Schikaneder's Youth: Pop Music of the 18th Century

The name patron Johann Josef Schickeneder, known as Emanuel Schikaneder as a theater director and librettist of "The Magic Flute," roamed as a minstrel in his youth. This term referred to wandering musicians who earned their living in villages during weddings, fairs, and other occasions.

Historical performance practice has focused almost exclusively on courtly and sacred music in recent decades. Schikaneder's youth now also brings the music of the common people of that time to new life.

The starting point is both the intensive engagement with traditional music of Europe and the historical study of folk music and instruments. The foundation consists of musicians' manuscripts from the period up to 1820 and knowledge of early classical compositions that reflect traditional music.

The ensemble featuring bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, shawm, and violin follows numerous sources from the time, such as the depiction of a peasant wedding in Upper Bavaria by Johann Mettenleitner.

Ensemble:
Andreas Helm: shawm, vocals, yodeling.
Albin Paulus: bagpipes, goat horn, Jew's harp, vocals, yodeling.
Simon Wascher: hurdy-gurdy.
Hermann Haertel: violin, vocals, yodeling.