“I did not take part in serial composition; it was no place for me to live in.”

(Friedrich Radermacher 1924–2020)

Welcome

On this page, you will find information about the life and work of the Cologne composer Friedrich Radermacher. Born in Düren, the musician was a pupil of Philipp Jarnach, Frank Martin, and Günter Wand. He taught at the Cologne Musikhochschule. His output comprises more than five hundred works across all genres.

In his compositions, Friedrich Radermacher quite deliberately took a different path from many of his contemporaries: his works were created out of a conviction to hold fast to the principle of tonality and to create something new while building on tradition.

“I was never too proud to write Gebrauchsmusik!”

(Friedrich Radermacher 1924–2020)

Works by Friedrich Radermacher

Browse the composer’s works. They range from symphonies and operas to sacred music and solo repertoire. Chamber music in a wide variety of scorings occupies a broad space. Most of his compositions were written on commission. The instrumentation and level of difficulty are tailored to the respective occasion. But many works came about following a spontaneous inspiration. Much of it is available as a free PDF download. If you have any questions or suggestions, we would be glad to hear from you.

“Music is meant to be heard, not talked about!”

(Friedrich Radermacher 1924–2020)

Impressions

Get a sense of Friedrich Radermacher’s musical language.

Three Little Pieces for Trumpet and Organ – II Adagio | Christof Skupin trumpet, Severin Zöhrer organ

Partita for Viola and Organ
Rebekka Zachner viola, Hans-Josef Loevenich organ

Partita giocosa
Reinhold Richter organ

Piano Concerto No. 2
Wolfgang Manz piano, Cologne Radio Orchestra, conductor: Siegfried Köhler

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is behind Friedrich Radermacher's online presence?

Since the composer’s death, his grandson Christof Skupin – himself a musician – has managed Friedrich Radermacher’s work as his legal successor. Christof Skupin is a trumpeter and a member of the SWR Symphony Orchestra. He has personally given the premieres of many of his grandfather’s works for trumpet.

How do I obtain the scores of Friedrich Radermacher's works, and what do they cost?

Performance material for most of Friedrich Radermacher’s works can be downloaded free of charge from this website. If you would like bound material, you can order it (payment per invoice) via info@radermacher-music.de. Pieces that are published can be purchased through the publishers’ distribution channels.

Will I find all of Friedrich Radermacher's works here on the website?

In the catalogue of works you will find a database of Friedrich Radermacher’s works. It contains the key information about the compositions and, if the work is unpublished, also the performance material for download. The database is currently being built and continually expanded. Via a pop-up window, however, you will also find a list of the titles of all of Friedrich Radermacher’s works.

Why are not all of Friedrich Radermacher's works available for download?

Those works by Friedrich Radermacher that are published are available in music retail. These have been revised in their notation layout by the publisher. All other compositions can be downloaded directly here. The performance material has been produced directly from the notation software or scanned from the original. It has not been edited, but in return, it is available free of charge.

May I perform all of Friedrich Radermacher's works?

All works may be performed without special permission, except in a few individual cases where separate rights must be obtained from third parties, such as a publisher or a lyricist. We would be very glad to receive a note about the performance via info@radermacher-music.de.

Do I have to report performances of Friedrich Radermacher's works to GEMA?

The exploitation rights for all of Friedrich Radermacher’s works must be licensed upon performance by registering with GEMA. The music usage can be reported directly online with GEMA: https://www.gema.de/de/die-gema/musik-anmelden