Misha Mengelberg

Misha Mengelberg

Misha Mengelberg (Kiev, 5 June 1935), leader of the Instant Composers Pool Orchestra, is a trickster figure in Dutch composing and international improvised music: a philosophical thinker about musical issues who doesn't take himself seriously, but who helped bring about government subsidies for composed and improvised music (which he dubbed ...
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Instruments

componist, piano

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Biography Misha Mengelberg

Misha Mengelberg (Kiev, 5 June 1935), leader of the Instant Composers Pool Orchestra, is a trickster figure in Dutch composing and international improvised music: a philosophical thinker about musical issues who doesn't take himself seriously, but who helped bring about government subsidies for composed and improvised music (which he dubbed 'instant composition') in the Netherlands in the 1960s and 70s. He has brought compositional procedures to improvised music with ICP, and quasi-improvised insubordination to his composing. As jazz pianist, he draws on early idols Thelonious Monk (an unhurried gait, dense impacted chords) and Herbie Nichols (harmonies that subvert traditional patterns). In the late 1960s Mengelberg helped develop the “European improvised music” that splintered off of jazz, along with his lifelong drummer Han Bennink. Mengelberg's 1960s “game pieces” anticipate later works by his friend and benefactor John Zorn. In the 1990s ICP became increasingly recognized internationally, for its live collaging operations and Mengelberg's elegantly witty writing. His classical works are likewise noted for fetching melodies and unpredictable developments.

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Played in

Instant Composers Pool   piano
Misha Mengelberg / Piet Noordijk Kwartet   piano

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1935 - 1958

The son of Dutch composer Karel Mengelberg and German harpist Rahel Mengelberg-Draber is born in Kiev but raised in Holland from age three. Misha and his mother are both Jewish but were shielded from harm during the Occupation by Karel's uncle, conductor Willem Mengelberg. Misha begins composing, improvising and studying piano as a small child, listening to Stravinsky and Ellington at home. He hears Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk by age 15, and immediately takes to the new jazz. A few years later he has a similar reaction to hearing harmonically original jazz pianist Herbie Nichols.

Karel Mengelberg Willem Mengelberg

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1958 - 1965

Mengelberg studies at the Hague Conservatory under Kees van Baaren, befriending fellow student Louis Andriessen. In Darmstadt he sees John Cage give a lecture involving lighted cigarettes as comic props, fueling his own taste for absurd performances. Mengelberg's music takes off on separate tracks; his Monkish trio wins the 1959 Loosdrecht jazz competition, and he takes prize at the 1961 Gaudeamus Music Week for Musica per 17 strumenti (1959). He also composes music for solo piano and string quartet, and bonds with drummer Han Bennink, in 1961. They begin backing visiting American jazz soloists, including multireedist Eric Dolphy in 1964; a broadcast performance is released as Dolphy's Last Date, Mengelberg's first released recording. He becomes involved with the international absurdists' movement Fluxus, and composes the proto-minimalist piano piece In Memoriam Hans van Zweeden. He begins playing with the Misha Mengelberg/Piet Noordijk Quartet, which earns a large reputation and is the first European group that plays at the famous Newport Jazz Festival (1966).

Han Bennink Misha Mengelberg / Piet Noordijk Kwartet

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1966 - 1970

While continuing to work with the Mengelberg/Noordijk quartet, Mengelberg and Bennink begin working with young reed anarchist Willem Breuker; the next year the three form the Instant Composers Pool, an umbrella organization for diverse Mengelberg and Breuker groups. Mengelberg writes a playful musical game for dueling wind quintets, Hello! Windyboys (1968). Meanwhile, he, Andriessen, Reinbert de Leeuw, Peter Schat and Jan van Vlijman organize as the Notenkrakers (Notescrackers), who unsuccessfully attempt to liberalize the operations/repertoire of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and (more successfully) help lobby for composer subsidies. In 1969 the five produce the opera Reconstruction. Mengelberg and Bennink join forces with various pan-European improvisers in ad hoc groups; they include Danish saxophonist John Tchicai and England's Evan Parker and guitarist Derek Bailey.

Willem Breuker

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1971 - 1981

Mengelberg chairs the new musicians union BIM (1971-1982), and for a time oversees the electronic music studio STEIM. He stages numerous absurd music-theater evenings with writer Wim T. Schippers, and composes for orchestra Met Welbeleefde Groet Van De Kameel (1973), during which, using a circular saw, he deconstructs/reconstructs a wooden chair into a stylized camel. He continues to record in a combative duo with Bennink, and by 1977 leads a tentet which evolves into the Instant Composers Pool Orchestra, his main vehicle ever after. (See separate entry.) Formal compositions include Onderweg (1973), the episodic Dressoir (1977) for Orkest De Volharding, and a 1980 saxophone concerto for Ed Boogaard, part of it borrowed from Haydn. In 1978 he records the solo piano recital Pech Onderweg at the Bimhuis.

