21 August 1927, Munich - 20 August 2017, Starnberg

"Paradise is the counterpart to abandonment, it is togetherness."

"Music has nothing to do with outer life, but with inner life. It is not the intended that is reflected, but what the creator himself is. The unintended, the subconscious, is what has effect."
Wilhelm Killmayer

Killmayer's remarkable oeuvre consists of 12 solo compositions, the piano concerto "Sonanzen" (1997) and numerous chamber music works with piano.
Check out the PIANOVERSAL listening tips! Or browse his catalogue of works in the PIANOVERSALRegister

 PIANOVERSAL listening tips: Wilhelm Killmayer

First, a recording with Wilhelm Killmayer himself at the piano. Together with fellow composer Wilfried Hiller, he performs his composition "Paradies":

"Paradies" for piano and three hands or for two pianos (1972)
Wilhelm Killmayer & Wilfried Hiller, piano
youtube_Paradies

Humour also plays an important role in Killmayer's work:
"Caprice de Figaro" from the "5 Romanzen" (1989)
Nicolas Altstaedt, cello and José Gallardo, piano
youtube_capricedefigaro

"agitated and complicated" and later "stabilising itself" — this is how Wilhelm Killmayer describes his composition "An John Field - Nocturne I" (1975) for piano.
Siegfried Mauser, piano
youtube_An_John_Field_Nocturne 

...and here a glimpse into chamber music for trumpet and piano:
Tre Pezzi (1968)
soundcloud_tre_pezzi
Danny Lee Miller, trumpet; piano: NN

All works with piano are listed in the PIANOVERSALRegister.

Wilhelm Killmayer: Composer of the Week No. 3 / January 2018