Draft:Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister

The "Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister brass band" from Vienna is a traditional Austrian military band with a long history.

After the end of Monarchy in Austria in 1918, the band of this regiment continued to exist as a musical formation, wearing the old uniforms and keeping the old Austro-Hungarian instrumentation: Valve trombones, helicon bass (instead of tuba), off-beat trumpet section (which improves the rhythm) - and all that in the tuning of 461 Hz, meaning they sound a semitone higher than modern brass bands.

Military band until 1918
The history of Austrian military music goes back to an order from Empress Maria Theresa in 1741, in which she decreed that each regiment should have its own band for troop parades. The band of the Infantry Regiment Hoch- und Deutschmeister No. 4, which was then stationed in Pavia, had its first parade in Milan in 1741, the year it was founded, on the occasion of the birth of Joseph II.

Many military bands failed to survive after it was ordered, for economic reasons, that each regimental commander must take financial responsibility for his own band. The commander of the Deutschmeister Regiment, Count Anton Colloredo (Field Marshal Anton Count Colloredo-Melz and Wallsee, * November 14, 1707; † March 17, 1785 in Vienna), and his officers continued to support their band so that it could continue to exist.

The change from a military band to a traditional band took place in 1781, when Emperor Joseph II stationed the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Regimental Band in Vienna. From this point on, it became the favourite band of the emperor and the people of Vienna and was not only used for official occasions, such as the changing of the guard, but also gave public concerts in front of Belvedere Palace and in Schönbrunn Palace.

The quality of the band was largely due to the large number of well-known musicians in its ranks, some of whom also achieved fame as composers. Former Band members included Joseph Hellmesberger, Josef Bayer, Dominik Ertl, Edmund Eysler, Carl Michael Ziehrer, Alois Neidhart, Karl Mühlberger, Franz Wolfsecker, Wilhelm Wacek, Julius Herrmann, Bert Silving and Robert Stolz.

From 1885 to 1893 Carl Michael Ziehrer served as Bandmaster of the Hoch- und Deutschmeister Band. Successful concert tours led to a Hoch-und Deutschmeister Band made up of civilians, in historical uniform, to play at the World Fair in Chicago in 1893 under the direction of the regular Hoch- und Deutschmeister Bandmaster Ziehrer, who had specifically requested leave. During this time, Alois Neidhart as drum major and a certain Grohmann as interim bandmaster led the band. In the same year, the Deutschmeister Regimental March was premiered by Wilhelm August Jurek, who, however, was never a musician in the band, but rather an assistant in the company chancellery. In the same year the position of Bandmaster of the  Hoch-und Deutschmeister Band was advertised, to find a successor for Ziehrer, in the course of which 31 applications were received, including one from Franz Lehar. However, the position as bandmaster was given to Wilhelm Wacek, who had previously worked as city bandmaster in Brixen from 1887, and he remained bandmaster of the Hoch und Deutschmeister Band until the end of the monarchy in 1918. From around 1905 - i.e. in the early days of sound recordings - and in the following years, the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Band under Wacek recorded numerous pieces of music. In 1910, Emperor Franz Joseph sent the official band of the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Band  under Wilhelm Wacek on a concert tour to South America. This trip was financed by the metal industrialist Arthur Krupp, owner of the Berndorf metal goods factory.

At the end of the First World War the Hoch und Deutschmeister Band was forced to disarm.

Traditional military band since 1918
A few years after the end of the First World War, the traditional band of the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Regiment was re-established as the official orchestra of the Deutschmeisterbund, the veterans' association of the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Regiment, through the initiative of the last Bandmaster Wilhelm Wacek, because there had previously been numerous bands going under the name of the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Regimental band, with musicians who had no association with the organisation at all, and had improperly misused the resounding name “Hoch- und Deutschmeister”.

After Wacek handed over the baton to bandmaster Julius Herrmann around 1931, who was later called the “Furtwängler of the military band” or “Austria's Marching King”, the band continued to exist as a private organization until the 21st century. After Austria was annexed to Nazi Germany, the Hochmeister and Deutschmeister, together with the Austrian military music, were integrated into the Imperial German military music with its instruments and standard tuning. After the end of the Second World War in 1945, the original Hoch- und Deutschmeister regrouped. They played, among other things, on April 27, 1945 at Vienna's Rathausplatz during the Austrian Declaration of Independence and the proclamation of the Second Republic (Austria) by State Chancellor Karl Renner and on May 1, 1945 at Schwarzenbergplatz, an acclaimed concert, but still without the traditional blue Uniform.

From this time until Herrmann's death in 1977, he made numerous recordings with the band, including his own Christmas record. During this time, numerous tours were undertaken: Among other things, the band went on three major tours to America from 1958 to 1962 under the motto “Vienna on Parade” and played 300 sold-out concerts there. The Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister made guest appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1960 - ahead of Ernst Mosch with his Egerländer - as the first German-speaking orchestra. On 3/4. In June 1961 the band played at the summit in Vienna, where John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev met. Kennedy requested the “Kaiserjäger March” from the Hoch-und Deutschmeister band. Federal Chancellor Dr. Julius Raab awarded Julius Herrmann the Silver Medal of Honor of the Republic of Austria for his great contributions to maintaining the famous music corps and his work as a conductor, composer and interpreter of traditional Viennese music. Julius Herrmann was later awarded the title of professor.

