He received initial instruction on the violin at the age of six. He filled school books with compositions without the use of bar lines at the age of ten and, at seventeen, his desire to become a bassoonist was influenced by the hearing of Mozart's Bassoon Concert. It was to be another two years until he was accepted at the conservatory in Zurich.
In 1967 Baumgartner's teacher, Rudolf Leuzinger, sent him to Prague to prof. Jaroslav Rezác and prof. Karel Pivonka; prof. Ladislav Cerny was also an influence. Böhmen exercised a powerful influence over Stephan Baumgartner. He began a dialogue with the culture and the artists of the country, Prague became for him a cultural homeland of choice. He graduated from the Academy for the Musical Arts with a soloist's diploma for bassoon and subsequently studied bassoon for one year under the tutelage of Karel Janecek.
From 1973 until 1975 he attended the Freiburg im Breisgau School of Music and listened for a short time into the lectures of Klaus Huber. Following his studies he was incapable of composing for a period of four years. Improvisation helped him to develop his own musical language. The Central European tradition in the form of an extended tonality is, for Baumgartner, by no means exhausted. His music is borne of intuition and makes human sentiment in all its forms visible.
In 1979 he opened the 'Galerie am Hinterberg' in Zurich with the desire to bring closer music, the visual arts, literature, artists and the public. The gallery has become, without public help, a firm and favoured institution in Zurich - over 2500 events with primarily young artists and 750 world premieres have already taken place there.
Stephan Baumgartner lives as a freelance musician in Zurich. He has appeared as a chamber musician and solo bassoonist on countless tours at home and abroad. He values most particularly the interpretation of contemporary compositions which are often dedicated to him, most notably the meditation concerts in large churches like the Closter Einsiedeln or the Mosta Cathedral (Malta) etc.
Stephan Baumgartner received the honorary prize offered by the canton of Zurich in 1999 for his tireless engagement.
Work list
Musette (1976)
Instrumentation: for viola and bassoon
Manuscript
Trio d'anches (reed trio) (1978)
Instrumentation: for oboe, clarinet and bassoon
Manuscript
Fragmente (1979)
Instrumentation: for viola, bassoon and cello
Manuscript
Belochovice (1979)
Instrumentation: for two violas and cello
Manuscript
Krajinka v mlze (Landschaft im Nebel) (1979)
Instrumentation: for soprano, flute and bassoon
Manuscript
Embrassement (1979)
Instrumentation: for violin and cello
Manuscript
Hochzeitsmarsch (1979)
Instrumentation: for 2 violas, cello and bassoon
Manuscript
Nezvany host (Der ungeladene Gast) (1979)
Instrumentation: for recorder and bassoon
Manuscript
Quintett für Englischhorn, Fagott, 2 Bratschen und Cello (quintet for english horn, bassoon, 2 violas and cello) (1979)
Manuscript
Myslenky na zivot (1979)
Instrumentation: for bassoon and cello
Manuscript
Intrada (1979)
Instrumentation: for 2 trumpets, flute, 4 bassoons and strings
Manuscript
Kam - Touha - Neklid (1979)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Kridla (Flügel) (1980)
Instrumentation: for soprano, flute and bassoon
Manuscript
Chalen Duo (1980)
Instrumentation: for flute and bassoon
Manuscript
Das Fliegen (1980)
Instrumentation: for flute and bassoon
Manuscript
4 Shepherd's Songs (1980)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Quartett für 2 Fagotte und 2 Celli (quartet for 2 bassoons and 2 celli) (1980)
Manuscript
Quartetto Aquasana (1980)
Instrumentation: for flute, violin, bassoon and cello
Manuscript
Tripelkonzert (1980)
Instrumentation: for flute, bassoon, cello, strings and timpani
Manuscript
Präludium, Lento, Allegro (1982)
1st piano cycle
Manuscript
Kontemplationen (1982)
Instrumentation: for 4 bassoons and piano
Manuscript
Novembertag (1982)
Instrumentation: for female voice and piano
Texts: Christian Morgenstern
Manuscript
Fischers Nachtlied (1982)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
After Christian Morgenstern.
Manuscript
3 Shepherd's Songs (1978-1983)
Instrumentation: for flute
Manuscript
Thuri Sonate (1983)
Instrumentation: for 4 horns
Manuscript
Trio Pastorale (1983)
Instrumentation: for flute, clarinet and bassoon
Manuscript
Perpetuum (1983)
Instrumentation: for flute
For circular breathing.
