2018 The Salzburg shepherd children are rehearsing at Loferer Alm

Alp tradition

The shepherd children rehearse at the Loferer Alm

Holiday at the Loferer Alm

The first press conference for the Salzburg Advent Singing 2018 took place on the Loferer Alm on September 5, 2018. Traditionally, the Hiatamadln and Hiatabuam spent the last few days of their vacation on the Lofereralm. They rehearsed intensively with Hans Köhl (text author), Caroline Richards (stage director) and the support team with Simon Haitzmann (shepherd music), Markus Helminger and Gudrun Köhl-Korbuly for the challenging musical pieces and text parts of the new play “Silent Night!”. While the children have been feeling their way from the easy to the difficult in recent years, this year Simon Haitzmann set the bar very high right from the start: “And it went well!” he says happily. The songs for up to three voices are difficult to sing and it is of course an advantage that the 20 children come to rehearsals with a very good musical background. “This line-up is half the battle. And the Almtage are the foundation on which we can build with the children in October and November.” Overall director Hans Köhl was delighted with the harmonious team, the progress of the rehearsals and the ideal rehearsal situation at the Soderkaser on the Loferer Alm.

Thank you to the Soder-Bauers and their whole family

We have greatly appreciated their generous hospitality for 18 years and are very grateful to the whole family. Georg and Marianne Dürnberger run the magnificent Soderbauerngut farm in Lofer. The year 1655 is immortalized above the entrance to the farmhouse. How far back the history of the farm goes is a mystery. In any case, the farm has been in the Dürnberger family since 1685, for over 10 generations. This includes forest and alpine pasture land, a private hunt and the magnificent Soderkaser, which was rebuilt in 1997 after a fire and towers high above the Soderbauerngut on the Loferer Alm. The hard-working family with their children, children-in-law and grandchildren also run the Soderkaser restaurant on the Loferer-Alm, which is highly recommended for its delicious regional delicacies www.soderkaser.at

Urbal, the shepherd with the cow horn

The cow horn is probably one of the most ancient signaling instruments. From ancient times to the present day, it has been blown as a hunting horn, war horn or night watchman’s horn. Herdsmen from many cultures around the world still use this archaic horn as an instrument of communication in rough terrain. Under Pongau shepherd Philipp Eder sounds his cow horn at this year’s Advent singing.

Landler, Steyrer and Schleunige – the differences

For the uninitiated, the jolly G’stanzln and the rhythmic Paschen (clapping) may sound the same every year, but they never fail to delight. However, there are numerous regional differences in these characteristic dance melodies with sung quatrains and the energetic Pasch. A Goiserer Landler sounds different from an Ischler, an Ausseer different from an Ebenseer and even an Innviertler Landler is interpreted differently from region to region. The same applies to the Steyrer and the Waldhansl. For decades, we have endeavored to make these different, characteristic forms resound with the shepherd children. At this year’s Advent Singing, you can experience an Ischler Landler with Schleunigem and Pasch.

With a laughing and a crying eye

All 16 Adventsingen performances have been sold out since July! The last reservation options were canceled in July. Since then, we have effectively been sold out for all performances. But – in good Austrian terms, de facto actually means “virtually” sold out. With around 36,000 tickets, there are always “ticket returns”.

The concept for 2019 is finished

In my opinion, forward-looking and timely planning is essential for a successful Salzburg Advent Singing. That is why, in addition to this year’s Advent Singing, I have been working on the Salzburg Advent Singing 2019 for some time now. You can find out more about this, the thematic focus, dates and ticket prices here: www.salzburgeradventsingen.at – Preview 2019

Many thanks to the entire Advent singing team

Leading the way and bearing the main responsibility for such a large and successful undertaking as the Salzburg Advent Singing can only succeed if everyone involved is committed and pulls together enthusiastically. Nothing works alone, ultimately I am only as good as my team. That’s why I’d like to thank everyone involved, the artistic team, the shepherds and their tutors, the singers and musicians, the many backstage staff, the ticket team, the public relations experts and, and, and … a big and sincere “thank you” to everyone involved!