New beginning in peace
♫ J.S.Bach, Toccata and Fuge D-minor for Orgel (Karl Oriwohl; 9.38min/11MB)
♫ Video Bandonion meeting in Aschau
As a result of the war and its aftermath, only after a
13-year interruption was Karl Oriwohl able to continue his studies in 1950 at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin.
Ernst Guido Naumann (left), founder of the chair for folk music instruments in 1934. As its director, he is once again significantly involved in organisation and teaching.
His concern was to include folk music instruments into academic teaching, as can be seen in the picture using the example of the recorder flute class.
Ernst Kusserow also taught again in the bandonion class.
Teachers and students at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin in the 1950s.
(2nd from right Ernst Kusserow, 5th from right Karl Oriwohl)
By day a student at the conservatory, by night a bar musician at the "Goldtröpfchen" (Gold droplets) on Berlin Kuhdamm.
To finance his studies over seven years almost every
night at the Kusserow.
Musically demanding pieces are not always duly honoured by the audience.
However, it was all the easier to wow them with artistic interludes: Drinking while playing - the often requested performance of a rare bandonion playing technique.
Astonished girl at the side of the road: Well, sounding ships in the middle of the Kuhdamm?
"Goldtröpfchen" steamer on a big cruise in front of the Memorial Church in Berlin on the occasion of a wine promotion week in the year 1950. Karl Oriwohl with bandonion on board.
At the microphone Alois Blümel, organiser of a bandonion meeting in Germany. From 1974 to 2009 he invited bandonion players from various regions to exchange experiences and make music together in Inzell and Aschau in Bavaria.
Because since after the second war there was no more an overarching "Bandonion Association" of clubs and from around 1975 no magazine, such supra-regional meetings were of great importance. Meetings take place today in Carlsfeld and Klingenthal in Saxony, mostly as music contests.
Video Bandonion meeting in Aschau.
The "wall unit" in the flat of Karl Oriwohl
Alongside making music, collecting was his second great passion until old age. Whether concertina, bandonion or other instruments, postcards, magazines or photos postcards, magazines or photos - the only decisive factor for an interest was the presence of free reeds.
From September 2010, he put his collection and his knowledge for the creation of bandonioninfo.de. The fact that he was equally familiar with the playing style of uni- and bisonoric bandonions was of particular value.
The foto sessions lasted from midday until the evening. Occasional health problems were no obstacle for the over-ninety-year-old, but were overcome with his own sense of humour. He liked to lay down his instruments in front of the lens with a "Please very kindly".
Karl Oriwohl passed away in October 2011 at the age of 94 years. With him goes a contemporary witness of eventful bandonion history, who knew since the 1920s and many musicians and bandonion makers from his own experience.
