*** boys choir costumes : Germany individual choirs








German Boy Choir Costumes: Individual Choirs

boy choir of the cathedral of Aachen
Figure 1.--The boy choir of the cathedral of Aachen (Aix la Chapelle) is the oldest boy choir in Germany founded by Karl dem Große (Charlemagne) and Alukin of York (about 794). There's also a choir school called Schola Palatina and later Choralinstitut, Stiftsschule, today Domsingschule. Nowadays it is a catholic all boy Grundschule (primary school about 110 pupils) founded in 1961 and a Ganztagesschule.

There are quite a number of boy choirs in Germany as well as several children's choirs. Many are of relatively recent foundation. Some are religioualy founded, but others are secular. The East German Communists even supported some choirs. HBC has collected information on the following German choirs. Much of our information is dated. We incourage each choir to update our information. HBC will be pleased to provide a link to the choir's internet sales page where readeers can purchase tapes and CDs. We would also of course be pleased to include any choir that we have missed in our list.

Aachen Cathedral Boy Choir

The boy choir of the cathedral of Aachen (Aix la Chapelle) is the oldest boy choir in Germany founded by Karl dem Große (Charlemagne) and Alukin of York (about 794). There's also a choir school called Schola Palatina and later Choralinstitut, Stiftsschule, today Domsingschule. Nowadays it is a catholic all boy Grundschule (primary school about 110 pupils) founded in 1961 and a Ganztagesschule (means the boys can stay there over the afternoon. The boys may take part at the Domchoir drom 4th grade (around 10 years old but are educated in musical education from around 4 years of age. They seem to elect a boy bishop as well. They train every morning and can learn a musical instrument as well. They sing at Königskrönungen in Aachen (crowning of kings), Karlsfesten, Heiligtumsfahrten, celebrate the Bach Passions on Passion Sunday, Oratorios during Oktobermusik, which is held in commemoration of the end of World war II in 1945. As well as singing on high feast during Easter and Xmass on which Latin Masses are held. They also record many CDs and travel abroad.

Alsterspatzen Choir

A HBC reader had forwarded us an image of the Alsterspatzen Choir of Hamburg, Germany. We do not yet have any information about the Choir. E note it is a mixed boys and girls choir. We think it is a relatively new choir, but are not sure. The choir members wear both a blue and white uniform. The white uniform has sailor styling. The blue uniform appears to be a jumper style fr the girls and a blazer tyle for the boys.

Aurelius Söngerknaben Calw

Aurelius Söngerknaben Calw was founded in 1983 by its first conductor, Mr. Hans-Jörg Kalmbach at the local school of music. But he has recently retired. When travelling and when serving at mass, this choir wears at both times the same costume. The boys wear a white shirt and a blue pullover with a white circle on the left, which has got a blue "A" on it. The elder members wear a dark suit with tie. This costume seems quite a common one. We have also noted the choristers wearing a grey outfit with large Eton collars. This may be their costume fore religious services. On one occassion the boys wore a turquoise t-shirt showing the name of the choir in capital letters. But this is only temporary.

Augsburger Domsingknaben

Augsburger Domsingknaben was founded around 1975 by Mr. Reinhard Kammler. But it dates back to the 15th century, with a break in the 19th century. The choir has two costumes. When travelling the boys and elder members wear a white shirt, a black pullover and long, black trousers. The Suabian costume consists of a white shirt, long-black trousers and a red vest with gold buttons. The elder memebers may wear a black jacket over the costume. Both costumes have a red circle on the left with the local cathedral in gold. At mass, the costume is the same as that of accolytes. Occassionally, the boys may wear a white t-shirt with the golden cathedral and the choir name around it. Again, this is only temporary.

