Bedřich Antonín Wiedermann

Bedřich Antonín Wiedermann was born on October 10, 1883 in Ivanovice (Central Moravia, ČR) and died on October 5, 1951 in Prague. He studied grammar school in Prague. There he met Josef Klička who thought him singing at the time and later became his organ teacher.

After graduating, Wiedermann worked as a civil servant at a tax office in Kroměříž for a short time before he entered the seminary in Olomouc in 1904. Seven semesters later he nevertheless decided to suspend his studies there and entered the Prague Conservatory. In an incredibly short time (in July 3, 1909) he graduated from organ play under Josef Klička. Next year he attended composition classes under Vítězslav Novák.

Later, we find him playing church organ in Brno (1910-11) and in Prague - first in Emauzy Monastery (1911–1917) later in St. Cyril and St. Method church in Karlín. For three years he also played the viola in Czech Philharmonia.

Since March 1917 he was also employed by the Prague Conservatory where he taught until 1946 (First, Wiedermann was a substitute teacher for ill Karel Stecker, but in September 1919 he accepted a vacancy and taught organ play, organ accompaniment and improvisation; in 1920 he was appointed to the position of master of organ play and from 1944 to 1946 he led master courses there.) Since 1946 he taught at the recently founded Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Among his students were Josef Černocký, Bedřich Janáček, Jan Bedřich Krajs, Jiří Reinberger, Jiří Ropek a Milan Šlechta.

Wiedermann was giving many concerts already when he was quite young. He started the tradition of regular organ performances in Prague monastery of Emauzy; he organized monthly Sunday matinees at Smetana’s Hall of Prague Municipal House between 1920 and 1932.

Since the 40’s he regularly organized another series of concerts in St. Jacob Basilica in The Old Town where between 1940 and 1941 the organ was reconstructed according to his designs. He often performed in Prague but also outside it - he gave concerts at number of tours (England 1924, New York 1924, Germany 1925, Sweden 1926, Belgium 1935); number of his concerts (especially the ones he performed at Huss parish of Czechoslovakian church in Prague - Dejvice) was broadcasted by radio.

The center of his extensive compositional work (over 300 pieces) lies undoubtedly in organ music (over 80 pieces) and vocal pieces (number of choir compositions, choruses on spiritual lyrics, songs, 8 cantatas).

Titles for sale:
Organ Compositions I
Organ Compositions II
Organ Compositions III
Organ Compositions IV
Organ Compositions V (ed. Jan Hora)