Photo: Kaihsu Tai · CC BY-SA 4.0 · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Thomas Larcher
Person · male · Austria · Innsbruck · born 1963 · recording since 2001
Austrian composer and pianist
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Also known as 托马斯·拉彻
Timeline
10 events▣ Album 6✦ Award 2◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1
1960s
2000s
· Debut release
Debut release: Naunz
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography413 words · 3 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1375522189
Biography
Thomas Larcher (born 16 September 1963, in Innsbruck) is an Austrian composer and pianist.
Biography and Work
Thomas Larcher completed his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna under Heinz Medjimorec and Elisabeth Leonskaja (piano), and Erich Urbanner (composition). He became well known as a pianist whilst at university, focusing particularly in the area of contemporary music.
Larcher has performed under conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Dennis Russell Davies and Franz Welser-Möst, and worked closely with composers such as Heinz Holliger, Olga Neuwirth and Isabel Mundry. He is also active in the sphere of music festivals: he founded the Klangspuren festival (which he ran from 1993 to 2004) and the chamber music festival Musik im Riesen (which he ran from 2004 to 2022) in Swarovski Kristallwelten Wattens. Since 2023 he is artistic leader of the chamber music festival listening closely.
For some years now, Larcher has dedicated himself primarily to composing and is today considered one of the leading composers of contemporary classical music in Austria. His early works (including “Naunz
NaunzSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Naunz13:382Vier Seiten6:443Noodivihik9:504Klavierstück 19868:355Kraken: I. Schnell1:276Kraken: II. Langsam4:017Kraken: III. Bewegt4:278Kraken: IV. Fließend4:369Kraken: V. Schnell2:3210Antennen-Requiem für H.: I.0:4311Antennen-Requiem für H.: II.1:0512Antennen-Requiem für H.: III.1:54” and “Kraken”) are scored almost exclusively for piano and chamber orchestra. In recent years, his oeuvre has also encompassed, alongside chamber music (String Quartets 2 and 3, “My Illness is the Medicine I Need”), more compositions for orchestra and ensemble, as well as works for soloist and orchestra (e.g. “Böse Zellen”, “Die Nacht der Verlorenen”).
Larcher has been composer in residence at Aldeburgh Festival, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Wigmore Hall and Musikdorf Ernen in Switzerland. He has written numerous compositions for internationally renowned soloists and ensembles such as the London Sinfonietta, the Artemis Quartet, Heinrich Schiff, Matthias Goerne, Till Fellner, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He has been commissioned by the Lucerne Festival, London’s Southbank Centre and Wigmore Hall, and the Zaterdagmatinee in Amsterdam.
Music by Thomas Larcher was used for the ballet “Kaspar Hauser” by Tim Plegge and for “Die Liebe kann tanzen” by Stephan Toss.
Thomas Larcher is a member of the Austrian Art Senate (Österreichischer Kunstsenat) and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.
