German composer and Musicologist. He studied musicology at the University of Innsbruck, and church and school music at the Musikhochschule of Cologne.

He was an organist and conductor at Trier. Subsequently, he became a teacher and assistent director at the Musikhochschule of Cologne.

Moreover he was reader at the University of Bonn, and conductor of the Bachverein of Cologne.

References

1. Sylvia van Ameringen, Elseviers Encyclopedie van de muziek, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1962.
2. Th. Willemze, Componistenlexicon, Het Spectrum, Utrecht 1981.

[In German] Hermann Schroeder, geb. am 26. März 1904 in Bernkastel-Kues (Mosel),
gest. am 7. Oktober 1984 in Bad Orb, studierte 1926-1930 an der Kölner
Musikhochschule bei Heinrich Lemacher und Walter Braunfels
(Komposition), Hans Bachem (Orgel), Hermann Abendroth (Dirigieren) und
Dominicus Johner (Gregorianischer Choral). Er war zunächst Musiklehrer
am Gymnasium und an der Rheinischen Musikschule in Köln (1930-38), dann
Domorganist in Trier (1938/39). Von 1946-1981 lehrte er als Professor an
der Musikhochschule in Köln Musiktheorie (zusammen mit H. Lemacher
veröffentlichte er Lehrbücher über Harmonielehre, Kontrapunkt und
Formenlehre) und war 1947-62 Dirigent des Kölner Bach-Vereins. Er
erhielt u.a. den Robert-Schumann-Preis der Stadt Düsseldorf (1952), den
1. Preis des Orgelwettbewerbs in Haarlem/Holland (1955), den Kunstpreis
des Landes Rheinland-Pfalz (1956) und die Ehrendoktorwürde der
Universität Bonn (1974).

Schroeder zählt zu den bedeutendsten deutschen
Orgelkomponisten des 20. Jahrhunderts. Seine Musik verbindet Elemente
des Mittelalters (Fauxbourdon, Ostinatotechnik, Gregorianik) und
polyphone Satztechniken der Bach-Zeit mit der motorischen Rhythmik und
freitonalen, von Hindemith beeinflußten modernen Harmonik. Einen
besonderen Schwerpunkt bildet die Kammermusik für Orgel mit anderen
Instrumenten.

[In English] Hermann Schroeder, born on 26 March 1904 in Bernkastel-Kues (Mosel),
died on 7 October 1984 in Bad Orb, studied at the Cologne
Musikhochschule (1926-30) with Heinrich Lemacher and Walter Braunfels
(composition), Hans Bachem (organ), Hermann Abendroth (conducting) and
Dominicus Johner (Gregorian chant). He was music teacher in Cologne
(1930-38) and cathedral organist in Trier (1938/39). From 1946-1981 he
taught music theory at the Cologne Musikhochschule and was director of
Colognes Bach Society (1947-1962). With H. Lemacher, Schroeder has
published several textbooks on harmony, counterpoint and musical form,
which have gained wide currency in German-speaking countries. In 1952 he
was awarded the Robert Schumann Prize of the city of Düsseldorf, in 1955
the first prize in the organ competition at Haarlem/the Netherlands, in
1956 he received the Arts Prize from the state of Rheinland-Pfalz (1956)
and in 1974 he was appointed honorary doctor by the University of Bonn.

Schroeder is one of the most important German composers of the 20th
century for organ. His music combines elements of the Middle Ages
(fauxbourdon, ostinato technique, Gregorian modes), 20th-century
polyphony and the linear, atonal writing of Hindemith. The chamber music
for organ and other instruments constituted a special field of his
musical activity.

(Contribution by Rainer Mohrs <Rainer.Mohrs@schott-musik.de>)