125 years Musikkapelle Puch

A festival weekend full of music, joy and fellowship

In 2020, the 3-day jubilee festival of the Musikkapelle Puch for its 125th anniversary should have taken place in Puch with many guest associations and a great supporting program. Everything was planned for the big marquee, the bar and decorations already built, the helpers assigned and many hours put into the organization - then unfortunately the pandemic came.

For several reasons, the planned marquee became the anniversary concert after two years, which could finally take place last weekend in the gymnasium of the Puch elementary school without any restrictions. In addition, as a thank you to all sponsors and supporters, an "exclusive concert" in closed company took place the evening before.

As a guest of both days I had the opportunity to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the concerts and also to take some pictures. I"m happy to tell you here in the PUCH MAGAZINE about the highlights of the "125 Years Musikkapelle Puch Anniversary Concert", why you should get the MK Puch chronicle and who the "Winterbacher" are!

From gymnasium to festival hall

Anyone who has ever been to the gymnasium of the Puch elementary school and perhaps played sports there probably cannot imagine that this hall could also serve as a concert hall. If it hadn"t been for the fixed wall bars and basketball hoops and the rings hanging from the ceiling, you wouldn"t have recognized it as a gymnasium. So beautifully it was built by the musicians, as well as by the employees of the building yard of the municipality of Puch, the stage within two days and festively decorated to the smallest detail.

A thank you party for the sponsors

On Friday, July 8, 2022 the festival weekend started with a concert evening for all sponsors and supporters. Since the 2020 festival was already planned, all sponsors were already on board. In addition, the partly new costume for the musicians was already ordered and worn, where some companies sponsored a complete outfit of a costume. These "costume sponsors", as well as the Kirchenwirt and also us as the Puch Tourist Board as the main sponsors, were thanked again during the concert with a picture of the band. Likewise, Mayor Helmut Klose was thanked for the good cooperation with the municipality!

 New costume - This is the costume of the Musikkapelle Puch

The traditional costume of the Musikkapelle Puch has remained largely unchanged. As you know the "Pucher" for years, all members continue to wear a black hat with brown cord, and a green frock coat. In addition, leather pants or leather skirt, gray woolen stockings and black oatmeal shoes. The green-red checked vest became a red gilet - for the gentlemen with a black back and for the ladies matching the dirndl blouse.  If you look closely, you can see that the men also have the MK Puch logo on the left sleeve of their shirts since the new outfit. To the metal ring incl. logo of the band, the ladies wear a black Flörl and the men a black ribbon around the neck.

Banquet for all supporters of the Musikkapelle Puch

After the grandiose concert of the Musikkapelle Puch, the sponsors enjoyed an excellent buffet with delicacies from the Vinisterium and Kirchenwirt ! Eduard Andorfer and Christian Rettenbacher have together swung the wooden spoons and spoiled the guests with your delicacies culinary.

But whoever thinks that it was over right after that - is very much mistaken. Chairman Anton Brandauer provided as "silver goldthroat" (announcement of the presenters) with his band „Start up fine music“ for proper mood in the festival hall. Especially front woman Sarah brought the hall with your unique voice and the great song selection to boil.

When the "Winterbacher" arrived before midnight, a quick end was out of the question. So the guests enjoyed themselves with the musicians of the two bands for a few more hours and took some frame photos before the musicians had to clean up again for the next concert evening.

Anniversary concert with the MK Puch and the "Winterbacher".

Because on Saturday, July 9, 2022 invited not only the Musikkapelle Puch to the official "125th anniversary concert", but were also supported in the 2nd half by the partner club Trachtenkapelle Musikverein Winterbach, or as we all know them in Puch as the "Winterbacher". The invitation was accepted by numerous people from Puch, as well as many fellow musicians from the surrounding area and friends of the Musikkapelle Puch, so the festival hall was well filled for the festive concert!

The program

The Musikkapelle Puch started punctually at 8 p.m. with the Florentine March by Julius Fucik. Julia Golser and Thaddäus Lechenauer led through the jubilee concert, as they had done the evening before, giving information about the pieces as well as composers and introducing the members of the Musikkapelle with their relaxed manner and funny details. So you mentioned that "125 years of lived tradition, camaraderie and communal passion for music and Salzburg folk culture" is celebrated and that "We can say with our heads held high that we are an indispensable part of Pucher village life and help shape it significantly and vividly", which I can only agree.

Remarkable was the performance of the pieces Reverie by Armin Kofler and "In aller Kürze" by Thomas Asanger. Thus the Musikkapelle Puch achieved on April 23 at the  „Pro Blasmusik Salzburg Konzertwertung“ in Maishofen with 93.75 points in level B, the highest score of the two-day concert competition in which 12 Salzburg music bands participated.

As an experienced orchestra musician and music teacher, Kapellmeister Gerhard Stockhammer conducted the anniversary concert and delighted the audience with the versatile performances and especially with the unique solo pieces. Sophie Schmoll thrilled with a trumpet solo on "Midnight Tears". The solo drummers Josef Lehner and Thaddäus Lechenauer, were charmingly introduced by Julia Golser as "They are loud, they are sexy and they have made their hair beautiful especially for today: Thaddäus and Josef with the solo drummer"s march". In addition Sebastian Breiteneder with his trombone provided for "standing ovations".

