Burkhard, Willy (1900–1955)

Swiss composer. He studied at the Bern School of Music, in Leipzig, Germany, with Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877–1933) and Robert Teichmüller (1863–1939), at Munich with Walter Courvoisier (1875–1931), and later in Paris, France, with Max d'Olone (1875–1959). He became piano professor at Bern Conservatory, Switzerland, and conducted choirs and an amateur orchestra. In 1937 he settled at Davos to devote himself entirely to composition.

Works Opera Die schwarze Spinne (after Gotthelf; 1948).

Vocal oratorios Musikalische Übung (Luther; 1934) and Das Gesicht Jesajas (1933–35), Te Deum, choral suite Neue Kraft, festival cantata Le Cantique de notre terre, cantata Das Jahr and others, Psalm xciii for chorus and organ; Christi Leidensverkündung for tenor, chorus, and organ.

Orchestral two symphonies, Ulenspiegel variations for orchestra; Fantasy, Little Serenade, and concerto for string orchestra; two violin concertos, organ concerto (1945).

Chamber two string quartets, piano trio, two trio sonatas; Variations and Fantasy for organ.

Songs numerous song cycles, including Frage, two on poems by Rilke, and one on poems by Morgenstern.