Kempter, Karl (1819, 1871)

Karl Kempter (1819-1871) was a German church musician and composer. He was born in Limbach and studied voice, piano, organ and composition in Augsburg, where at the age of 18 he received his first employment as an organist, in the church of St. Ulrich. He also gave music lessons at the Augsburg St. Stephan foundation. In 1839 he became cathedral organist and later Kapellmeister in Augsburg.



He composed masses, graduals and oratorios (St. John the Baptist, Mary, The Shepherds of Bethlehem, The Annunciation). He also published a hymnal. Folk music, especially as part of the church service, was the center of his musical composition. His most famous work, the Great Pastoral Mass in G major op. 24 was premiered in the Augsburg cathedral in 1851. The last years of his life were marked by a neural disease and paralysis following a stroke. He died poor and exhausted six years later in Augsburg.