Selected discography
CDs with music by Thomas Larcher
Naunz (ECM, 2001)
IXXU (ECM, 2006)
Madhares (ECM, 2010)
What Becomes (harmonia mundi, 2014)
Symphony No. 2, Kenotaph (Ondine, 2021)
Alle Tage/violin concerto (Tonkunstler, 2021)
The Living Mountain (ECM, 2023)
CDs with Thomas Larcher as interpreter
Arnold Schoenberg, Franz Schubert: Piano Pieces/Klavierstücke (ECM, 1999)
Hanns Eisler: Ernste Gesänge – Lieder with piano (Thomas Larcher with Matthias Goerne, Ensemble Resonanz) (harmonia mundi, 2013)
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 | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 7 | 80.4th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 3 | 95.4th |
| Timeline events | 10 | 86.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 22 | 49.6th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (7 release groups · 6 studio albums)
Albums · 6
2001 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 59:32
1Naunz13:382Vier Seiten6:443Noodivihik9:504Klavierstück 19868:355Kraken: I. Schnell1:276Kraken: II. Langsam4:017Kraken: III. Bewegt4:278Kraken: IV. Fließend4:369Kraken: V. Schnell2:3210Antennen-Requiem für H.: I.0:4311Antennen-Requiem für H.: II.1:0512Antennen-Requiem für H.: III.1:542006 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 16 tracks
1IXXU: Flüchtig, nervös2IXXU: Sehr Schnell3IXXU: Präzise / Ruhig4My Illness Is the Medicine I Need: My Illness Is the Medicine I Need5My Illness Is the Medicine I Need: I Think I'll Stay Here Until I Die, I'm Tired of Life. I Don't Like Freedom. The World Frightens Me.6My Illness Is the Medicine I Need: Eat and Sleep. Eat and Sleep. The Monotony Here Kills You.7My Illness Is the Medicine I Need: I Like It When People Ask Me the Time. It's Almost a Conversation.8My Illness Is the Medicine I Need: I Don't Know Why I'm Here. I've No Idea. I Think People Are Brought Here to Be Killed. I'm Scared of Death. Death Will Come to Me Covering All My Body. And I Will Be Silent Forever.9My Illness Is the Medicine I Need: Once They Give You an Injection You Instantly Stop Hearing Voices.10Mumien: Tempo giusto11Mumien: Schneller12Mumien: Langsam13Cold Farmer: Mit Groove14Cold Farmer: Ruhige halbe15Cold Farmer: Sehr schnell16Cold Farmer: Ganz langsam2010 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 1:05:43
1Böse Zellen: I.2:022Böse Zellen: II.4:093Böse Zellen: III.11:074Böse Zellen: IV.2:425Still: I. Fließend10:276Still: II. Fließend13:227Madhares (String Quartet no. 3): I. Madhares4:438Madhares (String Quartet no. 3): II. Honey From Anopolis2:439Madhares (String Quartet no. 3): III. Sleepless 16:0010Madhares (String Quartet no. 3): IV. Sleepless 2 - Madhares4:5311Madhares (String Quartet no. 3): V. A Song From?3:352014 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 32 tracks · 1:16:50
1Smart Dust: Smart Dust: I. Very slow6:122Smart Dust: Smart Dust: II. Very fast3:413Poems: Poems: I. Sad yellow whale2:024Poems: Poems: II. Cantabile1:365Poems: Poems: III. Babu Chiri's house1:036Poems: Poems: IV. Waking up in Najing0:427Poems: Poems: V. (The day) When I lost my funny green dog0:498Poems: Poems: VI. A little piece for Ursu1:129Poems: Poems: VII. Frida falls asleep1:1210Poems: Poems: VIII. MUI 11:0811Poems: Poems: IX. One, two, three, four, nine2:4512Poems: Poems: X. Twelve years old0:5613Poems: Poems: XI. Don't step on the Regenwurm!2:1214Poems: Poems: XII. A song from?3:0115What Becomes: What Becomes: I. Wertfrei3:2016What Becomes: What Becomes: II. Parabolic bike3:4917What Becomes: What Becomes: III. Slow2:1918What Becomes: What Becomes: IV. Scherzo2:0519What Becomes: What Becomes: V. Fission4:1020What Becomes: What Becomes: VI. Isaac1:1321What Becomes: What Becomes: VII. Flowing3:1322A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: I. Ich schreibe heute durch - II. Almauftrieb3:3923A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: II. Almauftrieb3:3024A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: III. Hart am Herz2:1025A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: IV. Familie Numero drei3:1126A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: V. Hunger nach Heimat, die keine mehr ist0:2127A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: VI. Los los1:4528A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: VII. Ferdl4:0329A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: VIII. Und beim Weggehen schmilzt aus den Augen der Schnee1:4530A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: IX. Lange zögern die Steine2:2631A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: X. Dein Wort mein Blindenhund1:5632A Padmore Cycle: A Padmore Cycle: XI. Der Körper des Vogels am Weg3:24Symphony No. 2, "Kenotaph" / Die Nacht der Verlorenen
