Chorwesen

Choirs: Apart from church music, in which choral singing has always been a tradition, and the opera choirs, which were usually rather small until the 19^th century, independent choirs only developed as the musical activities of the middle class became institutionalised. The newly founded musical associations usually comprised a music school and a choir (one of the most famous is the "Singverein" choir of the Society of the Friends of Music); along with bourgeois choir clubs, choral unions, which were of nationalist persuasion, also developed during the 2^nd half of the 19^th century. Today, there are small and large choirs pursuing various musical aims; the most famous amateur associations are: the Singverein, Singakademie, A. Schoenberg Chor and Concentus vocalis. Austria´s best known professional choir is the concert association of the Vienna State Opera Choir. Sängerbund.