con tutta forza: Bernd Alois Zimmermann

German version

“Unusual, surprising, informative, and rich in detail. A real find. A work of art in its presentation as well.”
– Hans-Peter Jahn-Bossert

“Highly recommended for anyone interested in the personality of Bernd Alois Zimmermann as well as for those interested in contemporary music. The book’s greatest strength is likely its warm vitality, combined with the sincerity of its approach.”
– Alexander Keuk

“A biography of the century. Like all great biographies, *con tutta forza* is more than just a portrait of an individual. It is a portrait of an era. The life story of Bernd Alois Zimmermann reflects the upheavals of an entire generation.”
– Bernd Künzig

Bernd Alois Zimmermann is considered one of the most original and, at the same time, most contradictory composers of the 20th century. Raised in a small village in the Rhineland, shaped by a monastic upbringing and the experiences of war, he developed a musical language in which past, present, and future are intricately intertwined. His pluralistic compositional technique incorporated jazz, literary collage, serialism, and sacred elements in equal measure—thus defying the aesthetic boundaries of his time.

This personal portrait of his daughter, Bettina Zimmermann, is based on letters, diaries, photographs, and recollections from those who knew him. It traces Zimmermann’s life journey from childhood through the creation of his major stage works to the final years of his life. The result is a portrait of a man who lived a life balanced between family closeness, intellectual curiosity, and artistic integrity.

At the same time, the book offers insight into the cultural and music-policy debates of postwar Germany and into the question of what forms contemporary music could take.

A compelling exploration of the life and work of a composer whose music has lost none of its urgency to this day.

The first German edition was published by Wolke Verlag in March 2018 and is still available.

The book will be released on May 20 and is now available for pre-order.