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Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
Jörg Widmann
Person · male · Germany · Munich · born 1973 · recording since 2008
German composer, conductor and clarinetist
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Also known as Jörg Widdman · 約爾格·威德曼
Timeline
31 events▣ Album 21✦ Award 8◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1
1970s
2000s
· Debut release
Debut release: String Quartets
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2010s
· Album
Album: Widmann: 180 Beats Per Minute / Fantasie / Mendelssohn: Sinfonie 3 „Schottische“
Album
source: musicbrainz
2020s
· Album
Album: Schumann: Kreisleriana / Geistervariationen / Widmann: Elf Humoresken
Album
source: musicbrainz
Biography
English biography2,081 words · 17 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1378866682
Biography
Jörg Widmann (German: [ˈjœʁk ˈviːtman] ; born 19 June 1973) is a German composer, conductor and clarinetist. In 2023, Widmann was the third most performed living contemporary composer in the world. Formerly a clarinet and composition professor at the University of Music Freiburg, he holds a composition professorship at the Barenboim–Said Akademie Berlin. His most important compositions are the concert overture Con brio, the opera Babylon, an oratorio Arche, Viola Concerto, Friedenskantate and the trumpet concerto Towards Paradise. Widmann has written musical tributes to Classical and Romantic composers. He was awarded the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art in 2018 and the Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg in 2023. He was Gewandhaus composer of the Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig and composer in residence for the Berlin Philharmonic.
Early life and education
Widmann was born on 19 June 1973 in Munich, the son of a physicist and a teacher. His sister is the German classical violinist Carolin Widmann. He first took clarinet lessons in 1980. Four years later he became a composition student of Kay Westermann. Widmann attended the secondary school Pestalozzi Gymnasium in Munich. He later studied composition with Hans Werner Henze, Wilfried Hiller in Munich and Heiner Goebbels, Wolfgang Rihm in Karlsruhe.
He studied as a clarinetist at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München with Gerhard Starke (1986–1997, Meisterklassendiplom 1997) and at the Juilliard School in New York City with Charles Neidich (1994–1995, Advanced Certificate 1995). He furthered his studies at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe (1997–1999).
Academic teacher
From 2001 to 2015, Widmann taught clarinet as a professor at the University of Music Freiburg. From 2009 to 2015, Widmann was a part-time Professor of Composition, succeeding Mathias Spahlinger, at the Institute for New Music at the University of Music Freiburg. Since 2017, Widmann holds the Edward Said Chair in Composition at the Barenboim–Said Akademie, Berlin.
Clarinetist
As a soloist, Widmann has performed with major orchestras in Germany and abroad, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, under conductors like Valery Gergiev, Christoph von Dohnányi, Sylvain Cambreling and Kent Nagano.
He has premiered several clarinet concerti dedicated to him: in 1999 through "musica viva", he played Music for Clarinet and Orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm; in 2006 with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cantus by Aribert Reimann; and in 2015 "über" by Mark Andre at the Donaueschingen Festival. He premiered Olga Neuwirth's Zones of Blue, a rhapsody for clarinet and orchestra, in 2026 in Munich with Simon Rattle and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Widmann's core repertoire as clarinetist includes Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet, Weber's Clarinet Concerto No. 1 and Clarinet Quintet, Brahms's Clarinet Quintet, and Pierre Boulez's Dialogue de l'ombre double, which he performed on Boulez's 85th birthday in Paris. His chamber music partners include Daniel Barenboim, Tabea Zimmermann, András Schiff, Kim Kashkashian, Hélène Grimaud, Denis Kozhukhin and Mitsuko Uchida.
Widmann mostly plays a Herbert Wurlitzer clarinet from his student time.
Freiburg and Munich (2001–2016)
Compositions
Widmann's compositions draw on different musical genres. For example, he has written a trilogy for orchestra examining the projection of vocal forms of instrumental ensembles. The trilogy consists of Lied (premiered in 2003 and recorded on CD by the Bamberg Symphony with Jonathan Nott), Chor (premiered in 2004 by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin with Kent Nagano) and Messe (premiered in June 2005 by the Munich Philharmonic under Christian Thielemann). In 2008, the Siemens Arts Program sent Widmann to Dubai, where he completed Dubairische Tänze. This composition has influences from Bavarian folk dance. Widmann's Free Pieces for Ensemble: Number X is used in Sophie Fiennes's documentary Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow (2010), about the postwar German artist Anselm Kiefer. In 2012, he collaborated with philosopher Peter Sloterdijk, who was the librettist for his second opera Babylon. The theatrical Viola Concerto (2015) marked a new period in Widmann's œuvre. Soloist at the premiere and the following performances was Antoine Tamestit.