Bamberger Domchor

The „Bamberger Domchor“ is first mentioned in 1255 and was founded by bishop Heinrich von Bilversheim at the cathedral of Bamberg in Frankonia, now Bavaria. In 1932 they had their first broadcast on radio. Their conductor is Werner Pees now. I don't know when they adopted their uniform. New choirboymemebers often sing their first service on Palm Sunday. It appears to be a relatively small choir. The Dom in black is on their red pullovers as well as on the golden medals. I don't know exactly but I think that the red pullovers are either worn by younger choir members and/or on travels and the ecclesiastical costume at service. But as I've seen pictures with BOTH singing together they are more likely mixed. There is also an associated girls choir called “Mädchenkantorei am Bamberger Dom”.

Berlin Cathedral Boys' Choir

The Berlin Cathedral is not a cathedral in the true sense of that term. It is authern church and not the seat of a a bishop. Consruction was begun by Kaiser Wilhem I and paid for thriough state finds. It was a massive project and some viewed it as the Protestant counterpart of the Catholic St. Peter's Basilica. It wa inagurated (1905). The Cathedral had a boy's choir, but we have been unable to find any historical information on it. The boys wore sailor suits, bur we notice some variation in their outfits. The Cathedral was heavily damaged by the Allied World war II strategic bombing campaign. Reconstruction began (1975). The Cathedral was located in the Eastern or DDR zone, but the work was financed by West Germany. Despite the atheist DDR policies, the project was apparently possibkle because the DDR needed West German Deutche Marks.

Bielefelder Kinderchor

The oldest German children's choir (boys and girls) I know of, is the Bielefelder Kinderchor founded in 1932. In the 1930's the choir had a sailor suit/dress as uniform and approximately starting in the 1940s changed to black shorts and a simple white shirt for boys and simple black skirts with suspenders and a white blouse for the girls.

Bremen Cathedral

A German reader tells us, "Yesterday I sang a concert with Bremen Cathedral Choir, the "Weihnachtsliederabend". That has been a tradition in Bremen Cathedral for nearly 80 years now. There are not only the well-known Christmas carols sung, but also the lesser-known ones. Bremen Cathedral has a Girl's Choir and we sang parts with them together. They finally got chorister robes in 2006, beautifully in red and white. Well, there is one exception in the Girl's choir. There is also a boys and girls choir for very young children and one boy refused to leave so today, after some years now, he is about 11 and still singing as the only boy with the girls and he just loves it and he is well accepted."

Dresdner Kapellknaben
Figure 2.--The Dresdner Kapellknaben, the Boys choir of the Dresden Cathedral, like many German choirs is associated with one of country's great Catholic cathedrals.

Dresdner Kapellknaben

The Dresdner Kapellknaben, the Boys choir of the Dresden Cathedral, like many German choirs is associated with one of country's great Catholic cathedrals. We have very limited informtion on the Choir.

Dresdener Kreuzchor

We have only limited information on the Dresdener Kreuzchor, in part because ot was an East German choir which limited its access to the west during the Cold War. The Dresdener Kreuzchor is composed of young men and boys. Based on a record jacket, a HBC reader reports that the young men wear a white shirt and a black suit with a tie. The boys a white shirt with a black jacket and short trousers with grey stockings. This might be a travelling suit, but the sourroundings in the picture are rather ecclastical. The picture is a historical one, taken while the GDR still exsisted (before 1990). From 1930 to around 1967 they were directed by Mr. Rudolf Mauersberger, so the record might be from the 1950s or 60s.

Dresdnerkapel Knaben

When the Saxon Elector Friedrich August I., called August the Strong, converted to the Roman Catholic faith in 1697, a Catholic Court Church was established. For the musical enhancement of the masses, the Elector instructed the Jesuit priest Elias Broggio to recruit Catholic boys and young men from Bohemia, since Saxony was a Protestant Lutheran country. After 1709 the boys lived in the care of the Jesuit priests and were taught in a grammar school established for them. This school is regarded as the founding institution of St. Benno High School, which was reestablished in 1991. In the course of its history the small but rich choir with ten singers and instrumentalists developed into a boys choir with only treble and alto voices, who served together with the singers of royal orchestra in the Catholic Court Church. Even until the end of World War II in 1945, some of the boy singers came from Bohemia.

