Taste is a negative thing. Genius affirms and always affirms.

Franz Liszt

Herbert Wulf Passes Away

20 November 2013

Former Liszt Academy professor of the Church Music Department passed away at the age of 80 on November 4, 2013.

Former Liszt Academy professor of the Church Music Department passed away at the age of 80 on November 4, 2013.

Herbert Wulf was born in Hamburg in 1934. He studied Musicology, Phonetics, Theology, Latin, Romanistics and History at the university in his hometown and Gottingen, while he earned his degree in Church Music in Hamburg and Detmold. He continued his studies under Marie-Claire Alain, Luigi Tagliavini (organ), Kenneth Gilber (harpsichord) and Hanns-Martin Schneidt (conducting).


He was a church musician in Hamburg, Mülheim an der Ruhr and Bielefeld. He was a Docent and also taught first at the Music Academy Essen and then at the Royal School of Church Music in Hereford. Following his retirement, he continued teaching at the Berzsenyi Dániel College in Szombathely and from 1998 he was also an external lecturer at the Liszt Academy of Music for many years.

He gave concerts in numerous countries all around Europe, as well as in Israel and Brazil. He recorded a number of albums, made recordings for radio and television, and several world premiere performances of modern music are also tied to his name. He held master courses in organ, harpsichord, clavichord and continuo in Germany, Poland, Brazil and Hungary.

As an external lecturer at the Church Music Department of the Liszt Academy he taught Liturgical Organ Playing, which he was a dedicated master of. He was the first to teach this subject based on the German methodology at the department where he also held master courses in Italian and North German Baroque Organ Literature.

As a performer he can be characterized by both scientific preparedness and artistic inspiration, concert and liturgy music of equally high standard. As a teacher he was known for his extensive knowledge and elaboration.

The funeral will take place at the Cinkotai Cemetery (1164 Budapest, Simongát utca 2.) on Friday, November 22, 2013 commencing at 11.30am.

Mourning his loss are his family, former students, colleagues, friends and all who admired him.

In lieu of flowers and wreaths donations can be made to bank account number: OTP 11773164-04550693 marked „evangélikus egyházzene" (evangelical church music), or placed in the organ pipe at the funeral.