Franz Lehrndorfer (10 August 1928 – 10 January 2013) was a German organist, composer, and pedagogue.

Biography

Main pipe organ - Frauenkirche - Munich - Germany 2017

Franz Lehrndorfer was born in

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

and spent his youth in

Kempten Kempten (; ) is the largest town of Allgäu, in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. The population was about 68,000 in 2016. The area was possibly settled originally by Celts, but was later taken over by the Romans, who called the town ''Cambodunum''. K ...

. He received his first music lessons from his father, a choir director and

musicologist Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...

and began to play the organ at age nine. From 1948 until 1951, Lehrndorfer studied sacred music in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

and obtained a

master class ''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...

diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offi ...

in organ performance in 1952. Upon graduation, he worked as music instructor for the

Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...

, under music director Theobald Schrems. In 1962, he began his teaching career at the

Musikhochschule München The University of Music and Theatre Munich (), also known as the Munich Conservatory, is a performing arts conservatory in Munich, Germany. The main building it currently occupies is the former ''Führerbau'' of the NSDAP, located at Arcisstr ...

, first as adjunct professor of organ, later (from 1969 until 1993) as professor and department chair of sacred music and organ performance. From 1969 until 31 October 2002, Lehrndorfer was organist at the Frauenkirche in Munich. He left his cathedral appointment after major disagreements with the cathedral’s music director, Karl-Friedrich Nies. Lehrndorfer focused on organ improvisations, both in concert and recordings. As a performer, he often included music by

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

and

Max Reger Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (19 March 187311 May 1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor, and academic teacher. He worked as a concert pianist, a musical director at the Paulinerkirche, Leipzig, Leipzig University Chu ...

, as well as works by contemporary composers, such as

Karl Höller Karl Höller (25 July 1907 – 14 April 1987) was a German composer of the late Romantic tradition. Biography Karl Höller was born in Bamberg, Bavaria. He came from a musical family on both sides: his father Valentin Höller was the Bamberg Cath ...

and

Harald Genzmer Harald Genzmer (9 February 1909 – 16 December 2007) was a German composer of classical music and an academic. Biography The son of the legal historian , Genzmer was born in Blumenthal, near Kiel, Germany. He studied composition with Paul ...

, in his programs. In 2001, he played the premiere of Genzmer's ''Concerto '' for organ, which he subsequently edited for

Schott Music Schott Music () is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe, and is the second-oldest music publisher after Breitkopf & Härtel. The company headquarters of Schott Music were foun ...

. As an organ consultant, Lehrndorfer was in charge of several major organ projects, such as the 1980

Georg Jann Georg Jann (17 January 1934 – 12 February 2019) was a German organ builder. Early life Jann was born in Kalkberge. In 1948, he began his apprenticeship in Potsdam with organ builder Alexander Schuke. He moved to Switzerland in 1961, three ...

organ at

Tegernsee Abbey Tegernsee Abbey ( German ''Kloster Tegernsee'' or ''Abtei Tegernsee'') is a former Benedictine monastery in the town and district of Tegernsee in Bavaria. Both the abbey and the town that grew up around it are named after the Tegernsee, the lake ...

, or the four organs at the Frauenkirche in Munich (1993/1994). On the occasion of Lehrndorfers 80th anniversary in 2008, more than 50 of his former students celebrated at the Musikhochschule Munich. Franz Lehrndorfer died at age 84 in a hospital in Munich.

Awards

* 1957: First Prize in Organ Performance,

ARD International Music Competition The ARD International Music Competition () is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is organised by the Bayerischer Rundfunk and is held once a year in Munich, usually in September. Since its inception in 1952, it h ...

* 1970:

Bavarian Order of Merit The Bavarian Order of Merit () is the Order of Merit of the Free State of Bavaria. It is awarded by the Minister-President of Bavaria as a "recognition of outstanding contributions to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people". The or ...

* 1981:

Deutscher Schallplattenpreis The Deutscher Schallplattenpreis was a prize that the awarded from 1963 through 1992. Its successor is the Echo Music Prize Echo Music Prize (stylised as ECHO, ) was an accolade by the , an association of recording companies of Germany to rec ...

(LP Recording, "Organ Music from Munich Cathedral." Munich: Calig Label) * 1983: Cross of Merit,

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

* 1997: Officer's Cross of Merit, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany * 1998: Knight Commander,

Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great (; ) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of the five Papal order of knighthood, orders of knighthood of th ...

* 1999:

Honorary Doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music The Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music (; ) is an institution of higher education of the Roman Catholic Church specifically dedicated to the study of religious music, church music. It is based in Rome, Italy, located in the former Pontifical Ab ...

