Erich Hartmann (January 26, 1920, in Leipzig – July 6, 2020)[1][2] was a German double bass player and composer. He was part of the contrabass section of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.[3]
Erich Hartmann was born on January 26, 1920, in Leipzig and lived in Berlin. The son of a piano maker, he grew up between the Conservatory of Music and St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. Hartmann studied double bass at the conservatory, now the Leipzig University of Music. There, he studied with Theodor Albin Findeisen, being his last student, and Max Schulz. At the same time he devoted himself to studying composition with Hermann Grabner. As a young music student he studied the compositions of Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schönberg.
His studies were interrupted due to labor service and military service in the Second World War. His military service ended due to an injury on September 4, 1942. In October 1942 he resumed studying music. After a successful audition with the Berliner Philharmoniker, he became a member of this orchestra on November 1, 1943. The heavy bombing raids on Berlin also destroyed the Berlin Philharmonic on Bernburger Strasse on January 30, 1944. Hartmann witnessed the events.
Erich Hartmann founded a double bass quartet in 1967, whose members were himself, Klaus Stoll, Wolfgang Kohly, Manfred Dupak, and later Rudolf Watzel and Friedrich Witt. With his compositions he committed to the double bass in order to give it broader recognition.
His works include Oktett (für Kontrabässe), composed for his colleagues of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1972.[4]
Hartmann was active in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra until January 31, 1985. He celebrated his 100th birthday on January 26, 2020.[5] Erich Hartmann died on July 6, 2020.
