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Tölzer Knabenchor (Boys Choir)

Founded: 1956 - Bad Tölz, Bavaria, Germany

The Tölzer Knabenchor (the Tölz boychoir) was founded in 1956 by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden in Bad Tölz, in the middle of High Bavaria. Since 1970, there is a section in Munich with its own studio in Munich-Solln. At the moment, nearly 80% of the choir members come from Munich, although Bad Tölz remains an important center.

The universal training of the choir members is based on the discipline accepted voluntarily by each boy. Creativity, spontaneity and the joy of singing are as important as a highly developed technique.

The choir’s very vast musical pallet includes as a priority baroque oratorios in original distribution as various remarkable recordings prove it. Among them are included the Little Sacred concertos of Schütz (recorded between 1987 and 1990) conducted by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden.

The various ensembles of the Tölzer Knabenchor give nearly 240 concerts and opera performances annually. The choristers receive a share of the benefit.

Extensive concert-tours have led the Tölzer Knabenchor to China, Japan, the USA, Israel, England, France, Italy, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Austria and Switzerland. Many eminent conductors have worked or still work with them. Among them, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Leonard Bernstein, Karl Böhm, Sergiu Celibidache, John Eliot Gardiner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Herbert von Karajan, Gustav Leonhardt, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Sir Georg Solti, Bruno Weil. The soloists of the Tölzer Knabenchor sing in the many famous operas and the great festivals of the whole world. For example, there are eight recordings of W.A. Mozart's Magic Flute, in which the parts of the three boys are sung by Tölzer Knabenchor choristers.



Soloists of the Tölzer Knabenchor

Sources:
Heinrich’s Tölzer Knabenchor Website
Contributed by
Aryeh Oron (May 2001)

Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden: Short Biography | Ensembles: Tölzer Knabenchor
Bach Discography:
Recordings of Vocal Works | General Discussions | Motets - G. Schmidt-Gaden

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Riccardo Chailly

Choir

BWV 244 [2nd]

Werner Ehrhardt

Choir

Video (2011): BWV 11, BWV 172

Holger Eichhorn

Boy Soprano

Selections: BWV 21/9, BWV 23/4, BWV 28/2, BWV 38/1, BWV 64/1, BWV 101/1; BWV 225, BWV 248/1-3

Christian Fliegner

Choir & Soloists

[V-1] (2017, Video): BWV 244

Michael Gielen

Choir

BWV 245 [TV]

Michael Hofstetter

Choir

[V-1] (2022, HRCD/MP3): BWV 230

Sigiswald Kuijken

Choir

BWV 244 [1st, 1989, Video]

David Stern

Choir

[CV-1] (2019, Video): BWV 232

Hans Thamm

Choir

[CR-95] (1970, Radio recording): BWV 95

Kurt Thomas

Choir

[U-2] (before 1976, Audio): BWV 33
[CR-36] (1965, Radio recording): BWV 36
[CR-96] (1965, Radio recording): BWV 96
[CR-148/2] (1966, Radio recording): BWV 148 [2nd recording]

Links to other Sites

Tölzer Knabenchor (Official Website)
Heinrich’s Tölzer Knabenchor Page
Interview with Barbara Schmidt-Gaden (Tölzer Knabenchor Blog) [Spanish]


Biographies of Performers: Main Page | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Explanation | Acronyms | Missing Biographies | The Sad Corner




 

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Last update: Friday, December 01, 2023 12:12