Franz Biebl

Franz Xaver Biebl (1 September 1906–2 October 2001) was a German composer of classical music. Most of his compositions were for choral ensembles.

Biebl was born in Pursruck, Germany in 1906. He studied composition at the Musikhochschule in Munich. Biebl served as Choir Director at the Catholic church of St Maria in München-Thalkirchen from 1932 until 1939, and as an assistant professor of choral music at the Mozarteum, an academy of music in Salzburg, Austria, beginning in 1939, where he taught voice and music theory.

Biebl served in the military beginning in 1943. He was a prisoner of war from 1944 to 1946. After the war, he moved from Austria to Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany where he served as director of the town chorus.

Biebl's best-known work is "Ave Maria", written in 1964. The piece was brought to the United States by the Cornell University Glee Club in 1970. The ensemble met Biebl during a recording session in Frankfurt while on a tour of Germany. Conductor Thomas A. Sokol was given a number of Biebl's works, premiering them after returning home. The "Ave Maria" quickly gained popularity, most notably after becoming part of the repertoire of Chanticleer.

External links

• Article "Outstanding Features of Franz Biebl's Works" by Wilbur Skeels
• Index of Biebl's principal works
• Recording of Biebl's "Ave Maria" by Chanticleer (ensemble)
• Partial recording of Biebl's "Ave Maria" by the North American Choral Company
• Live recording (video) of Biebl's Ave Maria by Ars Poliphonica (Santander, Spain)