Konstantin Wecker: His Work and the Issues that it Raises

This term paper was written in partial fulfillment of Music 265 (Musical Cultures of the World), an ethnomusicology course at the University of Alberta. We were given the assignment of writing a term paper on any topic we desired, chosen with the approval of our instructor. I received a grade of 9, the highest mark one can get at the U of A, and the compliments of my instructor for work that was well researched and written. The paper was written in 1995, and thus does not reflect current events in Wecker's career and personal life, and was originally accompanied by a cassette of the songs discussed.

I. Introduction

Konstantin Wecker is one of Germany's best-kept secrets from the rest of the world. Although little known outside of German language countries, his work has impact both artistically and socially. The artistic impact results from the originality of his music, which is a unique blend of classical, jazz, and rock highlighted by his powerful vocal style and piano virtuosity. His songs also have various social implications, as his lyrics are intense, carefully crafted poems which, in additon to other themes, often reflect contemporary social and political situations. The multi-dimensional aspects of his work raise musical contrasts, as well as the challenge of reaching audiences. However, there is a richness to his performance and a depth to his work that, despite a language barrier and lack of product distribution, are relevant to audiences in North America.

II. A Capsule of his Life and Career

On June the first, 1947, Konstantin Wecker was born in Munich. An only son, he was raised and nurtured in a musical family. His father, Alexander, was an opera singer, and, as a result, the young Konstantin was surrounded with music during his childhood (Reinecke 27). During his formative years he began learning the piano, which eventually became his main instrument. However, Wecker's interests did not stop at music. He became well grounded in the humanities by reading the works of great intellectuals, particularly Nietzsche. This duality of his interests led him to pursue studies at the University of Munich in piano and voice, as well as philosophy.

After his graduation from university in 1970, Wecker worked at a variety of odd jobs while at the same time pursuing his music. In 1972, his first album, entitled Die Sadopoetischen Gesänge des Konstantin Amadeus Wecker (The Sadopoetical Songs of Konstantin Amadeus Wecker), was released. The albums that followed established Wecker as a versatile musician with an intellectual bent to his lyrics. 1977's Genug ist nicht genug (Enough is not Enough) remains his best known album. The title song summarizes Wecker's philosophy of life: enough is never enough, therefore life must be lived to the fullest. Wecker, whose career also includes acting in and scoring several German films, has since gone on to release over twenty albums. Although he has never achieved great degrees of commercial success, he has a loyal base of fans and continues to receive critical acclaim.

III. His Music -- Style and Instrumentation

The basic elements of Wecker's music can be observed in two separate classifications: his instrumentation, which includes his playing, arrangements, and influences; and his vocal style. His instrumental composition style defies categorization. It combines influences that Wecker encountered during his life from jazz, rock, and folk, to the classics which he studied in university, which mainly were the German masters such as Bach, Strauss, and Wagner. Many of his songs fuse these different styles, such as the multi-faceted "Was tat man den Mädchen" ("What Have They Done to the Girls"). The song opens with a percussive piano chord combined with a heavily classical sounding cello melody, which is soon met with an almost-eerie sounding synthesizer and bass line. While the verses continue in this fashion, the chorus becomes smoother and soulful, resembling a folk ballad. Then, the piano, cello, synthesizer, and bass return and the cycle again begins.

Jazz also plays an important role in Wecker's music. Influenced by the likes of Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk (Rieth 15), the kind of jazz typical to Wecker is rooted in tradition, yet with a contemporary flavor. Many of Wecker's songs contains elements of jazz, particularly in the form of saxophone and trumpet solos, usually accompanied with piano. The live version of "Wenn der Sommer nicht mehr weit ist" ("When the Summer is not Far"), taken from 1988's Three Voices, Three Worlds, One Vision tour with Latin American vocalist Mercedes Sosa and American singer/songwriter Joan Baez, features an instrumental break including some very intense trumpet playing with a wide dynamic range and many melodic accents and staccatos, resulting in it sounding very raw. Wecker's accompanying piano is very lively and has an improvised quality to it, a common feature of jazz.

Other songs of Wecker's are more rock-oriented, particularly his more recent work. The title track from Uferlos (Boundless), his latest studio album, is arranged and performed as a rock song, utilizing electric instruments almost exclusively. Its opening is unusual and almost Middle-Eastern or Asian sounding with little indication of what is to follow. The presentation of the song is powerful and almost anthem-like in its energy. "Uferlos" is a description that is accurate of Wecker's music itself, for his experimentation with styles and instrumentation knows no bounds.