No miracle, since it with its solo piece "Blue Bells" recently the achievement badge in gold of representatives of the Salzburg blowing music federation and the Salzburg federal state government led by national governor Hauslauer got presented. Since also chairman Anton Brandauer was amazed, as he said "my trumpet has 3 valves and so I get that not so hin, as Sebastian on the trombone - in addition still everything played freely, without notes - compliments!"

Honor to whom honor is due

After two encores, chairman Anton Brandauer thanked all sponsors, helpers and the members and relatives of MK Puch for their support and asked Matthäus Rieger, chairman of the Salzburg regional association, to come on stage. Together they thanked the festival chairman Thomas Wintersteller for the excellent organization of the festival weekend and the secretary Florian Eibl for the preparation of the festival chronicle. Both received for your commitment to the anniversary as well as years of service on the board the medal of merit of the Salzburg brass band association in silver. Afterwards Johann Wallinger was presented the medal of merit of the Salzburg brass band federation in gold. "Wollei Hons" as he is known to us Pucher, has been a member of the Musikkapelle Puch since 1976, has served on the board for over 30 years and is always there when you need him anyway! Congratulations to the honored and keep it up!

During the 15-minute break, visitors could fortify themselves with a pair of sausages or liver cheese sandwiches from the Elsenhuber family of the Löfferberggut, before the musical ensemble Trachtenmkapelle Winterbach continued.

Concert of the Musikverein Trachtenkapelle Winterbach

The partner band presented their skills with the "March of the Soldiers of Robert Bruce" and an excerpt of the 1st symphony from "Lord of the Rings". Particularly was the flute solo of Sonja Nachtrieb with the piece "Can"t take my eyes off you" before the "Winterbacher" with the empress Sissi march your program ended.

However, the "Winterbacher" did not travel to Puch empty-handed! A box with exquisite wines from Baden-Würtemberg and a picture of the Trachtenkapelle for the rehearsal room, should not let the Musikkapelle Puch forget the friendship. Our band thought exactly the same and gave the "Winterbachers" a current group picture of them.

Overall game of the music bands

What I thought 10 minutes before "a joint photo would be great", was already planned by the two music bands and became reality shortly after. After all the chairs were cleared from the stage, the Musikkapelle Puch and the Musikverein Trachtenkapelle Winterbach played "Mein Heimatland" together for the finale and provided a crowning conclusion to this anniversary concert.

Afterwards the evening ended comfortably at the bar and one enjoyed above all the conversations with the friends from Winterbach.

The friendship with Winterbach

But how did it actually come about? It all began in 1958, where the Trachtenkapelle Musikverein Winterbach, thanks to Lotte and Hermann Gauger, were in the community of Puch for the first time and played at the Jakobikirtag in St. Jakob am Thurn. In 1980 the Musikkapelle Puch traveled for the first time to Baden-Württemberg to the "Winterbachers" and played there for the first time ever in a beer tent on the occasion of the 80 year celebration. Since then, regular visits and return visits have taken place every year and many friendships have developed.

Excerpt from the festival chronicle

In 1970 another visit of the Musikverein Winterbach was on the program, their 90th anniversary was celebrated at a festival from July 4 - 6, 1970. "This wonderful celebration shall remain in memory for a long time", the then secretary Karl Weiss recorded in his transcript.

From the Festschrift to the Chronicle

This short excerpt from the parade in Winterbach is only a small insight into the comprehensive festive chronicle of the Musikkapelle Puch with over 140 pages. Learn everything about the foundation in 1895, how the Musikkapelle was formed again after the 1st World War and what the Musikkapelle Puch has to do with the musicians from Oberalm and the Jakobischützen to St. Jakob am Thurn. In addition graphics give a temporal overview of different functionaries as well as the listing of the Markedenterinnen from 1945 to now!

Who has already created a commemorative publication about an association, knows with how much time, commitment and also passion must be worked on it, until one can hold the bound work in the hands. The Musikkapelle Puch has succeeded in presenting the history of the association in an interesting way, in loosely integrating the sponsors and in putting the members in the various registers in a sympathetic spotlight. Secretary and chronicler Florian Eibl has certainly sat for hours on research for the texts, has adjusted the layout several times and checked the contents for their completeness. I congratulate him on this extensive chronicle and can only recommend the work to you. Those who have not yet received one should quickly get one from the Musikkapelle Puch for € 5,-.

A thank you to the Musi

The Musikkapelle Puch accompanies many traditional and church festivities in Puch and St. Jakob am Thurn throughout the year, and provides the best entertainment with its concerts at home and abroad. Smaller ensembles also frame various festivities for the village community and for our vacation guests. We at the Puch Tourist Association would like to thank you for the numerous outings, as well as for the good cooperation at the joint events, and wish the Musikkapelle Puch all the best for its 125th anniversary and much continued joy in making music!

Many thanks for the invitation to the anniversary concert and congratulations on the successful festival to the organizational team around the honored Johann Wallinger - chairman Anton Brandauer, festival chairman Thomas Wintersteller, bandmaster Gerhard Stockhammer and secretary Florian Eibl and the whole Musikkappelle Puch!

Were you also at the anniversary concert or would you like to congratulate the band on its 125th anniversary? Then write it to us in the comments, we will gladly pass it on!

Here`s to the house of music from the Musikkapelle Puch