Erich Hartmann (born January 26, 1920 in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

; died on July 6, 2020) was a German

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

player and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

. He was part of the contrabass section of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Life

Erich Hartmann was born on January 26, 1920 in

and lived in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. The son of a

piano maker The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

, he grew up between the Conservatory of Music and St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. Hartmann studied

at the conservatory, now the Leipzig University of Music. There, he studied with Theodor Albin Findeisen, being his last student, and Max Schulz. At the same time he devoted himself to studying composition with

Hermann Grabner Hermann Grabner (12 May 1886 – 3 July 1969) was an Austrian composer and music teacher. Career Grabner was born in Graz. He studied law at the University of Graz graduating in 1909. In parallel, he studied music with Leopold Suchsland un ...

. As a young music student he studied the compositions of

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as H ...

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

and Arnold Schönberg. His studies were interrupted due to labor service and military service in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. His military service ended due to an injury on September 4, 1942. In October 1942 he resumed studying music. After a successful audition with the Berliner Philharmoniker, he became a member of this orchestra on November 1, 1943. The heavy bombing raids on Berlin also destroyed the Berlin Philharmonic on Bernburger Strasse on January 30, 1944. Hartmann witnessed the events. Erich Hartmann founded a double bass quartet in 1967, whose members were himself, Klaus Stoll, Wolfgang Kohly, Manfred Dupak, and later Rudolf Watzel and Friedrich Witt. With his compositions he committed to the double bass in order to give it broader recognition. His works include ''Oktett'' (''für Kontrabässe''), composed for his colleagues of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1972. Hartmann was active in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra until January 31, 1985. He celebrated his 100th birthday on January 26, 2020.''Erich Hartmann wird 100 Jahre.''
In: ''berliner-philharmoniker.de.'', 24 January 2020, retrieved on 7 February 2020. Erich Hartmann died on July 6, 2020.

Awards

* 1973 Ring of Honor of the Berliner Philharmoniker * 1985 recipient of the Hans von Bülow Medal.

Selection of works

Compositions for bass

* Quartett für Kontrabass, 1967 * Duette 1–6 for 2 double basses, composed between November 9, 1965, and January 14, 1967; dedicated to Klaus Stoll, published by Friedrich Hofmeister Verlag, Leipzig * Vier Stücke für drei Kontrabässe, February 9, 1968, world premiere at Kunstamt Berlin-Steglitz on June 2, 1970; recordings at RIAS on January 16, 1973, at SFB on June 25, 1980; soloists: Klaus Stoll, Wolfgang Kohly, EH, published by Verlag Bote & Bock, Berlin * ''Französische Suite'' for 4 double basses from September 30, 1970, published by R. Ricordi and Edition Modern, Munich / Karlsruhe * ''Drei Miniaturen für 3 Kontrabässe'' premiered on July 5, 1975; soloists: Klaus Stoll, EH, Wolfgang Kohly. Recorded at the SFB on March 15, 1977, published by Ries & Erler, Berlin * ''Oktett für Kontrabässe'', 1972 * ''Scherzo (Persiflage)'' for 3 double basses, world premiere at the British Center Berlin on January 17, 1979; soloists as under No. 3, published by the book and music publisher Werner Feja, Berlin * ''Quartett 80'' for 4 double basses from April 17, 1980 * ''Präludium für 4 Kontrabässe'' for 4 double basses The piece was composed in Japan during an orchestral tour. Recording of sound and film in the Salzburg Festival Hall on June 4, 1981; Soloists: Friedrich Witt, Klaus Stoll, EH and Wolfgang Kohly, published by Ries & Erler Verlag, Berlin * ''Sieben Aphorismen'' for 2 double basses from July 1, 1981, published by Ries & Erler, Berlin * ''Rhapsodie für Solo-Kontrabass'' for double bass solo, world premiere in Charlottenburg Palace (oak gallery) on March 14, 1985; Soloist Norbert Duka, also dedicatee, published by Verlag Bote & Bock, Berlin * ''Der Wal auf Wanderung'' for solo double bass from June 2, 1995, published by the book and music publisher Werner Feja, Berlin * ''Zwei Duos'' for 2 double basses (June 1, 2007) and Largo for 2 double basses with 4 versions (January 24, 2008) for Joachim Bentrup * ''Bearbeitung des

Ave Verum "" is a short Eucharistic chant that has been set to music by many composers. It dates to the 13th century, first recorded in a central Italian Franciscan manuscript (Chicago, Newberry Library, 24). A Reichenau manuscript of the 14th century attr ...

