Here stood the home of composer Werner Egk. He lived in Lochham from 1953 to 1971. Imagine the melodies that filled these very walls. Werner Egk a name synonymous with post-war German musical resurgence. His life a captivating blend of artistic triumph and complex entanglement with the Nazi era.
Born Werner Mayer in 1901 Egk’s path to musical prominence began in Munich. He studied under the renowned Carl Orff. He worked at a Schwabing theatre managing scenes painting backdrops and composing incidental music. Later he studied philosophy and musicology at Munich University. He adopted the name Egk after marrying violinist Elisabeth Karl.
Egk’s career took an interesting turn. He became a musical director at a cinema orchestra. He then ventured to Berlin. There he rubbed shoulders with artistic giants like Kurt Weill Bertolt Brecht and Erwin Piscator. He quickly recognized the power of radio. He composed works for this burgeoning medium.
His opera Die Zaubergeige premiered in Frankfurt in 1935. It became one of Germany’s most popular operas. This marked the start of his international success. He became the conductor at the Berlin State Opera. He was later appointed chairman of the Composers Board at the Reichsmusikkammer under the Nazi regime.
This period remains a subject of much debate. While he received awards from the Nazi regime his involvement remains complex and open to interpretation. Some view him as an opportunistic collaborator. Others see him as a survivor navigating a difficult political landscape.
After World War II Egk continued to defend composers’ rights. He held key positions at GEMA the German copyright society. He also worked with international collection societies. He became professor of composition at the Musikhochschule in West Berlin.
In 1954 he was commissioned by Staatsintendant Rudolf Hartmann. He rehearsed and directed all performances of his operas and ballets at the Bavarian State Opera. This contract lasted 20 years. Egk’s contributions to music spanned numerous genres. He received many accolades including Munich’s Honorary Arts Award. He passed away in 1983 leaving behind a rich legacy of musical innovation and a complex historical context. The house that once stood here remains a silent testament to a life lived in the heart of Munich’s musical story.