Manfred Schmitz

Manfred Schmitz (born April 25, 1939 in Erfurt ; † July 7, 2014 in Berlin ) was a German composer and pianist .

Life

Schmitz studied at the primary school for music in Sondershausen and at the "Franz Liszt" music college in Weimar . He then worked as a piano teacher at various music schools. From 1968 to 1984 he taught at the Weimar University of Music , and since 1984 he has worked as a freelance composer, pianist, arranger, author and teacher.

Since 1960 he has toured successfully with his Manfred Schmitz Jazz Trio and worked for many years with the Brecht interpreter Gisela May . At Gisela May's request, Schmitz set Erich Kästner's cycle of poems The 13 Months to music .

His compositions for children, influenced by jazz , are part of the standard program of numerous music schools far beyond Germany. He also produced records and CDs and was awarded the German Music Edition Prize several times . Manfred Schmitz lived and worked in Berlin. He died there on July 7, 2014 after a brief illness.

Works (selection)

• Jazz Parnass, 111 Etudes, Pieces and Studies for Piano , 1965.
• The 13 Months , by Erich Kästner - setting 1979.
• Rainbow Preludes. 21 dreams at the piano , 1996.
• Youth album for piano. AMA, 1999, ISBN 979-0-7001-3610-9 .
• Piano: The School for All, Volume 1. AMA, 2010, ISBN 978-3-89922-144-2 .
• Piano: The School for Everyone, Volume 2. AMA, 2010, ISBN 978-3-89922-145-9 .
• Piano. First Way to Play by Chord Symbols, Volume 1. AMA, 2013, ISBN 978-3-89922-178-7 .
• Piano. First Way to Play by Chord Symbols, Volume 2. AMA, 2014, ISBN 978-3-89922-179-4 .

Web links

• The Joseph Schmidt Music School Treptow-Köpenick mourns Manfred Schmitz. Obituary on berlin.de of July 14, 2014