Schikaneder's youth

Friday, June 26, 2026
19:30 - 22:00
Neuhaus Castle on the Danube

Pop music of the 18th century

Johann Josef Schickeneder, known by the name of Emanuel Schikaneder as the theater director and librettist of The Magic Flute, wandered around as a lyricist in his youth. This term was used to describe wandering musicians who earned their living in the villages at weddings, fairs and other occasions.

In recent decades, historical performance practice has concentrated almost exclusively on courtly and sacred music. Schikander's Jugend now also revives the music of the common people of the time.

The starting point is both the intensive study of traditional European music and the historical study of folk music and instruments. Musical manuscripts from the period up to 1820 and knowledge of early classical compositions that reflect traditional music serve as a basis.

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

Instrumentation:
Andreas Helm: shawm, vocals, yodeling.
Albin Paulus: bagpipes, buck, jew's harp, singing, yodeling.
Simon Wascher: hurdy-gurdy.
Hermann Haertel: violin, singing, yodeling