Günter Berger (composer)

Günter Berger (* 1929 in Opole ) is a German organist , composer and university professor .

Life

Berger studied church music at the church music school in Halle , where he was then organist and choirmaster at the provost church from 1948 to 1951 . He worked as a cantor in Delmenhorst until 1976 , then until 1979 as a lecturer for piano, harpsichord and organ at the Vechta University of Education . Berger was also a professor of organ literature and organ improvisation at the Bremen University of the Arts .

Works (selection)

Organ works

• Dialogue "Kyrie fons bonitatis": Homage to Jean Langlais. Vienna; Munich: Doblinger, 1985, 7 p. (Suite française 2), written in 1963.
• Choraltoccata "Cum jubilo": Homage to Claude Debussy. - For the Liszt and Bach Prize winner Zsuzsa Elekes, Budapest, 1963, 5 pp.
• Rhapsodic medieval reminiscences "Christ vincit - Christ has risen - bells" , with the parish chant "Christ has risen".
• Two small festive preludes to "O Come, You Spirit of Truth", or: "Praise God confidently with singing" , 1966.
• Toccata "Veni creator spiritus": in memoriam Béla Bartók , 1966 12 S. EA for Hungary on November 17, 1989 in Budapest (Mátyás Templomban) by Zsuzsa Elekes, EA for Berlin on August 16, 1990 in the Epiphany Church in Charlottenburg by Z. Elekes .
• Small partita on a psalm song based on the slogan "Rejoice, all lands, to honor God" , 1966.
• Easter song: Jeus Christ, our Savior: Kleine Partita , 1966, 3 pp.
• Pentecost song: Now we ask the Holy Spirit: Small Partita, 1966, 5 p. From 1.8.
• Toccatina "Come, Creator Spirit" , 1966 6 pp.
• Dance choral suite "Im Frieden dein" , 1968, 7 pp.
• Choral variations on "God be praised" , 1968, 8 pp.
• Toccatina "Easter Deo gratias": What about this, Mr. Perotin? 1964/80, 8 pp.
• Sacred dance in two Polish Danzig ways , 1982, 12 pp.
• Most Holy Night - An Organ Introit , 1987, 4 pp.
• Quotations-Toccata: Joy of beautiful gods sparkles pour Grand Orgue , Munich: Strube, 2014.
• "Now thank everyone and bring honor". Dance toccata for organ , Munich: Strube, 2015
• Four Luther songs for organ , Munich: Strube, 2015. - Vomm Himmel hoch ...; Praise be to God; Jesus Christ our Savior; Now we ask the Holy Spirit.
• The moon has risen: Partita for organ based on the text of the 5th to 7th stanzas by Matthias Claudius (attributing to the dying) , Munich: Strube, 2018.

Other works

• El Roi impressions: for mixed choir a cappella , Schott, Mainz 2014, ISMN 979-0-001-20030-1.
• The old sacred song in different rhythms: for a keyboard instrument , Friedemann Strube, Munich 2009.
• The great lamentation of the poet and playwright Jizchak Katzenelson , Friedemann Strube, Munich 2007.
• Litany of questions to God: for a speaker, 2 mixed choirs in dialogue, brass and organ , Carus, Stuttgart 2004. ISMN M-007-05961-3.
• The paralyzed: The Samaritan , Fidula, Boppard 1974.
• Communion songs , Laumann, Dülmen 1972.

Literature (selection)

• Albert Raffelt: Postmodern organ music: Günter Berger 60 years old. In: Musica sacra 109 (1989), pp. 40-415, digitized
• Catalog raisonné Günter Berger: compositions, writings, discography , compiled by Albert Raffelt. Dötlingen 1989.

Awards

• 1991 Composition Prize of the City of Neuss
• 2008 Composition Prize at the International Organ Festival in Düsseldorf
• 2014 Composition Prize for Contemporary Sacred Music at the European Church Music Festival in Schwäbisch Gmünd

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Günter Berger's excellent composition on weser-kurier.de from July 18, 2014