Song contest legend Oesterreicher died at the age of 90

It was the light pop song “Mrs. Caroline Robinson” by the Austrian male trio Springtime that brought conductor and arranger Richard Oesterreicher his first song contest appearance in Paris in 1978. The composer, jazz musician, harmonica and guitar soloist led the ORF Big Band twelve times at European singing competitions. After Thomas Forstner’s “Venice in the Rain” in 1991 it was over. Richard Oesterreicher died in Vienna on Tuesday at the age of 90.

Austrian was born in Vienna in 1932. Confronted with music from the start, the son of a music teacher decided in 1947 to do an apprenticeship as a typesetter. He practiced this profession for ten years. The music played alongside. Oesterreicher first learned accordion and piano, later also guitar. As an amateur, he devoted himself mainly to jazz and, in the absence of his own records, played the most important numbers from the radio. But he should also remain connected to hits and pop throughout his life. In 1972 he joined the ORF Big Band, four years later he took over its leadership and gained an excellent reputation with it. The orchestra has worked with Udo Jürgens, Peter Alexander, Caterina Valente, Edita Gruberova and José Carreras, among others.

As a composer, Oesterreicher has long since seeped into the consciousness of the general public with the football anthem “Immer wieder Österreich” (not to be confused with the FPÖ election campaign song of the same name). He also penned the signings for the ORF shows “Wer Asays”, “Champion” and “Countdown”. Until a few years ago, he could be seen as a harmonica soloist alongside Toni Stricker, Karl Hodina and Viktor Gernot.