Photo © Roman Kloibhofer

Friedemann Katt aka FRANZ XAVER FRENZEL was born on 08.10.1945 as the son of Leopold Katt, director of the "Musischen Heim" in Mauterndorf and mother Barbara Katt, pianist. His parents made an early musical impression.

He studied composition with Professor Alfred Uhl at the University of Music in Vienna. In addition to his activities as an organist at Heiligenkreuz Abbey and many years as a teacher of music education at the Federal Institute for Home Education in Baden near Vienna, he has worked as a full-time composer since 1989.

The initially curious emergence of the baroque fictional character "Franz Xaver Frenzel" in Heiligenkreuz Abbey enabled Friedemann Katt to free himself from "academic constraints" at an early age and to write a music independent of stylistic requirements.

He wrote numerous works for orchestra and chamber music: i.a. "A Lullaby" for the Japanese Imperial House, "Sonata in Swing", "Violin Concerto" for Clemens Hellsberg, "Rieder Symphony", "Water and Hunting Symphony", "De Rerum Natura" (Symphonic Poem), Renaissance Opera "Merlin", "Angel Oratorio", "Missa Brevis" as well as fairytale musicals and film scores.

Franz Xaver Frenzel? Austria's only living baroque composer, whose real name is Friedemann Katt and who humorously combines baroque music with swing, tango, csardas, etc. A listening pleasure at a high level. (Kurier)