Emotional farewell: Hartmut Fillsack ends 20 years as a conductor

Emotional farewell: Hartmut Fillsack ends 20 years as a conductor

An emotional farewell shook the Gederner Schlosshof on Saturday. Hartmut Fillsack led the men's choir Liederkranz 1842 Gedern for the last time and the guests present felt the special atmosphere of the evening. In bright weather and without a drop of rain, the concert began with a Swedish hiking song and the cheerful Asparagus March. The numerous choir members and visitors listened to the diverse performances, which offered a real fireworks display of sounds.

Nine choirs performed, including ChoriOS from Ober-Seemen, which lifted the mood with catchy tunes like “Ice in the Sunshine” and “Mamma Mia”. The Sing'n'Swing Choir of Harmonie from Lieblos also surprised with catchy arrangements by Oliver Gies. Further musical highlights were provided by the men's choir of the Liederkranz Bad Soden-Salmünster men's choir with “Über seven Brücken” and “Über den Wolken” and the club's family choir with “Mambo” by Herbert Grönemeyer. For the particularly emotional final part, Fillsack took over the conducting of the songs “Little Teddy Bear” and the well-known sailor song “Wellerman”.

A worthy honor

Achim Jäger, chairman of the choir, praised Hartmut Fillsack's remarkable 20-year work phase in his speech. As a farewell, the choir members presented him with a bench to rest on, which should make it easier for him to retire from his active life as a conductor. The Hessian Singers' Association and the Niddertal Singers' Association also took the opportunity to honor the dedicated choir director. The evening culminated in the performance of the Cantare ensemble from Düdelsheim, which thrilled the audience with songs such as “Sing, sing, singing is good” and “I have a Dream”.

The Liederkranz men's choir is already planning the next event for the future. On December 22, 2024, a Christmas concert will take place in the Evangelical Church in Gedern, which will feature numerous talents. Under the direction of Hartmut Fillsack, the concert is supported by the Vulkansingers, the soprano Katharina Pipp and the string orchestra “Les Cordes” from the Büdingen Art & Music School. Advance sales have already begun and the tickets promise to be a highlight in the run-up to Christmas.

Choral singing through the ages

Choral singing, originally characterized by men's, women's and boys' voices, has changed significantly over the years. In the 19th century he experienced a musical innovation during the Enlightenment. Today, men's choirs are more powerful than ever, while at the same time maintaining traditions and providing a space for social gatherings. These choirs continue to contribute to the preservation of folk music and its adaptation to the modern world. Men's singing has developed into an impressive art form that connects both the people and the social tradition, as the events of the men's choir “Liederkranz” impressively show.

Last evening in Gedern, the men's choir impressively demonstrated that the love of music and community has lost none of its power - in keeping with the tradition of choral singing.