However, as eclectic as his instrumentation becomes, the piano has always been the central instrument of Wecker's music. Raised on the instrument from an early age, Wecker's playing style also defies classification. It ranges from soft and seductive with a richness comparable to Chopin's Nocturnes and Etudes, to percussive and intruding. It is through his playing that Wecker captures the mood of the song. The optimistic, tender plea for the universal regard for earthly pleasure is captured in the seductive performance of "Wenn der Sommer nicht mehr weit ist," mentioned earlier in this section, although this time at a concert recorded at the Orf in Salzburg, Austria. This performance is at once captivating and subtle, with a clearly articulated sense of austerity that acts as an effective contrast for what Wecker perhaps believes should be transferred on a larger scale towards the quest for pleasurable indulgence.

At the other end of the spectrum, the sarcasm of "Der Herr Richter" ("Mr. Judge") is captured through his percussive and often whimsical instrumental passages and cadences. It is a humorous song intended to evoke laughter in a sneering sort of way, and listening to the exaggerated dramatic techniques of his playing achieves just that.

IV. His Music -- Vocals

Wecker's vocals play an important role in his music. The timbre of his voice is rich and powerful; an avid weightlifter, Wecker is built like a half-back and has a voice to match. His voice is noticeably very trained; it often has the operatic, controlled quality of a low tenor which has remained consistent throughout the years. Wecker is always in control of his voice, which is a key element in the interpretation of his songs. In his past, Wecker fought a battle with a cocaine addiction, a time in his life which influenced one of his more recent songs. Appropriately titled "Kokain," pain is noticeable in his voice, as his smooth, even tone becomes raw, almost to the point of cracking. As a result, he effectively captures his emotions surrounding the trap he fell into.

Strong emotions are definitely noticeable in "Sage nein" ("Say No!" -- to discrimination and hatred), a song denouncing racial hatred and violence. Wecker is uninhibited in his performance; dramatic, though still in control. It is a serious song with a serious message, and Wecker captures its emotional qualities in his voice, which soars through several changes in dynamics. The way he intones the words Sage nein functions as a parody of the Nazi salute Sieg heil, especially the last few bars in which Wecker repeats himself several times. His voice also adds to the general aesthetic character of forward motion and marching, along with the repetitive snare drum pattern.

"Genug ist nicht genug," Wecker's public statement of his personal philosophy mentioned earlier in Section IV, is much more relaxed, as it should be. At times, it sounds as if he is even smiling to himself. Thus, his vocals give this song, and his work in general, a great deal of credibility, as it becomes clear that Wecker truly believes what he is singing.

V. His Lyrics -- Themes and Issues

Despite the richness of his instrumentation and vocals, the major focus of Wecker's songs both in the media and in scholarly study* has always been his lyrics. Like his music, his lyrics are multi-faceted, following in the tradition of the Liedermacher movement; singer/songwriters with compostions that are critical and passionate. His songs demonstrate his own personal philosophies about life and love, while other songs contain social commentary and criticism. As well, his lyrics are poems by themselves, due to the direct and precise language that Wecker utilizes. An example is "Genug ist nicht genug," mentioned in the previous section, which remains his theme song as far as his views on life go. This song's direct refrain basically sums it up:

Genug ist nicht genug,
ich lass mich nicht belügen.
Schon Schweigen ist Betrug,
genug kann nie genügen. (Wecker 92)

Enough is not enough,
I do not allow lies to be told to me.
Silence is treason,
Enough can never be enough.

Wecker's love songs are sometimes sincere and gentle such as "Was ich an dir mag" ("What I Like (Love) About You"), where fears that describing his love transcends the common spoken words of "Ich leibe dich" ("I love you"), although he says it anyway. Other love songs are rather ironic. In "Liebeslied im Alten Stil" ("Love Song in an Old Voice"), a love affair amounts to nothing more than a shallow sexual experience:

Was für ein Gefühl
tiefer als das Meer
doch wie tief ist das Meer? (Wecker CD notes, Uferlos)

What a feeling
Deeper than the sea
But how deep is the sea?

