MAC No. 22: Zu Bethlehem geboren

Karl Höller (1907-1987) was born in Bamberg, Bavaria. He came from a musical family on both sides: his father was the Bamberg Cathedral organist, and his grandfather and great-grandfather were organists at Würzburg Cathedral. His mother was a singer. He studied piano, organ and cello in Bamberg. He went to the Würzburg Conservatory where he studied composition under Hermann Zilcher; and to the Munich Academy of Music, where he studied composition with Joseph Haas and Hermann Wolfgang von Waltershausen, organ with Emanuel Gatscher, and conducting with Siegfried von Hausegger. After taking his composition and organ examinations in 1929, he became a master-class student of Haas. He taught at the Munich Academy, in Frankfurt at the Hoch Conservatory and Hochschule für Musik, and the Munich Conservatory (Hochschule für Musik).

You will find music by Höller on Spotify. It is worth while listening to Victimae paschali laudes for organ, to Fantasia for violine and organ, or to "Schönster Herr Jesu" for cello and organ. Also the Sweelinck Variations on"Mein junges Leben hat ein End" for orchestra are great music.

Published by Breitkopf in “Marienstatter Orgelbüchlein”, Vol. I