Paul Burkhard (composer)

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Paul Burkhard (born December 21, 1911 in Zurich ; † September 6, 1977 in Zell ) was a Swiss composer . He mainly wrote oratorios , musicals and operettas . From 1960, Burkhard lived in Zell im Tösstal , near the city of Winterthur . There he also wrote the spiritual game for children and young people, the Zäller Wiehnacht .

biography

After attending the conservatory (piano and composition), he began his professional career as a répétiteur and conductor at the Stadttheater Bern . In 1939 he was appointed head of the music department at the Schauspielhaus Zurich . There he composed and conducted, among other things, the music for the premiere of Bertolt Brecht's mother Courage and her children . Most recently he was director of the Beromünster radio orchestra .

Burkhard's most famous song O mein Papa from the musical comedy The Black Pike has been translated into 42 languages. His theatrical works, including the one commissioned by Rolf Liebermann for Hamburg, A Star Rises from Jaakob , have not remained in the repertoire of opera houses.

One of his well-known Christmas carols is "Christmas must be quiet (Our world is getting louder and louder)", which enjoys a certain popularity, especially in the interpretation of René Kollo.

In 1959 he retired to Zell, where his sister Lisa, who gave up her career as a singer, ran the household until his death. From then on Burkhard wrote church works and religious games. In 1972 he received the Carl Heinrich Ernst Art Prize .

Honors

On September 8, 2011, the Swiss Post issued a special 100 centimes stamp with his portrait on his 100th birthday.

See also

Works (selection)

  • 1935: Hopsa (operetta in two parts, new version 1957)
  • 1939: The black pike with the hit O mein Papa
  • 1950: The fireworks (High German version of The Black Pike )
  • 1951: The small Niederdorf Opera
  • 1956: Spiegel, the Kitten - musical comedy
  • 1959: Christmas must be quiet (our world is getting louder and louder)
  • 1960: Frank V. - comedy with music; “Opera from a private bank”, by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
  • 1960: D Zäller Wiehnacht - nativity play (CH: platinumplatinum)
  • 1964: De Zäller Josef - The story of Josef and his brothers from the Old Testament
  • 1965: Noah - The story of Noah and the ark, for children and young people
  • 1969: Zäller Glichnis
  • 1971: Zäller Oschtere - Resurrection Game
  • 1972: A star rises from Jaakob - musically dramatic representation of the events around the birth of Christ
  • 1973: Rejoice with us, Jona - musical

literature

  • Ingrid Bigler-Marshal: Paul Burkhard . In: Andreas Kotte (Ed.): Theater Lexikon der Schweiz . Volume 1, Chronos, Zurich 2005, ISBN 3-0340-0715-9 , p. 304 f.
  • Philipp Flury, Peter Kaufmann: O my papa . Orell Füssli-Verlag, Zurich 1979.
    • Extended new edition: "O my Papa." Paul Burkhard - Life and Work. Spectra Motion, Schaffhausen 2011, ISBN 978-3-9523382-2-3 .
  • Dorothea Renckhoff: A pike burns and becomes fireworks. In: The fireworks. Kölner Operettenkonzerte 1993/94 , Issue 2, published by WDR Cologne, pp. 11-19.
  • Dorothea Renckhoff: Hit the mark without a crossbow. In: The fireworks. Kölner Operettenkonzerte 1993/94 , No. 2, published by WDR Cologne, pp. 21-27.
  • Mathias Spohr: Burkhard, Paul. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .

Movie

  • Felice Zenoni: O my papa. TV documentary on the 30th anniversary of death. Switzerland 2007.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Paul-Burkhard-Doc as Züri-Nostalgie ( Memento from October 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ Awards for music sales: CH
  3. ^ Website for the book
  4. ^ Film website
  5. ↑ O my papa. Internet Movie Database , accessed June 10, 2015 .
personal data
SURNAME Burkhard, Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss composer
DATE OF BIRTH December 21, 1911
PLACE OF BIRTH Zurich
DATE OF DEATH September 6, 1977
Place of death Zell ZH