Karl Kaufhold

This article is about a German composer; for the German historian, see Karl Heinrich Kaufhold .

Karl Kaufhold (born September 17, 1922 in Leinefelde ; † October 28, 2015 in Cologne ) was a German composer , conductor and organist .

Karl Kaufhold was the son of a master painter. He received his first piano lessons at the age of eight, and at the age of ten he played the organ in his hometown. At the age of thirteen he first gave a concert in the Basilica of Vierzehnheiligen.

After attending elementary and advanced school and graduating from high school, Kaufhold was drafted into the Wehrmacht. Here he soon became a member of the Meiningen soldiers' stage, where he appeared as an accordion soloist. He wrote numerous stage music for the ensemble's programs.

After his release from British captivity in 1948, Kaufhold applied to the Leipzig Music Academy . Despite having passed the entrance exam, he was not accepted for study for political reasons. In 1949 he began his studies at the Cologne University of Music , where he was taught conducting with Günter Wand, among others . Kaufhold made a name for himself as a composer and pianist in Cologne as early as 1952. Soon he also appeared regularly in the WDR with own broadcasts produced and studied with the Radio Choir works for Otto Klemperer one.

In 1964, Karl Kaufhold was appointed lecturer at the University of Music in Cologne, where he became a lecturer two years later. In 1972 he was appointed professor for life. He taught piano, score playing and oratorio ensembles.

Kaufhold has presented more than 100 larger compositions, including six organ symphonies, choir concerts, masses, solo songs and piano pieces.

He received the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon and became an honorary citizen of his hometown Leinefelde. His grave is in the cemetery in Köln-Weiß .

Web links

• Short biography

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Karl Kaufhold's memorial page. Retrieved May 5, 2018 .