Instant Composers Pool Orkest de Volharding Wim T. Schippers

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1982 - 1993

The mature ICP emerges in the early 1980s with the addition of younger players such as trombonist Wolter Wierbos and saxophonists/clarinetists Michael Moore and Ab Baars, all still there in 2011; Mengelberg teaches them various procedures for subverting or rearranging his scores in performance. In the orchestra and small groups, Mengelberg participates in repertory projects devoted to his early influences Nichols, Monk and Ellington, helping prompt a revival of interest in Nichols' compositions. A quartet of Mengelberg, Bennink, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and bassist Donald Garrett play a Monk program at the 1986 Chicago Jazz Festival. Mengelberg's various music theater productions include the wallpaper-hanging Behang (1988, 1990). The Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra records several of Mengelberg pieces (1988) with the composer on piano, and he tours with Anthony Braxton's Charlie Parker repertory project in 1993.

Ab Baars Michael Moore Wolter Wierbos

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1994 - 2011

ICP is now the primary focus of Mengelberg's activities, but he also records solo piano improvisations (Mix, 1994; Solo, 1999), and begins a series of spry trio and quartet recordings involving New York drummer Joey Baron, bassists Brad Jones and Greg Cohen, and trumpeter Dave Douglas. He records Two Days in Chicago (1998) with various Dutch and American colleagues. One of Mengelberg's last major commissions is To a Deaf Man's Ears, libretto by J. Bernlef (1996). That year, Mengelberg is featured composer in the Hague's Thunderclaps concert series, and Bologna's AngelicA festival presents “Onderweg” and his saxophone concerto. After the mid-'90s, ICP tours more often internationally, and Mengelberg composes less, though ICP revives numerous early Mengelberg works in new arrangements. He also records in trios and duos with a.o. Steve Lacy (1996), Paul Termos (2002), Frank Gratkowski (2005), and alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman (2003), who frequently performs his tunes. In 2009, MCN publishes a folio of Mengelberg jazz compositions, Goedendagjes.

Benjamin Herman Paul Termos

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Discography Misha Mengelberg

In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.

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Compositions Misha Mengelberg

Musica per 17 strumenti / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1970
Number: 04076
Classification: Groot ensemble (12 of meer spelers)
Members: 2011 2101 perc xyl vibr g cemb 2vl vla vc
Details: Voor piccolo, fluit, klarinet, fagot, 2 hoorns, trompet, tuba, xylofoon, vibrafoon, gitaar, 2 violen, altviool, cello, klavecimbel en 3 slagwerkers. - Jaar van comp.: 1959
Duration: 11'

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Medusa : voor strijkkwartet / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1970
Number: 01161
Classification: Strijkkwartet (2 violen, altviool, cello)
Members: 2vl vla vc
Details: Jaar van comp.: 1962

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Viobum : violin and piano : Den Haag, 26-IX-'64 / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1995
Number: 08654
Classification: Viool en toetsinstrument
Members: vl pf

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Commentary : for orchestra / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1966
Number: 04207
Classification: Orkest
Members: 2121 sax-s 1111 timp perc xyl mar cel hp man acc cemb pf mouth-org str
Details: Jaar van comp.: 1965
Duration: 10'

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3 pianopieces + pianopiece 4 / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1966
Number: 00899
Classification: Piano
Members: pf
Details: Nr. 3 opgedragen aan Julius Hijman. - Jaar van comp.: 1961-1966

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Exercise : for flute solo / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1966
Number: 01303
Classification: Fluit
Members: fl
Details: Opgedragen aan Frans Vester. - Jaar van comp.: 1966

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Omtrent een componistenactie : voor fluit, hobo, clarinet, fagot en hoorn : 6-5-'66 / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1966
Number: 01468
Classification: Blaaskwintet
Members: fl ob cl h fg
Details: Opgedragen aan het Danzi Kwintet.
Duration: 22'

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Hello windyboys / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1968
Number: 02265
Classification: Blazersensemble (9 en meer spelers), Elektronica met verschillende instrumenten, Blazersensemble (2-12 spelers) met elektronica
Members: 2fl 2ob 2cl 2fg 2h electronics
Details: Voor 2 fluiten, 2 hobo's, 2 klarinetten, 2 fagotten, 2 hoorns en elektronika. - In opdracht van de V.P.R.O. - Jaar van comp.: 1968

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Amaga : is written for guitar, hawai-gitaar, bass-guitar plus the following techinal equipment: five loudspeaker-units, three amplifiers, one productmodulator and one amplitude-modulator / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1969
Number: 02693
Classification: Gitaar, Elektronica met verschillende instrumenten, Gitaar met elektronica
Members: 2g g-b electronics
Details: In opdracht van het Ministerie van C.R.M. - Jaar van comp.: 1968

