Born in Steinheim am Main, Schramm learned piano as a child and sang solo parts in the renowned choir of his uncle. He became a pianist and choral conductor.[1] He studied voice at the Musikhochschule Frankfurt with Ernst Arnold, Martin Gründler and Bruno Vondenhoff [de], the leader of the opera class. In 1965, he won the International Singing Competition in Geneva. It led to a concert at the Wiener Musikverein, where he performed Ein deutsches Requiem by Brahms, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. He was then engaged to perform and record Bach's St John Passion, St Matthew Passion and Mass in B Minor with Karl Richter.[2] With the Münchener Bach-Chor, he toured South America and Japan in programs of Bach cantatas. He performed concerts with the Marburger Konzertchor [de], conducted by Siegfried Heinrich [de], in Liszt's oratorio Die Legende von der Heiligen Elisabeth, and as the vox Christi in Bach's St John Passion on 9 March 1975, both for concerts in Marburg and Frankfurt.[3]
He taught at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin and was also its executive director (Geschäftsführender Direktor). He retired in 2004. He collapsed in rehearsals with his accompanist Alois Ickstadt,[4] and died in Hanau.[4]
Recordings
Schramm took part in many broadcasts on radio and television, including Bach's St John Passion and St Matthew Passion. With Karl Richter, he recorded Bach's Mass in B minor structure with the group, alongside Ursula Buckel, Marga Höffgen and Ernst Haefliger,[5] Also with Richter, he recorded the voice of Christ in the St John Passion in 1970, and the voice of Christ in the St Matthew Passio in 1971, both with Peter Schreier as the Evangelist.[2]