String quartets 1–5
Widmann's early string quartets are of particular note among his chamber music: the First Quartet was written in 1997, followed by the Chorale Quartet and the Hunting Quartet, the latter premiered in 2003 by the Arditti Quartet. 2005 saw the first performances of the Fourth Quartet and Experiment on a Fugue (Fifth Quartet, with soprano), with Juliane Banse and the Artemis Quartet. These five one-movement quartets form a cycle.
Premieres
In 2007, Pierre Boulez and the Vienna Philharmonic premiered his orchestral work Armonica for glass harmonica and orchestra. Widmann composed the music to the music theatre Am Anfang, where Anselm Kiefer was involved with a prologue and the stage design. The premiere took place in July 2009 as part of the 20th anniversary of the Opéra Bastille, in which Widmann acted as clarinetist and made his debut as conductor. The production was Gérard Mortier's farewell as general director of the Opéra National de Paris. His sister Carolin Widmann premiered his études IV-VI for violin (2004–2010) at the Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik on 23 April 2010.
Performances
Widmann performed his Fantasie for Solo Clarinet (1993), one of his early compositions, to celebrate Walter Fink's 80th birthday at the Rheingau Musik Festival on 16 August 2010 and in 2014 was the festival's composer and artist in residence.
Composer in residence
Widmann was Composer in Residence at the Salzburg Festival and at the chamber music festival Spannungen, Heimbach in 2004. Octet was premiered on 4 June 2004 at the power plant Kraftwerk Heimbach. He was Composer in Residence at the Lucerne Festival in 2009, where on 13 August 2009, Heinz Holliger performed Widmann's oboe concerto, commissioned by the festival. On 5 September Widmann premiered Holliger's Rechant for solo clarinet. Widmann was the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich's Creative Chair in the 2015–16 season.
Berlin and Munich (Since 2017)
Premieres
Widmann's oratorio ARCHE had its world premiere on 13 January 2017 on the occasion of the opening festivities of the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. It was performed by the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra under Kent Nagano. Commissions from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra are Partita and the lyrical trumpet concerto Towards Paradise. Latter was premiered on 23 September 2021 at Gewandhaus with Håkan Hardenberger playing trumpet and Andris Nelsons conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. This work refers to Miles Davis. On 8 June 2023, Friedenskantate for soli, choir, organ and orchestra was premiered by Andreas Reize conducting Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and Thomanerchor in Leipzig, Thomaskirche, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach taking office as Thomaskantor. 2026 saw the premiere of Widmann's Jupiter-Etude played by violinist Tianwa Yang at Mozart Festival Würzburg. The piece is a homage to Mozart's Jupiter Symphony.
Performances
A concert with Widmann, Daniel Barenboim, and Anna Prohaska opened the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin on 4 March 2017.
On 27 January 2018, Widmann and the Hagen Quartet performed his Clarinet Quintet, as part of a European tour, at Amsterdam's Muziekgebouw aan het IJ. After the world premiere in 2012 at the Bavarian State Opera, in 2019 a new Berlin version of his opera Babylon was performed at the Berlin State Opera on Unter den Linden under the musical direction of Christopher Ward. During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, he contributed to the online Festival of New Music with his composition empty space. Barenboim and Emanuel Pahud curated the festival in the empty Pierre Boulez Saal. Widmann's commitment for peace was manifested in the 2025 Ukraine performance of his Cantata in tempore belli for alto, narrator, choir, organ and orchestra. The performance took place in the National Opera of Ukraine, Kyiv.
String quartets 6–10
Anne-Sophie Mutter is the dedicatee of String Quartet No. 6 (Study on Beethoven, 2019). With this piece, Widmann began a new series of works in the genre for the Beethoven anniversary year 2020. The series comprises five quartets. The quartets 7–10 were premiered by the Artemis Quartet, the Juilliard String Quartet and the Ruysdael Quartet.
Composer in residence
On 9 September 2015, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra proclaimed they were commissioning a work from Widmann as part of a planned collaboration by the two organizations beginning in the fall of 2017. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra announced Widmann's appointment as its first-ever Gewandhauskomponist (Gewandhaus composer) for the 2017–18 season.
Widmann held the 2019–20 Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair at Carnegie Hall. In the 2023–24 season, Widmann was Berlin Philharmonic's composer in residence and made his debut conducting the orchestra. Widmann composed a concerto for the orchestra's principal horn Stefan Dohr. In the 2026–27 season he is "Capell-Compositeur" and "Capell-Virtuos" of the Staatskapelle Dresden.
