Born: September 12, 1901 - Duisburg, Germany
Died: February 1, 1981 - Berlin-Spandau, Germany

The distinguished German composer and pedagogue, Ernst Pepping, began to study composition at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik with Walter Gmeindl.

In 1934 Ernst Pepping was appointed professor of music theory and composition at the Protestant Kirchenmusikschule of the Johannes-Stift in Berlin-Spandau. From 1935 to 1938 he lectured at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik. In 1947 (or 1953) he was nominated Professor for Church Music and, being appointed as professor of composition at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, held his lectures until 1968.

Ernst Pepping is regarded as one of the most important Protestant composers mainly for sacred music of our time. By virtue of his lifelong association with Lutheran Church culture, Pepping acquired a profound understanding of German polyphonic music, both sacred and secular. He wrote a-cappella masses and motets. He was a significant composer of German chorales (for example the Spandauer Chorbuch) but also selected secular vocal works, a considerable quantity of organ music as well as compositions for orchestra (including 3 notable symphonies) and chamber music works. A neo-Baroque penchant is discernible in all of his works. He published Stilwende der Musik (Mainz, 1934) and Der polyphone Satz: vol. I, Der Cantus-firmus-Satz (Berlin, 1943; 2^nd edition, 1950), and vol. II, Übungen im doppelten Kontrapunkt und in Kanon (Berlin, 1957).

Ernst Pepping received many honours and awards; among others are Honorary Doctorates of the Freie Universität Berlin (1961) and of the Theologische Hochschule Berlin (1971). He was member of the Berlin Academy of Arts and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. In 1989 the Ernst-Pepping-Gesellschaft was organised.

Source: Shott Music Website; Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20^th Century Classical Musicians (1997)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2006)

Use of Chorale Melodies in his works

Title

Chorale Melody

Year

Partita no.1: Ach wie flüchtig for Organ

Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig

1953

Deutsche Choralmesse - a six-part setting of the Gloria and Credo chorales (Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr

1928

Auf meinen lieben Gott, composition using 2-5 voices

Auf meinen lieben Gott

1934

Mit Fried und Freud, Partita no. 3 for Organ

Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin

1953

Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, Partita for Organ

Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten

1932

Links to other Sites

Ernst Pepping (Official Website) [German]
Pepping, Ernst (Shott Music)
Ernst Pepping (1901-1981) and the church hymn by Hans Jansen

Ernst Pepping (US Marine Band)
Ernst Pepping (Wikipedia) [German]

Bibliography

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