'' by Mozart for 4 double basses. With the soloists (as under No. 9); Photo taken by Teldec, December 1978 * ''Schatzwalzer'' from The Gypsy Baron by Johann Strauss; arranged for eight double basses, December 29, 1977, published by Ries & Erler, Berlin and published by R.Ricordi and Edition Modern, Munich / Karlsruhe * Arrangement of the Johann Strauss waltz "

An der schönen Blauen Donau "The Blue Danube" is the common English title of "An der schönen blauen Donau", Op. 314 (German for "By the Beautiful Blue Danube"), a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866. Originally performed on 15 Februa ...

" for eight double basses, 1975 – see above

Compositions for double bass and piano

* ''Spanische Serenade'' for double bass and piano on December 9, 1970 * ''Sonatine'' for double bass and piano from February 6, 1972; Recording at WDR Cologne on June 9, 1980; Soloists: Wolfgang Güttler and Manfred Theilen (piano); both also dedicators, published by R.Ricordi and Edition Modern, Munich / Karlsruhe * ''Impressionen in G'' for double bass and piano; First performed at Wigmore Hall, London on March 9, 1974; Klaus Stoll (double bass) and EH (piano) * ''Capriccio'' for double bass and piano; First performance at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester on June 16, 1976 and on June 17, 1976 at Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh Festival / Suffolk; Klaus Stoll (double bass) and EH (piano); BBC recording * ''Salonstücke'' for double bass and piano dated August 11, 1989, published by Low Note Verlag, Aachen * ''Impressionen'' – Seven easy pieces for double bass and piano, published by R.Ricordi and Edition Modern, Munich / Karlsruhe

Compositions for bass and other string instruments

* ''Partita'' for viola and double bass, February 28, 1982 * ''Duo'' for violoncello and double bass, 1982 * ''Großes Trio'' for violin, violoncello and double bass from March 1985; World premiere on September 9, 1998, by the Hoyer Trio in the town hall of Berlin-Pankow; Soloists: Klaus Hoyer (violin), Uta Lindemann (violoncello), Karsten Lauke (double bass), published by the book and music publisher Werner Feja, Berlin * ''Rêverie'' pour alto, violoncelle et contrabasse – Homage to Serge Koussevitzky; First performance at the University of Music Freiburg on November 8, 1986; * Soloists: Andreas Kirchner (viola), Gregor Horsch (cello), Annette Schilli (double bass), published by Verlag Bote & Bock, Berlin * ''Zweites Trio'' for violin, violoncello and double bass from November 24, 1998; First performance in the Brandenburger Theater, Brandenburg an der Havel on February 25, 2001 by the Hoyer Trio

Compositions for bass, strings and other instruments

* ''Drei Studien'' for 2 double basses, harp, timpani and percussion; First performance at RIAS on June 21, 1969; Conductor Werner Thärichen, Klaus Stoll (1.Kb), Wolfgang Kohly (2.Kb), Fritz Helmis (harp), Gerassimo Avgerinos (timpani), published by Ries & Erler, Berlin * ''Dialoge'' for 2 double basses, flute and harpsichord; First performance in the British Center Berlin on September 17, 1970; Soloists: EH, Klaus Stoll, Johanna Kassner (flute) and Helge Jörns (harpsichord), published by Verlag Bote & Bock, Berlin * ''Divertimento'' for solo double bass, strings, harp, timpani and percussion; World premiere at the Philharmonie Berlin on October 24, 1983; Conductor Martin Fischer-Dieskau, soloist Friedrich Witt

Compositions for winds

* ''Sieben Stücke'' for oboe d'amore, cor anglais and bassoon; Recorded in the SFB on March 2, 1978; Soloists: Burkhard Rohde (oboe d'amore), Gerhard Stempnik (English horn) and Günter Piesk (bassoon), published by Ries & Erler, Berlin * ''Zwölf Stücke'' for Bass Clarinet Solo; dedicated to Renate Rusche; First performance on January 25, 1985 in the station RIAS, published by the book and music publisher Werner Feja, Berlin * ''Quintett'' for bassoons; First performance on July 7, 1986 in the Joachimthalschen Gymnasium, Berlin-Wilmersdorf; Mannheim Rosengarten, Stamnitz-Saal, January 22, 1990; and at SWF Kaiserslautern on February 9, 1992; Soloists: Markus Tukkanen, Derek Krüger, Stefan Rocke, Norbert Mohren and Ekkehart Oehme (also contrabassoon), published by the book and music publisher Werner Feja, Berlin * ''Sinfonia piccola'' for 7 bassoons and double bassoon from June 5, 1993, published by the book and music publisher Werner Feja, Berlin

Compositions for other instruments

* Viola-Sonata with piano accompaniment from March 8, 1989, for Ulrich Fritze

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hartmann, Erich German double-bassists German male classical composers German centenarians Men centenarians 20th-century German composers Musicians from Leipzig 1920 births 2020 deaths