Kurt Schwertsik (born 25 June 1935) is anAustrian contemporarycomposer. He is known for creating the "Third Viennese School"^[1] and spreading contemporary classical music.

Schwertsik was born inVienna. A pupil ofJoseph Marx andKarl Schiske at theAcademy of Music, he later studied withKarlheinz Stockhausen in Cologne and Darmstadt. In 1958 he founded the ensemble "die reihe" with fellow composer and conductorFriedrich Cerha (famous for finishing the operaLulu, byAlban Berg) and later, in 1968, the ensemble "MOB art & tone ART" withOtto Matthäus Zykan andHeinz Karl Gruber. He served as hornist of theVienna Symphony Orchestra (from 1968) while teaching Composition at theKonservatorium Wien (from 1979). Between 1989 and 2004 he was Professor of Composition at the Vienna Musikhochschule (Academy of Music, when he was studying there, now calledUniversity of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna). His works are characterised by his particular exploration oftonality and his musical irony and humour. He received the Grand Austrian State Prize (1992), theAustrian Decoration for Science and Art (1997) and numerous other awards.

Kurt Schwertsik is President of the Joseph Marx Society that was founded in 2006 in order to implement the Renaissance of this composer. Thus, Schwertsik has accepted the position of the leader of an organisation for the first time in his career and also avowed himself a melodist according to the musical philosophy that was developed and represented by Joseph Marx.

• City of Vienna Prize for Music (1980)
• Grand Austrian State Prize for Music (1992)^[2]
• Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (1997)^[3]
• Silver Medal for Service to the City of Vienna (2006)

Orchestral works

• ... für Audifax und Abachum, symphony for large orchestra, op.8 (1963–70)
• Draculas Haus- und Hofmusik, a Transylvanian symphony for strings, op.18 (1968)
• Symphonie im MOB-Stil for orchestra, op.19 (1971)
• Epilog zu Rosamunde, op.33 (1978)
• Tag- und Nachtweisen; Im Ton des Mönchs von Salzburg und Herrn Marteins, op.34 (1978)
• Irdische Klänge Cycle (1980–1992), comprising:
  • Irdische Klänge, Symphony in 2 movements, op.37 (1980)
  • Fünf Naturstücke, Der Irdischen Klänge 2. Teil, op.45 (1983–84)
  • Mit den Riesenstiefeln, op.60 (1991)
  • Uluru, op.64 (1992)
• Baumgesänge, op.65 (1992)
• Sinfonia-Sinfonietta, op.73 (1996)
• 'Mond-Lichtung for string orchestra, op.75 (1997)
• Unter Messing Baumen for 4 natural horns and orchestra, op.77 (1998)
• Nachtmusiken

Music for solo instrument and orchestra

• Alphorn Concerto ‘'In Keltischer Manier’’, op.27 (1975)
• Violin Concerto No. 1, op.31 (1977)
• Guitar Concerto, op.35 (1979)
• Instant Music for flute and wind orchestra, op.40 (1981)
• Timpani Concerto, op.54 (1987–88)
• Double-Bass Concerto, op.56 (1989)
• Violin Concerto No. 2
• Flute Concerto
• Trombone Concerto

• Der lange Weg zur großen Mauer – Opera based on a novel byRichard Bletschacher, op.24 (1974)
• Wiener Chronik 1848, ballet op.28 (1976–77, originally performed asWalzerträume; written for the Cologne City Opera)
• Katzelmacher – Opera based on a text by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
• Fanferlieschen Schönefüßchen – Fairy-tale opera after Clemens Brentano, based on a text by Karin and Thomas Körner, op.42 (1982)
• Das verlorene Wut, Singspiel for TV based on a text by Christine Nöstlinger, op.57 (1989)
• Der ewige Frieden, operetta on a text by Thomas Korner, op.58 (1990)
• Frida Kahlo, dance-theatre work (1991)
• Café-Museum – Die Erleuchtung, chamber opera, op.67 (1993)
• Die Welt der Mongolen, opera based on a text by Michael Köhlmeier, op.72 (1996)
• Schlaf der Gerechten, operella based on a text byKristine Tornquist (sirene Operntheater, 2004)
• Chalifa und die Affen, chamber opera based on a text byKristine Tornquist fromArabian Nights (sirene Operntheater, 2011)
• Alice, phantastic revue based onAlice in Wonderland byLewis Carroll, text editorKristine Tornquist (sirene Operntheater, 2023)

• shâl-i-mâr for baritone and orchestra, op.17 (1962–72) to texts byH.C. Artmann
• Starckdeutsche Lieder und Tänze for baritone and orchestra, op.44 (1982) to texts by Matthias Koeppel
• Human existence for voice and chamber ensemble (1992), texts byFlann O'Brien
• Die Furie des Verschwindens for mixed choir
• Roald Dahl’s Goldilocks for narrator and orchestra, op.74 (1996), text by Donald Sturrock afterRoald Dahl
• a huge number of songs

• Liebesträume for 7 instruments, op.7 (1962)
• Eichendorff-Quintett for wind quintet, op.9 (1964)
• 5 Nocturnes for cello and piano, op.10c (1966)
• Music vom Mutterland Mu for 11 instruments, op.22 (1974)
• Skizzen und Entwürfe for string quartet, op.25 (1974)
• Twilight Music, A Celtic Serenade for Octet, op. 30 (1976)
• Blechpartie im neuesten Geschmack for brass quintet, op.43 (1982)
• Am Ende Steht ein Marsch for wind octet, op. 59 (1991)
• Drei späte Liebeslieder for cello and piano, op.66 (1992)
• Mobelmusik-Klassisch for 2 violins, viola and double bass, op.68 (1994; also version for string orchestra)
• Wake for string quartet, op.70 (1994)
• Adieu Satie for bandoneon and string quartet
• Ganesha Walkabout for string quartet, op.76 (1998)
• Sotto Voce for 4 instruments, Op. 39 (Flute, Violin, 'cello & Guitar) (1980)

• 5 Nocturnes for piano, op.10a
• Ein Kleines Requiem, op.97

• Kurt Schwertisk page at Boosey & Hawkes (publisher): biography, works list, recordings and performance search.
• Documentary:Schwertsik on Schwertsik
• Joseph Marx Society
• Ensemble "die reihe"
• Ein Kleines Requiem

• 1935 births
• 20th-century Austrian classical composers
• 20th-century Austrian male musicians
• 21st-century Austrian classical composers
• 21st-century Austrian male musicians
• Austrian opera composers
• Austrian male opera composers
• Living people
• Musicians from Vienna
• Pupils of Joseph Marx
• Pupils of Karlheinz Stockhausen
• Recipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art
• Recipients of the Grand Austrian State Prize
• University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni

• CS1 German-language sources (de)
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata