Götz Bernau


Götz Bernau is a German violinist, music researcher, music pedagogue and music journalist.

Life

Bernau was born in Braunschweig. After studying violin in Hanover and Detmold, Bernau worked as a concertmaster in Bonn, Flensburg, Nuremberg and Regensburg. Between 1969 and 2004, he was first concertmaster of the Berliner Symphoniker, until 1990 Symphonisches Orchester Berlin, with whom he also appeared regularly as soloist in the Berliner Philharmonie and the Konzerthaus Berlin as well as on tour. Solo engagements have also taken him to orchestras in Europe, Turkey, the USSR, the USA and South America. In addition to the works of the classical violin concerto repertoire, Bernau also presented new compositions - including several premieres and first performances – and devoted himself to unknown and forgotten works from the classical, romantic and modern periods.
As a chamber musician, Bernau cultivates a repertoire of different instrumentations - in addition to his involvement with the string quartet and piano trio literature. The spectrum ranges from the one-man orchestra, duets for violin and one voice to the larger mixed formations. His collaboration in the Pihtipudas Kvintetti, which he co-founded, is worthy of mention and is also documented on several CDs. Bernau is also active in the field of chamber music for contemporary composers as well as for forgotten or rarely performed works, including revivals based on manuscripts and early prints of works from the classical and romantic periods.
A real speciality is a series of concert programmes, in which Bernau and others are featured among others operas or opera composers using contemporary adaptations of 19th century opera melodies, which today can only be found in libraries.
He has made radio productions in various European countries and recordings on disks and CDs, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician.
In 2004, Bernau was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his extraordinary programmes, his commitment to contemporary works by German and especially Berlin composers, the presentation of foreign contemporary composers in Germany, as well as for his diverse music educational work.

World premieres and first performances (works with orchestra)

Recordings

With the Pihtipudas Kvintetti:
Other:

Publications

  • Carl August Pesch: Sonate B-Dur für Violine solo. Publisher: Götz Bernau, Möseler Verlag, Wolfenbüttel / Zürich 2000,,.