Alexander Meyer von Bremen

Alexander Meyer von Bremen was born on 5 December 1930 in Leipzig (Germany). His parents were Vera Gassert and Helmut Meyer von Bremen, both professional pianists who had studied under Robert Teichmüller and Max Pauer. His father also worked as a composer. In this childhood home Alexander Meyer von Bremen learned to play the piano from an early age and he showed much talent. Since the age of 8 he received professional piano lessons from his father, and after the passing of his father in 1941, his mother continued the piano education. Alexander Meyer von Bremen attended the St. Thomas School in Leipzig where he also received organ and harpsichord lessons under Günter Ramin. After his schooldays Alexander Meyer von Bremen studied music at the university in Leipzig from 1946 to 1949. In 1951 he moved to Cologne and completed his studies at the university under Frank Martin (composition) and Albert Hofmann (piano) until 1954.
After his studies Alexander Meyer von Bremen started a career as a concert pianist. In the following years he made his mark as an accompanist and performed together with renowned artists like Tibor Varga and others. In 1957 Alexander Meyer von Bremen became part of the Westdeutsches Trio, a trio with violinist Hans-Christian Siegert and cellist Carl Wischermann (later Jürgen Wolf) and belonged to the ensemble until 1987.
In 1959 Alexander Meyer von Bremen became a lecturer at the conservatory in Duisburg and taught keyboard instruments, music theory, repetiteur and chamber music. Since 1961 he worked full-time at the conservatory since his retirement in 1995.
Beside his work as a concert pianist and teacher Alexander Meyer von Bremen also composed music since his student days. Many of his compositions received immediate performances and some of his works were published by Universal Edition or Möseler.
Alexander Meyer von Bremen died on 7 February 2002 in Duisburg (Germany).

In my possession is the autograph violin part of the Violin sonata op.36 by Alexander Meyer von Bremen. The work was composed in 1950 and is scored for violin or clarinet with piano accompaniment. It was first performed in the clarinet version in 1950. The violin version was premiered in 1952 by Ludwig Schuster and Alexander Meyer von Bremen. The violin version is also dedicated to Ludwig Schuster, according to my autograph part.

I found this autograph part in the estate of cellist Maurits Frank, who lectured at the university in Cologne while Alexander Meyer von Bremen studied there. I kindly received a copy of the complete manuscript from the son of Alexander Meyer von Bremen and can now present a full score of the Violin sonata: