Stephan Jäggi, Composer for Brass Music

Stephan Jäggi

Composer

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Arranger

Stephan Jaeggi was born in Fulenbach in 1903 and showed musical talent from an early age. At the age of 13, he played the clarinet in the Harmonie-Musikgesellschaft Fulenbach and founded a young wind players' course. He wrote his first composition ‘Treue Wacht’ at the age of 16. The sinking of the Titanic in 1912 inspired him to write his dramatic fantasy ‘Titanic’, which was premiered in 1922.

After studying music at the Basel Conservatory, Jaeggi later became the musical director of several music corps and quickly made a name for himself. In 1933, he was appointed music director of the Stadtmusik Bern and just two years later won first prize at the Swiss Federal Music Festival in Lucerne with the 80-strong music corps.

This was followed by a creative period that made Jaeggi one of the most important composers of Swiss brass music literature. His works such as ‘Hie Bern! Hie Eidgenossenschaft’ and the music for the festival play “Bärgsonntig” are regarded as highlights of his oeuvre. He created a total of 148 compositions and 176 arrangements.

Stephan Jaeggi's tireless commitment as a composer, conductor and promoter of brass music had a lasting impact on the Swiss musical landscape. At the height of his career, he died of a sudden heart failure during the Swiss Federal Music Festival in Zurich in 1957, aged just 54.