Freiburg and Munich (2001–2016)
In 2008, Widmann conducted a rehearsal of the premiere of his concert overture Con brio, followed by his debut with Am Anfang in 2009 in Paris. From 2012 to 2017, he was Principal Guest Conductor of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Berlin and Munich (Since 2017)
From 2017 to 2022, Widmann was Principal Conductor and Artistic Partner of the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Since 2022, he has been Associated Conductor of the Munich Chamber Orchestra. He was guest conductor of the Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg. From the 2023–24 season, Widmann has been principal guest conductor of the NDR Radiophilharmonie for three years. He conducted the Berlin Philharmonic in his function as composer in residence. In the 2025–2026 season, Widmann made his official conducting debut with the Cleveland Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony and the Detroit Symphony. Since 2026, Widmann has been the artistic director of the Lucerne Festival Academy, succeeding Wolfgang Rihm. He conducted the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra with Rihm's Tutuguri in Lucerne, Berlin and Munich.
Other activities
Widmann is president of the International Max Reger Society. Widmann was the judge for the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award 2026.
Personal life
Widmann lives and works in Berlin and Munich.
Reception
According to Bachtrack, Widmann was in 2023 the third most performed living contemporary composer in the world, behind John Williams and Arvo Pärt; in 2024, he ranked sixth.
Style
Widmann cannot be pinned down to a specific personal style or composition school. His music has been described as varied and imaginative. In his experimental and technically demanding early work, Widmann integrates serialism and noise into traditional forms/structures. He focuses on sounds, not tones. Widmann has written pieces without pitches and also purely tonal pieces with exaggerated familiar gestures. In many of his compositions, Widmann is in a musical "dialogue" with Classical and Romantic composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Brahms. He wrote musical tributes to these composers.
Widmann's scores show extremely precise, well-considered structures and instructions. A common instruction is that the soloist moves around the stage, for example in Viola Concerto, Towards Paradise and Friedenskantate. Widmann integrates the soloist of his concertos into the creative process. He uses extended techniques in many compositions, such as Con brio. Besides the influence of his musical idols, Widmann finds inspiration in literature, poems, paintings and sculptures. He frequently uses literary sources for his compositions, like Matthias Claudius, Klabund, Heinrich Heine, Peter Sloterdijk, Clemens Brentano and Friedrich Schiller in his oratorio ARCHE. In his 2023 Bach-homage Friedenskantate (peace cantata), he uses texts by Matthias Claudius, Jean Paul, Bertolt Brecht, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Paul Gerhardt and from the Bible. In Cantata in tempore belli, composed in 2024, Widmann uses the pacifistic text "Sag Nein!" (Say no) by Wolfgang Borchert to express his call for peace.
Honorary degrees
2023 Honorary doctorate University of Limerick
Memberships
2003 Fellow of the Berlin Institute for Advanced Study
2005 Member of the Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste
2007 Member of the Freie Akademie der Künste Hamburg
2007 Member of the Deutsche Akademie der Darstellenden Künste
2016 Member of the Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur Mainz
2024 Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music
Music
As of 2024, Widmann has composed a series of seven Labyrinth pieces.
Writings
Widmann, Jörg (2019). "Utopian Music? The Exception as the Quintessence". Beethoven 250. Unter der Oberfläche / Beneath the Surface. Essays zum Beethovenjahr / Essays for the Beethoven Year. Berlin: Pierre Boulez-Saal.
—— (14 April 2014). "Musikpreis des "Heidelberger Frühlings": Man muss das Feuer einfach weitergeben". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 18 April 2021.
