{{short description|German conductor}} {{distinguish|Olaf Koch}} '''Olaf Koch''' (14 January 1932 – 22 August 2001) was a German conductor and Hochschullehrer.
In 1964, he was appointed [[General Music Director]] at the [[Meiningen Court Theatre]]. At the end of the 1960s, he turned to concert conducting, and for over twenty years he was the principal conductor of the Staatliches Sinfonieorchester and the [[Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Halle]], which he led to national recognition. Koch championed [[Neue Musik]] works by East German ([[Günter Kochan]] among others) and Soviet composers. In 1979 he received the [[National Prize of the GDR]].
Initially appointed [[Professor|Conducting Professor]] at [[Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar]], he served as Rector of the [[Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler"]] from 1982 to 1986.
== Life == === Thuringian origin and socialisation === Born in [[Bebra (Sondershausen)|Bebra]] near [[Sondershausen]], Koch came from a working-class family.<ref name="Heine37" /> He was born in 1932 as the son of a {{Ill|Kaliwerk Bischofferode|de}}-[[Miner|Kumpel]]<ref name="HerbstRankeWinkler">[[Andreas Herbst]], Winfried Ranke, Jürgen Winkler: ''So funktionierte die DDR''. Volume 3: ''Lexikon der Funktionäre'' (''rororo Handbuch''. 6350). Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1994, {{ISBN|3-499-16350-0}}, {{p.|178}}.</ref> and grew up in [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]].<ref name="Buch">Günther Buch: ''Namen und Daten wichtiger Personen der DDR''. 4th, revised and expanded edition. Dietz, Berlin among others 1987, {{ISBN|3-8012-0121-X}}, {{p.|164}}.</ref> He was also influenced by an [[Anti-fascism|antifascist]] milieu.<ref name="Herbrand134">Wolfgang Herbrand: ''Was macht eigentlich Olaf Koch''. In Monika Zimmermann (ed.): ''What does actually...? 100 GDR celebrities today''. Links, Berlin 1994, {{ISBN|3-86153-064-3}}, {{pp.|134|136}}, here {{p.|134}}.</ref> Koch, who was himself a member of the [[Antifaschistische Aktion|Antifa]] youth,<ref name="RP">Rosemarie Preuß: ''Koch, Olaf''. In Gabriele Baumgartner, [[Dieter Hebig]] (ed.): ''Biographical Handbook of the SBZ/DDR. 1945-1990''. Volume 1: ''Abendroth - Lyr''. [[K. G. Saur Verlag]], Munich 1996, {{ISBN|3-598-11176-2}}, {{p.|411}}.</ref> lost his brother Heinz Koch during the [[Nazi]] era, who was executed in {{Ill|Gedenkstätte Plötzensee|de}} in 1941 for high and national treason.<ref>Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Kompositionen, Politik, Institutionen''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, {{p.|256}}/Fn. 438.</ref>
After attending elementary school,<ref name="HerbstRankeWinkler" /> he studied violoncello, piano, composition and conducting<ref name="TA" /> at the Max Reger Conservatory in Sondershausen from 1945 to 1950.<ref name="RP" /> His livelihood<ref>Olaf Koch: ''Künstler erleben das Glück des Gebrauchtwerdens''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 14 September 1979, Vol. 34, issue 217, {{p.|3}}.</ref> He earned his living during this time as a forestry worker and [[dance music]]ian.<ref name="RP" /> "Out of deep conviction", as Wolfgang Herbrand put it, he turned to the state party in the [[GDR]].<ref name="Herbrand134" /> Although he had already applied for membership at the age of twenty-one, he did not become a member of the [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]] until 1955.<ref name="Heine37" /> In terms of cultural policy, he identified with the idea that art no longer belonged only to the elite, but to ordinary people.<ref name="Heine38">Gisela Heine: ''Das Philharmonische Staatsorchester Halle''. G. Heine, Halle (Saale) 1997, {{p.|38}}.</ref>
=== Changing Kapellmeister posts === [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-19644-0001, Meiningen, Theater.jpg|thumb|{{center|Meininger Theater (1953)}}]] In 1950 Koch became [[Korrepetitor|Repetitor]] for [[ballet]], opera and [[operetta]]<ref name="HerbstRankeWinkler" /> and 2nd ''[[Kapellmeister]]'' in Meiningen,<ref name="Buch" /> where he was from then on promoted by the theatre director [[Fritz Diez]].<ref>[[Georg-Michael Wagner]]: ''Wilhelm Tell, Peer Gynt und Fucik. The actor Fritz Diez celebrated his 70th birthday''. In: ''Neue Zeit'', 28 February 1971, Vol. 27, Issue 50, {{p.|4}}.</ref> The main focus of his activity was that of an operetta conductor.<ref name="Erck188">Alfred Erck: ''Geschichte des Meininger Theaters''. Südthüringisches Staatstheater, Meiningen 2006, {{p.|188}}.</ref> From 1955 to 1958 he was 1st Kapellmeister at the [[Opernhaus Halle]].<ref name="Buch" /> There, in 1958, he produced the ballet "Kreuzbauer Ulrike" by [[Carl-Heinz Dieckmann]], choreographed by Henn Haas and set during the [[German Campaign of 1813]]<ref>[[Fred K. Prieberg]]: ''Musik im anderen Deutschland''. Verlag Wissenschaft und Politik, Cologne 1968, {{p.|241}}.</ref> to the first performance.<ref>esche: ''Tanzspiel vom Befreiungskrieg. "Kreuzbauer Ulrike" by Henn Haas premiered in Halle''. In ''[[Neue Zeit]]'', 25 June 1958, Vol. 14, Issue 144, {{p.|4}}.</ref> In 1958, he went to the [[Stralsund Theatre]] as musical director.<ref name="Buch" /> From Halle, he brought his assistant director [[Harry Kupfer]],<ref>Dieter Kranz: ''Der Gegenwart auf der Spur. The opera director Harry Kupfer''. Henschel, Berlin 2005, {{ISBN|3-89487-522-4}}, pp. 18f.</ref> who was now the only music theatre director to stage the following operas for him in Stralsund: ''[[Der Freischütz]]'' by Carl Maria von Weber, ''[[Enoch Arden (opera)|Enoch Arden]]'' by [[Ottmar Gerster]] and ''[[The Merry Wives of Windsor (opera)|The Merry Wives of Windsor]]'' by [[Otto Nicolai]].<ref>[[Dieter Kranz]]: ''Der Gegenwart auf der Spur. The opera director Harry Kupfer''. Henschel, Berlin 2005, {{ISBN|3-89487-522-4}}, {{p.|348}}.</ref> In 1960/61, he moved as music director<ref name="Erck188" /> to the {{Ill|Theater der Altmark|de}} in Stendal.<ref name="Buch" /> In 1961, he realised with the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|Hungarian refugee]] Béla Hollai in the West German [[Göttingen]], a joint project between the [[Göttinger Symphonie Orchester]] and Stendal with works by [[Josef Suk (composer)|Josef Suk]], [[Aram Khachaturian]], Carl Maria von Weber and [[Robert Schumann]].<ref>Joseph Schmidt: ''All-German Chords in a Minor Key. The "temporarily united" orchestras of Göttingen and Stendal on interzone tour''. In ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'', 10 January 1961, No. 8, {{p.|3}}; Dietrich L.: ''Geeint durch das starke Band der Musik. The symphony orchestras of Göttingen and Stendal gave joint concerts''. In ''Neue Zeit'', 31 January 1961, Volume 17, Issue 26, {{p.|4}}.</ref>
=== General Music Director at the Meiningen Theatre === At the instigation of the GDR authorities and also at his own request, he returned to the Meiningen Theatre from November 1961 to 1967.<ref name="Erck188" /> This time he was engaged as musical director,<ref name="Buch" /> in 1964 he was appointed [[General Music Director]].<ref name="RP" /> For Alfred Erck, Koch was "endowed with [[absolute ear]], loving the great tone, savouring dramatic moments very well, he duly declared war on inaccuracies, even sloppiness, and was feared by orchestra musicians and singers alike."<ref name="Erck188" /> The soloist ensemble at the time included, among others [[Günther Hofmann]], Ines Kurz-Markgraf and Volker Schunke.<ref name="Erck187" /> A novelty was that he brought Eastern European [[bel canto]] soloists like Sandor Arizs and Virginia Keranowa to Meiningen from 1964.<ref name="Erck188" /> Accordingly, he initially had mainly Italian operas by [[Giuseppe Verdi]] and [[Giacomo Puccini]] performed.<ref name="Erck187" /> In 1962, Koch also took over the direction of the Rüdiger Flohr production of Handel's ''[[Ezio (Handel)|Ezio]]'' in the musical version by [[Max Schneider]]. His authoritarian style of leadership and dominance with regard to the soloists clashed in Meiningen with the innovations of director Hans Günter Nebel, who was influenced by [[Walter Felsenstein]]'s musical theatre.<ref name="Erck187">Alfred Erck: ''Geschichte des Meininger Theaters''. Südthüringisches Staatstheater, Meiningen 2006, {{p.|187}}.</ref> The two came together in Russian musical drama, for example in Mussorgsky's ''[[Boris Godunov (opera)|Boris Godunov]]''.<ref name="Erck189">Alfred Erck: ''Geschichte des Meininger Theaters''. Südthüringisches Staatstheater, Meiningen 2006, {{p.|189}}.</ref> In addition, [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]] and [[Richard Strauss|Strauss]] productions were also created.<ref name="Erck189" /> Koch's preference, however, was for symphonies,<ref name="Erck188" /> whereby he particularly appreciated [[Ludwig van Beethoven]].<ref name="Erck189" /> Later, he also included the concert music of Slavic composers such as Modest Mussorgsky and [[Dmitri Shostakovich]] in his repertoire.<ref name="Erck189" /> In 1967, he realised the German premiere of the 1st Symphony by [[Nina Makarova]], the wife of Aram Khachaturyan.<ref>''Olaf Koch Conducted in Moscow''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 15 January 1967, vol. 22, issue 15, {{p.|8}}.</ref> Furthermore, on the occasion of the 1966 Thuringian Music Days, he premiered the ''Symphonic Poem for Two Pianos and Orchestra'' by Wolfgang Hohensee with the Berlin pianists [[Eberhard Rebling]] and [[Siegfried Stöckigt]].<ref>H.J.S., K.H.F.: ''Two world premieres. New compositions by Kochan and Hohensee''. In ''[[Neues Deutschland]]'', 3 May 1966, vol. 21, issue 121, {{p.|6}}.</ref> According to Gert Richter, he led the [[Meiningen Court Orchestra]] "to a higher musical level".<ref name="Richter">Gert Richter: ''My thoughts on the death of Olaf Koch''. In ''Händel-Hausmitteilungen'' 3/2001, {{p.|19}}.</ref> Koch himself regarded the time in Meiningen as the most formative of his career.<ref name="Erck189" />
