Altman, Ludwig

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Altman, Ludwig

Altman, Ludwig, German-American organist and composer; b. Breslau, Sept. 2, 1910; d. San Francisco, Nov. 27, 1990. He studied with Arthur Schmitz and Peter Epstein at the Univ. of Breslau, with H. J. Moser, Schering, Wolf, and Blume at the Berlin-Spandau School for Church Music (1929–33), and organ with Arthur Zubke. After serving as organist of Berlin’s Neue Syna-goge (1933–36), he emigrated to the U.S. and concentrated his career in San Francisco, where he was organist and choral director at Temple Emanu-El (from 1937), organist of the San Francisco Sym. (1940–73), and municipal organist of city (from 1952); also toured widely as a recitalist. His extensive repertory ranged from the Baroque masters to scores by contemporary composers. He wrote much sacred music and solo organ pieces.

Bibliography

E. Glaser and C. Crawford, L. A.: A Well-Tempered Musician’s Unfinished Journey Through Life (Berkeley, 1990).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire