Karl Biehlig

Karl Biehlig around 1985

Karl Biehlig (born March 19, 1920 in Gmünd / Oberpfalz , † February 14, 1998 in Weimar ) was one of the leading horn pedagogues and professor at the Liszt School of Music in Weimar.

Life

Karl Biehlig comes from a family of gardeners and flower makers in which music was very popular. At the age of 10 he began his instrumental training on the violin, but then switched to the trumpet and finally came to the horn. Karl Biehlig studied horn with Georg Seidel in Weimar from 1935 to 1939. After the end of the war he became principal horn at the Staatskapelle Weimar and at the same time took up a teaching position at the Liszt School of Music . Until about 1964 he also appeared frequently as a soloist. In 1973 he finished his activity at the Staatskapelle Weimar in order to devote himself to his pedagogical work with all his might until his retirement in 1985 or until 1992 as a lecturer. In addition to many other awards, he was made an Honorary Senator of the Liszt School of Music .

Weimar Horn School

Karl Biehlig essentially introduced two innovations in the horn methodology, the low- pressure approach and an extension of the horn sound to the "singing horn". The latter includes the vocal musical design of cantilenas , and a subtle vibrato has also been introduced. Both features form the pillars of the Weimar Horn School associated with his name . From an early age he dealt with such problems as the physical and psychological condition of the wind player. Many excellent horn players emerged from the Weimar Horn School.

Biehlig's students are (incomplete):

• Clemens Röger, principal horn of the Gewandhaus Leipzig,
• Jens Köhli, former solo horn player at the Komische Oper Berlin and solo horn player at the Braunschweig State Theater,
• Ralf Ludwig, principal horn of the Staatskapelle Weimar
• Egon Hellrung, principal horn of the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne,
• Jörg Brückner , principal horn of the Munich Philharmonic and professor of horn at the Liszt School of Music Weimar,
• Reiner Heimbuch, former professor for horn at the Liszt School of Music Weimar,
• Erich Markwart, principal horn of the Staatskapelle Dresden,
• István Vincze, former principal horn of the Staatskapelle Dresden and professor of horn at the Carl Maria von Weber Academy of Music in Dresden
• Reiner Hoffmann, former principal horn of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra,
• Rolf Ludwig, former solo horn player at the Komische Oper Berlin,
• Egon Wirth, former solo horn player at the Komische Oper Berlin,
• Peter Damm , former principal horn of the Staatskapelle Dresden and professor for horn at the Academy of Music Carl Maria von Weber Dresden

Important publications

• Orchestra studies for French horn , VEB Friedrich Hofmeister, Leipzig, 33 pages, 1968.
• School for Horn in Bb, Volume 1 , Breitkopf & Härtel Musikverlag, Wiesbaden, 192 pages, 1980.
• Compendium of horn technology - daily blowing in, fitness training, applied practice , Breitkopf & Härtel Musikverlag, Wiesbaden, 88 pages, 1988.

Web links

• Works by Karl Biehlig in the catalog of the German National Library
• Website about Karl Biehlig