Born: USA

The American bass, Bruce Abel, was born to a mother, who was a singer herself and gave first musical inspirations to him. At the Juilliard School of Music in New York it was his teacher Hans Heinz, who recognized his talent for the French and German lied. In 1962 a Fulbright fellowship brought him to Stuttgart, Germany, where Hermann Reutter, Lore Fischer and Elinor Junker-Giesen perfected him in lied and oratorio. Bruce Abel participated successfully at several international competitions: Enrico Caruso Competition New York, Concours International Geneve (1^st prize, 1963), ARD Wettbewerb Munich (prize for lied, 1964), Bach Wettbewerb Leipzig (1^st prize, 1964), Mozart Wettbewerb Vienna (2^nd prize, 1963).

Many concerts in Northern America and the whole of Europe as well as many productions on records and CD made Bruce Abel a well renowned singer. He was soloist in the premiere of Fritz Werner’s Whitsun Oratorio in Heilbronn, Germany, 1971.

Bruce Abel appeared on record with conductors like Fritz Werner (Bach, cantatas), Hans Grischkat (Bach, Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248)), Günther Graulich (Buxtehude cantatas), Martin Behrmann (Schubert, Mass No. 6), Hans Zanotelli (Franz Liszt, Choral works). He also recorded Lieder by Schumann and Robert Franz.

Since 1974 Bruce Abel is a professor at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart. He is married to the well-known pianist Waltraud Poser, his partner in many recitals.

Source: Roland Wörner (October 2002)
Contributed by Roland Wörner (October 2002)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Wilfried Fischer

Bass

BWV 213, BWV 214, BWV 215

Heinz Markus Göttsche

Bass

BWV 244

Hans Grischkat

Bass

BWV 248

György Lehel

Bass

BWV 244

Fritz Werner

Bass

BWV 30, BWV 39, BWV 72, BWV 92, BWV 102, BWV 137, BWV 150

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