Wiener Sängerknaben
The Vienna Boys' Choir (also the Vienna Choir Boys, German: Wiener Sängerkn… Read Full Bio ↴The Vienna Boys' Choir (also the Vienna Choir Boys, German: Wiener Sängerknaben) is a choir of trebles and altos based in Vienna. It is one of the best known boys' choirs in the world. The boys are selected mainly from Austria, but also from many other countries around the world, and individually interviewed.
Over the centuries, the choir has worked with many composers including Mozart, Caldara, Salieri, Heinrich Isaac, Hofhaimer, Biber, Fux, Gluck, and Bruckner.
History
The choir is the modern-day descendant of the boys' choirs from the Viennese Court, dating back to the late Middle Ages. The choir was, for practical purposes, established by a letter written by Maximilian I of Habsburg on 7 July 1498. In the letter the Emperor instructed court officials to employ a singing master, two basses and six boys. Jurij Slatkonja became the director of the ensemble.
The role of the choir (numbering between fourteen and twenty) was to provide musical accompaniment to the church mass. The boys received a solid musical education, which in most cases had a significant impact on the rest of their lives, as many went on to become professional musicians. The composers Jacobus Gallus, Franz Schubert, and the conductors Hans Richter, Felix Mottl and Clemens Krauss were members of the choir. The Haydn brothers were members of the St. Stephen's Cathedral choir, directed at the time by Georg Reutter II who used this choir in his duties for the imperial court which at the time had no boy choristers of its own.
In 1920 the Hofkapelle (court musicians) was disbanded. However, the rector at the time, Josef Schnitt, sought a continuation of the tradition. In 1924 the "Vienna Boys' Choir" was officially founded and has evolved into a professional music group. Since 1948 the Palais Augarten has served as their rehearsal venue and boarding school which goes from kindergarten level up to middle school level. The choir adopted its now-famous blue and white sailor suits, replacing the imperial military cadet uniforms that included a dagger. The composer HK Gruber is one of the graduates of the reformed choir.
The choir is a private, not-for-profit organization. There are approximately 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen. The boys are divided into four touring choirs, named for Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart and Schubert, which perform about 300 concerts each year in front of almost 500,000 people. Each group tours for about nine to eleven weeks.
After Dr. Eugen Jesser died in May 2008, Walter Nettig became the choir's president and Franz Schlosser its director. Gerald Wirth became the choir's artistic director in 2001.
Since the turn of the 21st century, the choir has come under pressure to modernise and has faced criticism of their musical standards leading to a split with the Vienna State Opera. The choir has for the first time had to advertise for recruits after a rival choir school was established by Ioan Holender, director of the opera company. He complained of both falling standards and of poor communication with the choir. He said that the State Opera sometimes trained boys for particular stage roles only to find out on the day of performance that they were unavailable as they had gone on tour with the choir. Some boys were attracted to the rival choir school by the prospect of a more relaxed atmosphere and of performance fees being paid directly to them.[4] The Vienna Boys Choir has sought to update its image, recording pop music selections and adopting an alternative uniform to the sailor suits used since the 1920s, allowing the boys to dance as they sing.
Selected discography
Christmas
* Wiener Sängerknaben Goes Christmas (2003)
* Frohe Weihnacht (Merry Christmas) (1999)
* Christmas in Vienna / Heiligste Nacht (1990)
* The Little Drummer Boy (1990)
* Merry Christmas from the Vienna Choir Boys (1982)
* Christmas with the Vienna Choir Boys (with Hermann Prey)
* Christmas with the Vienna Boys' Choir, London Symphony Orchestra (1990)
* Weihnacht mit den Wiener Sängerknaben (Gillesberger 1980)
* Die Wiener Sängerknaben und ihre Schönsten ... (1967)
* Frohe Weihnacht (1960)
* Christmas Angels (RCA Gold Seal)
Pop music
* I Am from Austria (2006)
* Wiener Sängerknaben Goes Pop (2002)
Other recordings
* Orff: Carmina Burana (with Andre Previn and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) (1994)
Over the centuries, the choir has worked with many composers including Mozart, Caldara, Salieri, Heinrich Isaac, Hofhaimer, Biber, Fux, Gluck, and Bruckner.
History
The choir is the modern-day descendant of the boys' choirs from the Viennese Court, dating back to the late Middle Ages. The choir was, for practical purposes, established by a letter written by Maximilian I of Habsburg on 7 July 1498. In the letter the Emperor instructed court officials to employ a singing master, two basses and six boys. Jurij Slatkonja became the director of the ensemble.
The role of the choir (numbering between fourteen and twenty) was to provide musical accompaniment to the church mass. The boys received a solid musical education, which in most cases had a significant impact on the rest of their lives, as many went on to become professional musicians. The composers Jacobus Gallus, Franz Schubert, and the conductors Hans Richter, Felix Mottl and Clemens Krauss were members of the choir. The Haydn brothers were members of the St. Stephen's Cathedral choir, directed at the time by Georg Reutter II who used this choir in his duties for the imperial court which at the time had no boy choristers of its own.
