Friedemann Immer

Biography

Friedemann Immer is one of the pioneers of the Baroque trumpet revival. He taught himself to play the valveless natural trumpet and cornetto during the 1970s, and in 1977 gave his first performance of Bach’s difficult Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 on the Baroque trumpet, a work he later performed almost 140 times (plus 100 times on piccolo trumpet). Over the years, he recorded this work 10 times.

Immer has been soloist with Concentus Musicus Wien, Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Academy of Ancient Music Berlin, Musica Antiqua Koln, la Stagione Frankfurt, Academy of Ancient Music London, Boston Baroque, Aston Magna USA, and many others. He has worked with many of the world’s finest early music conductors, including Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Frans Brüggen, Thomas Hengelbrock, Gustav Leonhardt, Philippe Herreweghe, Marcus Creed, Martin Pearlman, Ivor Bolton, Christopher Hogwood, Hellmut Rilling, and others. He has recorded over 100 CDs or LP albums and was principal trumpeter with such ensembles as the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Hannoversche Hofkapelle, Caterva Musica, and Collegium Aureum.

In 1988, Professor Immer formed the Trompeten Consort Friedemann Immer, which has given concerts and presentations worldwide, including conferences for the Historic Brass Society and International Trumpet Guild. He was given the Christopher Monk Award by the Historic Brass Society in 2021.

From 1984 to 2020, Immer taught at the Cologne University of Music and Dance, where he was awarded the title of Honorary Professor in 1996. In parallel, he taught for 20 years at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam (1993-2013) and at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen. He has also given masterclasses in the USA, Brazil, Austria, and Japan.

Immer works closely with instrument makers to reconstruct historical models. In collaboration with the Swiss firm Egger Blechblasinstrumentenbau, he developed the “New Egger 3-hole model” and a series of mouthpieces for Baroque trumpet. Also, with Günter Hett, he developed a keyed trumpet.

SPECIALITIES:

Baroque (natural) trumpet
Improvising in Baroque style
Breathing

LANGUAGES:

German, English