About Helmut Barbe
Lived 1927 – 2021 (aged 93). Helmut Barbe was a German composer and university teacher.
Helmut Barbe (28 December 1927, Halle (Saale) – 18 April 2021, Berlin) was a German composer.
Barbe studied at the where he was taught by Gottfried Grote and Ernst Pepping. Between 1952 and 1975 he was the cantor at the church in Berlin's Spandau quarter. After this, he took a post as a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts in what was at that time West Berlin.
In 1956 Barbe premiered his musical Hallelujah, Billy at the German Evangelical Church Assembly in Frankfurt am Main. This led commentators to identify him as a pioneer of contemporary worship music, in German Neues Geistliches Lied (NGL, literally: new spiritual song).
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Helmut Barbe?
German composer (1927–2021)
When was Helmut Barbe born?
Helmut Barbe was born on 28 December 1927 in Halle (Saale).
When did Helmut Barbe die?
Helmut Barbe died on 18 April 2021 in Berlin.
What was Helmut Barbe's occupation?
Helmut Barbe was a composer and university teacher.
What nationality was Helmut Barbe?
Helmut Barbe was German.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helmut Barbe. https://biography.guide/helmut-barbe/
MLA: "Helmut Barbe." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helmut-barbe/.
Chicago: "Helmut Barbe." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helmut-barbe/.
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