Eisenach Kurrende Boys Choir

We note a post card labeled Eisenach Vorderer Wartburghof Die Kurrende v.d. Publlkum Im Wartburghof. Eisenach was the location. The photograph was taken in front of Wartburghof--a historic castle. The Wartburghof is one of the most famous castles in Germany. It was here Luther hid from the Emperor and Counter Reformation. The choir, however, was probably not assiciated with the castle. Kurrende was a boys' choir. The boys were often from poor families and recruited to sing spiritual songs at religious events. The boys seem to be wearing medieval-style caps and cloaks. The photograph was a post card that looks to have been mailed about 1930 to America.

Knaben Capella Vocalis
Figure 3.--The Knaben Capella Vocalis has a contemprary costume of white shirts, fancy vests, blue bowties, and black pants.

Knaben Capella Vocalis

The Boys Choir Capella Vocalis is a very new German choir. It was founded in 1992. Compared with other famous boys choirs this choir is special in a number of ways: it is not linked to any religion, nor is part of a communal institution--capella vocalis is an independent choir. Although they are not connected with any church, the boys sing religious and secular music and perform in churches as well as at numerous other venues, such as large private functions or official receptions. Capella vocalis does not have a central meeting-point. Parts of the choir practice in Reutlingen, others in and around Besigheim. This not only means that potential members can be recruited from a larger area--an important requirement for a successful choir-- but also that they can meet and practise more easily. In each of the choir's age-groups the singers receive solo and group training. A new course for beginners starts two or three times a year. * Choir sructure: Beginners' course after it you can join the choir. Choir Level 3 Learning of score, simple songs and hymns. Choir Level 2 Pre - Level to Choir Level 1. Choir Level 1 Concert Level. Men Voices sing together with Level 1. * Community Spirit: Singing in a choir leads to a sense of belonging together. An annual highlight is the time the choir spends in the abbey of Niederaltaich (Lower Bavaria), where the programme for the coming season is prepared. Sports and other leisure activities ensure that there are also plenty of amusements. The boys discover common interests and make friends--factors which are important for a harmonious atmosphere as well as the personal development of the young singers.

Knabenchor der Singakademie Frankfurt Oder

The Knabenchor der Singakademie Frankfurt Oder is the only boy choir in Bundesland Brandenburg and was founded by Jürgen Hintze in 1981 to whom was presented the Bundesverdienstkreuz (medal) in 1997. They also do CD records and travelling aboard. The boys wear a white shirt, red vest and black trousers.

Hamburger Knabenchor
Figure 4.--The Hamburger Knabenchor performs in bright red choral robes.

Knabenchor Hamburger

Hamburg is one of the largest German cities so it is natural that the Cathedral there would have a boys' choir. Like many German choirs, the Hamburger Knabenchor, is of very recent foundation even though it is now a cathedral choir. Unlike the English cathedratl choirs, Germany lost most of its boy choirs during the Reformation in the 16th century. The boys choir St Nicolas was founded in 1960 by Horst Sellentin as a German choir and was attached in 1967 to St Nicolas cathedral. The choir with it's more than 100 singers is not well known outside of Germany. The boys mainly perform in northern Germany, sings in Oratorios and appears regularly in the religious services of St Nicolas Cathedral. Its repertoire includes the classical literature from all stylistic periods. Extensive vocal and musical education is given to boys from all ages, starting at the age of only 4 years up to concert choir. To the various tasks of the boys belong as well concert tours and performances for both radio and TV., not forgetting the traditional concerts of Christmas carols. In 1997 the Hamburg boys choir celebrated the 30st aniversarry of it's foundation in St Nicolas cathedral with a charity concert to the benefit of the "Children help children" and a concert tour to Coventry, England. Coventry must have been a symbolic choice as it was a site of one of the most entense German bombing raids during World War II and Coventry Cathedral was heavily damaged.