Social commentary and criticism accounts for the majority of Wecker's lyrics. Born in the post-World War II era, Wecker came of age during the 1968 student movement-- a nation-wide protest against the brutality haunting Germany's recent past. The ideas raised in these protests shaped much of Wecker's lyrical material, as he often struggles with and questions the shadowy past of his beloved country (Pinkert-Saeltzer 2670-A). As well, he has spent a good deal of his musical career championing humanitarian causes, becoming involved with Amnesty International, and besides the Three Voices tour mentioned in Section II, has toured several times in Germany with Joan Baez, also a musical crusader for human rights.

Wecker especially attacks the Nazis and fascism, using his own unique brand of cynicism and sarcasm. "Die Weisse Rose" ("The White Rose") was written about members of a resistance movement named after the flower of everlasting love, who were later executed in Munich towards the end of the Nazi regime:

Ihr wärt hier so wichtig, Sophie und Hans,
Alexander und alle andern,
euer Schlichtheit und euer Mut,
euer Gottvertrauen - ach, tät das gut!
Denn die Menschlichkeit, man kanns verstehn,
ist hierzulande eher ugern gesehn
und beschloss deshalb auszuwandern. (Wecker 76)

You were so important here,
Sophie and Hans, Alexander, and the others;
Simplicity and your courage,
Your faith in God - ah, that is good!
Humanity, one can see,
is not appreciated here,
and so she decided to leave.

These people were examples of incredible courage and integrity, traits which obvously were not important to the Nazis. Wecker is sarcastically saying that being executed was how they were thanked for this courage; their faith in Man, and that their trust in God did not do them any good. As a result, Wecker cannot make any sense out of how such an atrocity could happen in his country, and must leave in order to be at peace with himself. Wecker did, in fact, live by his words, as he went from Germany to live in the Toscana region of Italy for many years.

Even in the 1990's, Germany faces the wrath of racism and violence from the extreme right. Skinheads who espouse Nazi ideals pose a danger to recent immigrants, often by unleashing their anger and hatred with violence. In one particular case, an Angolan refugee named Antonio Amadeu Kiowa was brutally beaten to death in a racially-motivated attack. Wecker was so outraged by this murder that he re-wrote the lyrics to one of his earlier classics, "Willy," and created the song "Die Ballade Von Antonio Amadeu Kiowa" (Weinert 112). Originally recorded in the late Seventies, "Willy" was a one-way musical conversation with a friend (simply known as Willy), to whom Wecker denounces racism and fascism. Maintaining the same melody and solo piano accompaniment, "Ballade" is written with the voice and maturity of a man who has lived to see history repeat itself. As a result, "Ballade" is a much more bitter and cynical song than much of Wecker's earlier work, and concludes with a powerful refrain:

Gestern habns an Amadeu daschlagn
aber heit, aber heit, aber heit,
heit halt ma zsamm. (Wecker CD notes, Uferlos)

Yesterday they struck Amadeu dead
But today . . .
Today we will stand together.

There is solidarity in numbers, and this togetherness that Wecker refers to can form a collective strength against such crimes.

Another of Wecker's more recent songs denouncing hatred is "Sage nein!" ("Say No!"), which was mentioned in Section II as an example of Wecker's dramatic vocal style. In this song, Wecker attacks everything from Holocaust deniers to the perpetrations of racial prejudice in the school system. He stresses that racism is a disease which affects all walks of society, and must be stopped by these very same people:

Ob als Penner oder Sänger,
Bänker oder Müssiggänger,
ob als Schüler oder Lehrer,
Hausfrau oder Strassenkehrer,
ob du sechs bist oder hundert -
Sei nicht nur erschreckt, verwundert,
tobe, zürne, bring dich ein:
Sage nein! (Wecker CD notes, Uferlos)

Whether a tramp or a singer,
Banker or idler,
Whether a student or a teacher,
Housewife or streetcleaner,
Whether you are six or a hundred
Be not merely frightened or astonished
Bring your anger; roar together as one:
Say no!**

VI. Contrasts and Concerns

Due to its multi-faceted nature, Wecker's work raises musical contrasts, and issues regarding public perception of his work. Musical contrasts enhance the meaning of a song. For example, in "Die Ballade von Antonio Amadeu Kiowa," mentioned in the previous section as a song of social protest, Wecker's voice soars back and forth from soft and quiet almost beyond audibility, to loud and raucous, demonstrating his anger and confusion.