Reorganization as a historical/traditional institution in 1977
After the unexpected death of Julius Herrmann in the spring of 1977, the regular musicians of the leaderless band around the then music master and flautist Ferdinand Kastner decided that an association should be founded. The dissolution of the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Regimenal band was previously incorrectly reported in the media. Music master Ferdinand Kastner led two rehearsals as bandmaster before he resigned from this position and resumed playing the flute under the new bandmaster of the Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister band, Horst Winter. At that time, the music manager Wilhelm Breitenfeld (1918–1998), head of the Austrian international artist agency ÖIK, took over the organizational management of the band. On May 6, 1977, an association was founded under the name "Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister" band of the K. and K. Infantry Regiment Hoch- und Deutschmeister No. 4" which was registered in the central register of associations under the ZVR number 385688411 is. On July 17, 1977, Horst Winter gave the first concert at Michaelerplatz as the new Kapellmeister. At this concert, a true-to-original copy of the regimental flag was ceremoniously consecrated by Archbishop Coadjutor Franz Jachym. The original has since been located in the Military History Museum in Vienna. Winter's creative period included numerous tours in Europe, such as to Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The world-famous band also played at the 1982 World Cup in Spain and recorded several recordings. The 250th anniversary of the band and the 300th anniversary of the Hoch-und Deutschmeister Regiment were also celebrated during this time. Since 1988, the band has also had its name protected under trademark law for musical services with the brand “Hoch- und Deutschmeister”, which is now also protected from misuse throughout Europe with the help of an EU trademark.

In 1998, for health reasons, Horst Winter handed over musical direction of the band to Ottokar Drapal, who had been principal clarinetist with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra for many years and had already served as second bandmaster alongside Horst Winter for a long time. However, he died shortly afterwards. Reinhold Nowotny has led the band since 1999. The band still plays in the historical high pitch, (almost a semitone higher than the usual modern A440 Hz tuning) the Turkish tone, and - in contrast to all other bands in Austria - marches according to old rules Since 2010, the Original Hoch und Deutschmeister Regiment band have been providing musical entertainment at the Fete Imperiale, the Spanish Riding School's summer ball.

The Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister lived up to their purpose as a traditional band by organizing a public concert with free admission every Saturday from the end of April to mid-October every year on the Inner Burgplatz of the Vienna Hofburg. This event, known as “Burgmusik”, commemorated the changing of the guard, which had been forgotten since the end of the monarchy, and had become an attraction for visitors to the city of Vienna. At 10:45 a.m. the Hoch und Deutschmeister band marched in their historical uniforms across the Kohlmarkt and Michaelerplatz into the Burghof and played there in the traditional circle formation, before marching back to Michaelerplatz shortly before 12 p.m. For financial reasons, the Burgmusik did not take place since 2017 because it has not been possible to find a sponsor.

Special pitch and special instruments
The Original Hoch und Deutschmeister Band are the last historically accurate representatives of the glorious military music of Austria-Hungary. While after the Second World War most of the remaining military bands adapted to the internationally common tuning (440 Hz), the Original Hoch-and Deutschmeister retained the “high tuning”, the cornet tone, which was a semitone higher. The cornet tone goes back to the old field and military music, which had to be heard clearly outdoors and by marching troops. Another special feature of the orchestra are the instruments used: E flat trumpets and valve trombones are still used, and the traditional helicon tuba is used instead of the usual bass tuba.

