BLACHER, Boris
b Niu-chang, China, 19 January 1903
d Berlin, 30 January 1975, aged seventy-two

He went to Berlin in 1922 to study architecture and mathematics. He studied composition with Koch from 1924 to 1926, and then at Berlin University until 1931. In 1938 he was made director of a composition class at Dresden Conservatory, but in 1939 he relinquished the post because of disagreement with the Nazis. He returned to teaching in Berlin after the war, becoming professor at the Berlin Hochschule in 1948 and director there from 1953 to 1970. He lectured in Sahburg and in the USA, and received many awards; many of his composition pupils have achieved fame.
1929 (26)
Habemeajaja, chamber opera (lost)
Symphony (unpublished, destroyed)
1931 (28)
Concerto for two trumpets and strings (destroyed)
1932 (29)
Kleine Marschmusik, orchestra
1933 (30)
Capriccio, for orchestra
Kurmusik, for small orchestra
1935 (32)
Fest im Suden, dance drama
Divertimente, for strings
Piano Concerto (unpublished, lost)
1936 (33)
Three Orchestral Studies (unpublished, destroyed)
Divertimento, for wind
Geigenmusik, for violin and orchestra
1937 (34)
Lustspiel-Ouverture (unpublished, destroyed)
Concertante Musiche, for orchestra
1938 (35)
Symphony
1939 (36)
Harlekinade, ballet
Concerto da camera
1940 (37)
Furstin Tarakanowa, opera
Hamlet, symphonic poem
Concerto for strings
1941 (38)
Das Zauberbuch von Erzerum, ballet
1943 (40)
Romeo und Julia, chamber opera
1445 (42)
Partita, for strings and percussion
1946 (43)
Concerto for jazz orchestra (unpublished)
Die Flut, chamber opera
Chiarima, ballet
1947 (44)
Die Nachtschwalbe, nocturne
Variations on a theme of Paganini for orchestra
Piano Concerto No 1
1948 (45)
Violin Concerto
1949 (46)
Preussisches Marchen, ballet-opera
Hamlet, ballet
1950 (47)
Lysistrata, ballet
Concerto for clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, harp and strings
Dialogue, for flute, violin, piano and strings
1952 (49)
Piano Concerto No 2
1953 (50)
Abstrakte Oper No 1, opera
Orchester-Ornament
Studie in Pianissimo, for orchestra
1954 (51)
Two Inventions, for orchestra
Viola Concerto
1955 (52)
Der Mohr von Venedig, ballet
Orchester-Fantasie
1956 (53)
hommage a Mozart, for orchestra
1957 (54)
Music for Cleveland, for orchestra
1959 (56)
Musica Giocosa, for orchestra
1960 (57)
Rosamunde Floris, opera
1961 (58)
Variations on a Theme of Clementi for piano and orchestra
1963 (60)
Demeter, ballet
Konzertstuck, for wind quintet and strings
1964 (61)
Cello Concerto
1965 (62)
Tristan, ballet
1966 (63)
Virtuose Musik, for violin, ten wind instruments, timpani, percussion and harp
· Plus Minus One, for string quartet and jazz ensemble (unpublished)
1968 (65)
Collage, for orchestra
1969 (66)
Zweihunderttausend Taler, opera
1970 (67)
Concerto for high trumpet and strings
Triga 1, for small orchestra
1971 (68)
Concerto for clarinet and chamber orchestra
Sonata for two cellos and eleven instruments ad lib
1972 (69)
Yvonne, Prinzessin von Burgund, opera
Stars and Strings, for jazz ensemble and strings
1974 (71)
Poeme, for orchestra
Pentagramm, for strings
1975 (72)
Das Geheimnis des entwendeten Briefs, chamber opera
Blacher also wrote incidental music, film scores, five string quartets and other chamber works, works for piano and electronics, choral and solo vocal works.