Christoph Lehmann (musician)

Christoph Lehmann
Born	(1947-05-07)7 May 1947 Beijing, China
Died	31 August 2024(2024-08-31) (aged 77) Gelting, Germany
Occupations	Organist Harpsichordist Church musician Composer

Christoph Lehmann (7 May 1947 – 31 August 2024[1][2]) was a German organist, harpsichordist, church musician and composer, especially in the field of Neues Geistliches Lied (NGL). He had worked as a continuo harpsichordist and organist in performances and recordings of early music with several ensembles.

Life and career

Lehmann was born in Beijing.[3][4] He studied church music in Berlin and harpsichord with Hugo Ruf in Cologne.[5][6]

From 1972 to 1984, he was a church musician at the Protestant Thomaskirche in Düsseldorf, as well as a theatre musician in Düsseldorf, Bochum, Bonn and Aachen.[5] Lehmann composed numerous songs of the genre Neues Geistliches Lied.[7] Two songs with music by Lehmann were included in the second edition of the common German Catholic hymnal, Gotteslob, in 2013, "Ich lobe meinen Gott, der aus der Tiefe mich holt" with text by Hans-Jürgen Netz [de]) in the common section as GL 383, and "Wo Menschen sich vergessen", with text by Thomas Laubach in regional section, such as GL 832 in the Diocese of Cologne.[8]

Since 1985, Lehmann has been an organist and harpsichordist in the field of early music for various ensembles, including Il Dolcimelo, Das Kleine Konzert in Dormagen, Movimento, and La Stravaganza in Cologne.[5] With the group Epoca Barocca, he recorded sonatas by Christoph Schaffrath, including a duet for two harpsichords played with Christoph Alselm Noll in 2003. A reviewer noted that he was "particularly impressive in his brilliant performance of the demanding keyboard parts".[9]

Work

Popular songs with music by Lehmann include:[4]

• "Wir werden leben, überleben" (text: Alois Albrecht [de])
• "Komm, lass diese Nacht nicht enden" (1977; text: Hans-Jürgen Netz [de])
• "Ich lobe meinen Gott, der aus der Tiefe mich holt" (1979; text Netz)
• "Alles was atmet" (1987; text: Netz)
• "Lass uns den Weg der Gerechtigkeit gehn" (1983; joint translation from Spanish with Diethard Zils; melody: Cristóbal Halffter)
• "Durch das Dunkel hindurch" (1987; text: Netz)
• "Wo Menschen sich vergessen" ("Da berühren sich Himmel und Erde") (1989; text: Thomas Laubach)

References

1. "Traueranzeige Christoph Lehmann". Schleswig-Holsteinischer Zeitungsverlag (in German). 7 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
2. Wolfram Goertz (2 September 2024). "Komponist Christoph Lehmann starb: Der Mann, der die Kirche swingen ließ". Rheinische Post (in German). Retrieved 2 September 2024.
3. "Christoph Lehmann". RUNDEL Verlag (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2021.
4. "Lieder von Christoph Lehmann (*1947)". Evangeliums.net (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2021.
5. "Komponistenportrait Christoph Lehmann". Erzbistum Köln (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2021.
6. "Dolcimelo, Christoph Lehmann". Il Dolcimelo Home (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2021.
7. "Christoph Lehmann / Artistes / AEOLUS". aeolus-music.com (in German). Retrieved 3 June 2021.
8. "Neues "Gotteslob" 2013: Autoren aus dem Erzbistum Köln" (PDF). Diocese of Cologne (in German). Retrieved 8 June 2021.
9. Veen, Johan van. "Christoph Schaffrath (1709–1763) / Six Sonatas". Diocese of Cologne (in German). Retrieved 8 June 2021.

External links

• Christoph Lehmann discography at Discogs
• Christoph Lehmann (publications) Carus-Verlag