Discography

 * 1905: Schottenfelder Kinder-Marsch von Gustav Macho, gespielt von der Musik des K. u. K. Infanterie-Regiment Hoch- und Deutschmeister No. 4., Kapellmeister Wilhelm Watzek, Gramophone Concert Record, G. C.-3-40388, (9856 u) (25 cm, uniface)
 * 1906: Rosen aus dem Süden, Walzer von Strauss (Streichorchester), gespielt von der Musik des k. u. k. Inf.-Reg. Hoch- u. Deutschmeister No. 4. Wien, Gramophone Concert Record, G. C.-2-40273, (6798 b) (25 cm, uniface)
 * 1906: Aufziehen und Ablösen der Burgwache mit Commando, gespielt von der Musik des k. u. k. Inf.-Reg. Hoch- u. Deutschmeister No. 4. Wien. German. Band. Gramophone Concert Record, G.C.-3-40302 (4141 I)
 * 1906: Maxim-Marsch a. d. Operette „Die lustige Witwe“ (Franz Lehár), gespielt von der Musik des k. u. k. Inf.-Reg. Hoch- u. Deutschmeister No. 4. German. Band. Gramophone Concert Record, G.C.-3-40296 (4277 I) (25 cm, uniface) (1906)
 * 1907: Weaner Drahrer-Marsch von Martin Uhl, gespielt von der Musik des k. u. k. Inf.-Reg. Hoch- u. Deutschmeister No. 4. German. Band. Gramophone Concert Record, G. C.-3-40394, (9926 u) (25 cm, uniface) (1907)
 * 1907: Wiener Blut, Walzer von Johann Strauss Sohn, gespielt von der Musik des k. u. k. Inf.-Reg. Hoch- u. Deutschmeister No. 4., Kapellmeister Wilhelm Wacek. Gramophone Concert Record, G. C.-3-40459, (11153 u) (25 cm, uniface) (1907)
 * 1908: Potpourri aus „Der Zigeunerbaron“ (I. Teil – Streichorchester) von Johann Strauss Sohn, gespielt von der Musik des K. u. K. Infanterie-Regiment Hoch- und Deutschmeister No. 4., Vezényel: Wilhelm Watzek, Gramophone Concert Record, G. C.-3-40205, (6793 b) (25 cm, uniface) (1908)
 * 1908: Potpourri aus „Der Zigeunerbaron“ (2. Teil – Streichorchester) von Johann Strauss Sohn, gespielt von der Musik des K. u. K. Infanterie-Regiment Hoch- und Deutschmeister No. 4., Vezényel: Wilhelm Watzek, Gramophone Concert Record, G. C.-3-40206, (6792 b) (25 cm, uniface) (1908)
 * nach 1918: Einzugsmarsch aus der Zigeunerbaron (Johann Strauss Sohn), Deutschmeister-Kapelle d. ehem. Infanterie-Regim. Hoch- u. Deutschmeister Nr. 4, Ltg.: Wilh. Wacek (Paloma P 2211)
 * 1930er: Der Traum eines österreichischen Reservisten – 1. Teil (Carl Michael Ziehrer), Alte Deutschmeisterkapelle, Ltg.: Julius Herrmann (Columbia) Schellack
 * 1930er: Der Traum eines österreichischen Reservisten – 2. Teil (Carl Michael Ziehrer), Alte Deutschmeisterkapelle, Ltg.: Julius Herrmann (Columbia) Schellack
 * 1930er: Der Traum eines österreichischen Reservisten – 3. Teil (Carl Michael Ziehrer), Alte Deutschmeisterkapelle, Ltg.: Julius Herrmann (Columbia) Schellack
 * 1930er: Der Traum eines österreichischen Reservisten – 4. Teil (Carl Michael Ziehrer), Alte Deutschmeisterkapelle, Ltg.: Julius Herrmann (Columbia) Schellack
 * 1953: Christmas Carols Played by The „Deutschmeister“ Band (Westminster) Vinyl
 * 1956: Here’s That Band Again (Westminster) Vinyl
 * 1965: Die Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister. Folge 2 (Elite Spezial) Vinyl
 * 1966: „Die weltberühmten Sousa Märsche“ (Westminster) Vinyl
 * 1969: Die Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister (Perl) Vinyl
 * 1970: Die Hoch- und Deutschmeister sind da (Falcon) Vinyl
 * 1973: Die Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister (Europa) Vinyl
 * 1974: Julius Herrmann und die Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister (BASF) Vinyl
 * 1974: Servus Wien – Julius Herrmann und die Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister (BASF) Vinyl
 * Nach 1977: Wir vom K. und K. – Die Hoch- und Deutschmeister; Leitung: Horst Winter (Ariola) Vinyl
 * 1979: Gruß aus Wien – die Hoch- und Deutschmeister spielen Robert Stolz (Ariola) Vinyl
 * 1985: Unter dem Doppeladler – die Hoch- und Deutschmeister; Leitung: Horst Winter (Teldec) Vinyl
 * 1988: Von der Hofburg nach Schönbrunn (Koch International) Audio-CD
 * 1989: Österreichische Militärmärsche – Die Orig. Hoch- und Deutschmeister (Sonia) Audio-CD
 * 1992: 250 Jahre Original Hoch- und Deutschmeister (Koch International) Audio-CD
 * 1993: Zauber der Monarchie (Koch International) Audio-CD
 * 1997: Wien, Wien nur du allein (Koch International) Audio-CD
 * 2003: Musiktradition aus Alt-Österreich (Tyrolis) Audio-CD
 * 2007: Wunschkonzert (Tyrolis) Audio-CD
 * 2008: Marschkönige (Tyrolis) Audio-CD
 * 2010: Burgmusik in Wien (Tyrolis) Audio-CD
 * 2019: Die Deutschmeister sind da (Tyrolis) Audio-CD

Literature

 * Friedrich Anzenberger (Hrsg.): Symposiumsbericht. Symposium zur Musik der „Hoch- und Deutschmeister“ in der Donaumonarchie. Spittal an der Drau 2016.
 * Raimund Sulz: Hoch- und Deutschmeisterkapelle(n) von 1918 bis 1945 – Repräsentation ‚alter‘ Werte in einer neuen Zeit. Ungedruckte Diplomarbeit, Universität Wien, Wien 2018.