Original Donauschwaben
The Original Donauschwaben was a brass band from Munich founded in 1964, that played the traditional Bohemian brass music of the Danube Swabians from the former Banat region.
History[edit]
The orchestra was founded in 1964 by the musicologist Robert Rohr.
In 1983, Schmalz, the Danube duo Theresia and Matthias Klein, Heinrich Klein and most of the leading musicians left the orchestra. After that, few appearances took place.
In the period 1966-1979 there were numerous appearances, 1970-1971 also in the US, Canada and Saudi Arabia, and each year they released an LP record.
Under Kornel Mayer the orchestra reached its zenith[according to whom?]. The productions from 1968 to 1973 are considered[by whom?] the most musically valuable of the orchestra.
Conductors[edit]
From 1964 to 1978 Kapellmeister Kornel Mayer (September 30, 1917 Kubin - February 28, 1980 Wattenheim) conducted the orchestra. In 1978 he had to hand over the direction of the orchestra to Josef Schmalz, composer and arranger, because of a serious illness. From 5 November 1983 the conductor was Jakob Konschitzky.[1][2] [3]
The technical director was Heinrich Klein. 1964/65 was a short-term cooperation with Nikolaus and Josef Augustin.
Compositions[edit]
More than half of the orchestra's literature consists of compositions written by the composers in the East European homeland before 1945. The most frequently interpreted authors were Sylvester Herzog, Rudolf Reisner, Wilhelm Schweitzer and Adam Friesz. Later compositions from the time of the work of the original Donauschwaben were created especially by Tibor Reisner, Andreas Rastel, Hans Paul Adamek, Mathias Wilding, Martin Drottleff and Josef Schmalz, and 1974-1977 several titles by Jean Felten.
Line Up[edit]
The standard line-up of the orchestra is as follows: One E-flat clarinet (two between 1970 and 1971), two soprano clarinets, four flugelhorns (4th also trumpet[clarification needed]), four tenor horns, three trombones, 1 F - tuba, one contrabass tuba, percussion with a small drum, large drum, cymbal and clash cymbals.
Singers[edit]
About half of the titles were sung by the Danube Duo: these were Emilie and Friedrich Ticak from 1964 to 1966, and Theresia and Matthias Klein from 1968 to 1983, and three titles with the song of Franz Kromer in 1969, a production with the then 12- year-old singer Armin Schäffer. Almost all the lyrics were written by Robert Rohr, partly under his pseudonym Nik Trebor. The two most successful titles are the waltzes "Roses of Love" and "Do you know the land where the lemons bloom", both from 1970?
Among the founding members mentioned below, many remained in the orchestra until 1983.
Chair: Robert Rohr - Director: Kornel Mayer - Artistic consultants (only at the time of foundation): Richard Urschel and Nikolaus Augustin - Eb clarinet: Martin Drottleff - Bb clarinets: Matthias Krauss, Johann Guist, Simon Schüller - Flugelhorns: Andreas Mayer (lead), Hans Hensel, Anton Klein and Georg Weiss - tenor horn: Hans Stefani (lead), Lorenz Udvari, Peter Gues, Josef Striegl - trombone: Klaus Krebs (lead), Josef Hehn, Michael Rastel - tuba: Ludwig Mutsch - contrabass tuba : Andreas Rastel - Drums: Peter Mayer sen.
Titles[edit]
The recorded songs are composed rhythmically as follows: about 90 polkas, 65 waltzes, 10 marches, 6 Ländler and 4 fast polkas.
- Rosen der Liebe, Walzerlied (1970)
- Kennst Du das Land, Walzerlied (1970)
- Elisabeth-Polka (1964)
- Ida-Polka (1964)
- Frosch-Polka, Lied (1967)
- Grete-Polka (1968)
- Ein frohes Wiedersehn, Walzer (1968, 1970 auch besungen)
- Gib mir einen Kuß, Polkalied (1969)
- Der schwarze Peter, Konzertpolka (1969)
- Schatz, das sind die Jahre, Polkalied (1969)
- Traum-Ländler (1969)
- Ilse-Polka (1969)
- Immer wieder Blasmusik, Polkalied (1969)
- Zwischen Donau und Theiss, Polkalied (1970)
- Wenn es nur noch lang so bleibt, Polkalied (1970)
- Petschauer Polka (1970)
- Freude an Blasmusik, Konzertpolka (1971)
- Mach dir das Leben schön, Polkalied (1972)
- Traum-Walzer (1972)
- Aus Gutenbrunn, Polka (1973)
- Rose der Heimat, Walzer (1976)
- Klosterglockenwalzer (1977)
- Liebesgedanken, Walzer (1980)
- Am Donaustrand, Bravourpolka for 4 tenor horns / baritone (1980)
- Heimat an der Donau, Walzerlied (1981)
Productions (LPs with newly produced titles)[edit]
- Die Original Donauschwaben (1964) (Polydor)
- Die Original Donauschwaben II (1966) (Polydor)
- Die Original Donauschwaben (1973) (LARS-6012, Aris/USA[4])
- Für Herz und Gemüt (1967) (Tempo)
- Echt donauschwäbisch (1968) (Tempo)
- Immer wieder Blasmusik (1969) (Tempo)
- Lustige Zeit, lustige Leut (1970) (Masterton)
- Ein frohes Wiedersehn (1970) (Tempo)
- Freude an Blasmusik (1973) (Philips), already recorded 1970-1971
- Mach dir das Leben schön (1973) (Philips)
- Es ist so wunderschön zu leben (1974) (Philips)
- Aus der Heimat (1975) (Philips)
- Donauschwabengrüße (1976) (Philips)
- Donauschwäbische Musikanten (1977) (Philips)
- Ja ja die Schwaben (1979) (Metronom)
- Goldene Erinnerungen (1980) (Metronom)
- Heimat an der Donau (1981) (Metronom)
- 25 Jahre Jubiläumsausgabe Folge 1 (1989) (PPM)
In addition, several singles and EPs were produced.
