Image: Ernst Kletzmair
It’s almost 72 years since a choir with the unwieldy name “Sing- und Spielgruppe Upper Austria Teachers” organized an “international Christmas singing” in Linz. Back in 1951, together with an American soldiers’ choir. On December 8, 1976, the Bachl Choir, now named after its founder Hans Bachl, performed its Advent concert in the Brucknerhaus for the first time.
Since then, this evening has been part of the Advent tradition; this year the choir invites you to the Brucknerhaus on Saturday, December 9th at 3 p.m. “Of course the focus is again on Alpine folk and Christmas songs, but we have also put together a great supporting program,” says Christian Schmidbauer, who has led the ensemble since last year. The 42-year-old, who also conducts the choir of the Theater an der Rott in Bavaria, is studying with his singers not only the classics such as “It’s going to go straight” and “Leise ripples der Schnee” but also the “English Greeting” by Johannes Brahms or a contemporary composition by Gunter Waldek.
Zither professor Wilfried Scharf will be a guest for the first time with his string ensemble “Con Chordis”. The wind ensemble “D’Hoamatlandla”, the Stubenmusi “5e samma”, organist Klaus Oberleitner and the solo harpist of the Bruckner Orchestra, Werner Karlinger, also contribute to the pre-Christmas atmosphere. The Natternbach elementary school is showing a shepherd’s play, with actress Stefanie Altenhofer acting as speaker.
Schmidbauer has given the traditional choir a multiple facelift: “My idea of more sophisticated, transparent and finer music-making and singing is already noticeably bearing fruit.” Not only has the quality increased, there has also been a pleasing increase in personnel.
Most recently, the Bachl Choir was on an eight-day concert tour with six performances in Strasbourg and Paris. After the Advent singing in the Brucknerhaus, the choir will perform its Christmas program twice in Prague.
Cards: www.brucknerhaus.at, Tel. 0732/775230, www.oeticket.com
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I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
