Ewald Gotthold [Ewald] Siegert (30/11/1875 - 22/05/1947) a German composer and organist in Chemnitz. Born in in Wetzelsgrün (Wetzelsgrün); died in Chemnitz.
At the end of the 19th century, Chemnitz developed into an industrial metropolis. This was accompanied by enormous population growth and the city experienced a remarkable cultural upswing. Active music-making by Chemnitz residents was part of city life. In 1914 there were 37 music associations and 100 singers' associations. Ewald Gotthold Siegert was born on November 30, 1875 as the second child of the teacher Karl Rudolf Siegert and his wife Auguste Pauline, née Stolle, in the Wetzelsgrün schoolhouse near Treuen in the Vogtland. The family soon moved to Röhrsdorf near Chemnitz, where Ewald Siegert started school and was confirmed in 1890. He attended the "Princely-Schönburg Teachers' Seminar" in Waldenburg, which was also known for its sound musical education. After several positions as a teacher (Glauchau, Neustädtel-Schneeberg and Schönau near Chemnitz), Siegert continued his studies at the Leipzig Conservatory in 1904. Max Reger must have been his role model, who had been closely associated with Chemnitz since 1901. Church music director Georg Stolz played an important role in this: he performed several choral and organ works by Reger, played with the master in concerts with the municipal chapel and regularly wrote reviews Compositions by Max Reger.
On February 23, 1910, Max Reger premiered his powerful work "The 100th Psalm" op. 106 in the St. Luke's Church in Chemnitz. On October 16, 1910, Siegert married Clara Rosa Siegert, née Schlott, in Chemnitz-Schönau and was appointed cantor of St. Petri on March 1, 1911. This appointment was based on a letter of recommendation from Reger dated April 2, 1909, in which he praised Siegert's very good aptitude for composition and "thorough training in all of musical theory" and as a "practical musician (organist)". Reger can only recommend him "with the very best".
The performance of Reger's “100. Psalm” must have left such an impression on Siegert that he had already completed his “Thanksgiving Song” based on words from Psalm 100 for baryton, mixed choir, large orchestra and organ by May 1912. The first performance on November 12, 1912 in St. Petrikirche was performed by the reinforced church choir of St. Petri, Arthur Kuniss as soloist and the municipal band conducted by the composer.
Ewald Siegert has written an extensive body of work: compositions for choir, organ - chamber music - works for orchestra and choral-symphonic instrumentation. Before 1940, "a well-known music publisher" was supposed to publish Siegert's works. During the bombardment of March 5, 1945, Siegert's apartment went up in flames and with it a significant part of his works. During this time he learned that his son Hans had died at the front. Siegert's wife then took her own life. On May 22, 1947, Ewald Gottlob Siegert died a broken man in a private clinic on the Kassberg in Chemnitz.
Despite all the turmoil, a large part of Siegert's works have been preserved in the archive of the St. Petri-Schlosskirchgemeinde Chemnitz - a treasure of Chemnitz cultural history. After the last known performance in 1923, Siegert's "Thanksgiving Song" will be heard again on October 21, 2018 during the "130 Years of St. Petrikirche Chemnitz" festival week in the anniversary year "875 Years of Chemnitz".