=== Chief Conductor of the Halle Philharmonic Orchestra === Koch turned increasingly to concert conducting from 1967<ref>Alfred Erck: ''Geschichte des Meininger Theaters''. Südthüringisches Staatstheater, Meiningen 2006, {{p.|190}}.</ref> and was succeeded by [[Karl-Ernst Sasse]]<ref name="MD">''On the death of Olaf Koch. In time between music and state. Conductor led the Halle Philharmonic Orchestra for 23 years''. In ''[[Mitteldeutsche Zeitung]]'', 31 August 2001.</ref> Head and chief conductor of the [[Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Halle]].<ref name="Buch" /> Koch "wanted to form an orchestra that should correspond to his high ideas", as journalist Gisela Heine put it.<ref name="Heine37">Gisela Heine: ''Das Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Halle''. G. Heine, Halle (Saale) 1997, {{p.|37}}.</ref> In Halle, he arranges the [[Handel Festival Halle]]<ref>Karin Zauft: ''Händel und die Händel-Festspiele in Halle.'' Mitteldeutscher Verlag, Halle (Saale) 2001, {{ISBN|978-3-89812-085-2}}, {{p.|52}}.</ref> and the [[Hallische Musiktage|Musiktage]] with.<ref name="BZ" /> Thus, on the occasion of the 1970 Handel Festival, he conducted Beethoven's [[Triple Concerto (Beethoven)|Tripelkonzert]], which was interpreted by the Soviet guest musicians, violin virtuoso [[Oleg Kagan]], pianist [[Elisabeth Leonskaja]] and cellist [[Natalia Gutman]].<ref>Wolfgang Hanke: ''Parallels intruded. Handel Festival under the Sign of the Beethoven Year''. In ''Neue Zeit'', 17 June 1970, Vol. 26, Issue 141, {{p.|4}}.</ref> At the Wittenberg "Weeks of Contemporary Music" in 1971, he participated with a performance of Leoš Janáček's[[Sinfonietta (Janáček)|Sinfonietta]].<ref>Dr. K.: ''Kunst der Nachbarvölker. Wittenberg weeks of contemporary music''. In ''Neue Zeit'', 23 April 1971, Vol. 27, Issue 94, {{p.|4}}.</ref> Moreover, he premiered several contemporary musical works by GDR composers, among others in 1969 [[Heinz Röttger]]s Violin Concerto (with [[Gustav Schmahl]])<ref>Henz Röttger, Hanns-Jürgen Rusch: ''Klangvolle Gaben für den Festtag der Republik. The Dessau general music director and composer Prof. Dr. Heinz Röttger on his latest works and plans''. In: ''Neue Zeit'', 26 April 1969, Vol. 25, Issue 97, {{p.|3}}.</ref> and in 1970 [[Hans Jürgen Wenzel]]'s "Trassensinfonie".<ref>[[Hansjürgen Schaefer]]: ''Ein neuer Weg keine bequeme Landstraße. On some problems after the premiere of the "Trassensinfonie" in Halle''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 31 May 1970, Vol. 25, Issue 148, {{p.|6}}.</ref> Wenzel's work, however, which had not been awarded by the {{Ill|Verband der Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler der DDR|de|3=Verband der Komponisten und Musikwissenschaftler der DDR|lt=Association of Composers and Musicologists of the GDR}} (VKM),<ref>Dorothea Trebesius: ''Composing as a Profession: France and the GDR in Comparison (1950-1980)'' (''Modern European History'' volume 4). Wallstein-Verlag, Göttingen 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-8353-1067-4}}, pp. 121f.</ref> led to conflict with Koch, whereupon from the 1970s onwards he initially deferred contemporary music and thus in effect sound creations from the region in the programme planning<ref>Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Compositions, Politics, Institutions''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, pp. 249f.; examples of premieres in the 1970s include. [[Gerhard Wohlgemuth]]s "Symphonic Music for Large Orchestra" and [[Paul Kurzbach]]'s cantata "Portrait of a Worker", cf. Hans-Joachim Kynaß: ''Versäumte Partnerschaft vor einem Festkonzert''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 29 May 1971, Jg. 26, Ausgabe 147, {{p.|15}}.</ref> and from 1979 also in Wenzel's progressive<ref>Konstanze Musketa: ''Musikgeschichte der Stadt Halle. Guide to the exhibition of the Händel-Haus''. Händel-Haus, Halle an der Saale 1998, {{ISBN|3-910019-13-7}}, {{p.|94}}.</ref> Series "Confrontation" of the Halle Philharmonic.<ref>Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Compositions, Politics, Institutions''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, pp. 251f.</ref> In 1972 Koch took over the direction of the ''Hallesche Philharmonie'', which emerged from the former State Symphony Orchestra, the [[Robert Franz Singing Academy]] and the {{Ill|Stadtsingechor zu Halle|de}};<ref name="BZ">''Philharmonie in Halle formed''. In the ''Berliner Zeitung'', 28 December 1972, vol. 28, issue 358, {{p.