Films
Widmann, Jörg; Kiefer, Anselm; Missler-Morell, Andreas (2009), ... und es wird Klang – der Komponist Jörg Widmann (in German), [Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar]: ZDF, OCLC 916866277
Faltin, Sigrid; Mutter, Anne-Sophie; SWR Classic (Firm); SWR Media GmbH (2023), Anne-Sophie Mutter – Vivace (in German), [Deutschland]: SWR Classic, OCLC 1390093297
Preuße, Holger (28 May 2023), Im Labyrinth – Der Musiker Jörg Widmann – Die ganze Doku [In the Maze – The Musician Jörg Widmann] (in German), Arte, Aired: 18 June 2023, 23:50 Video English translation on YouTube, Deutscher Kamerapreis (German Camera Prize) 2023
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 12 | 64.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 21 | 96.7th |
| Awards recorded | 8 | 98.4th |
| Timeline events | 31 | 96.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 18 | 41.7th |
| Genres | 3 | 80.4th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (25 release groups · 21 studio albums)
Albums · 21
2008 · studio album
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Tracklist · 5 tracks · 1:16:43
11. Streichquartett13:102Choralquartett (2. Streichquartett)13:453Jagdquartett (3. Streichquartett)10:5344. Streichquartett13:505Versuch über die Fuge (5. Streichquartett mit Sopran)25:052010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 22 tracks · 1:05:44
1Freie Stücke: I1:262Freie Stücke: II5:423Freie Stücke: III2:464Freie Stücke: IV0:575Freie Stücke: V2:346Freie Stücke: VI2:017Freie Stücke: VII2:438Freie Stücke: VIII1:079Freie Stücke: IX2:5110Freie Stücke: X2:5811Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: Trostlos wie Schweigen die Zeit zerklirrt …1:4312Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: Regenbote mein Schöner …2:1213Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: Luftweich über den Gräbern …3:0814Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: Aber sie kommen, sichten den Baum …1:0415Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: Und wenn der Tod so kommen mag …2:0516Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: Die Wurzel auf dem Kopf, die Krone erdgekrallt …1:1917Sieben Abgesänge auf eine tote Linde: In den Bäumen sind unsere Seelen gewesen …5:0918Oktett: Intrada5:4719Oktett: Menuetto1:5620Oktett: Lied ohne Worte8:4821Oktett: Intermezzo1:0422Oktett: Finale6:242011 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:07:57
1Messe: Kyrie: I. Introitus. Monodia11:202Messe: Kyrie: II. Interludium I1:163Messe: Kyrie: III. Contrapunctus I4:234Messe: Kyrie: IV. Interludium II1:255Messe: Kyrie: V. Contrapunctus II1:566Messe: Kyrie: VI. Interludium III0:507Messe: Gloria: I. Antiphon4:268Messe: Gloria: II. Contrapunctus III1:059Messe: Crucifixus7:5710Messe: Et resurrexit: Contrapunctus IV - Exodus5:5211Fünf Bruchstücke: I. Äußerst langsam1:1012Fünf Bruchstücke: II. Presto possibile1:0813Fünf Bruchstücke: III. Sehr langsam, frei1:5914Fünf Bruchstücke: IV. Energiegeladen, sehr schnell1:3015Fünf Bruchstücke: V. ♪ = 402:5816Elegie18:422013 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 1:08:07
1Quartet in D minor, op. 76 no. 2, Hob. III:76: I. Allegro7:022Quartet in D minor, op. 76 no. 2, Hob. III:76: II. Andante o più tosto allegretto5:073Quartet in D minor, op. 76 no. 2, Hob. III:76: III. Menuetto: Allegro ma non troppo3:024Quartet in D minor, op. 76 no. 2, Hob. III:76: IV. Finale: Vivace assai4:035Quartet in D minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”: I. Allegro11:316Quartet in D minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”: II. Andante13:067Quartet in D minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”: III. Scherzo: Allegro molto4:048Quartet in D minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”: IV. Presto9:129Hunting Quartet11:00Clarinet Quintet / String Quartet, K. 421
2013 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 58:38
1Clarinet Quintet in A major: I. Allegro9:092Clarinet Quintet in A major: II. Larghetto6:073Clarinet Quintet in A major: III. Menuetto7:044Clarinet Quintet in A major: IV. Allegretto con variazioni9:225String Quartet in D minor: I. Allegro moderato8:016String Quartet in D minor: II. Andante6:087String Quartet in D minor: III. Menuetto3:478String Quartet in D minor: IV. Allegretto ma non troppo9:002015 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 1:30:47
Disc 111. Streichquartett14:162Choralquartett — 2. Streichquartett12:293Jagdquartett – 3. Streichquartett11:3044. Streichquartett15:53Disc 21Versuch über die Fuge – 5. Streichquartett mit Sopran24:322Streichquartett aus der Oper „Absences”6:363180 Beats per Minute für Streichsextett5:31Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 / Widmann: Con brio