Students

Many of Franz Lehrndorfer's former organ students became concert organists, obtained positions at important churches or faculty positions in Germany and abroad: * Martin Bernreuther (

Eichstätt Cathedral Eichstätt Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Willibald and St. Salvator is the 11th-century cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Eichstätt and is located in the city of Eichstätt, in the state ...

) *

Winfried Bönig Winfried Bönig (born 1959 in Bamberg) is a German organist. Bönig studied organ and church music at the ''Musikhochschule München'' with ''Franz Lehrndorfer'' from 1978 to 1984. He passed his A exam in 1982 with distinction. Afterwards he st ...

(

Cologne Cathedral Cologne Cathedral (, , officially , English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia belonging to the Catholic Church. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archd ...

) * Christian Brembeck * Roland Büchner ( Regensburg Cathedral) *

Gabriel Dessauer Gabriel Dessauer (born 4 December 1955) is a German Cantor (church), cantor, concert organist, and academic teacher. After studies with Diethard Hellmann and Franz Lehrndorfer, he was responsible for the church music at St. Bonifatius, Wiesbaden ...

( St. Bonifatius, Wiesbaden) * Harald Feller (

) * Marlene Hinterberger (Musikhochschule München) * Wolfgang Hörlin (Musikhochschule München) * Rudolf Kelber ( Hauptkirche St. Jacobi, Hamburg) *

Edgar Krapp Edgar Krapp (born 3 June 1947 in Bamberg) is a German organist and music professor. Krapp is a member of the Board of the Neue Bachgesellschaft (New Bach Society) in Leipzig and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts. Biography Krapp's first organ les ...

(

Musikhochschule Frankfurt The Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (, HfMDK) is a state Hochschule for music, theatre and dance in Frankfurt and is the only one of its kind in the Federal State of Hesse. It was founded in 1938. At present around 900 student ...

, Musikhochschule München) * Hans Leitner (

Passau Cathedral St. Stephen's Cathedral () is a baroque church from 1688 in Passau, Germany, dedicated to Saint Stephen. It is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Passau and the main church of his diocese. History Since 730, there have been many churches built ...

, since 2003 Frauenkirche Munich) * Wolfram Menschick (Eichstätt Cathedral) * Tomas Adam Nowak (

Musikhochschule Detmold A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

) * Ludwig Ruckdeschel (

) * Klemens Schnorr ( Musikhochschule Freiburg,

Freiburg Minster Freiburg Minster ( or ) is the cathedral of Freiburg im Breisgau, southwest Germany. The last duke of Zähringen had started the building around 1200 in romanesque style. The construction continued in 1230 in Gothic style. The minster was partly ...

) * Josef Still (

Trier Cathedral The High Cathedral of Saint Peter in Trier (), or Trier Cathedral (), is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the oldest cathedral in Germany and the largest religious structure in Trier, notable for its long l ...

) * Gerhard Weinberger (Musikhochschule Detmold) * Markus Willinger (

Bamberg Cathedral Bamberg Cathedral (, official name Bamberger Dom St. Peter und St. Georg) is a church in Bamberg, Germany, completed in the 13th century. The cathedral is under the administration of the Archdiocese of Bamberg and is the seat of Archbishop of ...

) * Elisabeth Zawadke (

Lucerne School of Music The Lucerne School of Music (''Hochschule Luzern – Musik'') is a professional school for musicians located in Lucerne, Switzerland, and closely associated with the city's annual music festival. It is a division of the Lucerne University of Appl ...

)

Compositions

Organ

* ''Eight Variations on "Maria, dich lieben"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1995) * ''Nine Choral Preludes'' on Christmas chorals from the ''

Gotteslob ''Gotteslob'' ("Praise of God") is the title of the hymnbook authorized by the Catholic dioceses in Germany, Austria, South Tyrol, Luxembourg and Liège, Belgium. First published in Advent 2013, it is the current official hymnal for German-speak ...

'' hymnal (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 2001) * ''Theme and eleven Variations on " Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2002) * ''Easy Preludes to Advent and Christmas chorals from the "Gotteslob" hymnal'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2003) * ''Organ Preludes to Easter chorals from the "Gotteslob" hymnal'' (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 2007) * ''Introduction, Variations, Fugue, and Hymnus on "Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern"'' (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 2008) * ''" Nun freut euch, ihr Christen"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2008) * ''"Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2009) * ''Concerti antici "

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern "" (; ) is a Lutheran hymn by Philipp Nicolai written in 1597 and first published in 1599. It inspired musical settings through centuries, notably Bach's chorale cantata , but also vocal and instrumental works by Baroque composers, Peter Cornelius ...

" and " Lobet den Herren"'' (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 2010) * ''Meditation and Variations on "

O du fröhliche "" ("Oh, how joyful", literally: "Oh, you joyful ... hristmastime) is a German Christmas carol. The author of the original text was the prominent Weimar "orphan father" Johannes Daniel Falk (1768–1826), who set his lyric to the anonymous hymn-t ...

