Chamber choir Walther von der Vogelweide
The Walther von der Vogelweide Chamber Choir is a vocal ensemble from Innsbruck that was particularly well known beyond the borders of the country in the 1960s and 1970s. The choir still exists today under the direction of Claudio Büchler.
history
First years
In order to restore the diversity of the musical landscape, which was restricted during the Second World War and the Nazi era , and to convey joy in music especially to young people, an informal group was founded in 1946 around the musician Bert Breit . This first existed as a pure male choir , later also as a mixed choir . To underline the seriousness of the musical claim, the choir soon went to domestic and foreign competitions, from which the following were won:
- Federal youth singing 1948
- International Choir Competition Llangollen 1950
- Choir competition "Guido d'Arezzo" 1958
Far East tour 1963
In 1963 there was not only a new musical director, Othmar Costa, but also a major tour during which the choir gave concerts mainly in Japan and other countries in the Far East. The special thing about it, in addition to the length of approx. 4 weeks, was the demanding program, whose success in foreign cultures was not certain. Then as now, the cultural exchange was based on folk music and customs.
More trips
Due to the level of awareness now achieved, the choir's trip to the Far East was followed by recordings (Vienna 1965) and invitations to concert tours to France (1966), Vienna (Festival Week Concert 1966), Berlin, Warsaw and Prague (1968). In another choir competition in Spittal in 1972, the chamber choir was able to take first place again. Among the many appearances abroad (Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg), the concert tour to the USA in 1974 and the invitation to the music festival in Tel Aviv in 1988 deserve attention.
Musical highlights were among other recordings the performance of the Mass in B Minor and the St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach (recordings of the ORF 1986 and 1989). In 1966 the composer Johann Nepomuk David dedicated the piece Marienpreis , a motet after Walther von der Vogelweide, to the choir . On the occasion of a concert in 1973, the composer and organist Anton Heiller conducted his work Oh how void, oh how fleeting with the choir .
New management
In 1992, Othmar Costa handed over the management of the choir to Armin Kölbl, a former member and school musician. He tried to break new ground and to unite them with the choir's own tradition. The special musical position that the choir had in the 1960s, however, could no longer be achieved due to the sprawling choral scene. The composer and former choir director Bert Breit (1927–2005) dedicated the piece “Jetzt” to the choir for its 50th anniversary. Musical highlights were: The Bach Family Motets (recording ORF 1998), Antonio Salieri - Requiem (1999).
From 2000 to 2009 the vocal ensemble was headed for the first time by a female conductor. Waltraud Pörnbacher, who comes from South Tyrol, worked with the choir to develop challenging programs from the Renaissance to contemporary music. In 2009 she left the choir to pursue other activities.
Musical highlights were: Works by Benjamin Britten (Festival Te Deum) (2002), Das Dettinger Te Deum by Georg Friedrich Händel (2006), The Requiem by Marc Antoine Charpentier (2008). On the occasion of the performance of his “Scherzi” (2005), the Tyrolean composer Peter Suitner (born 1928) dedicated the work - Lied vom Winde - to the choir.
Due to musical discrepancies, the choir was split up in 2007, with the ensemble Innstimmen being founded.
Claudio Büchler has headed the choir since 2009. Through his experience as director of the theater choir, he brought the scenic element into the choir performances.
Publications
Records
- The opening owl - thirteen and one gallows songs by Christian Morgenstern composer Wilhelm Keller, recorded in 1961. Verlag Fidula, Boppard. Conductor Othmar Costa
- Innsbruck I have to leave you - songs from Maximilian's time. Recording 1965, Amadeo Schallplatten Wien, conductor Othmar Costa
- Renaissance social music recording 1965, Amadeo Schallplatten Wien, conductor Othmar Costa
- 300 years University of Innsbruck - music by Leopold I and Joh. Nep. David , recorded in 1969, ORF - Pallas, conductor Othmar Costa
- Leonhard Lechner : Missa tertia 1584; Passion 1593. Recording 1974, TELDEC Schallplatten GmbH. Hamburg, conductor Othmar Costa
- Innsbruck I have to leave you - Renaissance choral music, recording 1980, TELDEC Schallplatten GmbH. Hamburg, conductor Othmar Costa
CDs
- Chamber choir Walther von der Vogelweide, a documentation recording ORF 1982-1992, self-published, conductor Othmar Costa
- Chamber choir Walther von der Vogelweide, recording and publishing company ORF 1997, conductor Armin Kölbl
- Motets from the Bach family, recording ORF (concert recording) 1998, self-published, conductor Armin Kölbl
- Music at Christmas time, recording 2005, Pro Cultura publishing house, conductor Waltraud Pörnbacher
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Klassika.info about the piece Marienpreis