In 1920 the Hofkapelle (court musicians) was disbanded. However, the rector at the time, Josef Schnitt, sought a continuation of the tradition. In 1924 the "Vienna Boys' Choir" was officially founded and has evolved into a professional music group. Since 1948 the Palais Augarten has served as their rehearsal venue and boarding school which goes from kindergarten level up to middle school level. The choir adopted its now-famous blue and white sailor suits, replacing the imperial military cadet uniforms that included a dagger. The composer HK Gruber is one of the graduates of the reformed choir.
The choir is a private, not-for-profit organization. There are approximately 100 choristers between the ages of ten and fourteen. The boys are divided into four touring choirs, named for Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart and Schubert, which perform about 300 concerts each year in front of almost 500,000 people. Each group tours for about nine to eleven weeks.
After Dr. Eugen Jesser died in May 2008, Walter Nettig became the choir's president and Franz Schlosser its director. Gerald Wirth became the choir's artistic director in 2001.
Since the turn of the 21st century, the choir has come under pressure to modernise and has faced criticism of their musical standards leading to a split with the Vienna State Opera. The choir has for the first time had to advertise for recruits after a rival choir school was established by Ioan Holender, director of the opera company. He complained of both falling standards and of poor communication with the choir. He said that the State Opera sometimes trained boys for particular stage roles only to find out on the day of performance that they were unavailable as they had gone on tour with the choir. Some boys were attracted to the rival choir school by the prospect of a more relaxed atmosphere and of performance fees being paid directly to them.[4] The Vienna Boys Choir has sought to update its image, recording pop music selections and adopting an alternative uniform to the sailor suits used since the 1920s, allowing the boys to dance as they sing.
Selected discography
Christmas
* Wiener Sängerknaben Goes Christmas (2003)
* Frohe Weihnacht (Merry Christmas) (1999)
* Christmas in Vienna / Heiligste Nacht (1990)
* The Little Drummer Boy (1990)
* Merry Christmas from the Vienna Choir Boys (1982)
* Christmas with the Vienna Choir Boys (with Hermann Prey)
* Christmas with the Vienna Boys' Choir, London Symphony Orchestra (1990)
* Weihnacht mit den Wiener Sängerknaben (Gillesberger 1980)
* Die Wiener Sängerknaben und ihre Schönsten ... (1967)
* Frohe Weihnacht (1960)
* Christmas Angels (RCA Gold Seal)
Pop music
* I Am from Austria (2006)
* Wiener Sängerknaben Goes Pop (2002)
Other recordings
* Orff: Carmina Burana (with Andre Previn and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) (1994)
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Wiener Sängerknaben Lyrics
Adeste Fideles O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, O come ye,…
All You Need Is Love All You Need Is Love The Beatles Love, love, love Love, lov…
Amazing Grace Amazing grace' how sweet the sound, That saved a wreck like…
An der schönen blauen Donau Donau so blau (so schön und blau) Durch Tal und Au…
Der Heiland ist geboren Der Heiland ist geboren Freu dich, o Christenheit Sonst wäre…
Der Mond ist aufgegangen Der Mond ist aufgegangen, Die goldnen Sternlein prangen Am H…
Eternal Flame Close your eyes， Give me your hand， Darling′ do you feel，My …
Fantasy Every man has a place, in his heart there's a…
Heiligste Nacht Heiligste Nacht! Heiligste Nacht! Finsternis weichet, es str…
In dulci jubilo Good Christian men, rejoice, With heart and soul, and voice…
Joy To The World Jeremiah was a bullfrog Was a good friend of mine I never…
Kein Schöner Land In Dieser Zeit Kein schöner Land in dieser Zeit, als hier das unsre weit…
Kommt ein Vogerl geflogen Kommt ein Vogel geflogen, Setzt sich nieder auf mein' Fuß, H…
Leise rieselt der Schnee Leise rieselt der Schnee Still und starr liegt der See Weihn…
Maria durch ein Dornwald ging Maria durch ein' Dornwald ging. Kyrieleison! Maria durch ein…
My Heart Will Go On ... Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you That…
Nothing Else Matters So close no matter how far Couldn't be much more from…
O Tannenbaum DEUTSCH TEXT: Ernst Anschütz, 1824 O Tannenbaum, o Tan…
Ô Tannenbaum DEUTSCH TEXT: Ernst Anschütz, 1824 O Tannenbaum, o Tannenb…
O' Tannenbaum DEUTSCH TEXT: Ernst Anschütz, 1824 O Tannenbaum, o Tan…
Puer concinite Pueri concinite nato regi psallite Voce pia dicite Apparuit …
Stille Nacht heilige Nacht Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht Alles schläft, einsam wacht Nur …
Supreme Oh it seemed forever stopped today All the lonely hearts in…
The Power of Good-Bye Your heart is not open so I must go The spell…