Sängerfest 2002

On 2nd May 1970 the Adelaider Liedertafel 1858 travelled to Melbourne on the occasion of its brother choir Liedertafel Arion's 110th anniversary concert. This occasion was declared the first ever "Festival of German Song" (Sängerfest) by the Australischer Sängerbund (German Choral Association of Australia) and Die Brücke (the umbrella organisation of German speaking clubs and organisations in Australia). From this humble beginning with three choirs in attendance, a Sängerfest has been held somewhere in Australia every two to three years.

Over the June long weekend in 2002, 23 choirs attended the 12th Sängerfest in Mt Barker, set in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, and hosted by the Hahndorf Liedertafel.

On Saturday, 8th June 2002, the choirs performed their individual brackets. The next day, June 9th, was probably the highlight of the weekend with the massed choirs comprising more than 500 singers performing some memorable items. We were graced with two magnificent guest artists - tenor Thomas Edmonds and soprano Stephanie Doust.

SATURDAY - FESTIVAL OF INDIVIDUAL CHOIRS
Compere: Bob Robins
In the presence of:
    Dieter Mittasch - President, German Choral Association of Australia
    Hans Stocker - Vice Consul, federal Republic of Germany

Choirs (and the songs they performed) - in order of appearance

Hahndorf Liedertafel (SA) - Conductor: David Gallasch/Geoff Young
    Singen kann ich nicht wie du
    Von Luzern auf Weggis zu
    Tanzlieder  Quodlibet

Caecilien Choir (Croyden, NSW) - Conductor: Eckhard Kemmerer
    Ein Bisschen Frieden
    Die Schöpfung
    Stimmt an die Saiten
    Vollendet ist das grosse Werk

Brisbane Liederkranz (QLD) - Conductor: Amanda Chivers
    Schöne weite Welt
    Miteinander Füreinander

Heimat Chor (WA) - Conductor: Jazec Slawomirski
    Die Nacht
    Ein Jäger aus Kurpfalz
    O mein Papa

Lorelei Choir (Newcastle, NSW) - Conductor: Stan Zukas
    Mein Schätzlein
   Waltzing Matilda
   Der Jörgele

Sanssouci Choir (NSW) - Conductor: Günter Arndt
    Morgenrot
    Never Never
    Kosakenritt

Chor Alpenfrieden (SA) - Conductor: Peter Ruys
    Der Pustertaler Jodler
    Ave Maria Glücklein
    Dort wo der Ortler steht

Concordia Choir (NSW) - Conductors: Tamara Carlin & Adalbert Kluge
    Land der Träume
    Melodien zum Verlieben

Liederkranz Tivoli (VIC) - Conductor: Douglas Heywood
    Im Weissen Rössel

Liedertafel Arion (VIC) - Conductor: Austin Fowler
    Ein Abend bei Robert Stolz

The Austrian Choir (Canberra, ACT) - Conductor: Fred Ziegler
    Steirische Melodien
    Draht sis Radl
    White Horse Inn medley

Tanunda Liedertafel (SA) - Conductor: Robert Homburg
    In der Ferne
    Das Morgenroth
    Some Enchanted Evening

German Choir "Melody" (NSW) - Conductor: Adalbert Kluge
    Die Spröde
    Mein Heimattal
   Mit der weissen Wolken

German Male Choir "Sanssouci" 63 (NSW) &
Ladies Choir Germania (Wollongong, NSW) - Conductor: Günter Arndt
    Von fern klingt leise eine Melodie
    Klingendes - Freundes Potpourri

Ntaria Ladies Choir (Hermannsburg, NT) - Conductor: David Roennfeldt
    Tha Ntulka Ttjuraramanga
    Sweet By and By
    (They stole the show!)

Lobethal Harmony Club (SA) - Conductor: Beryl Powell
    Lobethal, The Valley of Praise
    Hunter's Joy
    Serenade

Deutscher Volksliederchor (SA) - Conductor: Peter Ruys
    Geh aus, mein Herz und suche Freud
    Es steht ein Lind in jenem Tal
    Jetzt gang i ans Bruennele
    Es blies ein Jäger wohl in sein Horn

Brisbane Liedertafel (QLD) - Conductor: Jan Polietowsky
    Im Eschenhain
    Die Alten Strassen Noch
    Im Weinparadies

Templer Choir (VIC) - Conductor: Annette Hissey
    Erlaube mir feins Mädchen
    Zwei Hasen
    Lerchengesang

Adelaider Liedertafel 1858 (SA) - Conductor: Ernst Ens
    Battle Hymn of the Republic
    Der Lindenbaum
    Hochzeit der Frösche

SUNDAY - FESTIVAL OF MASSED CHOIRS
Compere: Dominique Schwartz 
Conductor: Barry W Wilkins OAM
Orchestra Leader: Ken Berris
Pianos: Beryl Powell, Meredith Wilson
Organ: Paul Fitzgerald

Massed Choirs and Orchestra
    Grüss Gott
    Ceremonial Fanfare
    Advance Australia Fair
    National Anthem of the Federal Republic of Germany
    National Anthem of Austria

Official opening: The Hon Alexander Downer MP
    Federal member for Mayo
    Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

Massed choirs and Orchestra
    Finale - The Magic Flute (Stephanie Doust, soloist)
    Teure Heimat

Guest Artist - Stephanie Doust

Guest Choir - Ntaria Aboriginal Ladies Choir

Guest Organist - Paul Fitzgerald

German Choir - Liedertafel Arion - "Ein Hoch dem Deutschen Sang"

Massed Choirs and Orchestra -
    Die Himmel Rühmen
    Lobt den Herrn der Welt
    Lied an die Freude

Sängerfest 2002 Orchestra - "War March of the Priests"

Massed Choirs and Orchestra -
    So ein Tag
    Unser Leben ist Musik

Duet - Grant Nitschke on alphorn and Andrew McNicol on didgeridoo

Guest Choir - Austrian Choir (Canberra)
    Kein schöner Land
    Ja Grüss Euch Gott
    Ziegler (Traditional Greeting Song)

Guest Artist - Thomas Edmonds

Choirs - The Three Liedertafels (Hahndorf, Adelaide and Tanunda) together with the Lobethal Harmony Club
    Barossa March (Thomas Edmonds, Soloist)
    Pilgrim's Chorus

Finale - Massed Choirs and Orchestra
    Cwm Rhondda (Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
    Song of Peace
    Heimat

This page was last updated Saturday, 21 February 2009
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