Philipp Wolfrum

Philipp Julius Wolfrum (17 December 1854 – 8 May 1919) was a German conductor, musicologist, composer, organist and academic teacher. He was influential to university education in church music in Heidelberg, and in 1907 became the town's Generalmusikdirektor.

Career Born in Schwarzenbach am Wald, Philipp Wolfrum was the son of Johann Heinrich Wolfrum, a teacher and church musician (Kantor). He first also worked as a teacher. On a scholarship, he studied from 1876 at the Königliche Musikschule in München organ and composition with Joseph Rheinberger, piano with Karl Bärmann, and choral singing and conducting with Franz Wüllner. From 1878 he was conductor, soloist and composer in Bamberg. In 1884 he was appointed an assistant teacher for music at the theology seminary of Heidelberg University. There, he installed formal education in church music, and initiated public musical events in the town. In 1885 he founded the choirs Akademischer Gesangverein and Bach-Verein (now: ). In 1888 he was appointed Außerordentlicher Professor. In 1890 he published Die Entstehung und erste Entwicklung des deutschen evangelischen Kirchenliedes in musikalischer Beziehung (The origins and initial development of the German Protestant hymn). In 1894 he was awarded the title of , and in 1907 became Generalmusikdirektor.