2015 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 1:17:14
1Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace14:032Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: II. Allegretto8:083Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: III. Presto, assai meno presto8:384Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: IV. Allegro con brio8:515Con brio, Konzertouvertüre für Orchester11:506Symphony no. 8 in F major, op. 93: I. Allegro vivace e con brio9:257Symphony no. 8 in F major, op. 93: II. Allegretto scherzando3:458Symphony no. 8 in F major, op. 93: III. Tempo di menuetto4:359Symphony no. 8 in F major, op. 93: IV. Allegro vivace7:592016 · studio album
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Tracklist · 40 tracks · 1:13:11
1Papillons, op. 2: Introduzione, Moderato0:492Papillons, op. 2: Prestissimo0:303Papillons, op. 2: [ohne Satzbezeichnung]0:584Papillons, op. 2: Presto0:485Papillons, op. 2: [ohne Satzbezeichnung]1:046Papillons, op. 2: [ohne Satzbezeichnung]0:587Papillons, op. 2: Semplice0:488Papillons, op. 2: [ohne Satzbezeichnung]1:089Papillons, op. 2: Prestissimo0:4410Papillons, op. 2: Vivo: Più lento2:0011Papillons, op. 2: [ohne Satzbezeichnung]2:2712Papillons, op. 2: Finale2:1113Elf Humoresken: Kinderlied: Semplice3:4214Kinderszenen, op. 15: Fast zu ernst1:2315Elf Humoresken: Fast zu ernst: Mesto0:5316Elf Humoresken: Anfangs lebhaft: Agitato, poco rubato3:0717Waldszenen, op. 82: Vogel als Prophet: Langsam3:2018Elf Humoresken: Waldszene: Belebt1:0419Elf Humoresken: Choral: Sostenuto2:3620Phantasiestücke, op. 12: Warum?2:4921Elf Humoresken: Warum?: Auf der Hut, sehr langsam1:3022Elf Humoresken: Intermezzo: Prestissimo0:5923Faschingschwank, op 26: Intermezzo: Mit großer Energie1:5724Elf Humoresken: Zerrinnendes Bild: Molitssimo rubato, quasi improvisando2:3925Elf Humoresken: Glocken: rall, poco a poco0:5726Davidsbündlertänze, op. 6: Zart und singend2:2827Elf Humoresken: Lied im Traume: Ruhig, bewegt0:4128Elf Humoresken: Mit Humor und Feinsinn5:2529Davidsbündlertänze, op. 6: Nicht schnell1:5630Zirkustänze: Fanfare: Declamando0:2531Zirkustänze: Boogie - Woogie0:5632Zirkustänze: Erster Walzer1:1533Zirkustänze: Vier Strophen vom Heimweh: In großer Ruhe, von weit1:5434Zirkustänze: Vals bavaroise1:2135Zirkustänze: Valse sentimantale: Molto rubato1:2936Zirkustänze: Kinderreim0:4437Zirkustänze: Karussell - Walzer1:4638Zirkustänze: Hebräische Melodie: Mesto4:1939Zirkustänze: Venezianisches Gondellied: Verhangen, leicht wiegend3:1240Zirkustänze: Bayerisch-babylonischer Marsch: Marschtempo3:592017 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 1:06:20
1Adagio und Fuge c-Moll, KV 5467:272Versuch über die Fuge23:393Symphonie no. 5 d-Moll, op. 107 "Reformations-Symphonie": I. Andante - Allegro con fuoco11:304Symphonie no. 5 d-Moll, op. 107 "Reformations-Symphonie": II. Allegro vivace4:465Symphonie no. 5 d-Moll, op. 107 "Reformations-Symphonie": III. Andante3:516Symphonie no. 5 d-Moll, op. 107 "Reformations-Symphonie": IV. Choral "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott". Andante con moto8:077Andante7:002017 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:10:27
1Märchenerzählungen, op. 132: I. Lebhaft, nicht zu schnell3:042Märchenerzählungen, op. 132: II. Lebhaft und sehr markiert3:223Märchenerzählungen, op. 132: III. Ruhiges Tempo mit zartem Ausdruck4:184Märchenerzählungen, op. 132: IV. Lebhaft, sehr markiert5:005Fantasiestücke, op. 73: I. Zart und mit Ausdruck3:386Fantasiestücke, op. 73: II. Lebhaft, leicht3:317Fantasiestücke, op. 73: III. Rasch und mit Feuer4:098Märchenbilder, op. 113: I. Nicht schnell3:179Märchenbilder, op. 113: II. Lebhaft3:4210Märchenbilder, op. 113: III. Rasch2:3711Märchenbilder, op. 113: IV. Langsam, mit melancholischem Ausdruck5:3012Es war einmal… (Fünf Stücke im Märchenton): No. 1. Es war einmal…5:3813Es war einmal… (Fünf Stücke im Märchenton): No. 2. Fata Morgana6:2214Es war einmal… (Fünf Stücke im Märchenton): No. 3. Die Eishöhle2:5915Es war einmal… (Fünf Stücke im Märchenton): No. 4. Von Mädchen und Prinzen6:4816Es war einmal… (Fünf Stücke im Märchenton): No. 5. Und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind6:32Duets / Viola Concerto / Jagdquartett
2018 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 48:54
