Ernst Horn

  Avantgarde · Experimental · Elektronics · Radio Play/Audio Drama

Solo works

Ernst Horn, a musician from Munich, studied piano, percussions, and conducting at the conservatories in Munich, Freiburg and Hamburg. He directed the orchestras of the theaters at Oldenburg and Karlsruhe and worked as a pianist and composer for theater at the Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel (Bavarian state theater) in Munich.

He founded the band “Deine Lakaien” together with the singer and vocalist Alexander Veljanov from Berlin in 1985. This progressive Darkwave project is highly appraised and recognized in Germany as well as internationally. Furthermore, Ernst Horn played a crucial role in founding the bands Qntal and Helium Vola.

Ernst Horn, a pioneer of electronic music in Germany, works also successfully as remixer, producer of radio plays, and as musician and composer for theater music.

Ernst Horn - short CV (2012)

Ernst Horn

Ernst Horn born in Munich got first piano lessons at the age of six.

Eleven years old, he started composing. Later, he taught himself playing drum sets and one the first prize in the piano competition “Jugend musiziert”.

Ernst Horn studied percussion, piano and conducting at the conservatories in Munich, Freiburg (Breisgau), and Hamburg.

He performed percussions in different orchestras, Rock- and Experimental projects.

After his studies, he directed the orchestras at the Staatstheater (state theaters) in Odenburg and Karlsruhe.

1983 – Ernst Horn became pianist and composer at the Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel (Bavarian state theater) in Munich and founded his own studio.

1986 – First release together with Alexander Veljanov (vocals) with the title “Deine Lakaien” (White album) and production of the “Silver album” that remained unreleased for many years.

1987 – First prize in the “Soundpage contest” of the American journal “Keyboard”.

1989 – Record deal of Deine Lakaien with “Gymnastic Records” (later “Chrom Records”), production of the album “Dark Star”, performances with line-up of four with electronics and two by two “Acoustic” (prepared piano and vocals).

1991 – Release of the solo album The skies over Baghdad that dealt with the media coverage of the Gulf War.

1993 – Foundation of the medieval-electronic project “Qntal” with Michael Popp und Sigrid Hausen (two albums 1993 and 1995).

Since 1994 – Production and composition of several radio plays for the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian radio) after texts of, e.g., Johann Gottfried Seume and Velimir Chlebnikov (with Holger Czukai as narrator) and after sound templates of Carl Friedrich Claus and Walter Ruttmann (“Hörspiel des Monats” [radio play of the month], published by Intermedium Records)

1998 – Solo album Johnny Bumms Wake, a sound collage about the years 1989 to 1994, Helmut Kohl, German Unity, commercial television etc.

During this time, Ernst Horn keeps working as composer for theater and piano accompanist, while releasing more albums and touring with Deine Lakaien.

2001 – Foundation of the project Helium Vola, working on medieval lyrics with electronics, instrumental as well as vocal ensembles.

2007 – Ernst Horn arranged Deine Lakaien songs for orchestra. They are performed on a highly appraised tour with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt (“New Frankfurt Philharmonic Orchestra”) celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band.

2009 – Spiegelarien (“Mirror arias”), a composition commissioned and performed by the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, is a reflection about the Händel aria Rejoice strongly influenced by 20th-century classical music.

2012 – B.A.C.H. – Alternative Compositions on Historical Basics, a performance within the framework of the Bach Festival Leipzig, combines original compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach with compositions of Horn based on lyrics of the Baroque period as well as instrumental pieces that reflect on Bach and his compositions.

Radio plays and compositions for ARD
(renowned state TV channel):

  • Johann Gottfried Seume: “Einige Nachrichten zu den Vorfällen in Polen im Jahre 1794” (1994)
  • Velimir Chlebnikov: “Die Zukunft des Radio”, speaker: Holger Czukai (1995)
  • Carl Friedrich Claus: “Basale Sprechoperationsräume” (1997)
  • Walter Ruttmann: “Weekend”, remixes by Ernst Horn, Mike Hart, DJ Spooky (1997)
    “Radio Play of the Month” (February 1998)

External link

ADDITIONAL CREDITS • Titelfoto Joerg Grosse Geldermann, Montage Carl Erling
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