2021 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 1:05:15
1Symphony No. 2 "Kenotaph": I. Allegro11:102Symphony No. 2 "Kenotaph": II. Adagio9:293Symphony No. 2 "Kenotaph": III. Scherzo. Molto allegro6:484Symphony No. 2 "Kenotaph": IV. Introduzione. Molto allegro9:165Die Nacht der Verlorenen: No. 1, Alles verloren6:436Die Nacht der Verlorenen: No. 2, Für Ingmar Bergman, der von der Wand weiß4:257Die Nacht der Verlorenen: No. 3, Im Lot (Memorial)9:118Die Nacht der Verlorenen: No. 4, Die Nacht der Verlorenen/Das Ende der Liebe4:179Die Nacht der Verlorenen: No. 5, So stürben wir um ungetrennt zu sein3:562023 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 22 tracks · 57:52
1The Living Mountain: I. Introduzione0:302The Living Mountain: II. At first, mad to recover the tang of height2:243The Living Mountain: III. As I reach the highest part of my dark moor2:164The Living Mountain: IV. In September dawns I hardly breathe3:015The Living Mountain: V. Once on a night of such clear silence4:006The Living Mountain: VI. Further up is all snow2:437Ouroboros: I. Allegretto9:268Ouroboros: II. Allegro infuriato2:509Ouroboros: III. Adagio ma non troppo6:2810Unerzählt: I. Plinius sagt1:5111Unerzählt: II. Die roten Flecken2:3112Unerzählt: III. Wenn die Blitze herabfuhren2:2613Unerzählt: IV. Gleich einem Hund1:0514Unerzählt: V. Am 8. Mai 19272:5715Unerzählt: VI. Mitten im Schlaf1:1416Unerzählt: VII. Venezianisches Wachspräparat1:0117Unerzählt: VIII. Es heißt daß Napoleon2:1118Unerzählt: IX. Aus dem Vorderschiff des Gehirns1:2819Unerzählt: X. Blaues Gras0:5420Unerzählt: XI. Zuletzt werden bloß soviel überbleiben3:5221Unerzählt: XII. So glitt ich lautlos1:1022Unerzählt: XIII. So wird wenn der Sehnerv zerreißt1:34
Album · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | ChonguriSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 20 tracks · 56:511Chonguri1:22 2Das alte Jahr vergangen ist2:26 3Herr Gott, nun schleuss' den Himmel auf1:52 4Danse du diable vert3:20 5Nocturne in C-sharp minor, op. post.4:10 6Romance3:55 7Drei kleine Stücke: I. Mäßige1:01 8Drei kleine Stücke: II. Sehr bewegt0:20 9Drei kleine Stücke: III. Äußerst ruhig1:00 10Zwei Stücke: I. Langsam2:55 11Zwei Stücke: II. Langsam1:58 12Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ3:36 13Après un rêve3:00 14Nocturne in E-flat major, op. 9 no. 25:05 15La lugubre gondola7:39 16Eine kleine Erregung (über Berg und Bach)4:29 17Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn2:06 18Berceuse3:21 19Vocalise-étude pour voix élevées1:02 20New York Honk2:14 | Compilation | 2006 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Thomas Larcher head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 7 | 80.4th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 3 | 95.4th |
| Timeline events | 10 | 86.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 22 | 49.6th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Stoeger Prize | won | |
| 2021 | Q15851016 | won | |
| — | Art Prize of Innsbruck | won |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S%C3%A4velt%C3%A4j%C3%A4_Thomas_Larche_Eva_Tigerstedt_haastateltavana_Kenotaph_20190125T181416.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a69e1ec1-6787-4f7a-82a2-e2a3fe079d5fdiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a69e1ec1-6787-4f7a-82a2-e2a3fe079d5fcore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q85655seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Larcherbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Larcher
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Kaihsu Tai · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q85655 · MusicBrainz: a69e1ec1-6787-4f7a-82a2-e2a3fe079d5f
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