1Viola Concerto: I. Pizzicato. Molto rubato – Più mosso8:462Viola Concerto: II. Sehr langsam – Calmo8:373Viola Concerto: III. Poco vivo subito2:244Viola Concerto: IV. Toccata. Presto1:595Viola Concerto: V. Aria. Molto adagio6:16624 Duos: No. 9. Calmo0:40724 Duos: No. 14. Capriccio1:43824 Duos: No. 15. Canto1:01924 Duos: No. 16. Petit ballet mécanique (Pas de deux)0:571024 Duos: No. 12. Kanon-Fragment0:261124 Duos: No. 5. Frage0:491224 Duos: No. 6. Scherzando (un poco sostenuto)0:151324 Duos: No. 21. Valse bavaroise1:371424 Duos: No. 22. Lamento3:1015Jagdquartett, String Quartet no. 3: Allegro vivace assai10:14Widmann: 180 Beats Per Minute / Fantasie / Mendelssohn: Sinfonie 3 „Schottische“
2018 · studio album
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Tracklist · 7 tracks · 1:02:00
1Ouvertüre Die Hebriden (Fingalshöhle), op. 269:392180 Beats Per Minute5:113Fantasie für Klarinette Solo7:514Symphonie no. 3 a-Moll, op. 56 „Schottische“: Andante con moto – Allegro un poco agitato15:415Symphonie no. 3 a-Moll, op. 56 „Schottische“: Vivace non troppo4:096Symphonie no. 3 a-Moll, op. 56 „Schottische“: Adagio9:227Symphonie no. 3 a-Moll, op. 56 „Schottische“: Allegro vivacissimo – Allegro maestoso assai10:072020 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 1:04:47
1Sonata E-flat major, op. 120/2: I. Allegro amabile8:352Sonata E-flat major, op. 120/2: II. Allegro appassionato5:173Sonata E-flat major, op. 120/2: III. Andante con moto7:474Intermezzi for piano: I.0:465Intermezzi for piano: II. Zart singend1:226Intermezzi for piano: III. Mit dunkler Glut (agitato sempre)11:597Intermezzi for piano: IV. Wiegenlied (Ruhig fließend)4:138Intermezzi for piano: V. Lento un poco andante1:499Sonata F minor, op. 120/1: I. Allegro appassionato8:0810Sonata F minor, op. 120/1: II. Andante un poco Adagio5:0811Sonata F minor, op. 120/1: III. Allegretto grazioso4:2412Sonata F minor, op. 120/1: IV. Vivace5:192021 · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 1:07:38
1Con brio10:572Duett-concertino, TRV 293: I. Allegro moderato6:203Duett-concertino, TRV 293: II. Andante3:394Duett-concertino, TRV 293: III. Rondo10:025Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: I. Poco sostenuto11:376Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: II. Allegretto8:337Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: III. Presto8:148Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92: IV. Allegro con brio8:162022 · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:09:23
1Lieder und Gesänge aus „Wilhelm Meister“, op. 98a: II. Ballade des Harfners5:382Lieder und Gesänge aus „Wilhelm Meister“, op. 98a: IV. Wie nie sein Brot mit Tränen aß2:253Lieder und Gesänge aus „Wilhelm Meister“, op. 98a: VI. Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt3:104Lieder und Gesänge aus „Wilhelm Meister“, op. 98a: VIII. An die Türen will ich schleichen2:1256 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: I. Lied eines Schmiedes1:3166 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: II. Meine Rose3:3976 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: III. Kommen und Scheiden1:1886 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: IV. Die Sennin1:5596 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: V. Einsamkeit3:10106 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: VI. Der schwere Abend2:32116 Gedichte von N. Lenau und Requiem, op. 90: VII. Requiem3:5812Das heiße Herz: I. Der arme Kaspar4:1613Das heiße Herz: II. Spätes Liebeslied1:4214Das heiße Herz: III. Liebeslied2:0715Das heiße Herz: IV. Hab’ ein Ringlein am Finger1:0516Das heiße Herz: V. Eifersucht8:1417Das heiße Herz: VI. Das Fräulein stand am Meere1:1718Das heiße Herz: VII. Kartenspiel5:5819Das heiße Herz: VIII. Einsam will ich untergehn13:162023 · studio album
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Tracklist · 4 tracks · 1:00:59
1Violin Concerto in D major, op. 61: I. Allegro ma non troppo26:062Violin Concerto in D major, op. 61: II. Larghetto14:233Violin Concerto in D major, op. 61: III. Rondo. Allegro12:104Fragment from Violin Concerto in C major, WoO 58:202023 · studio album
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Tracklist · 5 tracks · 1:11:55
1Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 “Stadler Quintet”: I. Allegro9:202Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 “Stadler Quintet”: II. Larghetto6:323Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 “Stadler Quintet”: III. Menuetto7:224Clarinet Quintet in A major, K. 581 “Stadler Quintet”: IV. Allegretto con variazioni10:005Clarinet Quintet38:41Schumann: Kreisleriana / Geistervariationen / Widmann: Elf Humoresken
2023 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:08:44