Knabenchor Hannover

This famous German choir is inextricably linked with the name of its founder, Heinz Hennig. For 50 years, the 50 boys who make up the choir have sung works from Monteverdi, Mozart, Schubert, Stravinsky and Charpentier, although they are equally famous for their interpretation of the Bach cantatas. "I am convinced that the musical education gives each person the opportunity to discover his own character," says the choir's founder. Choristers are selected from the age of 6 years. From that point onwards, they follow a musical education.

Knabenchor Marianum Fulda

This Catholic German choir was founded in 1966. It is associated with a Mariaist school. About 80 younger boys participate along with 60 older boys and adults. The choir uniform has changed over the years. The choir appears popular at the school. The original choir uniform was white shirts worn with different kinds of ties, blue short pants and white kneesocks. The current unifom is a short red jacket and black long trousers. Marianum is a private Catholic school in Fulda with six-form high school and Gymnasium upper level. The school was created in the year 1951 by the Mariaists.

Munchner Chorbuben

The Munchner Chorbuben (literally "Munich choir babies) is one of several German choirs. Boys from 8-18 years participated, despite the name of the choir. German contributors tell HBC that the word "Buben" in contemporary Germany has lost meaning of baby, it's now commonly used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to speak of young boys. The choir is a relatively new choir, founded in 1952 by Fritz Rothschuh as an independent community without a boarding school.

Osnabrücker Jugendechor

The Osnabrücker Jugendechor was founded in 1974. There are around 80 members. rehearsals are from 3 up to 6 times per week. The member are from or near from the town Osnabrück. They are mostly singing a capella church music, from gregorian to modern. Often giving concert in "Hohen Dom zu Osnabrück" (Osnabrück cathedral). There were tours to Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Greece, Canada, Libanon, Marocco, Austira, Slovenia, Spain, South America, USA, Hungary.


Figure 5.-- This is the Pfälzer Weinkehlchen e.V. choir, unfortunately we do not know the date of the photograph, but we would guess the late 1940s. The boys wear red jackets and blsack shorts. The girl I believe wear blue dresses.

Pfälzer Weinkehlchen e.V.

We note the Pfälzer Weinkehlchen e.V, bit do not know a great deal about the choir as this time. A German children' choir describes itself, "Der Chor besteht im Moment aus ca. 40 Jugendlichen im Alter von 6 - 15 Jahren. Neue Mitsänger sind gerne willkommen, kommt, einfach dienstags zwischen 17:30 Uhr und 19:30 Uhr in die Chorprobe in das Weinkehlchenhaus. Das Weinkehlchenhaus befindet sich in der Wallgasse in Neustadt, in der Nähe von A, der Ostschule, der Festwiese oder der OFD." I am not sure where the Choir is located, but believevit was an East German choir. A German reader writes, "Ihe choir's name seems a little kitschy or mawkish. The uniforms seem to be quite a traditional local dress. Their reportoire seems to be mostly folk music." The boys wear red double-breasted vests or waistcoats with black bowws. The boys originally performed in black short pants and white kneesocks. The changed to long black pants, we think in the 1980s. The girl I believe wear blue dresses with a kind of folk look. The Choir

Regensburger Domspatzen

The choir has a 1,000 year tradition. The Domspatzen choir celebrated in 1976 its 1000 years existence: year 975 bishop Wolfgang separated the diocese from the abbey St. Emmeram and established residence with the school pupils in the "Alten Bischofshof ". Since this time there is a cathedral school, which developed quite early into an education place of high repute. Among the most important functions of the pupils was the liturgical organization of the services in the cathedral church. The today's nest of the Regensburger Domspatzen is the legacy of Dr. Theobald Schrems, which worked from 1924 to 1963 as musical director of the cathedral choir. More than 40 years ago he created the common house for school, boarding school and choir--and thus the prerequisite for the today's high level of the Domspatzen. Starting from 1964 George Ratzinger took over the direction of the choir. The name of the choir "Domspatzen" literaly means "The Sparrows of the Dom."


