Feldmusik Altdorf enchants with a spectacular concert evening!

Feldmusik Altdorf enchants with a spectacular concert evening!

On May 18, 2025, visitors to the Uristiersaal in Altdorf experienced an impressive concert by Feldmusik Altdorf, which had the motto “Feldmusik ecstatic”. The concert, which captivated the audience, began with the piece “Festival Prelude” by Alfred Reed. Co-President Roli Gnos gave a short speech at the beginning, while the charming presenter Olivia Oechslin led through the evening in eye-catching pink trousers. The musical performances were so captivating that even conductor Yannik Trares remarked that he had almost completely forgotten how to direct the performance.

The main work of the evening was “Rapture” by Brian Balmages, whose German title “Die Verzückung” is telling. This piece will also be performed at the upcoming Uri Brass Music Festival on June 7th at 9 a.m. in the Uri Theater, which also focuses on promoting brass music in the canton of Uri. Feldmusik Altdorf set the tone in the first part of the concert with further highlights such as “Nimrod”, arranged by Franco Cesarini, and “Porgy and Bess”, arranged by James Barnes.

The brass music festival and its meaning

The Uri Brass Music Festival will take place on Whit Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Altdorf. It aims to promote brass music in the region on a regular basis, having held the last edition in 2022. The performances will take place in the Uri Theater and on the Unterlehn, where public music lectures with twenty-minute programs from the participating clubs will be offered. After the presentations there will be the opportunity for a jury discussion where valuable feedback will be given without grades or rankings.

The organizing committee, led by Paul Wyrsch, together with members such as Michel Truniger and Philipp Gisler, is tasked with overseeing this festival. The festival is scheduled to take place every two to three years and registration for Uri music clubs is open to ensure diverse participation.

Historical context of brass music

The roots of brass music in Switzerland go back a long way. A research project at the Bern University of the Arts documents the development of this form of music over 200 years ago. It includes around fifty music books with more than 400 pieces and 20 instruments, some of which were collected in Rorschach and Hundwil. The oldest sheet music dates from 1811 and documents the founding of musical societies during this time. Before civilian brass bands were founded, military music was the predominant element.

The developments in instrument technology during the 19th century are particularly noteworthy. The introduction of valves, for example with the first valve trumpet in Rorschach in the 1830s, revolutionized the sound of brass music. The expansion of the percussion range with instruments such as triangles, cymbals and bass drum also contributed to the versatility and expressiveness of this form of music.

Both events, the Feldmusik Altdorf concert and the upcoming brass music festival, show the dynamic development of brass music in Switzerland and illustrate how important it is to celebrate and continue this cultural heritage and musical tradition.