Sigurd Raschèr

Sigurd Rascher ( born May 15, 1907 in Elberfeld, now Wuppertal as Sigurd Rascher, Manfred; † February 25, 2001 in Shushan, New York ) was a German saxophonist in classical music in the 20th century. He lived for a time in Berlin until after the Nazi seizure of power in 1933 emigrated to Denmark. He moved his residence to Sweden, where he married Ann Mari Wigen. A concert tour led him in 1939 to Boston and New York, he stayed after the outbreak of war in Europe in the United States. Concert tours regularly to Europe and USA as well as master classes at numerous universities, colleges and conservatoires.

Rascher, the contemporary composers have dedicated more than 200 works for saxophone, was one of the main promoters of the saxophone as a classical concert instrument. He entered the world as a soloist with over 250 orchestras and brass ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

In 1969 he founded together with his daughter Carina, Bruce Weinberger and Linda Bangs the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, which has since regularly occurs in the most important concert halls in the United States, Asia and Europe.

Sigurd Rascher is the brother of the German concentration camp doctor and Nazi Medicine criminal Sigmund Rascher ( 1909-1945 ).