|2}}.</ref> furthermore, a separate [[chamber orchestra]], which he conducted from 1973 to 1984,<ref name="Heine20" /> and two wind groups were pronounced.<ref name="Kynaß">Hans-Joachim Kynaß: ''Konzerte für einen großen Hörerkreis. Interview with General Music Director Prof. Olaf Koch about initiatives of the Halle Philharmonic Orchestra''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 18 February 1978, Vol. 33, Issue 42, {{p.|11}}.</ref> According to the musicologist [[Konstanze Musketa]], this resulted in "a versatile and powerful ensemble", from which "essential impulses for the musical life of the region" took their starting point.<ref name="Musketa" /> In 1976, he conducted the festive concert on the occasion of the inauguration of the {{Ill|Konzerthalle St.-Ulrich-Kirche|de}},<ref>''Construction workers first visitors to new concert hall in Halle''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 15 May 1976, Vol. 31, Issue 116, {{p.|2}}.</ref> which was to replace the {{Ill|Steintor-Varieté|de}} as the main venue.<ref name="Musketa" /> Koch advocated a "[[democratisation]] of concert life", which was expressed in introductions to works and talks as well as concert planning.<ref name="MD" /> Thus, according to Richter, his Werkhalle and student concerts were an effort to "introduce those circles to classical music."<ref name="Richter" /> The concerts were considered to be largely sold out.<ref name="Musketa" /> The ensemble's repertoire included symphonic music from the classical period to the modern.<ref name="Musketa" /> The choral-orchestral connection allowed repeated performances of oratorios by [[George Frideric Handel]].<ref name="MD" /> For the 450th anniversary of the [[German Peasants' War]], it premiered the oratorio "Die Antwort" by Wolfgang Hohensee with a text by [[Paul Wiens]] in the [[St. Mary's Church, Mühlhausen]] under Koch's direction.<ref>Werner Schönsee: ''Zwiesprache der Jahrhunderte. World premiere of an oratorio for the Peasants' War anniversary''. In: ''Neue Zeit'', 24 March 1975, Vol. 31, Issue 70, {{p.|4}}.</ref> The merit of the symphony orchestra, the chamber orchestra and the chamber music ensembles for contemporary music should also be expressed in further premieres.<ref name="Musketa" /> However, composers from the Halle-Magdeburg area were hardly considered by the Philharmonic.<ref>Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Compositions, Politics, Institutions''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, {{p.|255}}.</ref> Due to his inactivity, Koch was also not re-elected as chairman of the performers' section (1972-1976) in the corresponding district association of the VKM.<ref>Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Compositions, Politics, Institutions''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, pp. 255f.</ref> On the other hand, Koch "never chose according to affiliation to trends and fashions, but always with regard to their musical quality", as Richter elaborated.<ref name="Richter" /> Moreover, the "effect of the sonic result" was important to Koch.<ref name="Richter" /> Among the works presented were [[Alan Bush]]s 1972 symphonic movement for piano and orchestra "Africa" (with Alan Bush),<ref>Stewart R. Craggs (Zusgest.): ''Alan Bush: a source book''. Ashgate, Aldershot among others 2007, {{ISBN|978-0-7546-0894-3}}, {{p.|106}}.</ref> 1974 [[Fritz Geißler]]'s Symphony No. 8,<ref>''Hallenser Uraufführung''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 2 October 1974, Vol. 29, Issue 272, p. 4.</ref> 1975 [[Günter Kochan]]s Viola Concerto (with [[Alfred Lipka]]),<ref>Hans-Peter Müller: ''Vorandrängende Kraft. Günter Kochan's viola concerto premiered''. In ''Berliner Zeitung'', 19 February 1975, vol. 31, issue 43, {{p.|6}}.</ref> 1981 Wolfgang Stendel's Cello Concerto (with [[Hans-Joachim Scheitzbach]])<ref>Renate Parschau: ''Gelungene Versuche und bewährte Werke. VIII. Music Biennale: Halle Philharmonic Hall''. In ''Berliner Zeitung'', 19 February 1981, Jg. 37, Ausgabe 42, {{p.|7}}.</ref> and in 1989 [[Kurt Schwaen]]s 2nd Piano Concerto (with Ton Nu Nguyet Minh) and [[Dietrich Boekle]]s new version of the Concerto for large orchestra.<ref>''So far nine world premieres for the XII. Music Biennale'' In ''Neue Zeit'', 20 February 1989, Vol. 45, Issue 43, {{p.|1}}.</ref> Regularly the orchestra was invited to the major alternating<ref>Dorothea Trebesius: ''Composing as a Profession: France and the GDR in Comparison (1950-1980)'' (''Modern European History'', Vol. 4). Wallstein-Verlag, Göttingen 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-8353-1067-4}}, {{p.|254}} (''Moderne europäische Geschichte'', volule 4). Wallstein-Verlag, Göttingen 2012, {{ISBN|978-3-8353-1067-4}}, {{p.