Rolf Schweizer (1936-2016) *80

was a German composer, choirmaster and church music director, who was based primarily at Pforzheim. Schweizer was part of the contemporary worship music movement and his compositions, several of which appear in the Evangelisches Gesangbuch, were heavily influenced by contemporary secular music, especially jazz. Schweizer was born in Mundingen (now a suburb of Emmendingen). His first musical instruction was as a member of the local brass band. He studied Protestant church music at the Evangelische Kirchenmusikalischen Institut in Heidelburg, with Wolfgang Fortner, Hermann Meinhard Poppen (de), Wolfgang Dallmann, Heinz Werner Zimmermann and others.

From 1956 to 1966 he was choirmaster of St John's in Mannheim. In 1966 he became district choirmaster of Pforzheim, a position he retained until his retirement. In 1969 he was promoted to church music director (Kirchenmusikdirektor, KMD ) and in 1975 he became state choirmaster (Landeskantor) for Mittelbaden. In 1980 Schweizer turned down the role of Professor of church music at Erlangen, but he was granted the title of Professor by the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, Lothar Späth. He was well known for his pedagogical work well beyond his own region.

The city of Pforzheim granted Schweizer its honour ring in 1991 and honorary citizenship in 1998, for his more than 35 years of service in the field of church music. He retired in 2010 and currently lives in south Baden with his wife, Frohmut. The couple has three daughters. One of the daughters, Constanze Schweizer-Elser is currently the church choir director at Selb in north-eastern Bavaria.

Post a comment / Comments guidelines