Volkssänger

Volkssänger, (also Wiener Volkssänger, Wienerlied-Sänger), i.e. singers of "Wienerlied" popular songs, singers in towns who followed the tradition of medieval "joculatores" (jugglers), hurdy-gurdy players, harpists, and balladeers ("Bänkelsänger"). They reached particular popularity and their activity spread all over Austria during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. J. B. Moser, the "father" of the Volkssänger made an important contribution by raising the quality of texts and bringing the singers, mostly vagrants, from the streets to the stages of variety theatres and taverns, where they were paid for their performance (and thus came to be regarded as artists), and so improved the reputation of this professional group. In 1829, Moser founded a group of Volkssänger singers who performed in suburban taverns and in the Prater amusement park. In the 2^nd half of the 19^th century, taverns were increasingly replaced as the usual performance venue by revue-like variety theatres ("Singspielhalle"). The first such place was opened by the author A. Varry in the "Ungers Kasino" in Vienna´s Hernals district in 1860. Another institution, the "Evangelimann" was a kind of variety theatre dedicated to more serious performances.

Following Moser´s example, more groups formed, many of the Volkssänger appearing with partners, such as I. Nagel and A. Amon, who were the first to wear tails at their performances instead of everyday clothes, "Edi and Biedermann" (E. Wehinger and J. Biedermann), "Mirzl and Dreher" (M. and F. Koblassa), W. Wiesberg and K. W. Sioly, L. Montag A. Mansfeld and E. Guschelbauer and, last but not least, the legendary Fiakermilli (Emilie Demel). Although radio and cinema put an end to the Volkssänger tradition after the First World war, many of the characteristics of this form of art live on and are cultivated by "modern" Volkssänger like K. Hodina and T. Mally or by the "Heurigen" singers, who traditionally perform in the Heurigen wine taverns. Well-known singers of "Wienerlied" songs are the opera singers H. Zednik, W. Berry, and H. Holecek.

Literature: J. Koller, Das Wiener Volkssängertum, 1931; G. Gugitz, Lieder der Straße, 1954; S. Lohr, Drum hab´ i Wean so gern, 1980; K. Hodina (ed.), O du lieber Augustin, 1991.