Saarknappenchor

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saarknappenchor
Seat: Saarland / Germany
Carrier: RAG Deutsche Steinkohle AG
Founding: 1948
Genus: Male choir
Head : Andreas Fulda
Voices : 30 ( TTBB )
Website : http://www.saarknappenchor.com

The Saarknappenchor is a male choir founded in 1948 , which until 1998 belonged to Saarbergwerke AG and from 1998 to RAG Deutsche Steinkohle AG . The choir consists of around 30 singers and performs regularly at home and abroad, so that in addition to numerous regional appearances, concert tours and the like. a. to China , Canada, Australia and South Africa .

Over 30 recordings, MC and CD recordings, numerous performances on television and international competition successes have given the choir a reputation that extends beyond the borders of the Saarland .

history

After the choir was founded in 1948, Peter Marx took over the role of conductor . Already under him the choir performed concerts in Paris and France and over time it became more and more famous. In 1965 Marx was appointed honorary conductor, from then on Paul Groß took over the role of his predecessor. In 1972 the Saarknappen Choir reached one of its climaxes when it was invited to a series of concerts by the Japanese Choir and accepted the opportunity with great success.

In 1978 the choir welcomed the British Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to the Federal Republic of Germany .

In 1980 the choir went on a concert tour to Brazil , where it also became more well-known to the great jubilation of the audience. A year later, the choir reached 2nd place in the international choir competition of the BBC London Let the Peoples Sing , and in 1982 at the 1st German Choir Competition in Cologne it was awarded 2nd prize in performance level 1.

In 1984 the choir made a concert tour to Tbilisi ( Georgia ), followed by a concert tour to Hungary in 1985 . He also took part in the 2nd German Choir Competition 85 in Hanover . The Saarknappenchor was 2nd prize winner in the category of large male choirs (a 1st prize was not awarded).

In 1988 he went on a concert tour to Italy , in 1989 Paul Groß ended his work as choir director, he was followed by Martin Folz. In 1990 the choir went to Canada .

On June 1, 1991, the already well-known choir had an appearance on the ARD broadcast Thousand Voices , and on June 19, it performed in the Musikantenstadl . The first CD of the Choirs of the World was also released that year . The ensemble has already made numerous recordings on vinyl since its inception, well before the CD era . To be mentioned here are u. a. the records The Saarknappenchor sing Schubert , German folk songs , or songs between the Saar and the Volga.

On August 15th he organized a fair in Trier Cathedral , over 4,000 visitors were there.

In 1993 the Saarknappenchor reached the 4th place out of 18 participating choirs from all over Europe at the Franz Schubert international choir competition from November 17th to 21st in Vienna .

In 1994 further appearances in two national television programs followed : in April on ARD with a thousand voices, a thousand sounds and in November on ZDF at a Sunday concert .

In 1995 a concert tour to China took place, the choir made TV appearances on ZDF in the country journal and on the ARD show Kein Schöne Land .

In 1996 the choir went to the Ore Mountains and Bottrop . Another CD was released this year, which celebrated great success: Saarknappenchor - Live in Gürzenich .

In 1998 the choir celebrated its 50th anniversary, which is why the album Wir Richt, eh 'wir Niederfahren was released.

In the same year the choir director Martin Folz was replaced by Martin Berger.

In 1999 the choir was featured on the TV program ZDF Sunday worship .

In 2001 the choir went on a concert tour to Australia .

In 2002 Martin Berger quit his job and was replaced by Joachim Oehm. In 2006 the CD Der Saarknappenchor, 2000–2006, was released .

In 2008 the choir went to Bruges , in 2009 to the Sauerland and the Black Forest , where they also gave concerts .

The CD Marschjuwelen was released in 2010 and was recorded together with the Saar mountain band.

In 2012 the choir took part in the Mettenschicht in Ensdorf at the end of the Saar mining industry, in 2013 it organized a concert in the Fraulautern parish church of the Holy Trinity, followed by a big ceremony on what was then the first day of the miner .

In January 2014 Matthias Rajczyk took over the post of musical director from Joachim Oehm.

As a result of restructuring by the end of the mining industry, the continued existence of the choir was by the club mountain music at the Saar e. V. secured.

In 2015 the choir performed in Lorraine, France .

A year later the Saarknappen won gold with 22.5 points in the choir competition of the 1st Limburg Men's Choir Festival .

In late summer 2016 the choir went on a three-week concert tour to South Africa . There he gave concerts a. a. in Cape Town and Pretoria .

At the end of the year a tour to Bochum followed , where the ensemble played a part in the musical design of the traditional Barbara Ball.

The choir is currently working on new recordings. Parts of it can already be heard in his current concert program.

repertoire

The choir has always sung sacred , secular and mining music and performs a varied program at concerts. Works by Heinrich Schütz , Ludovico da Vittoria, Johann Kaspar Aiblinger , Franz Schubert , Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy , but also by contemporaries such as Jakko Mäntyjärvi , Juha Holma, Francis Poulenc or Kaj-Erik Gustafsson show that the strength and demands of the choir are in the versatility. The focus is still a cappella music.

Over the years, the choir has also acquired a broad repertoire of gospels , spirituals and other genres that are rather unusual in the field of literature for male choirs. Almost all concerts are benefit concerts where donations can be made to charitable causes.

Concert tours

The Saarknappenchor has so far organized many concert tours around the world.

With the successful South Africa tour in 2016, the ensemble has already toured all continents of the world.

  • 1954: France
  • 1972: Japan
  • 1980: Brazil
  • 1984: Georgia
  • 1985: Hungary
  • 1986: Wales, England
  • 1988: Italy
  • 1990: Canada
  • 1995: China
  • 1996: Ore Mountains, Bottrop
  • 2001: Australia
  • 2003: Ore Mountains
  • 2008: Bruges
  • 2009: Hochsauerland, Black Forest
  • 2014: Ore Mountains
  • 2015: France (Lorraine)
  • 2016: South Africa, Bochum

CD overview

The ensemble currently has a total of over 30 recordings. A large number of these were released on the previously common record.

The choir is currently working on further recordings. So far the following CDs have been released:

  • 1992: Choirs of the World
  • 1996: Live in Gürzenich
  • 1998: We set up before we go down
  • 2006: Saarknappenchor, 2000–2006
  • 2010: March Jewels
  • 2018: luck for the future

Television appearances

Prizes and awards

year organizer competition Award, place
1981 BBC London Let the Peoples Sing choir competition 2nd place
1982 German Music Council 1st German Choir Competition Cologne 2nd place - level 1
1985 Association of German Choir Associations (ADC) 2nd German Choir Competition Hanover 2nd place
1993 Friends of INTERKULTUR e. V. Choir competition Franz Schubert Vienna 4th Place
2005 Saarland Choir Association Saarland choir competition 23, 2 rating points
2006 Association of German Choir Associations (ADC) German Choir Competition Kiel 20, 4 rating points
2007 ZDF Grand Prix of Choirs 6th place
2009 Cäcilia Choirs Lindenholzhausen Cantemus choir competition 21, 8 points (silver)
2010 Friends of INTERKULTUR e. V. German Choir Competition Dortmund 18.2 rating points
2011 Saarbrücker Zeitung "Saarland's best" -
2016 Cäcilia Choirs Lindenholzhausen Choir competition of the 1st Limburg Male Choir Festival 22.5 points (gold)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Conductor - Andreas Fulda | Saarknappenchor. Retrieved April 19, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Matthias Rajczyk passes the Saar Knapp chorus. Saarbrücker Zeitung , January 27, 2014, accessed on May 7, 2014 .