LA LOUPE Lech Zürs No. 4 - Summer Edition

L.L. ⁄ What is it that a bandmaster actually does?
M.G. ⁄ The tasks in a ‘village band’ such as the Trachtenkapelle
Lech are manifold. apart from the musical direction, i.e. conducting,
choosing the pieces, rehearsing them with the musicians,
marching, I am also – together with my colleagues from the committee
– doing other club-related tasks. Those include the recruitment
of new members, drawing up a budget, the club’s newspaper,
and committee work for the arlberger Musikfest, drawing up a
programme and so on and so forth …
L.L. ⁄ Is it difficult to find young people who are interested in joining
the brass band?
M.G. ⁄ Well, I’d say it is more difficult than it used to be! putting it
bold and simple this means that apart from the fire brigade and the
music band, there was not much else young people used to be able to
do in Lech in terms of leisure activities. Today that’s quite different.
But it’s on us to get young people interested in the traditional band,
even if the training (at least 4 years of music school) and the effort
(up to 100 dates/rehearsals per year) make it rather time-consuming.
anyway we are going to great lengths and 42 active musicians
in 2013 are our reward.
L.L. ⁄ Traditional music is known to inspire a sense of identity. Do
the members of the traditional band feel particularly close to their
home town Lech?
M.G. ⁄ I do think so, yes! Wearing the Walser ‘Burschentracht’
(traditional costume of the young and unmarried men) alone is
something to be proud of, not just when making music at festivals
close by but also when representing the community abroad, in Sylt
or in the uSa, for example! especially the ‘Lecher Zipfelkappe’ (a
traditional hat) that is only worn when marching and does always
attract attention creates a type of visual and cultural union that
brings us closer together and it demonstrates a connection with
our home town. apart from the famous ‘Zipfelchappa’ (said hat)
the Tracht is made up of the ‘Lääderliib’ (leather jacket with loden
sleeves), the ‘Lääderhosa’(lederhosen), the ‘Hosaträga’ (braces),
the ‘Mäschle’ (a silk bow), the ‘Läädergürtl’ (leather belt) and the
‘Schdrömpf ’ (socks).
sport & Freizeit
“Music per se is very
fascinating for me.”
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