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Anatoloose : for orchestra / Misja Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1970
Number: 04180
Classification: Orkest, Zangstem en orkest, Orkest met elektronica
Members: 2222 2220 timp str (tape and woman's voice ad lib.)
Details: Tape en vrouwenstem ad lib. - Engelse tekst. - In opdracht van het Cultuurfonds BUMA. - Jaar van comp.: 1968.
Duration: 10'

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Onderweg : voor orkest : (1973) / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1974
Number: 04181
Classification: Orkest
Members: 2223 2220 4perc str (moulinette musicale ad lib.)
Details: Moulinette musicale ad lib. - In opdracht van de Nederlandse Regering. - Opgedragen aan het Nederlands Studenten Orkest
Duration: 15'

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Met welbeleefde groet van de kameel / Misha Mengelberg; versie voor orkest

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1973
Number: 04301
Classification: Orkest
Members: fl fl(pic) cl-b 2sax-a sax-t 2h 2trp 2trb tb timp perc el.g el.saw el.gimlet wooden-chair str
Details: De andere versie is niet bekend. - In opdracht van het Ministerie van CRM. - Jaar van comp.: 1971-1973
Duration: 23'

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Dressoir / van Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1978
Number: 01992
Classification: Gemengd ensemble (2-11 spelers)
Members: fl(pic) 2sax-a sax-t h 2trp 2trb tb pf
Details: Voor fluit (tevens piccolo), 2 trompetten, 2 altsaxofoons (1e tevens sopraansaxofoon), tenorsaxofoon, hoorn, 2 trombones, tuba en piano. - In opdracht van het Ministerie van C.R.M. - Opgedragen aan De Volharding. - Jaar van comp.: 1977.
Duration: 10'

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Weter Klok's Waardengang : musico-drama voor fluitist : 1978-1979 / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1994
Number: 08590
Classification: Fluit, Fluit en toetsinstrument, Elektronica met verschillende instrumenten, Fluit en toetsinstrument met elektronica, Fluit met elektronica
Members: fl tape/pf
Details: Voor fluit (tevens scheidsrechterfluitje) en tape (of piano). - Met voorw. - In opdracht van de Rotterdamse Kunststichting

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3 intermezzi : for wind ensemble : 1980 / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1995
Number: 08670
Classification: Blazersensemble (9 en meer spelers)
Members: 1121 2221 cb
Details: Voor fluit, hobo, 2 klarinetten (2e tevens altsaxofoon), fagot, 2 hoorns, 2 trompetten, 2 trombones, tuba en contrabas. - In opdracht van het Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst.
Duration: 13'

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Concerto for saxophone and orchestra : 1982 / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1995
Number: 08671
Classification: Saxofoon en orkest
Members: 3332 2221 2perc str sax-a-solo
Details: Voor altsaxofoon en orkest. - In opdracht van de Johan Wagenaarstichting.
Duration: 13'

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Zeekip ahoy : voor orkest : 1984 / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1995
Number: 08673
Classification: Orkest
Members: 2221 sax-a 2111 perc pf str
Details: In opdracht van het Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst. - Op verzoek van het ASKO Ensemble.
Duration: 11'

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Enige ervaren zeekippen tegen een achtergrond van gezanten voor sour cream : voor 3 blokfluiten : 1985 / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, cop. 1995
Number: 08648
Classification: Blokfluit
Members: 3rec
Duration: 18'

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Reef und Kneebus : for ensemble : 1987 / Misha Mengelberg

order Publisher: Amsterdam : Donemus, 2003
Number: 10655
Classification: Groot ensemble (12 of meer spelers)
Members: sax-s(fl) sax-s 2sax-a sax-t sax-b(cl-b) 4trp 4trb perc pf vla vc cb
Details: Voor 2 sopraansaxofoons (1 sopraansaxofoon tevens fluit), 2 altsaxofoons, tenorsaxofoon, baritonsaxofoon (tevens basklarinet), 4 trompetten, 4 trombones, slagwerker, piano, altviool, cello en contrabas. - Cop. MuziekGroep Nederland, 2002

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Wat volgt = What's next : piano solo : 1997 / Misha Mengelberg

Classification: Piano
Members: pf
Duration: 2'

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Blues na Piet : 1997 / Misha Mengelberg

Classification: Piano
Members: pf
Details: Voor piano.
Duration: 2'

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Rokus de veldmuis : ensemble / Misha Mengelberg

order Number: 11188
Classification: Gemengd ensemble (2-11 spelers)
Duration: 10'

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Hypoxmastreefuzz : C version : Bb verion : Eb version / Misha Mengelberg

order Number: 12519
Classification: Variabele instrumentatie

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Photos Misha Mengelberg

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