Walter Pörschmann

Walter Pörschmann (born March 16, 1903 in Leipzig ; † July 31, 1959 in Beerfelden , Odenwald) was a German bandoneon player and composer from the 1920s to 1950s.

Life

At the age of nine, Walter Pörschmann received his first bandoneon lessons from his father, the bandoneon teacher and music dealer Otto Pörschmann († 1931). He also studied piano and music theory. At the age of 16 he made his first public appearance as a soloist.

Pörschmann made a career as a composer and arranger as well as a bandoneon virtuoso. In 1924, at the age of 21, he was instrumental in the design of the 144-tone standard bandoneon. In 1925 he came to Argentina with the tango band of Juan Llossas . He then toured Germany and many other European countries as a member of major dance orchestras. In 1927 he opened a music shop in Berlin and was successful in various dance orchestras, especially with tango and polka . In 1931 he took over his parents' music business in Leipzig. From 1933 on, Pörschmann was back in Berlin and worked as a bandoneon teacher at the Stern Conservatory . During the Third Reich he also increasingly devoted himself to the accordion . He appeared on the radio, composed, made records and went on tour with renowned dance orchestras. In 1939 Pörschmann was drafted and deployed to support the troops. After the end of the war he continued his career first in Leipzig, then in Frankfurt. From 1957 he appeared regularly on the television program of the Hessian broadcasting company .

Walter Pörschmann died at the age of 56 while on tour.

effect

His compositions and arrangements, including teaching and study works, have their admirers to this day, who undoubtedly praise him as the greatest German bandoneon player. However, Walter Pörschmann is no longer present in the public consciousness.

Works for bandoneon (selection)

• School of Modern Bandoneon, Volumes 1 and 2 (1925)
• Parade of the Picadors, Marcia espana
• Avanti semper, concert march
• At five o'clock tea, potpourri
• Czikos Games, Intermezzo
• The dragonfly, concert caprice
• Festive march
• Harmonica polka
• Long live noble folk music, march
• Up Zeppelin, triumph march
• In fairy tale land, overture
• Queen of roses, waltz improvisation
• My ideal, concert march
• Overture gold magic
• Puszta flowers, waltz interlude
• Scherzo in A minor for 5 bandonions
• Under the Hamburg flag, concert march
• Father Rhine, march
• Forest mood, sound image
• Forest bird, concert polka
• Rhythmic Moments, Bravour Fox
• Funny postilion, character piece

(quoted from the original notes available)

literature

Maria Kussmaul: The gang virtuoso Walter Pörschmann (1903–1959) . In: focal points. Essays, discussions, opinions and factual information on the subject of the accordion . Volume III, Bochum 2006, pp. 94-105.

Web links

• Works by and about Walter Pörschmann in the catalog of the German National Library