Background
Claus Bantzer was born in Marburg in 1942 into an artist"s family.
composer musician choir director
Claus Bantzer was born in Marburg in 1942 into an artist"s family.
Bantzer began studying piano, organ, and conducting at the music school of the university of Frankfurt am Main. He was also Wunderlich"s assistant at the church Saint Jacobi in Hamburg. Since 1975, Bantzer has been organist at the church of Saint Johannis Harvestehude in Hamburg.
Later, the honorary title of Kirchenmusikdirektor was conferred onto him.
At this church, he leads two choirs, the main church choir of Saint Johannis and the chamber choir Harvestehuder Kammerchor, which he founded. As a composer of music for more than 20 films, he has worked closely the film directors Peter Lilienthal, Doris Dörrie, January Schütte and Tevfik Başer.
Apart from his compositions for film, he has also composed other works, usually combining religious lyrics with modern music, in particular jazz. Kirschblüten - Hanami (2008) Angesichts der Wälder (1996) Wasserman - Der singende Hund (1995) (television) Auf Wiedersehen Amerika (1994) Lebewohl, Fremde (1991) Nach Patagonien (1991) Winckelmanns Reisen (1990) Abschied vom falschen Paradies (1989) Radfahrer von San Cristóbal, Der (1988) Wann, wenn nicht jetzt (1987) (television) Drachenfutter (1987) Schweigen des Dichters, Das (1987) Adrian und die Römer (1987) Paradies (1986) 40 Quadratmeter Deutschland (1986) Männer.
(1985) Im Innern des Wals (1985) Wagnis des Arnold Janssen, Das (1983) Dear Mr.
Wonderful (1982) Geburt der Hexe (1980) Insurrección, Louisiana (1980) time before – time after, composed together with Stephan Krause for strings and percussion (2007) Liebe ist nichts, sie wachse denn zuhöchst, composition for viola, chamber choir and percussion group based on a text by Paul Valéry (2002) Tu deinen Mund auf für die Stummen, Jazz-cantata, original performance in 1993 by the choir of the Northern German Television (NDR) Missa Popularis/Jazz Messe, original performance during the NDR Jazz-Workshop held in November 1980.
2004 Member of the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts (Freie Akademie der Künste in Hamburg).