for viola and piano
Duration: 11' 00" Manuscript
Introduzione e Allegro, op. 12 (1979)
Symphony
Instrumentation: for large orchestra (2.2.2.1/4.3.1.0/perc/str)
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Der Politiker: Braucht der Mensch Freiheit?, op. 6 (1979)
Instrumentation: for one speaking voice, double bass and piano
Instrumentation: for violin solo, soprano, female choir and organ
Texts: Noël Bach
Duration: 60' 00" Manuscript
Duopartita (1987)
Instrumentation: for clarinet and piano
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Spuren innerer Kreise, op. 53 (1988)
Instrumentation: for 16 voices (4S4A4T4B)
Texts: Noël Bach
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Murooji per chitarra solo, op. 57 (1988)
Manuscript
Alle 7 Jahre, op. 58 (1989)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Mascha Kaleko
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Triptychon, op. 58 (1990)
Instrumentation: for trombone and organ
Duration: 8' 00" Manuscript
Rhapsodie For Two, op. 52 (1990)
Instrumentation: for clarinet and piano
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Wo sich berühren Raum und Zeit, op. 60 (1990)
Instrumentation: for nine female voices (6S3A)
Texts: Mascha Kaleko
Duration: 3' 00" Manuscript
In Urbis Honorem, op. 61 (1992)
Instrumentation: for mixed choir and orchestra
After texts from "Das Jahr der Stadt" by Georg Schaeffner.
Duration: 60' 00" Manuscript
Incontro, op. 93 (1992)
Duettino
Instrumentation: for flute and euphonium
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Serenade, op. 62 (1992)
Instrumentation: for flute and piano
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Gesänge der Liebe, op. 102 (1994-1995)
Instrumentation: for soprano and piano
Texts: Ida Sarkar-Stieler
Das Lebenstor, Mein kleiner Traum, Über dunkle Wasser.
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Italiam! Italiam!, op. 106 (1995)
Instrumentation: for one speaking voice, clarinet and military drum
Bonstetten's first trip to Italy 1773-1774.
Duration: 55' 00" Manuscript
OMEGA: dentro fuori, op. 57 (1996)
Instrumentation: for flute (with string effects in the piano)
Manuscript
Capriccio, op. 63 (1998-1999)
Instrumentation: for piano
Nr. 1 Allegro molto;
Nr. 2 Allegro molto;
Nr. 3 Vier Sieben, seven four;
Nr. 4 Scherzo;
Nr. 5 Sentimento;
Nr. 6 Capriccio;
Nr. 7 Perpetuum mobile;
Nr. 8 Movimento
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Il Flauto magico, op. 77, 1 (1999)
Instrumentation: for flute
Duration: 2' 00" Manuscript
Allegro Giocoso, op. 100 (2000)
Instrumentation: for piano
Duration: 12' 00" Manuscript
Esperanza, op. 102 (2000)
Instrumentation: for flute
Duration: 10' 00" Manuscript
Discography
Werke der Schweizer Komponistin Margrit Zimmermann (Edition SFM Nr. 890 699, 1989)