Wilhelm Kümpel (organist)

Wilhelm Kümpel (born July 13, 1920 in Simmershausen ; † February 1, 2000 in Erfurt ) was a German church musician and long-time organist and choirmaster at the Catholic Mariendom in Erfurt .

Live and act

Wilhelm Kümpel was born in the Hessian Rhön as the son of a part-time organist and learned to play the piano from his father. He later received organ lessons from the Fulda cathedral organist Fritz Krieger (1902–1963) and, because his parents moved to Potsdam (1934), from the cathedral organist of St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin, Joseph Ahrens (1904–1997). Kümpel graduated from high school in 1930 and was then called up for labor service and later for the attack on Poland . After a year off to study music in Berlin, he worked as an interpreter in Paris from 1941, which saved him from having to work at the front and instead enabled him to study with the organist Marcel Dupré (1886–1971).

After returning from captivity, Kümpel resumed his studies in church and school music at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1946, passed the state examination for organists and choir directors (A examination) in 1949 and obtained the diploma as school music teacher at higher education institutions. From 1947 to 1950 he was organist and choirmaster at the Catholic parish church of St. Peter and Paul in Potsdam, and last year he was still a music teacher at a Potsdam secondary school.

In 1950 Kümpel moved to Erfurt, where he became cathedral organist and director of the St. Marien cathedral choir. From 1950 to 1961 and in the 1980s he was also a lecturer for Catholic organ students at the "Franz Liszt" University of Music in Weimar. In 1985 he gave up the leadership of the Erfurt Cathedral Choir for reasons of age, but remained cathedral organist until 1994 - i.e. 44 years.

His grave is located in the main cemetery in Erfurt .

Appreciation

Wilhelm Kümpel was an excellent organist, from 1953 at a bishop's church. His impressive improvisations showed the influence of the two teachers Dupré and Ahrens. During the pre-conciliar period as well as after the liturgical reform, he created numerous settings that were contrapuntal but always geared towards the practice of church music. From 1972 the cathedral music weeks took place annually. After founding the seminary in Erfurt, Kümpel influenced the musical development of the future Catholic clergy in the GDR from 1952. Particularly noteworthy, however, is the diocesan C and B training for organists and choir directors, which he established and directed at the same time, which many church musicians in the Erfurt / Eichsfeld region have used over the past forty years. In addition, there was the participation in the work weeks, which until 1990 took place mainly in the Thomas-More-Haus, the Catholic educational institution on the Klosterberg of Heilbad Heiligenstadt. The more than ten years as a university professor in Weimar have already been mentioned.

In 1992, Wilhelm Kümpel saw the inauguration of the large new cathedral organ by Alexander Schuke Potsdam Orgelbau, the disposition of which he had designed many years ago.

Volunteering

From 1953 Kümpel was organ and bell expert for the Erfurt jurisdiction (eastern parts of the dioceses Fulda and Würzburg, from 1973 episcopal office (apostolic administration)) Erfurt-Meiningen. To this end, he advised parishes on rebuilding or building new organs with regard to disposition and cost estimates, checked the organ builders' services after the work had been completed and often played the instruments in the consecration services. In addition, he participated in the preparatory commission for the song part of the first common German-language prayer and hymn book "Gotteslob" (published in 1975).

Honors

• 1958 appointment as church music director

Works (selection)

• Polyphonic psalms for mass and devotion. Leipzig 1962,
• Choirs to the St. John Passion, choral score. Leipzig 1964.
• Antiphonary to the Cantate Domino. Choral score. Leipzig 1965, in different editions; Reprint 1967.
• German Proprium for Pentecost Sunday, for 3 mixed voices. Leipzig 1967.
• Polyphonic psalms. Leipzig 1972.
• The bells of the Domberg in Erfurt. Magdeburg 1989
• The organs and bells of the Erfurt Cathedral. Düsseldorf 1996

literature

• Johanna Schell : Church music director Wilhelm Kümpel from Erfurt - obituary in WerkGemeinschaft Musik e. V., 57, 2000/2001, 46-48 (1)

• Silvius v. Kessel: Farewell in mourning - Obituary for Wilhelm Kümpel. In: Day of the Lord, 50, 2000, H. 7 v. February 13, 2000 (2)

• Silvius v. Kessel: Obituary: Cathedral organist Wilhelm Kümpel a. D. On the death of Mr. KMD Wilhelm Kümpel, cathedral organist a. D., born on July 13, 1920, died on February 1, 2000.

Web links

• Works by Wilhelm Kümpel in the catalog of the German National Library

Individual evidence

1. ^ Obituary for Wilhelm Kümpel in WerkGemeinschaft
2. ^ Obituary for Wilhelm Kümpel in the day of the Lord