Singing boys of the St. Ursus Cathedral Solothurn
| Singing boys of the St. Ursus Cathedral Solothurn | |
|---|---|
| Seat: |
 Solothurn
|
| Founding: | 742 |
| Genus: | Boys' choir |
| Head : | Andreas Reize |
| Voices : | 60 ( SATB ) |
| Website : | http://www.singknaben.ch/ |
The Singknaben of the St. Ursenkathedrale (Solothurner Singknaben) are a Swiss boys choir from Solothurn . The tradition of the choir is based on the medieval schola of St. Ursenstift , the so-called Choraulen, which were first mentioned in 742. This makes the Singknaben the oldest boys' choir in Switzerland. Today the choir is denominationally neutral. The repertoire includes both sacred and secular choral literature from all eras.
construction
The choir consists of over 60 boys and young men who devote three to four hours a week to singing. The intensive rehearsals are aimed at developing new literature in individual voices as well as in the entire choir. A professional voice trainer and a singing teacher accompany the work of the singing boys. The pivotal point in the musical year of the choir is the singing camp of the boys' voices, during which the program for the annual autumn concert is worked out. The performance in Solothurn is usually followed by a tour with guest concerts in various European countries. In addition, the Christmas oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach has been an integral part and traditional highlight of the Solothurn Singing Boys' concert program for several years.
repertoire
The diverse repertoire of the Singknaben includes contemporary choral music as well as Gregorian chant , motets , cantatas , masses , as well as secular and sacred songs, including folk songs from Switzerland and other countries.
history
The history of the singing boys is rooted in the founding time of the St. Ursenstift, which already had a boys' choir, the Choraulen, in 742. With a history of over 1200 years, the Singknaben are the oldest boys' choir in Switzerland and one of the most traditional choirs in Europe. In earlier centuries, the boys' mandate was limited to singing the Latin Mass with one voice. Until well into the 20th century the choir consisted of only a few singers. In 1971 Peter Scherer took over the direction of the five-piece choir and built it up into a representative boys' choir in the years that followed. With Andreas Reize , who was a member of the choir as a boy, the Singknaben have had a musical director from their own ranks for the first time since 2007. Other former members of the Solothurn Singing Boys are now professional singers on international stages.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Max Banholzer: The Choraulen of St. Ursen Solothurn: History of the Solothurn Singing boys. Yearbook for Solothurn History, 77 (2004) doi: 10.5169 / seals-325230 .