Hans Busch

Hans Busch was born on 4 April 1909 in Gelsenkirchen (Germany). He is born into a musical family - his father is bandoneonist and the leader of band that makes Schrammelmusik - and so it is no surprise that Hans Busch learned the violin from an early age. Already at the age of 15 Hans Busch is the concertmaster of the Stadttheater in Herne. He continued the musical career and began studies in Essen and Cologne. But Hans Busch could not complete his studies because his father died unexpectedly in 1927. From that point Hans Busch had to earn a living for the family.

He quit his studies and worked as a violinist in dance halls, cabarets and bars. In 1931 Hans Busch founded an own ensemble, the Wiener Kammermusik-Ensemble, which performed light music in different locations in Hamburg and Berlin until 1933. A newly founded ensemble brought the breakthrough in 1933: Hans Busch and his orchestra premiered at the famous Alsterpavillon in Hamburg. The ensemble offered songs and short pieces that were performed in cafes and bars for the guests, a music that is today titled as "light music". In the following years the ensemble gave concerts in such renowned locations like the Cafe Luitpold in Munich or the Hotel Esplanade in Berlin. Some of these concerts were broadcasted and earned Hans Busch nationwide success.

In 1936 Hans Busch closed a recording contract with the Deutsche Grammophon and in the following years more than 250 recordings were made and the performances of him and his ensemble were a huge success. Hans Busch gained so much popularity that he was put on the Gottbegnadeten list of the Nazi regime in 1944.
After World War II the time of light music in Germany is over. Hans Busch first tried to rebuild an ensemble and toured through the eastern parts of Germany, but in 1951 he dissolved his orchestra. Shortly afterwards Hans Busch received the offer to lead an ensemble at "Berns Salonger", one of the leading locations for light music in Stockholm (Sweden). Hans Busch accepted the offer and could continue his career in Sweden over the next years. In addition to his concerts in Berns Salonger Hans Busch founded a music publishing house, made further recordings and played in the Radio Symphony Orchestra. Over the decades Hans Busch quit these activities bit by bit and finally only worked at his publishing house.
Hans Busch died on 16 February 1996 in Stockholm (Sweden).