Manuscript
Duo for Bassoon and Piano (1983)
Manuscript
Jubiläumssuite (1983)
Instrumentation: for 2 flutes, violin and 3 bassoons
Manuscript
cervi in silva (1983)
Sextet
Instrumentation: for 4 bassoons and 2 contrabassoons
Manuscript
6 Shepherd's Songs (1983)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Kinderlieder (1984)
2nd piano cycle
Manuscript
Choral und Allegro (1984)
Instrumentation: for reed trio (ob, cl, bn)
Manuscript
Rondo Ollilan Tiila (1984)
Instrumentation: for clarinet, bassoon, horn, cello and piano
Manuscript
Suite für 8 Bläser (suite for 8 wind) (1984)
Instrumentation: for oboe, English horn, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons and 2 horns
Manuscript
Saga und Faunsamkeit (1985)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Präludium (1985)
Instrumentation: for violin
Manuscript
Bassoon Quartet (1985)
Instrumentation: for bassoon and string trio
Manuscript
Duo for Alphorn and Piano (1985)
Manuscript
Klavierstücke (1987)
3rd piano cycle
Manuscript
Wiegenlied für Christoph (1987)
Instrumentation: for recorder
Manuscript
Trio für Christian (1987)
Instrumentation: for reed trio (ob, cl, bn)
Manuscript
Cinque miniature volanti (1989)
4th piano cycle
Manuscript
Triste - Gaio (1989)
Instrumentation: for recorder
Manuscript
Humoreske (1989)
Instrumentation: for reed trio (ob, cl, bn)
Manuscript
Abschied (1989)
Instrumentation: for flute
Manuscript
Duo for Oboe and Bassoon (1990)
Manuscript
Ein kleines Requiem (1991)
Instrumentation: for obligatory bassoon and strings
Manuscript
Mediation (1994)
Instrumentation: for piano
Manuscript
Bilkoviny (1994)
5th piano cycle
Manuscript
Klavierquintett (1994)
Instrumentation: for oboe/english horn, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano
Manuscript
Deborah (1994)
Instrumentation: for clarinet
Manuscript
Hledani - Rozlouceni - Kafkoviny (1995)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Deo grazias ("mon-[dia]-log") (1996)
9 meditations
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Quartett (1996)
Instrumentation: for violin, clarinet, bassoon and cello
Manuscript
Eine seltsame Geschichte, Bekenntnis (1996)
Instrumentation: for piano
Manuscript
Erinnerung, Elegie, Widmung (1996)
Instrumentation: for flute
Manuscript
Duo for Violin and Viola (1996)
Manuscript
Images (1997)
3 duos
Instrumentation: for bassoon and cello
Manuscript
Serenade (1997)
Instrumentation: for string orchestra
Manuscript
Tagebuch (1997)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Streichquartett (string quartet) (1997)
Manuscript
Quawra (1997)
6th piano cycle
Manuscript
Unerwünschte Blumen für Maya - Alles ist Maya (1997)
Instrumentation: for piano
Manuscript
Aphorismen (1997)
Instrumentation: for 2 clarinets and bassoon
Manuscript
Hommage à Brahms (1997)
Instrumentation: for clarinet, cello and piano
Manuscript
4 Trios (1997)
Instrumentation: for each with a soprano, alto and bass instrument
Manuscript
Tranquillo (1997)
Instrumentation: for bass clarinet
Manuscript
Zyklus für Bassklarinette solo (cycle for bass clarinet solo) (1998)
Manuscript
Duo for Flute and Bassoon (1998)
Manuscript
Sizilianisches Tagebuch (1998)
98 dance pieces
Instrumentation: for recorder
Manuscript
Impulse (1998)
Instrumentation: for piano
Manuscript
Lamentationen (1999)
Instrumentation: for bassoon
Manuscript
Quartett für Viola, Cello, Fagott und Posaune (quartet for viola, cello, bassoon and trombone) (1999)
Manuscript
Millenia (1999)
Instrumentation: for recorder
Tranquillo ed espressivo - Lamento - Allegro.
Manuscript
Quartett für 4 Fagotte (quartet for 4 bassoons) (2000)