As well, "Ballade" exemplifies a musical category of Wecker's songs that he verbally recites, and only sings part of. Since his lyrical writing style includes irony, puns, precise language, and other poetic devices while also maintaining an even, steady rhythm and rhyme scheme, it lends itself to such an unusual treatment, and able to stand alone on the written page or recited without musical accompaniment.

Other musical contrasts result from his arrangements and instrumentation. Often, such as in "Was tat man den Mädchen," musically examined in Section III, he combines several styles within the framework of one song, in this case classical and folk. As well, it is indeed unusual to find a xylophone and cello in what otherwise would be considered a pop ballad, such as "Genug ist nicht genug."

Vocally, Wecker also does not stick to one style or technique. He appears uninhibited in his performances, whether in the studio or in front of a live audience. When necessary, he alters his voice to convey emotions and dramatic exaggerations, displaying the qualities of a skilled actor. "Der Herr Richter," mentioned in Section III as a sarcastic poke at justice by pointing to an unnamed judge's propriety, is a likely example. The amount of energy in this performance is electrifying; it is intense and well rehearsed. In "Uferlos," his voice is strong, clear and operatic, yet he also chooses to decorate certain passages with vocables and "scat" sounds characteristic in Western music of rock and jazz.

In terms of his overall repertoire, he effectively performs epic-style, weighty pieces such as the anthemic-sounding "Tropenträume," ("Tropical Dreams") a complex piece with sectional repetition demonstrating a strong classical foundation. He is also capable of performing a lighter piece such as "Was ich an dir mag," with equal aplomb. Arrangements of the same song even vary from performance to performance, as do the two versions of "Wenn der Sommer nicht mehr weit ist" from the jazz-inspired Three Voices concert and the sparser Live in Salzburg performance. Thus, Wecker challenges musical tradition and stereotypes by effectively performing a wide range of composition and performing styles.

However, the greatest concern surrounding his music ironically comes about as a result of this diversity within his work, and is that of public perception. Wecker is an artist who writes with integrity, conviction, and does not take into account musical fads or trends. As a result, he has not had a great deal of commercial success. His music is not easily accessible to all; it combines styles into a form that is very eclectic to mainstream ears. His lyrics are cerebral; they call for attentive listening and reflection. Some people may not like his singing style for the same reasons as people who do not like opera.

As well, there are those who simply do not approve of Wecker as a person, for he has a reputation of being very outspoken both in his music and in interviews, going on record criticizing "bourgeois society and all parts of its ideological apparatus (family, educational system, media, government, justice, religion)" (Pinkert-Saeltzer 2760-a). He is iconoclastic in his personal politics, and this unconventionality has spilled over into his music. However, people may find his beliefs offensive, and, as a result, find his songs too controversial. Thus, the kinds of people who listen to his music would mostly be educated, open-minded intellectuals with broad musical tastes and an interest in social justice.

VII. Reaching North American Audiences

If there are people in Germany who find Konstantin Wecker's music to be inaccessible, this problem exists on a larger scale in North America where there is the added problem of a language barrier. As well, his albums are simply not available on this continent except by special order. However, there is a lot that North American society could gain from Wecker's music. His instrumentation is interesting and exciting, and shed a new light on the classics from which he was influenced, and which North American music students study as well. For someone generally categorized in the genre of popular music, known for three-and-a-half minute radio-ready pop tunes, Wecker's music comes across as unique and innovative.

In addition, after studying the work of Konstantin Wecker, it is possible to view racial issues from a different angle. It appears that the only times when Germany is mentioned in the North American media is when a racial incident occurs. The other side of the equation is never considered; German responses against such incidents are rarely heard in this part of the world. Wecker provides such a voice. As well, what he has to say in his songs is of relevance to North American society for the same reasons it is relevant in Germany. Although North Americans may gasp when they hear reports of racial disharmony in Germany, racism and racially-motivated crimes on this continent are all too common, especially in large cities. In Canada, anti-Semitic incidents alone have been reported in 1994 by B'nai Brith Canada as having risen 11.7% from 1993***. In addition, it was not that long ago that Canadian soldier beat a Somali boy to death. North America has its own Antonio Amadeu Kiowas, giving Canadians and Americans a good reason to stand together to "Sage nein."

However, even if his music was readily available to North Americans, there is reason to believe that he would barely rise even to cult status. For one, his music is not readily accessible for the same reasons as discussed is Section VI. Both Germany and North America have the same commercial rock music dominating the airwaves, driving those who stray from the norm relegation to campus radio stations.

