Zurich Boys’ Choir – The most beautiful Swiss folk songs and tunes (Vol. 1)
More than 130 youngsters from all backgrounds belong to the various groups that make up Zurich Boys' Choir. On this recording you hear them in full range, partly accompanied by the Ludus Ensemble from Berne.
Participation in the choir begins at the singing school (Singschule), where seven and eight year-old boys receive their first training. The boys then learn an extensive repertoire in the general chorus. The crowning culmination of their training is singing in the concert choir.
Older boys who would like to continue siging are given the chance to perform with the men’s choruses associated with the Choir.
The Zurich Boys’ Choir has performed throughout Switzerland, Europe and the USA. Eminent conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, Ferdinand Leitner, Christoph Eschenbach and Nikolaus Harnoncourt have worked with the Zurich Boys’ Choir.
About founder Alphons von Aarburg
Alphons von Aarburg, the founder and director of the Zurich Boys’ Choir, was born in Kaltbrunn, Canton of St.Gallen, in 1938. He received diplomas in piano, education and choral conducting from the Musikhochschule in Zurich. Alphons von Aarburg was the head music teacher at the teachers’ training college for a large number of years.
The Ludus Ensemble
The Ludus Ensemble was founded by Swiss conductor, composer and clarinetist Jean-Luc Darbellay in collaboration with students from the Berne Conservatory in 1978. The Ludus Ensemble performs in chamber formations constellations up to a symphony orchestra setting.
Composer-arranger André Scheurer
André Scheurer – composer or arranger of these songs and tunes – was born in Büren an der Aare, Canton of Berne, in 1959. He studied at the Berne Conservatory, majoring in trumpet. He has worked for Swiss Radio International and Radio Swiss Classic as a music programme specialist since 1985.
Programme information
Zurich Boys’ Choir. Swiss folk songs and tunes (Vol. 1) (1997). Musica Helvetica MH CD 111.2. Produced for SRI by Christian Strickler.
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