Despite the pandemic, the “Wiener Netze Wind Orchestra” under the direction of Michael M. Holzer produced a CD for the 100th anniversary of its existence. The compilation of the musical work from the beginning as a salon orchestra through the time after the 2nd World War to new recordings of the present time, this collection is an interesting sound document about this long period of the orchestra’s existence.
At the turn of the year 1919-20, the “Orchestra of the Vienna Municipal Gas Works” was founded. At that time, a few gasworks employees, most of whom had returned from military service during the First World War, got together to make music. Initially founded as a small salon orchestra, the circle of musicians began to grow more and more. Soon a brass band and a string orchestra presented themselves to the public.
As a result of the events of 1934 to 1945, the orchestra was disbanded. After the end of the war, the founding process of 1920 was repeated in a similar way. Returning military musicians and fellow musicians were happy to be able to play with their friends again. After a short time, a respectable brass band was once again on its feet.
Not only in Vienna, where the “Gaserer” musically framed numerous large and small festivities every year, but also in many European countries the band was invited to concert tours. Performances in Berlin, Bilbao, Düsseldorf, Moscow and Skopje should be mentioned here.
Since 1999 the band has been under the musical direction of Michael Holzer. He and chairman Günter Rudolf have compiled the present CD “100 Years of the Wiener Netze Wind Orchestra” under difficult circumstances. To order at musik@wienernetzt.at
