The Wonder of Sound
How the Power of Music Healed Me
Published on 3. June 2025
Book
Hardback
259 pages
978-1-915198-15-0 (ISBN)
Description
This is the English translation of the German best-selling Klangwunder: wie die Kraft der Musik mich geheilt hat.
Albrecht Mayer has been principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra since 2002 and enjoys a prolific solo career, and is believed by many to be the greatest oboist in the world.
In his autobiography (co-authored with Heidi Friedrich) Albrecht Mayer describes his journey from an insecure child to the pinnacle of the music world. His life gains a new direction when his authoritarian father gives him an oboe at the age of ten with the edict that he learn to play it. He gives a very personal account of the obstacles he faced and the people who helped him along the way, and of performing with the most famous musicians in the world's greatest concert halls. But despite all his success, he has never forgotten the stigma of stuttering and the happiness of having found his true place in the world despite his impairment.
This is the deeply moving autobiography of a man who has experienced the healing power of music and today embodies it with great charisma. It is a testament to the healing power of music and the endurance of the human spirit.
Written in an eminently readable style this is an honest book about 'an ordinary human being' who has reached the pinnacle of musical success but is very grounded in reality and who cherishes his family above all else.
Albrecht Mayer has been principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra since 2002 and enjoys a prolific solo career, and is believed by many to be the greatest oboist in the world.
In his autobiography (co-authored with Heidi Friedrich) Albrecht Mayer describes his journey from an insecure child to the pinnacle of the music world. His life gains a new direction when his authoritarian father gives him an oboe at the age of ten with the edict that he learn to play it. He gives a very personal account of the obstacles he faced and the people who helped him along the way, and of performing with the most famous musicians in the world's greatest concert halls. But despite all his success, he has never forgotten the stigma of stuttering and the happiness of having found his true place in the world despite his impairment.
This is the deeply moving autobiography of a man who has experienced the healing power of music and today embodies it with great charisma. It is a testament to the healing power of music and the endurance of the human spirit.
Written in an eminently readable style this is an honest book about 'an ordinary human being' who has reached the pinnacle of musical success but is very grounded in reality and who cherishes his family above all else.
Reviews / Votes
For us musicians there is nothing more important than sound and Albrecht's sound is simply sublime. As his colleague and friend I loved this 'backstage' look into his journey about the trials and tribulations of creating that perfect Albrecht Mayer sound.Sarah Willis, French horn, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
I have admired Albrecht Mayer as a great oboist ever since I first heard him play. He has also been an important authority for me for many years. Already back in Meiningen, the location of my first leading position as a conductor, we performed two concerts together: my farewell concert as (General) Music Director and another program in which we played a work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the Meininger Hofkapelle. Since then, we have been connected in a wonderful artistic partnership. When the Berliner Philharmoniker bestowed their direction upon me, Albrecht Mayer was the one who first and foremost supported and challenged me with equal measure. He has always encouraged me to work hard with this extraordinary orchestra and to bring out the ensemble's skills in the best possible way. Having his placet to do everything to come close to my notion of an ideal interpretation was an invaluable help to me, as was his positive feedback after a successful concert. In this sense, he supported me like a mentor from the very first steps I was allowed to take with the Berliner Philharmoniker. For all my questions or doubts, he was and is always at my side with his advice.
I am delighted that his thoughts and experiences are now being made available to an English-speaking readership and wish this book the best of success.
Kirill Petrenko
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Illustrations
24 colour and black and white photos; 24 colour and black and white photos
Dimensions
Height: 217 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
518 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-915198-15-0 (9781915198150)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Born in Erlangen on 3 June 1965 Albrecht Mayer is an internationally known oboist and conductor and has made numerous recordings for Deutsche Grammophon. His recordings have remained in the classical charts for many weeks at a time.
He took piano, recorder and singing lessons before he began playing the oboe at the age of ten. His teachers were Gerhard Scheuer, Georg Meerwein, Maurice Bourgue and Ingo Goritzki. While still in his teens, he was invited to work with various orchestras, among them the European Community Youth Orchestra. The recipient of several awards and grants, Mayer became principal oboe of the Bamberg Symphonic Orchestra in 1990, and joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra two years later in the same position.
Albrecht Mayer appears regularly as a concerto soloist and chamber musician and teaches in conjunction with major international festivals. He was awarded the ECHO-Klassik prize as 'Instrumentalist of the Year' in 2004 and 2010 and in the category of 'Music DVD Recording of the Year' in 2008. He was awarded the Opus Classic prize in 2018. He also founded his own Ensemble 'New Seasons'.
Heidi Friedrich, co-author, is a journalist and the author of numerous books. Her articles have appeared in Spiegel online, Zeit online, Welt am Sonntag, Berliner Zeitung among others. She has studied, lived and worked in London, Aix-en-Province, Dublin, Zurich and New York.
He took piano, recorder and singing lessons before he began playing the oboe at the age of ten. His teachers were Gerhard Scheuer, Georg Meerwein, Maurice Bourgue and Ingo Goritzki. While still in his teens, he was invited to work with various orchestras, among them the European Community Youth Orchestra. The recipient of several awards and grants, Mayer became principal oboe of the Bamberg Symphonic Orchestra in 1990, and joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra two years later in the same position.
Albrecht Mayer appears regularly as a concerto soloist and chamber musician and teaches in conjunction with major international festivals. He was awarded the ECHO-Klassik prize as 'Instrumentalist of the Year' in 2004 and 2010 and in the category of 'Music DVD Recording of the Year' in 2008. He was awarded the Opus Classic prize in 2018. He also founded his own Ensemble 'New Seasons'.
Heidi Friedrich, co-author, is a journalist and the author of numerous books. Her articles have appeared in Spiegel online, Zeit online, Welt am Sonntag, Berliner Zeitung among others. She has studied, lived and worked in London, Aix-en-Province, Dublin, Zurich and New York.
Content
Foreword to the German Edition by Zubin Mehta
Foreword to the English Edition by Kirill Petrenko
Chapter 1: A Stuttering Enfant terrible
Chapter 2: Key Moments
Chapter 3: Setting the Course
Chapter 4: Under Pressure - Crazy or Just Different?
Chapter 5: Plummeting from the Heights of Mount Olympus
Chapter 6: Too Much Pressure - When Success Goes to Your head
Chapter 7: The Song of the Oboe
Chapter 8: Through Bach to God
Chapter 9: The battle Against Shame
Chapter 10: An Adrenaline Junkie in Withdrawal
Chapter 11: Just Another Ordinary Human Being
Acknowledgements
Foreword to the English Edition by Kirill Petrenko
Chapter 1: A Stuttering Enfant terrible
Chapter 2: Key Moments
Chapter 3: Setting the Course
Chapter 4: Under Pressure - Crazy or Just Different?
Chapter 5: Plummeting from the Heights of Mount Olympus
Chapter 6: Too Much Pressure - When Success Goes to Your head
Chapter 7: The Song of the Oboe
Chapter 8: Through Bach to God
Chapter 9: The battle Against Shame
Chapter 10: An Adrenaline Junkie in Withdrawal
Chapter 11: Just Another Ordinary Human Being
Acknowledgements