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Wimberger, Gerhard

Prof. Gerhard Wimberger, composer/conductor, deceased 2016

Gerhard Wimberger was born on August 30, 1923, in Vienna. At the Mozarteum in Salzburg he studied composition with Cesar Bresgen and Johann Nepomuk David, as well as conducting with Clemens Krauss and Bernhard Paumgartner. In 1947/48 he was répétiteur at the Vienna Volksoper and from 1948 to 1951 Kapellmeister at the Salzburg Landestheater. From 1953 to 1981 he was head of the conducting class, and from 1969 to 1991 he was a professor at the Mozarteum. As a member of the board of directors of the Salzburg Festival (1971 to 1991) he worked closely for example with Herbert von Karajan. Wimberger was active as a conductor in Austria and abroad. In addition to his numerous compositions (including the "Passion Giordano Bruno") he has written numerous essays and speeches. Gerhard Wimberger died on October 13, 2016, in Salzburg. (Read the eulogy by Michael Schmidt-Salomon here.)

Concert music:

  • Six full-length operas (among others "The Phantom Lady", "Wolf Dietrich Prince of Salzburg"), 2 ballets, premieres of the stage works at the Schwetzinger Festspiele, in Frankfurt am Main, Mannheim, Wiesbaden, Munich, Salzburg.
  • Numerous orchestral, choral and chamber music works, performances, and radio broadcasts in many countries by renowned orchestras and radio broadcasts (e.g. Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic) under well-known conductors (e.g. Herbert von Karajan) and with high-ranking soloists and ensembles.
  • Stage, radio play, film, and television music, 20 commissioned works for the Schwetzinger Festspiele, Frankfurt Opera, Donaueschinger Musiktage, "Woche der leichte Musik" Stuttgart, Deutsche Welle Cologne, for RIAS Berlin, Radio della Svizzera Italiana, for ORF.

Published on CD (selection):

  • Gerhard Wimberger: Plays - Im Namen der Liebe - Zweites Klavierkonzert: ORF/Edition Zeitton. Performers: Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan (conductor)
  • Gerhard Wimberger: Memento Vivere - Nachtmusik, Trauermusik, Finalmusik: Classic amadeo: Österreichische Musik der Gegenwart. Performers include the Vienna Philharmonic, Peter Schneider (conductor), ORF Symphony Orchestra, ORF Choir, Leif Segerstam (conductor), Siegmund Niemsgern (baritone), Gerd Westphal (narrator)

Books:

  • Gerhard Wimberger: Glauben ohne Christentum. Eine Vision. 2013
  • Gerhard Wimberger: ... nicht nur Musik. Musikerleben - Festspieljahre - Begegnungen - Gedanken. 2001
  • Gerhard Wimberger: Kreuzweg. Quellen des Christentums. 1999
  • Harald Goertz: Gerhard Wimberger. 1991.