Memorial Thread For the Classical guitarist Edgar Mönch (Monch, Moench)

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Edgar Mönch senior was born in 1907. He was a manufacturer of Classical guitars and had a very talented son, Edgar Mönch junior. He died in December, 1976, aged 19. His father followed him eight weeks later, in February 1977. (Pictures by Siccas Guitars, Karlsruhe, Germany, with permission of CEO Mirco Sicca, thank you, Sir.)

 

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In Memory Of The 19 Years Old Guitarist Edgar Mönch

"Edgar Mönch was born in Munich on the 17th of March, 1957. As son of the well-known Luthier Edgar Mönch he was raised in an environment of guitars and guitarists.

He was eight years old when he immigrated to Canada with his parents. A year later he began his study of the classical guitar with Carl van Feggelen at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. At age twelve he earned first prize in the Kiwanis Music Festival, and played his first recitals in Toronto and New York. On the occasion of his New York appearance Michuel Abloniz remarked: 'A new Julian Bream is coming'. In 1971 he completed grade 8 conservatory with first class honours.

That same year the Mönch family returned to Germany. While completing his formal schooling Edgar studied with Aaron Stingl in a class for the fifted at the Freiburg Music academy. In 1972 he won first prize in the country-wide music festival 'Jugend musiziert'. At the Music Academy in Basel he studied with Konrad Ragossing for three years and subsequently with Fernando Fernandez-Lavie for two years at the Strassbourg Conservatory. During summer recesses he took an active part in master classes with Julian Bream and Leo Brouwer. In the course of these studies he played concerts in Strassbourg, Munich, Heidelberg and various local towns. The Bavarian and South-German radio networks recorded his play.

The year 1976 sow his last successes; first prize in a televised music competition, and fall concerts in Toronto, New York's Carnegie Recital Hall, and Ettlinger Castle. The critics spoke of a great talent, a figure in the guitar world.

On the 14th of December, 1976, in Stuttgart for a television recording, he contracted acute meningitis which, without forowarning, took his young and promising life.

His future plans: three concerts in Berlin, a North-American tour, an Lp disc to be recorded in New York were not realised. Gifted as he was, intent on conquering the world with his play, admired and exulted, he was struck with a malicious disease, whtich felled him, much as a bolt of lightning from serene skies destroys a young tree."

Made in Germany, 1977. Made by EMI Electrola.

 

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"According to the ancient Greeks those who die young are favoured by the gods. As for Edgar Mönch, suffice to say that this young and gifted musician realised more of his potential in nineteen years than many do in a lifetime.

Born in Munich in 1957, son of the luthier Edgar Mönch Sr., he was raised in an environment of guitars. Shortly after moving to Canada he commenced study of the instrument at age ten in Toronto with Carol van Feggelen. At thirteen he was playing in public. In 1971 he returned to Germany with his family, and during the course of the next five years worked with Anton Stingl, Konrad Ragossing and Fernando Fernandez-Lavie. He took masterclasses with Julian Bream and Leo Brouwer, and won competitions in several Eruopean music festivals. His concerts in Germany and France earned him considerable critical acclaim which culminated in successful performances in Toronto's Walter Hall and New York's Carnegie Recital Hall. Two months later, in December of 1976, he died of meningitis, a tragic loss to the world of guitar.

The works on this album were recorded between 1974 and 1976 by the South German radio and television networks."

Cover design: Virginia Dewart. Cover photo: William Trotter

1978, Pan Records, Canada.

 

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Edgar Mönch 1957 - 1976

 

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The first record is from 1977, the second one from 1978. On both records is the same release:

H. Villa-Lobos
Five Preludes

Leo Brouwer:
Elegio de la Danza

M.Giuliani:
Grande Ouverture

J. S. Bach:
Prelude and Allegro (E-flat major)

F. Sor:
Grand Solo

 

[Ilikevinyl]

Chris, thanks for all of that information on Edgar Monch. Now I know who he is! So sad he died so young. That makes his recordings so much more special! Maybe I will find an album by him while thrifting.

 

[jgannon]

Thank you, Chris. I will seek him out too.