125 years of the band

125

Rock brass music with electric guitars and singers thrills a good 1500 visitors every two years at the big open air.

(Bild: Stadtkapelle Friesach)

Making music together, weaving a tapestry of sound and enjoying friendships has always prompted people to rehearse regularly, go to great lengths and plan everything else after rehearsals, concerts and excursions - including the 60 active members of the Friesach town band.

In the chronicles of the MGV Friesach from 1872 to 1879, it is mentioned that they performed together with the "Olsaer Bergkapelle". By 1890, the musicians were already performing as the "Stadtkapelle Friesach", but it was not officially founded until 1899. The band can now celebrate its 125th anniversary.

In the early days, the music consisted of twelve men, it was a mountain band, fire department band and farmers' moan band and performed in traditional Metnitztal costume.

The average age is 32
"We now have 60 active members, four of whom are sutlers. And what other hobby brings together twelve and 72-year-olds? Where is a 60-year age difference not an issue at all?" asks Martin Schiava, who himself joined the band at the age of 16 and has been steering the fortunes of the Friesach town band as its chairman for almost two decades of his 32 active years.

The town band relies on young people and cooperation with the music school. "The young musicians come to us already well trained and continue to learn at the music school and in the band," says Schiava.

The association's calendar includes around 50 rehearsals and 20 outings per year. The town band organizes church festivals such as Corpus Christi, the resurrection celebration, rural youth festivals, plays an annual spring concert and a church concert (this year on October 19 in the Friesach provost church).

The rockers of brass music
And every two years, the band under the baton of Günther Pachler proves what brass music can do: It can also play rock, pop and Hollywood film music. The town band attracts a good 1500 listeners to the Fürstenhofsaal.

125 years of the Friesach town band

Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 21

4 p.m.: The guest bands march in. Reception on the main square of the castle town. Parade to the Fürstenhof.

5.30 pm: Wurzelblech

7 p.m.: Bundesmusikkapelle Kirchdorf in Tirol

8.30 pm: Die Jungfidelen

Admission: 10 euros in advance, 15 euros at the box office.

The Friesach town band is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a musical festival on September 21. "We have invited several guests. For example, the Bundesmusikkapelle Kirchdorf from Tyrol, with whom we were guests two years ago. The Schützenkapelle Metnitz and Alpenmusik Glödnitz will also be playing. And later on, Wurzelblech and the Jungfidelen from Mölltal can also be heard," says Schiava, enticing music lovers to the castle town with the extensive program.