Fritz Lubrich (Composer)

Born: January 26, 1888 - Neustädtel (now: Nowe Miasteczko), Saxony, Germany
Died: April 15, 1971 - Hamburg, Germany

The German organist and composer, Fritz Lubrich, was born in Neustädtel. His father, Fritz Lubrich senior (1862-1952), was a cantor and hymnologist. Lubrich jr. attended the teacher's seminar in Żagań from 1905 to 1908 and was appointed in 1907 at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig, a student of Max Reger and Karl Straube. At the end of his studies he received the Arthur Nikisch Prize for composition.

From 1911 to 1919, Fritz Lubrich was a music teacher at the Protestant Teachers' Seminar in in Bielitz (today: Bielsko-Biała), and in 1917 he received the Austrian title of professor. In 1919 he became chief organist at the Pauluskirche in Breslau. In 1923 he also received the German and Polish professorial titles. In the 1920's, he became organist at the Church of the Resurrection in Katowice, where he also directed the Meisterschen Gesangverein. After World War II, he went to Hamburg and continued his work as an organist and pedagogue. From 1948 to 1951 he headed the Hamburger Singakademie. In 1951 he founded the Hamburger Kammerchor and became its first conductor. Among his students were Engelbert Hilbich, Günter Bialas, Gerd Zacher and Kurt Schwaen. He died in Hamburg at age 83.

Works

Kyrie eleison (Charakterstück in D), Op. 9 (1909
Drei Stücke, Op. 13 (1911)
Drei Stimmungsbilder, Op. 24 (1912)
Fünf Choral-Improvisationen, (1912)
Drei romantische Tonstücke (after three pictures by Arnold Böcklin), Op. 37 (1913), dedicated to Charles-Marie Widor
Totenklage, Op. 46 (1914)
Sphärenmusik in der Weihenacht, Op. 50 (1914).[5]

He died in Hamburg in 1971.

Sources:
Wikipedia Website (November 2021)
Bits & pieces from other sources
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September-October 2023)

Use of Chorale Melodies in his works

Fünf Choral-Improvisationen (1912) = 5 improvisations for organ:
1. Nun ruhen alle Wälder (F major) (CM: Nun ruhen alle Wälder > O Welt, ich muß dich lassen)
2. Christus, der ist mein Leben (D major) (CM: Christus, der ist mein Leben)
3. Herzlich lieb hab' ich dich, o Herr (B flat major) (CM: Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, O Herr)
4. Morgenglanz der Ewigkeit (D major)
5. Allein Gott in der Höh' sei Ehr (G major) (CM: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr)
Chorale Prelude for organ Herzlich tut mich verlangen (CM: Herzlich thut mich verlangen > Befiehl du deine Wege (I))
Chorale Prelude for organ Christe, du Lamm Gottes (CM: Christe, du Lamm Gottes)
Chorale Prelude for organ O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid (CM: O Traurigkeit, o Herzeleid!)

Links to other Sites

Fritz Lubrich (Wikipedia)
Lubrich Jr., Fritz (IMSLP)
Biographie Lubrich, Fritz (Kulturstiftung) [German]
Muzyk i kompozytor – Fritz Lubrich (1888-1971) (Polskie Towarzystwo Ewangelickie) [Polish]

Bibliography