Overview

• Hans Hammerschmid, born in Vienna in 1930, was a celebrated composer, jazz pianist, and arranger with a career spanning decades.
• He gained widespread recognition for composing the theme music for the popular ZDF series 'Die Schwarzwaldklinik.'
• Hammerschmid also collaborated with notable artists such as Hildegard Knef, contributing to hits like 'Für mich soll’s rote Rosen regnen,' which became a pop classic.
• His experimental 1970 album with Knef, 'Knef,' initially a commercial failure, experienced a revival in 2022, reaching the German LP charts over 50 years later.
• Hammerschmid continued to play music until shortly before his death, with his final performance being 'As Time Goes By' from the film 'Casablanca,' a personal favorite.