Erna Woll facts for kids

Erna Woll (born March 23, 1917 – died April 7, 2005) was a German composer, church musician, and writer. She wrote many pieces of music, especially for churches. She also taught music and led choirs.

Her Life Story

Erna Woll was born in Sankt Ingbert in a region called the Saarland. She started studying music in 1936. She learned about church music at a special institute in Heidelberg. From 1940 to 1944, she studied how to compose music in Munich. During this time, she became a Catholic. Later, from 1946 to 1948, she studied Catholic church music in Cologne.

From 1950 to 1962, Erna Woll worked as an organ player in Cologne. She also taught music and directed choirs in Speyer. From 1962 to 1969, she was a lecturer at the College of Education in Augsburg. Then, from 1969 to 1972, she became an honorary professor there.

In 1972, she stopped working because she became very ill. But after she got better, she kept composing music. Erna Woll passed away on April 7, 2005, in Augsburg.

Erna Woll was part of several music groups. These included the Werkgemeinschaft Musik and a group for ecumenical (meaning for different Christian churches) lyricists and composers.

Awards and Honors

Erna Woll received several awards for her work:

• 1963 and 1967: She won the Valentin-Becker-Prize from the City Brückenau.
• 1972: She won first prize in a competition called "New hymn Kiel."
• 1976: She received awards from the German Federal Government.
• 1993: She was given a special honor by the Pope called the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross. This was for her great work in Catholic Church music.
• 1997: She received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. This is a high honor given by the German government.

Her Musical Works

Erna Woll composed over 200 musical pieces. These included songs for solo singers, music for choirs, and larger works like cantatas. She was very interested in a music style called New Sacred Song (Neues Geistliches Lied). This style creates new religious songs.

Here are some of her selected works:

• Love songs for voice and piano (1944/55)
• Sweet lyre. A triptych (a piece in three parts) for mixed choir and tenor solo (1960/65)
• Choralis Missa for choir, congregation, and organ (1958/60)
• We believe. Music for mixed choir, congregation, and organ (1965)
• Spiritus domini. Music for Pentecost Sunday for choir and orchestra (1963)
• Seven lives I should like to have. A cycle of songs for solo voice, mixed choir, and instruments (1966)
• Requiem for the living. For mixed choir and instruments (1975)
• Four motets. Based on texts by Gertrude von le Fort (1975–76)
• Search - Hearing - praise. An organ triptych (1985)
• Augsburg Organ Issue (1987)
• Sola gratia (1988)
• Invocations (1988)
• Christmas Gospel according to Luke (1988)
• Children ask for Maria (1988)
• Through the pain barrier V (1989)
• Women around Jesus (1990)
• Songs to God, for Orthodox church services (1990)
• How to sing and say (1991)
• The well-beloved, the Niegeliebten (1991)
• Mirjam born. Five meditations for organ (1991)
• Now the dark night is over (1991)
• ... and Mary (1992)
• Sound tracks on the organ (1992)
• Meditate on flute and organ (1992)
• Transient response. A mosaic for organ (1993)
• Where are you, God (1995)
• Magic wishes (1995)
• The 80th Psalm (1995)
• Ave Maria tender (1997)
• It is the Lord of glory (1997)
• From sky high (2002)