FRANZ XAVER BIEBL (1906-2001)
Alles, was irdisch ist, muß endlich vergehn — Musica bleibet in Ewigkeit bestehn.
[All that is earthly must finally pass away; Music endures for eternity.]
—Joh. Rudolf Ahle (1625-1673)—
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| Photos courtesy Los Robles Master Chorale June, 1997, Bamberg, Germany. |
- Franz Biebl was one of the most respected figures in German choral music. He
was born September 1, 1906 in Pursruck, in the Oberpfalz area of Amberg. He was the 11th child of Johann Biebl,
a head teacher, and his wife Katherina. His father died when Franz was young, and following high school in Amberg (graduating 1925)
it was necessary for Franz to work to help support the family. But in 1926 he enrolled at the Musikhochschule
(State Music College) in Munich, where he studied composition under Joseph Haas and Siegmund von Hausegger, and conducting under
Heinrich Knappe. In 1932 he met the requirements for appointment as a Catholic church musician and obtained the position of
Choir Director at the parish church of St. Maria in München-Thalkirchen where he served until 1939, when he was appointed
Dozent (assistant professor) in choral music at the Mozarteum, the Academy for Music in Salzburg, Austria. World
War II intervened, Biebl was drafted in 1943 and his army unit was captured by the Americans in Italy in 1944. Biebl was
interned at Fort Custer, near Battle Creek, Michigan, as a prisoner of war.
- "It was a good time. I learned to know the Americans and a little bit of American life and 'democracy.' We got enough
to eat. Good food, just like the American soldiers had. We had to work, but not too hard.
I was allowed to arrange a choir and songs for it. The Americans helped me to arrange concerts with choir, soloists and chamber music."
- After the
war he returned to Austria, then later to Germany where from 1948 he worked for ll years in church music and choir schools (organist/choirmaster and teacher) in the Stadtpfarrkirche (Parish Church) in Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich). In 1959 he became the founding director of the Department of Choral Music at the Bavarian State Radio Broadcasting Company (Bayerischen Rundfunk), where he remained until his retirement at age 65.
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"During this time I was making recordings with a lot of choirs from the whole world, especially from the States. They have been the most excellent. More and more I started to compose and arrange German and other folk songs and Negro spirituals for German choirs."
- Biebl is chiefly known in America through his wonderful Ave Maria, written in 1964,
but made hugely popular by the Chanticleer recording 30 years later. It exhibits Biebl's
characteristic tenderness, clarity, and simplicity of form. This work is available through Hinshaw Music Inc., Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Many people ask about the origin of this piece, so we include here a 'program note' based on personal conversation with Herr Biebl.
- Biebl's music was first introduced to American musicians through American choral conductors who met him when performing on Bavarian Radio, such as Jeffrey Riehl at Eastman Conservatory. More of Biebl's music, mostly unknown to American musical
audiences, may perhaps become better known as the result of the friendship between Biebl
and the Californian composer Wilbur Skeels. Cantus Quercus Press is pleased to present some
results of this collaboration. - (Revised 4/2003)
On his 70th birthday (1976)
In his study, 1987 
Herr Biebl, August 4, 1999, aged nearly 93. Photos and text © copyright by Cantus Quercus Press. All rights reserved.
For an impressive 1986 article on his career (auf Deutsch), click here.