|254}}.</ref> In 1989, he performed at the {{Ill|Dresdner Tage der zeitgenössischen Musik|de}}.<ref>Thomas Feist: ''Moving Sound Creations by Modern Masters. 3rd Dresden Contemporary Music Days''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 3 October 1989, Vol. 44, Issue 233, p. 4.</ref> Clearly visible under Koch's conducting was also an ''international recognition'', as Musketa pointed out.<ref name="Musketa">[[Konstanze Musketa]]: ''Musikgeschichte der Stadt Halle. Guide through the exhibition of the Handel House''. Handel House, Halle an der Saale 1998, {{ISBN|3-910019-13-7}}, {{p.|86}}.</ref> Numerous guest performances took the orchestra to the so-called [[Eastern Bloc]].<ref name="MD" /> Koch's "authority and negotiating skills", as stated in an obituary in the ''[[Mitteldeutsche Zeitung]]'' from Halle, also enabled the Philharmonie to make concert tours to the [[Non-Socialist Economic Area]] from 1975.<ref name="MD" /> According to the musicologist Achim Heidenreich, in addition to these regular events in the Federal Republic of Germany, which were quite positively noted, [[German Communist Party]] organised workers' concerts were also served, which, on the other hand, were not very well received.<ref>Achim Heidenreich: ''Sympathie für den Champ: Jubiläum: Das Philharmonische Staatsorchester Halle feiert''. In ''[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]]'', 3 January 1997, No. 2, {{p.|25}}.</ref> The dramaturge Gerd Richter perceived Koch in Halle "as an imaginative, outstanding artist and clever manager". He found impressive "his high musicality and his elegant, yet also precise, percussion technique, his ability to accurately assess the effect of a piece of music when reading the score, but also to be able to convey this to the performers as well as ultimately to the audience".<ref name="Richter" /> Koch had a "tendency towards a certain theatricality", according to Richter, and possessed a "strong, at times [[egocentric]], personality".<ref name="Richter" /> Despite not having studied at a conservatoire, he was "open to all artistic and intellectual stimuli, indeed he had a pronounced thirst for knowledge" and was also concerned, for example, with the maxims of [[historical performance practice]].<ref name="Richter" />
During his time in Halle, Koch helped GDR compositions to receive Soviet first performances in Moscow, such as the 1965 "Little Music for Orchestra" and the Violin Concerto (with {{Ill|Viktor Aleksandrovich Pikaisen|ru|Пикайзен, Виктор Александрович}} by [[Ruth Zechlin]]<ref>''Beifall für Ruth Zechlin''. In ''Neue Zeit'', 10 April 1965, Vol. 20, Issue 85, {{p.|3}}.</ref> and in 1971 the [[2nd Symphony (Kochan)|2nd Symphony]] by [[Günter Kochan]].<ref>''From Cultural Life''. In ''Neues Deutschland'', 19 February 1971, Vol. 26, Issue 50, {{p.|4}}.</ref> In addition, he premiered Dumitru Bughici's symphonic ''Suite Pictures from the History of Romania'' with the Romanian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Bucharest in 1973.<ref>''Conducted in Bucharest''. In ''Berliner Zeitung'', 10 November 1973, vol. 29, issue 311, p. 6.</ref> In 1984 he became a member of the "Kuratorium [[Schauspielhaus (Berlin)|Schauspielhaus]]", chaired by [[Peter Schreier]],<ref>''Kuratorium Schauspielhaus konstituiert''. In the ''Berliner Zeitung'', 26 April 1984, Vol. 40, Issue 99, p. 7.</ref> and in 1985 of the GDR Committee on the {{Ill|750 Jahre Berlin|de}}.<ref>''Komitee der DDR zum 750iähngen Bestehen von Berlin 1987. Gremium zur Vorbereitung des Jahrestages trat im Staatsrat zusammen''. In ''Berliner Zeitung'', 8 February 1985, Jg. 41, Ausgabe 33, {{p.|2}}.</ref>
According to Hans-Martin Uhle, the choirmaster from Halle, Koch "led the orchestra into the Oberliega".<ref name="Uhle26" /> He was "an excellent conductor and good orchestra educator".<ref name="Uhle26" /> His obsession with power was to be regarded as not unproblematic, under which the then choirmaster of the Robert Franz Singing Academy "[[Hartmut Haenchen]] had to suffer increasingly".<ref name="Uhle26">Hans-Martin Uhle: ''Wolfgang Unger in Halle''. In [[Johannes Unger]] (ed): ''Wolfgang Unger: Life for Music''. Norderstedt 2011, {{ISBN|978-3-8423-3937-8}}, {{pp.|25|38}}, here {{p.|26}}.</ref> Koch had used his party membership to thwart Haenchen's artistic activities with the orchestra.<ref name="Uhle27">Hans-Martin Uhle: ''Wolfgang Unger in Halle''. In: Johannes Unger (ed.): ''Wolfgang Unger: Leben für die Musik''. Norderstedt 2011, {{ISBN|978-3-8423-3937-8}}, {{pp.|25|38}}, here {{p.|27}}.</ref> As a consequence, Haenchen left Halle in 1972.<ref name="Uhle27" /> Similarly, he did not maintain a good relationship with Haenchen's successor [[Wolfgang Unger]].<ref name="Uhle34">Hans-Martin Uhle: ''Wolfgang Unger in Halle''. In Johannes Unger (ed.): ''Wolfgang Unger: Leben für die Musik''. Norderstedt 2011, {{ISBN|978-3-8423-3937-8}}, {{pp.|25|38}}, here {{p.|34}}.</ref>
