Cecilia choirs in the canton of Friborg
The Cecilia or church choirs of the canton of Friborg , which are strongly anchored in village or parish life, and which increasingly became mixed choirs between the end of the 1950s and the end of the 1970s, sing at religious celebrations throughout the year, as this is their main task exists to serve the liturgy and at the same time to cultivate the Freiburg choir . The Cecilia Festival, organized every three or four years, unites these choirs on a regional level and is a highlight of their activity for them: singing in front of a jury, sung mass, community singing. In 2005, the Groupement de Céciliennes du canton de Friborg et de la Broye vaudoise was founded; Today it comprises 140 clubs and belongs to the Freiburg Choir Association.
history
Influenced by Germany ( General Cecilia Association for Germany ) and German-speaking Switzerland , the Cecilia movement first developed in the Sense District in the late 19th century , where the first choir was founded in 1877; ten years later the first French-speaking choirs were formed. The first Cantonal Festival took place in 1902. The Catholic Church quickly took the lead in the Cecilia Association. In November 1908 Abbé Joseph Bovet became president of the Freiburg Cecilia Society; he held this office for almost 40 years. His legacy is still very much present in the repertoire of the Freiburg choirs.
Even if there are Cecilia choirs in most of the Catholic cantons, they have remained most active in Friborg. The sacred and folk song heritage, which occasionally also includes pieces in patois , is cultivated by the amateur choirs and their leaders. Another goal of the Cecilia Association is to make pieces of music by young Freiburg and Swiss composers known.
The Freiburg Cecilia Choirs are listed as an intangible cultural asset in the canton's inventory of living traditions .
Cecilia Associations of the Canton of Friborg
- Estavayer-le-Lac
- Haute-Broye
- Notre-Dame de l'Evi
- Notre-Dame des Marches
- Part-Dieu
- Romont and environs
- Ste-Croix
- St-Henri
- St-Maire
- St-Protais
- St-Udalric
- Vallée de la Broye
- Ville de Friborg
- Cäcilienverband Deutschfreiburg
literature
- Patrice Borcard: Religieuses, musicales et patriotiques, les Céciliennes fribourgeoises . In: Cahiers du Musée gruérien 1992, pp. 42–59.