Figure 6.--Berlin's beloved Schoeneberger Saengerknaben is aworld famous symbol of Berlin beginning in the Cold War era. The Communists objected to the choir because of the image they portrayed of an free society in the heart of East Germany.

Schoeneberger Saengerknaben

The Schoeneberger Saengerknaben in Berlin is one of Germany's most famous choirs. Unlike many other notable choirs, the Schoeneberger Saengerknaben has a relatively recent foundation, in fact a child of the Cld War. The choir was founded immediately after World War II. It became one of Berlin's best loved cultural symbols in the darkest days of the Cold War. Berlin was at the center of the Cold War and the bright clear voices of the Schoeneberger Saengerknaben choristers was a beakon of hope from the beleagered city. They in a small way symbolized the emergence of Berlin from the dark NAZI past to a democratic free city situated behind the Iron Curtain and evenually the Berlin Wall. Schoeneberger Saengerknaben choristers were at the Reichstag when President Kennedy gave his famous speech pledging to stand with West Berliners. The boys sang at the Wall in 1961 when it was built--a lament to separation from the choir members in east Berlin. A different generation sang at the Wall when citizens of East and West Berlin breeched the Wall.

Solothurner Singknaben

HBC sresses that German choirs and choirs that sing in German are two different things. All od the Austrian choirs sing in German. In addiition, some Swiss choirs like the The Solothurner Singknaben near Basel also sing in German. They wear traveling outfits ("en voyage") a white shirt with a blue pullover and black long trousers for the boys and usually the young men wear a white shirt with a black suit and a tie. At service again a red cassock with a white surplice.

Stuttgarter Hymnuschornaben

The Stuttgarter Hymnuschornaben was founded in 1900. In the early years they wore long back jackets with long trousers and a hat. Later they wore a sailor suit and still later on the well-known "Hitler Youth" uniform. From 1950 until now the young men wear a suit, the boys a black talar with a white piece of cloth around the neck.

Tolzer Knabenchor

Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden during 1956 founded the Toelzer Knabenchor in Bad Tólz, the center of Upper Bavaria. The Munich branch of the choir has been in existence since 1970 and now occupies its own studio in Munich-Solln. At the moments nearly 70 percent of the choir members come from Munich, the rest lives in Bad Tólz.

Thomanerchor

Many countries of Western and Central Europe have a long tradition of church boys' choirs dating back to the medevil era. Germany has like, neigboring countries, an important choral tradition. Germany includes formerly independent states with both protestant and catholic populations. The choral tradition in Germany is associated with both catholic and protestant churches. This tradition was continued after World War II by both democratic West Germany and Communist East Germany. One of the East German choirs supported by the communists was the Thomanerchor.

Wiesbaden

The Wiesbaden choir is a realtively new one. The boys choir Wiesbaden was founded early March 1960 by clergyman Hugo Herrfurth with 30 boys who had good voices. It was clear from the very beggining that if the model was famous boys choirs such as Thomanerchoir, Regensburger Domspaetzen, or Dresdner Kreuzchor, the new choir was not to be a boarding school, the boys remaining in their families and current school. The repertoire was to include not only the polyphonic church music from Bach or Pachelbel, but as well works from contemporary composers.

Unknown Choir

We have been able to identify most of the choral images we have found. While we do not know the name iof the chiors, the appearbce of the boys and the uniforms suggest to us thast they were German choirs. They seem to be strictly uniformed, suggesting ell established choirs. There are a few excptions which we are archiving here. Hopefully our German readers will be able to help identify them so we can learn more about them. We can guess abiout the country and roughly date the images, but identifying the choir is more difficult. Posting them here is a step in the process of identifying them and using the reach of the internet to try to identifyb them. .

Sources

Beet, Stephen. Sleeve notes to "Tis there, my child, the Better Land".

Sybrand Bakker, E-mail message, October 13, 2000.






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Created: November 2, 1998
Last updated: 3:53 AM 10/15/2022