Koch's tendential closeness to the state, which had been assessed as a "political vicious circle",<ref name="MD" /> led to his resignation in Halle at the end of 1989 after an uncomfortable voting result.<ref name="Herbrand134f">Wolfgang Herbrand: ''Was macht eigentlich Olaf Koch''. In Monika Zimmermann (ed.): ''What does actually...? 100 GDR celebrities today''. Links, Berlin 1994, {{ISBN|3-86153-064-3}}, {{pp.|134|136}}, here: pp. 134f.</ref> In accordance with the request of the orchestra's board, he nevertheless continued his work until the end of the 1989/90 season,<ref name="Herbrand134f" /> so that he could give his last concert in the Saale city with the final concert of the 39th Handel Festival.<ref name="MD" /> According to Gilbert Stöck, Koch "outwardly affirmed the cultural-political line of the state party with often pithy words".<ref>Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Compositions, Politics, Institutions''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, {{p.|247}}.</ref> For the musicologist and [[Kurt Masur|Masur]] biographer Johannes Forner, he was considered a "political hardliner and problematic in human dealings".<ref>Johannes Forner: ''Responsibility and Passion. Wolfgang Unger's Leipzig Years''. In ''Mitteilungen des Freundes- und Förderkreises des Händel-Hauses zu Halle e. V.'' 1/2018, {{pp.|36|43}}, here pp. 37f.</ref> Nevertheless, Richter emphasised: ''His socio-political ideas did not exclude criticism of political realities''<ref name="Richter" /> Shortly before his death, he reported to Richter that he also saw himself ''cheated of his ideals by the rulers of the GDR''.<ref name="Richter" />
=== End of career in Suhl === In 1990, Koch returned to his native Thuringia and became chief conductor and director of the [[Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach]].<ref name="Herbrand134" /> With the new orchestra he gave guest performances at home and abroad.<ref name="Herbrand135f">Wolfgang Herbrand: ''Was macht eigentlich Olaf Koch''. In Monika Zimmermann (ed.): ''What does...? 100 GDR celebrities today''. Links, Berlin 1994, {{ISBN|3-86153-064-3}}, {{pp.|134|136}}, here pp. 135f.</ref> In 1993, he tried unsuccessfully to return to the Meiningen Theatre.<ref>{{Ill|Wolfgang Hocke|de}}: ''Hinter den Kulissen. Thirty-six years at Meiningen Theatre''. Hartmann, Sondheim v.d. Rhön 1997, {{ISBN|3-926523-41-7}}, pp. 279f.</ref> In 1994/95, together with [[Jean-Paul Penin]] Principal Conductor and in 1995/96 Guest Conductor in Suhl.<ref>[[Ingward Ullrich]]: ''Hildburghäuser Musiker. Ein Beitrag zur Musikgeschichte der Stadt Hildburghausen''. Verlag Frankenschwelle, Hildburghausen 2003, {{ISBN|3-86180-129-9}}, {{pp.|134|267}}.</ref>
Koch was also involved in orchestra building in [[Thessaloniki]] and Tokyo.<ref name="TA" /> Thus he received guest conductorships in Greece (1996) and China/Taiwan (1997).<ref name="Heine20" />
== Teaching commitments == [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-U0721-0008, Weimar, Franz-Liszt-Hochschule für Musik.jpg|thumb|{{center|Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar (1979)}}]] Another focus of his work was orchestral education.<ref name="Richter" /> In 1972 he began teaching at the [[University of Music and Theatre Leipzig]],<ref name="MD" /> where he became chairman of the orchestra council in 1979.<ref name="RP" /> He was available to the University Symphony Orchestra as a guest conductor.<ref>Christian Fanghänel, Heike Bronn: ''Von der "Orchesterschule" zum Hochschul-Sinfonieorchester''. In ''MT-Journal. Zeitschrift der Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig'', No. 26 (2009), Supplement, {{pp.|1|5}}, here {{p.|5}}.</ref> In September<ref>''New Rector at the Berlin University of Music''. In ''Berliner Zeitung'', 8 September 1982, vol. 38, issue 211, {{p.|7}}.</ref> In 1975, he received a [[professorship]] with a lectureship in conducting at the [[Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar]],<ref name="RP" /> which he held again from 1987 to 1993.<ref name="Heine20">Gisela Heine: ''Das Philharmonische Staatsorchester Halle''. G. Heine, Halle (Saale) 1997, {{p.|20}}.</ref>
From 1982 to September<ref>''Prof. Ragwitz Rector of the Berlin Academy of Music''. In the ''Neues Deutschland'', 20 September 1986, Vol. 41, Issue 223, {{p.|11}}.</ref> In 1986, he succeeded [[Dieter Zechlin]] [[Rector (academia)|Rector]] of the [[Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler"]] Berlin.<ref name="RP" /><ref>[https://www.hfm-berlin.de/hochschule/ueber-die-hochschule/geschichte/ History-of-the-Hochschule] hfm-berlin.de; retrieved 12 April 2020.</ref> During this period in Halle, the [[personal union]] between the artistic and the state management of the orchestra had been abolished; Wolfgang Pfeiffer held the office of director of the Philharmonie.<ref name="Heine40">Gisela Heine: ''Das Philharmonische Staatsorchester Halle''. G. Heine, Halle (Saale) 1997, {{p.|40}}.</ref> Koch was often represented by his deputy Karl-Heinz Zettel.<ref name="Heine40" />