1Kreisleriana, op. 16: I. Äußert bewegt2:562Kreisleriana, op. 16: II. Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch9:223Kreisleriana, op. 16: III. Sehr aufgeregt4:364Kreisleriana, op. 16: IV. Sehr langsam3:285Kreisleriana, op. 16: V. Sehr lebhaft3:036Kreisleriana, op. 16: VI. Sehr langsam4:197Kreisleriana, op. 16: VII. Sehr rasch2:018Kreisleriana, op. 16: VIII. Schnell und spielend3:449Elf Humoresken: I. Kinderlied3:3510Elf Humoresken: II. Fast zu ernst0:5411Elf Humoresken: III. Anfangs lebhaft3:0412Elf Humoresken: IV. Waldszene1:0313Elf Humoresken: V. Choral2:5414Elf Humoresken: VI. Warum?1:2615Elf Humoresken: VII. Intermezzo1:0616Elf Humoresken: VIII. Zerrinnendes Bild2:0717Elf Humoresken: IX. Glocken1:1018Elf Humoresken: X. Lied im traume0:5119Elf Humoresken: XI. Mit Humor und Feinsinn5:4020Thema mot Variationen (Geistervariationen), WoO 24: Tema. Leise, innig1:4421Thema mot Variationen (Geistervariationen), WoO 24: Var. I1:2822Thema mot Variationen (Geistervariationen), WoO 24: Var. II. Canonisch1:3823Thema mot Variationen (Geistervariationen), WoO 24: Var. III. Etwas belebter1:4624Thema mot Variationen (Geistervariationen), WoO 24: Var. IV1:4425Thema mot Variationen (Geistervariationen), WoO 24: Var. V3:052023 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 1:13:05
1Lamento Turco8:17214 Romances, op. 34: No. 14. Vocalise5:2136 Romances op. 38: No. 6. A-OO!2:474Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, D 96512:055Harawi: No. 6. Répétition Planétaire7:186Enigma (improvisation)3:457Mörike Lieder: No. 11. An eine Äolsharfe5:1485 Mélodies populaires grecques: No. 4. Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques2:559Nachtstück, D 6725:1310Harawi: No. 10. L’escalier redit, gestes du soleil5:5811Sphinxensprüche und Rätselkanons14:122024 · studio album
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Tracklist · 26 tracks · 1:02:18
1Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 1. Modéré, très franc1:222Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 2. Assez lent, avec une expression intense2:493Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 3. Modéré1:304Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 4. Assez animé1:085Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 5. Presque lent, dans un sentiment intime1:326Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 6. Vif0:427Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 7. Moins vif2:528Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: No. 8. Épilogue. Lent4:389Puppentänze: No. 1. Lyrischer Walzer1:4110Puppentänze: No. 2. Gavotte1:2611Puppentänze: No. 3. Romanze2:0812Puppentänze: No. 4. Polka1:3213Puppentänze: No. 5. Walzer-Scherzo2:2214Puppentänze: No. 6. Leierkasten1:2515Zirkustänze: No. 1. Fanfare0:2416Zirkustänze: No. 2. Boogie-Woogie0:5617Zirkustänze: No. 3. Erster Walzer1:2518Zirkustänze: No. 4. Vier Strophen vom Heimweh2:0419Zirkustänze: No. 5. Valse bavaroise1:2220Zirkustänze: No. 6. Valse sentimentale1:3921Zirkustänze: No. 7. Kinderreim0:4822Zirkustänze: No. 8. Karussell-Walzer1:4823Zirkustänze: No. 9. Hebräische Melodie4:3124Zirkustänze: No. 10. Venezianisches Gondellied3:3625Zirkustänze: No. 11. Bayerisch-babylonischer Marsch4:1626La valse, M. 7212:22Invitation: Mozart, Mendelssohn & Schumann
2026 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 1:09:02
1Serenade in C Minor, K. 388/384a: I. Allegro8:282Serenade in C Minor, K. 388/384a: II. Andante4:203Serenade in C Minor, K. 388/384a: III. Menuetto (in canone)4:084Serenade in C Minor, K. 388/384a: IV. Allegro7:155String Symphony No. 8 in D Major, MWV N 8: I. Adagio e Grave. Allegro9:556String Symphony No. 8 in D Major, MWV N 8: II. Adagio4:317String Symphony No. 8 in D Major, MWV N 8: III. Menuetto4:308String Symphony No. 8 in D Major, MWV N 8: IV. Allegro molto. Più presto9:369Overture, Scherzo and Finale, Op.52: I. Overture. Andante con moto5:5910Overture, Scherzo and Finale, Op.52: II. Scherzo. Vivo4:4111Overture, Scherzo and Finale, Op.52: III. Finale. Allegro molto vivace5:39
Album · 3
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | OctetsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks · 1:27:43Disc 1 1Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet and Double Bass in F major, D 803: Adagio – Allegro15:04 2Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet and Double Bass in F major, D 803: Adagio12:12 3Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet and Double Bass in F major, D 803: Allegro vivace – Trio6:14 4Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet and Double Bass in F major, D 803: Andante con variazioni11:43 5Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet and Double Bass in F major, D 