Walter Spiethoff

Walter Spiethoff (1874-1953) was an opera singer, composer and author of comedies and stories.

Biography

He was born Walter Friedrich Spiethoff in Dusseldorf, but when he was six years old the family moved to Boheme, where his father published a newspaper and he studied music for a number of years, specializing in opera. After completing his studies he accepted the lecturer in singing at the College of Music in Cape Town.

He composed the music for nuwmerous Afrikaans songs, and set many poems to music over the years. He also wrote tales and plays wrote in German and Afrikaans. Among his songs and prose works are Langs die pad, Afrikaanse sangblommetjies (35 skool en kindertuin liedjies vir die kinders van Suid-Afrika), Die hanswors, en ander mense, Ratsman die reus, Tien Afrikaanse kinderliedjies, Die diamant-talisman and Die verskriklike Dr. Perron

He died on 31 January, 1953.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

He wrote the plays Die Stoplap (orignally in German as Tilly, translated by Otto Grosskopf, 1925?), Dorsland (1919), Jan Fourie (), So 'n Vabond! (1933).

Sources

Stellenbosch University Library catalogue.

South African History Online [1].

Fanie Koekemoer. 1944 Suid-Afrikaanse Komponiste. III Walter Spiethoff, In: Die Huisgenoot 28 January, 1944: p. 25.

http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-no2008167844/

Walter Spiethoff. (n/d) Die Stoplap (Privately published text of the play)

Vandag in die verlede - Vonkmedia[2]

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