Hermann Schroeder-Büste

Hermann Schroeder, born in Bernkastel in 1904 and died in Bad Orb in 1984, is one of the most important German Catholic church composers of the 20th century. He grew up in a home that was open to music and took piano lessons at a young age, and later organ lessons. After leaving school, he first studied theology and later church and school music at the Cologne Academy of Music.

  Soon after graduating, Schroeder made a name for himself as a composer, organist and author of fundamental articles on the reform of church music. In 1938/39, he was cathedral organist in Trier and later director of the Trier Municipal Music School. After the war, Schroeder worked as an organist and choirmaster, and in 1948 he became a professor at the Academy of Music in Cologne. Karlheinz Stockhausen was one of his students in the field of composition. Schroeder also taught as a lecturer at the Institute of Musicology at the University of Bonn and published music theory textbooks. In 1984 he became a member of the Honorary Council of the German Music Council.

Schroeder's musical style is characterised by the principle of so-called free tonality and has parallels with Paul Hindemith, Harald Genzmer and Ernst Pepping. In addition to 40 masses, he wrote numerous motets and chorale arrangements and German-language passions.His 100 compositions for organ include numerous short organ pieces, chorale arrangements for church services and compositions on Gregorian themes.

Hermann Schroeder was honoured and awarded the Robert Schumann Prize of the City of Düsseldorf (1952), an honorary doctorate from the University of Bonn (1974), the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class (1975) and Mérite Européen by the Europe Day in Luxembourg (1982).