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Helmut Walcha

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Helmut Walcha was a blind German organist, harpsichordist, teacher and composer, specialising in the Dutch and German Baroque. He was born on 27 October 1907 in Leipzig. After a smallpox vaccination his sight slowly deteriorated, and at nineteen he was completely blind. Even so, he studied at the Leipzig conservatoire and became an assistant to Günther Ramin at the Thomaskirche, Bach's church.

Music and breakthrough

In 1929 he took a post in Frankfurt am Main, at the Friedenskirche, and he stayed there for the rest of his life. From 1938 he was professor of organ at the Musikhochschule and from 1946 organist of the Dreikönigskirche. He recorded the complete keyboard works of Johann Sebastian Bach twice, first in mono between 1947 and 1952 and then in stereo from 1956 to 1971, all from memory. His own ending for the last fugue of Die Kunst der Fuge was later also recorded by his pupil George Ritchie. Walcha himself wrote four volumes of chorale preludes and arrangements of orchestral works.

Influence

He taught many American organists who came to Germany, including several Fulbright students. In 1981 he stopped performing and in 1991 he died in Frankfurt. His Bach recordings are still regarded as a benchmark.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the Toccata und Fuge d-moll BWV 565 on Helmut Walcha spielt Bach. Notice how clearly he lets the voices in the fugue sound, even though he plays everything from memory.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists