Welcome to
Gerhard Gruber
composer for silent movies, theatre and film music
Gerhard Gruber is an Austrian composer and piano player. As accompanist for silent movies he has become the leading authority in Austria since 1988.
He has performed for about 430 different films (Viennale 1999-2004, Tokyo 2006/ 2007/ 2008, Hobart/ Australia 2007-09, Rotorua/ New Zealand 2008, Padova, Motovun Film Festival2007, Cineconcerts Bordeaux 2005, Filmfestival Pisek/CZ, Filmfestival Uherske Hradiste 2009, Munich, Hamburg, Diagonale).
Since 1983 Gerhard Gruber is working and performing as a composer and musician for theatre.
Awards: 2006: "Nestroypreis", 2008: "Landeskulturpreis Upper Austria"
GERHARD GRUBER works as an accompanist for silent movies on piano since 1988. In numerous performances he has played for about 430 different films of all genres.
As a basic principle he appreciates improvisation for his work, which he regards as best way of a direct and always new dialogue between the events on the screen, the music and the audience.
So no performance resembles the others. Gerhard Gruber likes it to be enticed by the films again and again and to pass on these feelings to the audience.
Cit.: ´For me the feeling of being amidst the events of a film story has been undescribable exciting from the first moment and is unchanged until today. This guarantees the liveliness and vibrancy of each performance.
It is always the unity of film, music and audience. And thus each presentation is able to be a special experience.`
"Those who listen to Gerhard Gruber play the piano can once again trust their own breath." -
Author Ilse Aichinger
"Silent movie music in the sense Grubers is neither an exaggeration of the film, nor the “digestible making” of an “old-fashionable” artifact, neither a vanity nor another simplification of the existing work. It is always a partnership suggestion; in a partnership, which becomes never boring as it is guaranteed. An “open relationship” including intimate bond of trust."
Alexander Horwath, director of the Austrian Filmmuseum