Wunderlich, Heinz

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Wunderlich, Heinz

Wunderlich, Heinz, noted German organist, choral conductor, and pedagogue; b. Leipzig, April 25,1919. He studied organ with Straube in Leipzig (1935-1), then composition and conducting with J. N. David. He held several organ and choral conducting posts (1943-58); taught at the Halle Staatliche Hochschule für Musik (1947-58); was Kirchenmusikdirektor at St. Jacobi in Hamburg (1958-82), where his concerts of choral music by the German masters and of the organ works of Reger, as well as his restoration of the famous Arp Schnitger organ, received great acclaim; he toured the U.S. with his choir (1978). As prof, of organ at the Hamburg Hochschule für Musik (from 1974), he attracted students from many countries.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn /Dennis McIntire