Caspar Diethelm

Caspar Diethelm (31 March 1926 – 1 January 1997) was a Swiss composer.

Education Born in Lucerne, Diethelm studied at the Conservatory and the School of Church Music there (now both divisions of the Lucerne Musikhochschule). He studied composition privately with Johann Baptist Hilber (1891–1973) and Albert Jenny, and took master classes with Paul Hindemith and Arthur Honegger, which had a significant influence on him, in addition to summer courses in Darmstadt with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Luigi Nono. He completed his education as a conductor with Ernst Hans Beer and Alexander Krannhals.

In addition to works which make great demands on the performer and the listener, he also composed numerous works for amateurs, such as the Concerti Diletti for amateur string orchestra, choral and song works and masses for amateur choirs; and chamber and piano works for instructional use. One example is his 1987 chamber music work Das Rad des Lebens (the wheel of life).

Honours 1969: Obwalden Art Prize 1985: City of Lucerne Art Prize