In the early 80s, titles were recorded for another LP, which was never produced. For the existence of these recordings speaks amongst other things that Robert Rohr writes of 17 and not only 16 produced LPs.
Josef Schmalz[edit]
Josef Schmalz (August 26, 1932[5] – February 4, 2014) was a German conductor, musician, composer, arranger and director of music. He was a member of the German-speaking minority of the Banat Swabians. From 1978 to 1983 Schmalz conducted the brass band Original Donauschwaben in Munich as director of music.[6][7][8]
Early life[edit]
Schmalz was born in Glogowatz. He had his first flugelhorn lessons at the Adam-Müller-Gutenbrunn Gymnasium in Arad, Romania, at the age of 11.[7]
Musical career[edit]
Until 1970 he played in his hometown flugelhorn and trumpet in the local brass band and in the string orchestra under the direction of Anton Hollich.[7] During military service Schmalz was deputy head of the ensemble and the brass band (DSGM).[7] In Munich he was from 1970 member of the "Original Donauschwaben", whose leadership as conductor he held from 1978 to 1983.[6][7] Already in the 1970s he celebrated great successes with his own compositions.[9]
Discography[edit]
LPs were released via Metronome Musik GmbH, Germany and others, e.g. 1979 "Ja, Ja, Die Schwaben".[10][6]
In May 2012, his CD „Donauschwäbische Blasmusik der Extraklasse – Mein Banater Land“ ("Danube Swabian brass music of extra class - My Banat Country") with 16 titles was released.[11] His music is reminiscent of the landscape, the traditions and brass tradition of the Banat Swabians. The pieces are played by the Banater Studio Musicians Karlsruhe under direction of Anton Hollich.[12]
Some of his songs are:[13][14]
- "Elfriede Polka"
- "Die schöne Kathrein"
- "Schwäbische Polka"
- "Verliebte Herzen"
- "Mein Banater Land"
Awards[edit]
Josef Schmalz is bearer of the club badge in gold from Freundeskreis Donauschwäbische Blasmusik e.V. for his involvement as composer, arranger, musician and music director of the "Original Donauschwaben".[9]
Family and Death[edit]
He has a brother, CMSgt. ret. John Schmalz. His only daughter Elfriede died young at the age of 40. After long cancer suffer Josef Schmalz died in Munich, Germany, at Dritter Orden Clinic.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Donauschwaben Banat Biographies: Mayer, Kornel [DVHH]". www.dvhh.org.
- ↑ "Donauschwaben Banat Biographies: Schmalz, Josef [DVHH]". www.dvhh.org.
- ↑ "Die Original Donauschwaben". anton-potche.blogspot.de.
- ↑ "Original Donauschwäbische Blasmusik". donauschwaben-musikverlag.npage.de.
- ↑ "Donauschwaben Banat Biographies: Schmalz, Josef [DVHH]". www.dvhh.org.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 http://www.dvhh.org/banat_biographies/images/schmalz_band.jpg
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Tobias, Adam. "Josef Schmalz - Nachruf". www.heimathaus-billed.de.
- ↑ Eugen Brixel (1984). Uster/Schweiz 1981- 1984. - (... ; 7) (in Deutsch). H. Schneider. pp. 230–. ISBN 978-3-7952-0435-8.
Hierfür können beispielhaft insbesondere die „Original-Donauschwaben" mit dem „Donau-Duo" unter der Leitung von Kornel Mayer genannt werden , die seit rund vier Jahren jedoch von Josef Schmalz angeführt werden, und ...
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- ↑ 9.0 9.1 glogowatz.de, Mein Banater-Land
- ↑ "Die Original-Donauschwaben* Und Das Donau-Duo* - Ja, Ja, Die Schwaben". Discogs.
- ↑ banater-schwaben.org, Auszeichnung für Banater Musikpädagogen
- ↑ glogowatz.de, Neue CD donauschwabische Blasmusik der Extraklasse
- ↑ "Donauschwäbisches Blasmusikkonzert". www.banater-schwaben.org (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2018-01-19.
- ↑ "Donauschwäbische Blasmusik der Extraklasse". www.heimathaus-billed.de (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2018-01-19.
- Enser, Jürgen. "Donauschwäbische Blasmusik der Extraklasse". www.blasmusikbuero.de (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2018-02-04.
External links[edit]
- DNB-IDN 353551023, 1031951865, 353844195, 353692956, 353441309
- Original Donauschwaben discography at Discogs
- Original Donauschwaben discography at Discogs
- Original Donauschwaben discography at Discogs
- Original Donauschwaben discography at Discogs
- Josef Schmalz: "Ja, ja die Schwaben" on YouTube
- Josef Schmalz as conductor of the Original Donauschwaben in German ZDF production Lustige Musikanten from 1980 on YouTube
- HOG Billed, Adam Tobias: Josef Schmalz - Obituary
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