Möhring, Ferdinand

Composer, organist, conductor

born: 18.01.1815 in Alt Ruppin

died: 01.05.1887 in Wiesbaden

Möhring spent his childhood in Neuruppin, where he attended grammar school together with Theodor Fontane. At his father's express wish, he began training as a master builder at the trade school in Berlin in 1830, but his musical interests were stronger. He broke off his training and entered the Institute for Church Music and later the Academy of Arts.

In 1838, he composed his Symphony in B flat major, which was premiered by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847) at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In 1840, Möhring was appointed director of the men's choral society in Saarbrücken and organist at the Ludwigskirche. He now turned his attention primarily to vocal composition. In 1844 he was appointed royal music director. In 1845 he was appointed organist at St. Mary's parish church in Neuruppin and music teacher at the grammar school. In addition to his church music works, quartets for mixed choir, duets and songs for one voice, he owed his reputation as a composer above all to his much-sung male choirs. The "Elslein von Kaub" became a popular song.

In 1876, he moved to Wiesbaden and moved into an apartment at Schützenhof 14 with his wife Hedwig and her sister. He became friends with artists and scholars such as Friedrich von Bodenstedt, Joachim Raff and Franz Abt and was a keen participant in the city's social life.

He remained a sought-after guest conductor throughout Germany and played a not inconsiderable part in the upswing of male singing. The most outstanding German choral societies awarded him honorary diplomas, as did the choral societies of New York, Washington and St. Louis. Möhring was laid to rest in the North Cemetery. The Committee of German Choral Societies, which had donated the tombstone for Franz Abt in 1885, also had a memorial stone erected for Möhring by the sculptor Hermann Schies in 1894.