He was also a visiting professor in Tokyo, Havana and Pyongyang.<ref name="Heine20" />
In Halle, Koch led a conducting seminar from the 1970s onwards that fell under the jurisdiction of the [[Ministry of Culture (GDR)|Ministry of Culture]],<ref name="KochKlingbeil" /> which turned the orchestra into a kind of "practice orchestra",<ref name="MD" /> as well as seminars with composition students to study works.<ref name="Heine40" /> Koch was also a member of the Permanent Jury Conducting of the GDR, which was headed by [[Kurt Masur]].<ref name="KochKlingbeil" /> In 1992, he led the course of the resulting {{Ill|Dirigentenforum|de}} of the [[Deutscher Musikrat]] in Suhl.<ref>[https://www.dirigentenforum.de/orchesterdirigenten/kuenstlerische-leiter/ Künstlerische Leiter.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810084749/https://www.dirigentenforum.de/orchesterdirigenten/kuenstlerische-leiter/ |date=2019-08-10 }} dirigentenforum.de; retrieved 23 January 2021.</ref>
Among his students were [[Peter Aderhold]],<ref>Detlef Friedrich: ''Damit einer vorn ist''. In the ''Berliner Zeitung'', 19 February 1988, Vol. 44, Issue 42, {{pp.|7}}.</ref> Christfried Göckeritz, Christian Rudolf Riedel and István Ella, but also female conductors like Dobrin Panajotow, Helga Sippel, [[Dorothea Köhler]] and [[Johanna Martens]]<ref name="KochKlingbeil">Olaf Koch, Klaus Klingbeil: ''Ein Herz für junge Dirigenten. Interview of the Week with National Award Winner General Music Director Prof. Dr. Olaf Koch, Rector of the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music Berlin, and Principal Conductor of the Halle Philharmonic Orchestra''. In the ''Neue Zeit'', 8 January 1983, Vol. 39, Issue 6, {{p.|7}}.</ref> as well as Johanna Weitkamp.<ref>International Working Group {{Ill|Archive Women and Music|de|Archiv Frau und Musik}} (ed.): ''Europäischer Dirigentinnenreader'' (''Schriftenreihe des Internationalen Arbeitskreises Frau und Musik'', vol. 4). Furore-Verlag, Kassel 2003, {{ISBN|3-927327-55-7}}, {{p.|180}}.</ref> In Thessaloniki war Cosima Sophia Osthoff Assistantin Kochs.<ref>Internationaler Arbeitskreis Archiv Frau und Musik (ed.): ''Europäischer Dirigentinnenreader'' (''Schriftenreihe des Internationalen Arbeitskreises Frau und Musik'', vol. 4). Furore-Verlag, Kassel 2003, {{ISBN|3-927327-55-7}}, {{p.|121}}.</ref>
== Personal life == Koch was married five times.<ref name="Hocke49f">Wolfgang Hocke: ''Hinter den Kulissen. Thirty-six years at the Meiningen Theatre''. Hartmann, Sondheim v.d. Rhön 1997, {{ISBN|3-926523-41-7}}, pp. 49f.</ref> From his marriage in 1954 to the actress and director [[Sieglinde Wiegand]] (1929-2018), he married director Stephanie Koch (born 1955). His third marriage was to the actress Monika Reh.<ref name="Hocke49f" /> For a time he was married to the violinist [[Kathinka Rebling]] (born 1941).<ref>Gisela Heine: ''Das Philharmonische Staatsorchester Halle''. G. Heine, Halle (Saale) 1997, {{p.|158}}.</ref> Koch had a [[firearms licence]] and was considered a passionate hunter.<ref>Wolfgang Hocke: ''Hinter den Kulissen. Sechsunddreißig Jahre am Meininger Theater''. Hartmann, Sondheim v.d. Rhön 1997, {{ISBN|3-926523-41-7}}, pp. 48f.</ref>
Koch died in 2001 in [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]] at the age of 69. In 2006, a commemorative plaque was unveiled at his birthplace in Sondershausen-Bebra on the initiative of the Bebra Male Choir.<ref name="TA">''Aus der Kraft zum Leben. Gedenktafel am Geburtshaus von Generalmusikdirektor Olaf Koch enthüllt.'' In ''[[Thüringer Allgemeine]]'', 16 January 2006, S. TASH216.</ref> Anlässlich des 100-jährigen Bestehens des Chores widmete man Koch das Lied ''Geboren aus der Kraft zum Leben''.<ref name="TA" />
== Awards == * 1964: [[Max Reger Prize]] des Bezirks Suhl<ref>''Max-Reger-Kunstpreis''. In ''Neue Zeit'', 9 October 1964, Jg. 20, Ausgabe 237, {{p.|4}}.</ref> * 1973: [[Handel Prize]]<ref name="Rink24">Christoph Rink: ''Chronologie des Händelpreises''. In ''Mitteilungen des Freundes- und Förderkreises des Händel-Hauses zu Halle e. V.'' 1/2012, {{pp.|20|25}}, here {{p.|24}}.</ref> * 1974: [[Vaterländischer Verdienstorden]] in Gold<ref name="RP" /> * 1975: {{ill|Artur Becker Medal|de|Artur-Becker-Medaille}} in Gold<ref>Hans-Joachim Kynaß: ''Vielfarbige Estrade unserer jungen Kunst. Festlicher Auftakt zur Kulturkonferenz der FDJ''. In ''[[Neues Deutschland]]'', 12 July 1975, Jg. 30, Ausgabe 164, {{p.|4}}.</ref> * 1976: [[Handel Prize]] des Bezirks Halle (für die Hallesche Philharmonie)<ref name="Rink24" /> * 1976: [[Kunstpreis der DDR]]<ref>''Kunstpreise der DDR verliehen''. In the ''[[Berliner Zeitung]]'', 27 May 1976, Jg. 32, Ausgabe 126, S. 6.</ref> * 1979: [[Nationalpreis der DDR]] III. Klasse für Kunst und Literatur ("für seine Verdienste als Dirigent und Orchestererzieher")<ref>''Hohe Auszeichnungen verliehen''. In ''[[Berliner Zeitung]]'', 2 October 1979, Jg. 35, Ausgabe 232, S. 5.</ref>
