Gürzenich Choir Cologne
| Gürzenich Choir Cologne | |
|---|---|
| Seat: | Cologne / Germany |
| Founding: | 1827 |
| Genus: | Concert choir |
| Founder: | Carl Leibl |
| Head : | Christian Jeub |
| Voices : | 80 (SATB) |
| Website : | www.guerzenich-chor.de |
The Gürzenich Choir Cologne is the oldest concert choir in the city of Cologne .
It was founded in 1827 as the choir of the Concert Society in Cologne . The first conductor was the then cathedral music director Carl Leibl . The concerts of the choir, which were held in Cologne's Gürzenich from 1857 , gave rise to the Gürzenich concerts that existed until the 1980s and are held today in the Cologne Philharmonic , where the city's Gürzenich Orchestra , which also comes from this tradition, is at home.
The choir still consists of amateurs and has been an integral part of Cologne's musical life for almost two centuries. Well-known composers such as Johannes Brahms and Giuseppe Verdi accepted the choir's invitation to conduct their own works. Handwritten entries in the choir's golden book by Brahms, Grieg , Bruch and Richard Strauss, among others, prove this and make this tradition tangible.
The choir is named after the former concert hall, the Gürzenich.
Christian Jeub has been the artistic director of the choir since 2011. He is the successor to Michael Reif , who has directed the choir since 1994.
The choir is supported by its own association, which was founded on September 30, 2012.