Kellermann, Hellmut

Conductor, composer, critic

Born: 10.02.1891 in Munich

died: 27.01.1973 in Wiesbaden

Kellermann's father, Berthold Kellermann (1853-1926), was a pupil of Franz Liszt and later worked as a professor at the Munich Academy of Music. Kellermann studied literature, art and theater studies in Munich and trained as a violinist.

Before the First World War, he spent two years as a trainee conductor at the Hoftheater Karlsruhe, from 1921 he was conductor in Sächsisch-Regen (Transylvania), from 1924 in Klausenburg (now Cluj-Napoca), later at the Landestheater Rudolstadt and the Stadttheater Saarbrücken. From 1925, he worked as a guest conductor in Munich, Rudolstadt, Saarbrücken, Zittau and Recklinghausen. From 1945-52 he was director of the Emsland Orchestra in Herne.

Critics liked to speak of "dramatic miniatures" to characterize Kellermann's songs, some of which he wrote to his own texts. However, he also composed choral and chamber music as well as the stage music for Stefan Zweig's version of Ben Jonson's (1572-1637) "Volpone" and Hugo von Hofmannsthal's (1874-1929) "Der Tor und der Tod".

From an early age, he was also interested in music criticism, which he initially devoted himself to in the Berlin "Allgemeine Musikzeitung", and later also in the "Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" after leaving his position as conductor. In 1953, Kellermann came to Wiesbaden and worked for the Wiesbadener Tagblatt, for which he wrote opera, concert and choir reviews.

The Hessian Singers' Association thanked him for his criticism and inspiration by awarding him the "Golden Needle".