by Justin Sharp
Dear Readers,
The following photos of Prof. Hermann Baumann (August 1, 1934–December 29, 2023) are just a few select photos of a larger collection created by myself in 2014. Baumann had already recovered from his stroke and was playing again. Unfortunately, all of the photos seen circulating the internet at that time were not very flattering. I felt that the elegant Hermann Baumann I had always known—from his album covers and in person—was no longer being portrayed as he should be. These were mainly amateur photos that were definitely well-meaning, but they were lacking in form. For me, it was of utmost importance, once I started working with him on his web presence, to visually recreate his unbelievable style and natural elegance in a series of new photos portraying him once again back in the game, stronger, wiser, and more elegant than ever. In some ways, it was an egotistical project on my part: I needed to see my hero of the horn back, stronger than ever. Quite honestly, I felt like a lot of people out there needed to see this too. It just had to be. The photos were created for him, but they were also created to give comfort to us, the horn world. I hope you enjoy this portion of the collection selected to be released to the public today. Even though our hero no longer walks the earth among us, his spirit will endure for years to come, and perhaps, with the aid of these photos, horn players who are not even born yet will be able to get a sense of just how great a person and player Hermann Baumann was. A fearless, bold musician of the horn, who not only had a singing grace to his tone, but who visually was a man who embodied grace, kindness, and style.
Thank you for your many gifts to us Hermann. May your soul rest in peace. Go to the gallery.
Sincerely,
Justin Sharp
Austin, Texas / Essen, Germany
