Born: Germany

The German tenor, Hermann Oswald, sang already as a child in the Tölzer Knabenchor, but the parental tradition as a farmer led him first to a study of agriculture, which he finished successfully in 1990. However, he re-discovered his passion for singing and created himself a hobby beside the agricultural enterprise in the proximity of Munich. A healthy nature talent and a more or less auto-didactical work with his own voice, made it possible for Hermann Oswald entering in 1992 into a successful singing career.

Hermann Oswald’s preference for the Baroque music led to a clear adjustment of his soloist activity in the concert as well as opera fields. His career was helped by very fast intensive co-operation with the conductors Howard Armann, Ivor Bolton and Thomas Hengelbrock in the field of the Baroque music.

Numerous CD productions, (including Bach’s Mass in B minor BWV 232 with the Freiburger Barockorchester and Thomas Hengelbrock) followed in the coming years. A recent CD publication, the Baroque opera La Faretra Smarrita by Sebastian Moratelli (Salzburger Hofmusik), received best criticisms of the international technical literature.

Apart from an expanded concert activity in whole Europe, Hermann Oswald was invited again and again as free opera singer by important European opera houses. Thus engagements led him to the state operas of Berlin, Munich, Vienna and last Strasbourg, as well as to important music festivals (including Bremen, Schwetzingen, Innsbruck, Potsdam and Dresden).

In 1997-1998 Hermann Oswald sang with the Bach Kantorei in concerts of Händel’s Messiah. In the past year Hermann Oswald was to be heard as Monosatos in the Mozart’s Zauberflöte under the direction of Achim Freyer in Schwetzingen and Strasbourg, and under Ivor Bolton at the State Opera of Munich in a Freyer production of Orfeo by Monteverdi. Last summer he sang in an opera production of the Summer Festival Potsdam. In September 2003 he sang the role of Damon in a concert performance of Acis and Galatea. In 2004 he will sing again at the Schwetzingen Festival.

In recent years Hermann Oswald has discovered his love for the Lieder singing, a passion, which takes an ever greater part in his singing activity.

Source: Bach Kantorei & Oper im Schloss Websites, English translation by Aryeh Oron (October 2003)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (October 2003)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Thomas Hengelbrock

Tenor

BWV 232, BWV 243a

Hans-Christoph Rademann

Tenor

BWV 243

Christoph-Andreas Schäfer

Tenor

BWV 245

Wilfried Schnetzler

Tenor

BWV 78, BWV 137, BWV 243

David Timm & Volker Bräutigam

Tenor

BWV 247

Links to other Sites

Hermann Oswald, Tenor (Bach Kantorei) [German]

Biographie von Hermann Oswald (Oper im Schloss) [German]

Short Biographies: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Explanation | Acronyms

Introduction | Cantatas | Other Vocal | Non-Vocal | Performers | General Topics | Articles | Books | Movies
Biographies | Texts & Translations | Scores | References | Commentary | Music | Concerts | Bach Tour | Memorabilia
Chorale Texts | Chorale Melodies | Lutheran Church Year | Readings | Poets & Composers | Transcriptions
Search Website | Search Works/Movements | Terms & Abbreviations | Copyright Notice | How to contribute | Links