Wolfgang Stockmeier (13 December 1931 – 11 December 2015) was a German composer, church musician, concert organist and academic. From 1962, he was professor of music theory, organ playing and organ improvisation at the

Musikhochschule Köln 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 ...

, and also lectured in

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian language, Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second- ...

and

Herford Herford (; nds, Hiarwede) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford. Geography Geographic locat ...

. He made more than 150 recordings of organ music.

Career

Born in Essen, Stockmeier studied from 1951 music pedagogy and church music at the

. He also studied musicology, German and philosophy at the

Cologne University The University of Cologne (german: Universität zu Köln) is a university in Cologne, Germany. It was established in the year 1388 and is one of the most prestigious and research intensive universities in Germany. It was the sixth university to ...

, promoted to PhD in 1957. From 1960, he lectured at the Musikhochschule music theory, organ playing and organ improvisation. He was appointed professor in 1962, and

Kirchenmusikdirektor Kirchenmusikdirektor (KMD, director of church music) is a German title for professional church musicians (' who have responsibility for not only a parish but a larger region, in both Protestant and Catholic church music. The title is also sometimes ...

(KMD, director of church music), in 1970. He was director of the department of Protestant church music from 1974, succeeding . He also lectured at the academies of church music in

and

. Stockmeier played almost 3000 organ concerts and made around 150 recordings, including of the complete organ works by

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

. He was from 2008 president of the association ''Hallische Musiktage'' which organises the festival Hallische Musiktage of contemporary music.

Publications

Stockmeier's publications are held by the German National Library. * ''Die Programmmusik.'' 1970. * ''Musikalische Formprinzipien.'' 1976. * ''Die deutsche Orgelsonate der Gegenwart.'' 1958.

Compositions

Stockmeier composed around 400 works, both sacred and secular. His work includes an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

on a libretto by Gabriele Wohmann), four

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is ...

s, three symphonies, twelve organ sonatas, three

piano sonata A piano sonata is a sonata written for a solo piano. Piano sonatas are usually written in three or four movements, although some piano sonatas have been written with a single movement ( Scarlatti, Liszt, Scriabin, Medtner, Berg), others with ...

s, chamber music and

motets In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the pre-eminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to Marga ...

. * Toccata VII für Orgel * ''Jauchzt, alle Lande, Gott zu Ehren'', Partita, 1968 * ''3 Stücke'' (3 Pieces) for flute, viola and organ, 1968 * ''Die Versuchung Jesu'' gospel motet (on Matth. 4:1–11), 1968 * Masse for organ and mixed choir, 1972 * ''Die Erweckung der Tochter des Jairus'', gospel motet (on Matth. 9:18–19 and 3–26), 1976 * Litanei (

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutherani ...

), ''Kantionalmotette'', 1979 * ''Verwandlung einer Collage'', 1992 * ''Sechs Praeludien für Orgel'', 2003 * ''Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland'', (Advent motet, on "

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...

"), 2003 * ''Sentiment'', 2005

Recordings

Stockmeier made more than 150 recordings of organ music, including the complete organ works by

, and

Charles Marie Widor Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer and teacher of the mid-Romantic era, most notable for his ten organ symphonies. His Toccata from the fifth organ symphony has become one of th ...

's Eighth Symphony for organ. He received the award

Deutscher Schallplattenpreis The Deutscher Schallplattenpreis was a prize that the awarded from 1963 through 1992. Its successor is the Echo Music Prize. References German music awards Awards established in 1963 Awards disestablished in 1992 {{award-stub ...

for two recordings.

References

External links

* *
Wolfgang Stockmeier (Organ)
Bach Cantatas Website 2007

*
J. S. Bach – Pastorale, BWV 590 (Wolfgang Stockmeier)
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Stockmeier, Wolfgang Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln German composers Sacred music composers German classical organists German male organists Musicians from Essen 1931 births 2015 deaths Kirchenmusikdirektor Male classical organists