Das Leben des Karl Thöne
21. Juni 1924 – 20. November 1993
Am Anfang
1924 German composer Karl Thöne was born in the city of Hohenwepel/Menne.
1930 Karl attended the Ralf Walter School in Warburg.
1937 Karl attended the High School for Boys —Gymnasium Marianum in Warburg.
1942 Karl intended to further his studies at the State of Styria Conservatory of Music in Graz, where he was accepted on 15 April, yet his plans were interrupted by his service with the Reich Labour Service in Jever between 18 April till 25 September.
1942 – 1945 Karl was later enlisted into the military service in the German Wehrmacht from 13 October to 25 September 1945. He was later captured by the Allied Forces at the U.S. Captivity Center in Attichy, France.
Musical Training
Karl Thöne was released from captivity in the summer of 1946.
1946 – 1948 It was speculated that he had met fellow inmate Heinrich Böll, the first German writer to win the Nobel Prize for literature, during his captivity. Upon his release, he was encouraged to continue his musical training at the Kassel Conservatory of Music.
1948 – 1951 He continued at the Conservatory for Music in Detmold where he graduated as a private music teacher.
1951 – 1953 He further continued his studies at the Northwest German Music Academy Detmold where he studied violin and viola under the tutelage of the great Tibor Varga, among others. He was particularly interested in composition and so he deepened those skills with Richard Rudolf Klein, Günther Bialas and Johannes Driesler.
Professional
Work
Über Uns
Über Uns
1953 Upon graduating from Detmold, he started teaching German and Music at the Secondary School for Boys and Girls in Bocholt.
1957 Karl Thöne and his wife Ingeborg then moved to Bocholt, where he was appointed as a teacher at the ‘Albert Schweitzer Secondary School' and later at the ‘I. v. Meckenem Secondary School' in Bocholt and used his talent while teaching various school ensembles such as brass bands and choir for school performances.
1961 – 1970 he conducted the ‘St. Gudula’ church choir in Rhede (Germany) and combined the work of his orchestra with that of his choir on many festive occasions.
1982 Karl retired from his post as a teacher and devoted himself exclusively to composing music.