The language barrier is also a large obstacle. To an ethnocentric North American ear, the combination of the German language and his singing style may come across as raw and guttural. An added problem is that several of Wecker's songs are written in a Bavarian dialect, which causes many words that are common in meaning to be confusing in sight and sound. The song "Wieder dahoam" ("Home Again"), which extols the beauty and reveals his true feelings towards his birth-city of Munich, contains plentiful examples of Wecker's Bavarian dialect:

Wieder dahoam
In meiner Melodie
Da bin i geborn
Und da ghör i hi. (Wecker 35)

Home again
In my melody
It's where I was born
And it's here I belong.

Daheim is replaced with dahoam; ich with i; geboren with geborn; gehöre with ghör; and hier with hi. Even native speakers of German may be confused, especially those from Northern regions. However, this problem of language variation exists in other languages as well. Many people who speak English may not be able to understand the words to an American rap song which may contain elements of different dialects or slang words.

VIII. Conclusion

Konstantin Wecker, German singer, songwriter, and activist, has built his career on fusing different musical styles and performance techniques. His composition, from a purely instrumental standpoint, include the combinations of different genres such as classical, jazz, and rock, even within the context of one song. The instrumentation he employs sometimes ranges from a traditional rock outfit, to the utilization of classical instruments, to just his solo piano. Vocally, Wecker is able to portray many moods, altering his voice when appropriate and stressing the thought behind the song itself. Different songs deal with different themes, particularly love, personal beliefs about life, and especially social commentary. These themes are communicated through lyrics that are highly poetic in nature. Since he combines so many unique composing and performing practices, many contrasts evolve, which lead to the discovery that there are no fixed rules to Wecker's music; he has made an art out of the unconventional. However, the uniqueness of his work raises the concern of reaching audiences, both in Germany, where he remains marginalized, and North America where his albums are not even distributed. In general, these concerns are not the fault of Wecker, but reflect more on the state of popular music in Western countries. Popular music, while often regarded as a place for experimentation or rebellion against established ideals, is, in fact, very conservative with commercialism dominating the airwaves. Wecker maintains his artistic and personal integrity by composing, recording, and performing music that is original, unique, and thoughtful, while providing criticism of both society and traditional musical conventions.

Notes

*In the field of Germanic Literature, a doctoral thesis investigating the social implications of Wecker's lyrics was successfully defended by Inke Pinkert-Saeltzer at New York University in 1990.

**It is of interest to note that Wecker and his record company donated a portion of the proceeds earned by "Sage nein!" to victims of an arson attack in the city of Solingen (Weinert 112). This action is especially noble in light of the fact that although Wecker has been recording for over twenty years, Uferlos is his first album ever to make it onto the charts (52).

***"Anti-Semitic incidents up in Canada." Edmonton Jewish Life 4.2 (1995), 2.

Works Cited

Pinkert-Saeltzer, Inke. "Die literarische Verabeitung der bundesrepublikanischen Wirklichkeit nach 1968 in den Texten des Liedermachers Konstantin Wecker: Eine literatursoziologische Untersuchung." DAI 51(1991): 2760-A. New York U.

Reinecke, ---. "Gespräch mit Vivi Eickelberg, Promotorin von Konstantin Wecker und Klaus Hoffmann." Neue Zeitschrift für Musik January-February 1980: 26-28.

Rieth, Michael. "Bajuwarische Kraftbrocken-Diät: Konstantin Wecker auf der Bühne und im Gespräch." Neue Musikzeitung Oktober-November 1990: 15.

Three Voices, Three Worlds, One Vision. Vision TV, Toronto. June 1993.

Wecker, Konstantin. Genug ist nicht genug. Polydor, 821 108-2, 1977.

---. Stilles Glück, trautes Heim: Neue Texte. Munich: Ehrenwirth, 1990.

---. Uferlos. Global/BMG Ariola, 74321 13085 2, 1993.

---. Uferlos in Salzburg: Live. Global/BMG Ariola, 74321 18491 2, 1994.

Weinert, Ellie. "German Releases Condemn Violence." Billboard 17 July 1993: 3, 112.

---. "Global Music Pulse: Germany." Billboard 26 June 1993: 52.
  • Created: August 10, 1997
  • Updated: January 5, 1998

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