"'' (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 2010) * ''Variations on "Zu Bethlehem geboren"'' (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 2010) * ''Partita on "

Macht hoch die Tür "" ("Fling wide the door") is a popular German Advent hymn, written in 17th century Ducal Prussia. The lyrics were written by Georg Weissel in 1623 for the inauguration of the Altroßgärter Kirche in Königsberg. The melody that is now assoc ...

"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2011) * ''Fanfare'', in: Kölner Fanfaren, ed. Winfried Bönig and Hans-Peter Bähr (Bonn: Dr. J. Butz, 2012) * ''Alla Marcia mit Musette'', in: Festliche Orgelmusik (vol. 4), ed. Wolfgang Bretschneider (Bonn: Dr. Josef Butz, 2014) * ''Fifteen Choral Preludes on hymns from the "Gotteslob" hymnal and the Protestant hymnal (

Evangelisches Gesangbuch ''Evangelisches Gesangbuch'' (''EG''; , "Protestantism, Protestant song book") is the current hymnal of German-language congregations in Germany, Alsace and Lorraine, Austria, and Luxembourg, which was introduced from 1993 and 1996, succeeding ...

)'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2015)

Piano

* ''Music for Christmas Time'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2007) * ''"Nun freut euch, ihr Christen"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2008) * ''Four Variations on "Sankt Martin"'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2015)

Piano for four hands

* ''Music for Christmas Time'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2007)

Vocal works

* '' Sah ein Knab ein Röslein stehn & Zogen einst fünf wilde Schwäne'' for

SATB In music, SATB is a scoring of compositions for choirs or consorts of instruments consisting of four voice types: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Choral music Four-part harmony using soprano, alto, tenor and bass is a common scoring in classic ...

choir (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1978) * '' Zu Bethlehem geboren & In dulci jubilo'' for SATB choir (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1978) * ''Kein schöner Land'' setting "

Kein schöner Land Kein or KEIN may refer to: *Kein language, a language of Papua New Guinea *Kein (EP), ''Kein'' (EP), a 2007 EP by Japanese metal band Unsraw *KEIN, an American radio station People with the name *Sybil Kein (1939–2022), American poet *Kein Cro ...

" for SATB choir (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1981) * ''Schlaf wohl, du Himmelsknabe'' for two flutes, cello, and SATB choir (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1982) * ''Kein Feuer, keine Kohle'' & ''Das Lieben bringt groß Freud'' for SATB choir (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1985) * '' O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig'' for SATB choir (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1987) * ''Missa in C major'' for SATB choir (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1995) * ''Missa "In gloria Dei"'' for SATB choir (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1995) * ''Missa mundi'' for SATB Choir and organ (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2002) * ''Missa in memoriam Theobald Schrems'' for four-part male choir (2008, unpublished)Bischöfliche Pressestelle (6 November 2008)
Ehemalige Regensburger Domspatzen singen Missa zum Gedächtnis an Domkapellmeister Theobald Schrems (in German)
Archived fro
the original
on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2018.

Editor

* ''Franz Xaver Schnizer: Six Sonatas op. 1 for harpsichord (piano) or organ'' (Stuttgart: Carus, 1980) * ''Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Intrada and Fugue in C major from K. 399 (385i)'' (Eichstätt: Jubilate, 1994) * ''Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in D major'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1994) * ''Johann Melchior Molter: Concerto Pastorale'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1995) * ''John Stanley: Concerto in D major'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1996) * ''John Stanley: Concerto in A major'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1999) * ''John Stanley: Concerto I in E major'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 1999) * ''John Stanley: Concerto III in B major'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2000) * ''John Stanley: Concerto VI in C major'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2000) * ''Harald Genzmer: Concerto for organ'' (Munich: Schott, 2002) * ''Harald Genzmer: Sinfonisches Konzert no. 2 for organ'' (Mainz: Schott, 2003) * ''Giuseppe Tartini: Eleven slow Sonata movements'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2011) * ''Joseph Rupert Ignaz Bieling: Concerto in B major and three Sonatas'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2015) * ''George Frideric Handel: Concerto in G minor'' (Munich: Opus-Verlag, 2015)

Bibliography

* ''Dux et comes.

Festschrift In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...

für Franz Lehrndorfer zum 70. Geburtstag'' (book and CD), edited by Hans D. Hoffert and Klemens Schnorr. Regensburg: Universitätsverlag Regensburg, 1998. .

References

External links

* * *

The Improvisation of Franz Lehrndorfer

American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educa ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lehrndorfer, Franz German classical organists Organ improvisers German cathedral organists Academic staff of the University of Music and Theatre Munich Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 1928 births 2013 deaths Musicians from Salzburg 20th-century German male musicians 20th-century German classical musicians German male classical organists