Carl Friedemann


Carl Bert Ulrich Friedemann was a German-Swiss composer, conductor and musician. He wrote symphonic music, chamber music, choral works, songs and 140 marches, many of which are still played by marching bands around the world.

Life and career

Friedemann was born on April 29, 1862 in Mücheln at Merseburg, in the modern Saxony-Anhalt state of Germany.
Even as a child he received lessons for piano and violin. He studied music in Halle and with the court conductor Emil Büchner in Erfurt. By 1883 he conducted the orchestra of the Reunion theaters in Erfurt; he left this appointment in 1885, meanwhile he had also clarinet learned to play. He then joined the band of the 71st Infantry Regiment in Erfurt and continued his musical training, found a way to operate a soloist in the concerts as a violinist and pianist. He also served as conductor of various choirs and choral societies. In 1888 he composed as a tribute to the dying emperor, the now famous Kaiser Friedrich Marsch. On November 5, 1890 he passed the military band testing at the Academy of Music in Berlin from.
On 20 September 1891 he became conductor of the band of the 113th Infantry Regiment based in Freiburg im Breisgau. He worked here for 21 years and his fame as a conductor and composer had long since gone beyond the national borders. In 1901 he was appointed Royal Kapellmeister in Baden and in 1906 he was appointed Royal Music Director. In January 1912 Friedemann was with his regimental band at the Café Kropf in Freiburg, for his farewell concert. For health reasons he left military music in 1912.
A new commitment was waiting for him in Bern, Switzerland. There he became head of the Bern Town Band, Stadtmusik bern, and led this wind orchestra to a respectable level. Friedemann was the city of Bern music not unknown, but he was at the Federal Music Festival 1906 in Freiburg on the jury, which the music of the first city in Category in the first Rank 1st Gold laurel awarded. With this band he made trips to Germany, France, Italy and Spain. When he retired in 1933, he has also made its conductor from office. In 1935 he was appointed music professor because of his outstanding service. He founded in Bern is also a self-published and a music school. Friedemann died on April 9, 1952 in Bern.

Compositions