Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling

Who was Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling?

Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling was a German composer.

The son of a chemical manufacturer, Schwarz-Schilling embarked upon his musical studies in 1922, first in Munich and later in Cologne, with several extended breaks in Italy. From 1927 to 1929, he studied under Heinrich Kaminski, who also taught Carl Orff. In 1938, he obtained a teaching position at the Musikhochschule in Berlin.

A devout Catholic, Schwarz-Schilling's music was often inspired by religious and spiritual themes. His tonal language follows in the tradition of Johann Sebastian Bach and is strongly influenced by that of his teacher Heinrich Kaminski. His best known work is the Cantata Die Botschaft, composed between 1979 and 1982, although he also composed a wide range of orchestral, chamber and choral works. His Symphony in C major, Sinfonia diatonica & Introduction & Fugue for string orchestra, have been recorded on Naxos Cd #8.570435. His son is the German politician Christian Schwarz-Schilling.