Olaf Koch also won the Bela Bartok Medal, and an honorary award of the Soviet Union of Composers for the interpretation of commissioned works.<ref name="Heine20"/>
== Recordings == * [[Günter Kochan]]: ''Violakonzert'' (NOVA, 1976) – Hallesche Philharmonie, [[Alfred Lipka]] (Viola) * [[Bert Poulheim]]: ''Fagottkonzert'' (NOVA, 1982) – Hallesche Philharmonie, Bert Poulheim (Fagott) * [[Kurt Schwaen]]: ''Requiem für Orchester'' (NOVA, 1988) – Orchester der Hochschule für Musik „Hanns Eisler“ Berlin * [[Peter Jona Korn]]: ''Beckmesser-Variationen / Symphonie Nr. 3 / Exorzismus eines Liszt-Fragments'' (Thorofon, 1992) – [[Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha]] * [[Dietrich Erdmann]]: ''Musica multicolore / Concertino für Klavier und kleines Orchester'' (Thorofon, 1992) – Thüringen-Philharmonie Suhl, Roswitha Lohmer (piano) * [[Ulrich Sommerlatte]]: Sinfonische Unterhaltung etc. (Koch-Schwann, 1993) – Thüringen-Philharmonie Suhl * [[Joseph Suder]]: ''II. Symphonische Musik'' (CALIG, 1993) – Thüringen-Philharmonie Suhl * Wolfgang Stendel: ''Inventionen für Orchester'' (Thorofon, 1994) – Thüringen-Philharmonie Suhl * [[Nina Makarova]]: ''Symphony in D Minor'' (Russian Disc, 1994) – [[State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation]] * [[Gerhard Rosenfeld]]: ''Flötenkonzert'' (Hastedt, 1997) – Kammerorchester der Halleschen Philharmonie, Otto Rühlemann (flute) * [[Alexandre Guilmant]], [[Léon Boëllmann]], [[François-Joseph Fétis]]: Masterworks for Organ & Orchestra (Guild, 2001) – Ingolstadt Philharmonie, [[Franz Hauk]] (organ)
== Further reading == * Günther Buch: ''Namen und Daten wichtiger Personen der DDR''. 4th, revised and expanded edition. Dietz, Berlin among others 1987, {{ISBN|3-8012-0121-X}}, {{p.|164}}. * [[Herbert A. Frenzel]], [[Hans Joachim Moser]] (ed.): ''Kürschners biographisches Theater-Handbuch. Schauspiel, Oper, Film, Rundfunk. Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz''. [[de Gruyter]], Berlin 1956, {{p.|370}}. * Gisela Heine: ''Das Philharmonische Staatsorchester Halle''. G. Heine, Halle (Saale) 1997, pp. 37 ff. * Wolfgang Herbrand: ''Was macht eigentlich Olaf Koch''. In Monika Zimmermann (ed.): ''Was macht eigentlich…? 100 DDR-Prominente heute''. Links, Berlin 1994, {{ISBN|3-86153-064-3}}, {{pp.|134|136}} (zuvor erschienen als: ''Was macht eigentlich? Olaf Koch''. In ''[[Neue Zeit]]'', 26 September 1992, Jg. 48, Ausgabe 226, {{p.|2}}). * [[Andreas Herbst]], Winfried Ranke, Jürgen Winkler: ''So funktionierte die DDR''. Vol. 3: ''Lexikon der Funktionäre'' (''rororo Handbuch'', 6350). Rowohlt, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1994, {{ISBN|3-499-16350-0}}, {{p.|178}}. * Rosemarie Preuß: ''Koch, Olaf''. In Gabriele Baumgartner, [[Dieter Hebig]] (ed.): ''Biographisches Handbuch der SBZ/DDR. 1945–1990''. Volume 1: ''Abendroth – Lyr''. Saur, Munich 1996, {{ISBN|3-598-11176-2}}, {{p.|411}}. * Gert Richter: ''Meine Gedanken zum Tod von Olaf Koch''. In ''Händel-Hausmitteilungen'' 3/2001, {{p.|19}}. * Gilbert Stöck: ''Neue Musik in den Bezirken Halle und Magdeburg zur Zeit der DDR. Kompositionen, Politik, Institutionen''. Schröder, Leipzig 2008, {{ISBN|978-3-926196-50-7}}, pp. 247 ff.
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{DNB portal|124623786}} * [https://kalliope-verbund.info/de/eac?eac.id=124623786 Koch, Olaf] on Kalliope. * {{Discogs artist}} * [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0002343368 Olaf Koch] on Allmusic.
{{portal bar|Classical music|Germany}} {{s-start}} {{s-culture}} {{succession box | title=[[Staatsorchester Halle|Music Director, Staatsorchester Halle]] | before=[[Karl-Ernst Sasse]] | years= 1967–1990| after=[[Heribert Beissel]] }} {{s-end}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koch, Olaf}} [[Category:20th-century German conductors (music)]] [[Category:Academic staff of the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig]] [[Category:Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt, Weimar]] [[Category:Recipients of the National Prize of East Germany]] [[Category:Recipients of the Patriotic Order of Merit in gold]] [[Category:People from Suhl]] [[Category:Socialist Unity Party of Germany members]] [[Category:1932 births]] [[Category:2001 deaths]] [[Category:People from Sondershausen]]