OÖN 14th May 2001

... The "star guest" of the discussion was alpine rock guru Hubert von Goisern. He is evidence that breaks in folk culture - although always criticised by traditionalists - are at the same time a departure for the new, that will soon become classics themselves. One should take nothing as absolute.

"Imagine it, everyone would be the same as me! That would not be endured," Hubert illustrated the need for variety. He shook his head about Prof. Rudi Pietsch from the Vienna Institute for folk music research, who the day before in another debate has said that Hubert's sounds would not be folk music because there was no second voice ....

Helmut Wimmer

OÖN 16th May 2001

The star of the Bad Ischl Folk Music Days was naturally Hubert von Goisern, who was recently awarded the Amadeus, the Austrian music prize in the category of the Best National Solo Artist. Whoever knows the singer knows that he does not mince his words. In a "thank you" speech for the award, he was also not sparing in his criticism of public service broadcasting, above all, the programming of Ö3. But radio director Manfred Jochum and Friedrich Urban, director of the national studio Salzburg argued openly with the criticism. On Saturday evening at a concert in the Kongress and Theaterhaus, the singer and representative of a 'new' folk music entertained with, among others Hundsbuam and played some songs from his CD Trad and could not help putting his autograph on the VIP Lion of the Bad Ischl Lions Club.

© 2001 Medienhaus Wimmer

See also: Celebrity Lion

Neues Volksblatt May 2001

Last weekend, the first Bad Ischl Folk Music Days went onto the stage. After the dignified opening in the Kurpark, where the little amble of the Bad Ischl brass band provided for the musical prelude, a passionately led debate began with a panel discussion in the Kongresshaus. Last Wednesday, Hubert von Goisern was awarded the Amadeus, the Austrian music prize, and in his acceptance speech, he was not sparing in his criticism of public service broadcasting, especially the programming of Ö3. Radio director Jochum and Friedrich Urban, director of the national studio Salzburg argued very openly with these criticisms, Yes, and then there was still the discussion about why Hubert von Goisern did not play any folk music. Music ethnologist Rudi Pietsch thinks that because Über d' Alma on the Trad CD is not sung in two parts, it manages to stand out. In the evening, at the Lehártheater, there were musical high points in four parts: primitive with the Hundsbuam from Bavaria, followed by the sensitive, fine variants from Bavario, before the native folk music appeared through Hohtraxlecker Sprungschanznmusi. The culmination was then the appearance of Hubert von Goisern, who was accompanied by Burkhard Frauenlob on the piano and percussionist Bernd Bechtloff. Hans Pammer from the Upper Austrian Adult Education and Dr Alexander Jalkotzy from the Institute for Folk Culture, as well as councillor Christine Adle were in agreement that this event should be a fixed point on the Bad Ischl calendar.

h.h.

11th May 2001, 7.30pm in Kongreßhaus in Bad Ischl

Greeting

Helmut Haas, Bürgermeister of Bad Ischl
Dr. Josef Pühringer, Head of the Government of Upper Austria
O. University Professor Dr. Adolf Haslinger, Rector of Salzburg University

Introduction to the conference

Edgar J. Forster, Salzburg University

Panel discussion

Aim
* Introduction to the theme of the conference
* Portrayal of the different positions in folk music
* Making folk music and folk culture able to be experienced in their vitality

Teaching methods
* Prof. Dr. Gerlind Haid: "Traditions: Breaks"
* Possible prelude or speech with short reading (E. Jelinek)
* Presentation of seminar results
* Active involvement of participants
* Making folk music able to be experienced by the senses: brass music, classical folk music groups and Hubert von Goisern will be invited to the panel to play (lots of improvisation and adhoc reactions from the panel)
* Singing (Caroline Koller and Hubert von Goisern)
* Intervention: "Die schweren Jungs" (Folk music cabaret, Bad Goisern)

Participants on panel
* Hubert von Goisern (folk musician)
* Gerlinde Haid (Professor at Institute for Folk Music Research, Vienna)
* Gerard Mortier (Salzburg Festival)
* Elfriede Jelinek (Author)
* Bogdan Roscic (Ö3)
* Sepp Forscher (TV presenter)
* Presenter: Barbara Rett (ORF)

12th May 2001, 9.30am in Kongreßhaus, Bad Ischl

9.30am Opening by Helmut Haas, Bürgermeister Bad Ischl
10.00 am Folk music - Traditions : Breaks - with Hubert von Goisern
11.00am Break
11.30am Presentation on folk music (Salzburg University)
12.30pm Break
2.00pm Making folk music able to be experienced - with Hubert von Goisern and Caroline Koller
3.00pm Break
3.30pm Workshops

Writing (Hubert von Goisern)
* How does one write lyrics in folk music? Where does it come from? How can I best express myself? We try different ways of writing in the workshop.

Singing (Caroline Koller)
* What was yodelling like before, and which yodels are there today? The aim of the workshop is to discover old songs again, and try out new styles of singing. The joy of singing together should be the focus.

Finding out biographies; describing everyday stories (Heinz Blaumeiser/ Elisabeth Wappelshammer)
* Music on this side of opera and concert auditoriums: which kinds of music shape our childhood and youth? After a short introduction to the methodology life story group talk, we want bring out our personal musical experiences, like people as generations have shaped and in different social areas and environments had life experiences.

Organisation culture, generations, gender (Hans Pammer, OÖ Volksbildungswerk and NN)
* Traditions and breaks also shape the culture of organisations. This workshop deals with above all the relationship of generations: what significance does folk music have for the opposition or togetherness of old and young? What do the old expect of the young, and the young of the old? What repulses the young, what annoys the old? When is folk music an antiquated custom, when it broadens invited optimism. What does that all mean for the future of work of organisations?

8.00pm Concert, Lehar Kino, Bad Ischl

* Brass music on the forecourt
* various groups playing (5 - 6 groups)
* Presentation of a new folk music label

13th May 2001, 9.00am in Kongreßhaus, Bad Ischl

9.00am Musical breakfast
10.00am - 12 noon Workshop presentation
12.30pm - 1.30pm End: How does it go on? Folk culture and Adult Education: Round table with Upper Austria Adult Education, local organisations and politicians
2.30pm Musical finale at Siriuskogel