803: Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio6:47 6Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet and Double Bass in F major, D 803: Andante molto – Allegro9:57 Disc 21Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horm String Quartet and Double Bass: I. Intrada5:53 2Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horm String Quartet and Double Bass: II. Menuetto1:50 3Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horm String Quartet and Double Bass: III. Lied ohne Worte9:34 4Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horm String Quartet and Double Bass: IV. Intermezzo1:17 5Octet for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horm String Quartet and Double Bass: V. Finale7:12 | Live | 17 September 2010 | |
| 2018 | ArcheSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 1:41:04Disc 1 1Arche: Fiat lux / Es werde licht18:58 2Arche: Sintflut29:03 3Arche: Die liebe26:55 Disc 21Arche: Dies irae16:52 2Arche: Dona nobis pacem9:16 | Live | 5 October 2018 | |
| 2019 | Quatuor pour la fin du tempsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 8 tracks · 53:331Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: I. Liturgie de cristal2:56 2Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: II. Vocalise, pour l'ange qui annonce la fin du temps6:10 3Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: III. Abîme des oiseaux9:53 4Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: IV. Intermède1:45 5Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: V. Louange à l'éternité de Jésus9:26 6Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: VI. Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes6:30 7Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: VII. Fouillis d'arcs-en-ciel, pour l'ange qui annonce la fin du temps8:00 8Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22: VIII. Louange à l'immortalité de Jésus8:53 | Live | 1 March 2019 |
Broadcast · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 2008-07-26: Salzburger Festspiele 2008, Großer Saal, Mozarteum, Salzburg, AustriaSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 8 tracks · 54:261Quatuor pour la fin du temps: I. Liturgie de cristal. Bien modéré, en poudroiement harmonieux3:02 2Quatuor pour la fin du temps: II. Vocalise, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du Temps. Robuste, modéré - presque lent, impalpable, lointain5:48 3Quatuor pour la fin du temps: III. Abîme des oiseaux. Lent, expressif et triste8:01 4Quatuor pour la fin du temps: IV. Intermède. Décidé, modéré, un peu vif2:26 5Quatuor pour la fin du temps: V. Louange à l'Eternité de Jésus. Infiniment lent, extatique11:24 6Quatuor pour la fin du temps: VI. Danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes. Décidé, vigoureux, granitique, un peu vif6:34 7Quatuor pour la fin du temps: VII. Fouillis d'arcs-en-ciel, pour l'Ange qui annonce la fin du temps. Rêveur, presque lent - robuste, modéré, un peu vif - Extatique - Robuste, modéré, un peu vif8:08 8Quatuor pour la fin du temps: VIII. Louange à l'Immortalité de Jésus. Extrêmement lent et tendre, extatique9:03 | Live | — |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Jörg Widmann head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 12 | 64.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 21 | 96.7th |
| Awards recorded | 8 | 98.4th |
| Timeline events | 31 | 96.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 18 | 41.7th |
| Genres | 3 | 80.4th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Hindemith Prize | won | |
| 2002 | Schneider-Schott Music Prize | won | |
| 2003 | Ernst von Siemens Music Prize | won | |
| 2004 | Arnold Schönberg Prize | won | |
| 2008 | Stoeger Prize | won | |
| 2018 | Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art | won | |
| 2018 | Robert Schumann Prize for Poetry and Music | won | |
| 2023 | Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg | won |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J%C3%B6rg_Widmann.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/390ad895-584b-4a76-9ec5-ec96941f6026discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/390ad895-584b-4a76-9ec5-ec96941f6026core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q462746seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6rg_Widmannbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6rg_Widmann
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: no portrait · CC BY-SA 2.5 (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q462746 · MusicBrainz: 390ad895-584b-4a76-9ec5-ec96941f6026
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