"Dem Land Tirol die Treue" : a tyrolian march conquests the youth !

-Hochfilzen : the officials marching in-

The stirring sounds of an Austrian march, officials coming in two ranks into the stadium and marching in pace : this is one of the peculiar aspects of the World Cup of Hochfilzen. What only few people know: this march has a quite singular history, and the career it makes as of today is not less.

When a tyrolian march conquests the youth
Autoradios, cell phones, discos : everywhere one can hear "Dem Land Tirol die Treue" ("Fidelity to Tyrol", played here with guitar and cithar). What was initially only one of many sung marches in the important brass band place Austria, has become a hit non only among older people, but especially (and this is what is amazing), among the youth.

How a cult march becomes a cult hit
It is difficult, if possible at all, to explain how this or that tune becomes a hit, but explaining how a march for band comes to conquer the hearts resp. the ears of teenagers and young people, this is truly a mystery! Indeed, the facts are there: no celebration would be complete if this march was not performed, either in the original fashion or remixed.

"From the first notes, everyone gets up-right hand on the heart-and sings the two stanzas loudly," describe these students of the Academy of Commerce of Hall.

Coat of arms of Tyrol

Lyrics of the march: "Dem Land Tirol die Treue"
1. Ein Kranz von Bergen stolz und hoch erhoben
umringt die Heimat, mein Tiroler Land.
Die Gipfel strahlen hell in ihrem Glanze
und leuchten weit von steiler Felsenwand.

Refrain:
|: Du bist das Land, dem ich die Treue halte,
weil du so schön bist, mein Tiroler Land :|

2. Ein harter Kampf hat dich entzwei geschlagen,
von dir gerissen wurde Südtirol.
Die Dolomiten grüßen uns von ferne
in roter Glut zum letzten Lebewohl.

****
Translation: "Fidelity to Tyrol"
1. High and proud, a crown of mountains
stand all around my homeland, my country of Tyrol.
The summit shine brightly in their glory
And shine from steep rock wall

Refrain:
|:My loyalty goes to thee,
Because you are so beautiful, my Tyrolean Country:|

2. A hard battle has torn thee in two parts,
Has wrenched thee South Tyrol.
The Dolomites greet us from the distance
In red embers to last Farewell

A success outside Tyrol
One could think that the title owes its success to an audience of Tyrolean patriots. This might be partly true, but what really amazes is that this march has become "cult" also outside the Austrian border.

"Orders come from all over Austria, South Tyrol, Germany, it's a rush," reveals Andreas Westendorff. This merchant nearly found a gold mine and manages a website on which he sells CDs, T-shirts and other embroidered ski caps-all decorated with the slogan "Dem Land Tirol die Treue" and the heraldic Tyrolean eagle. "In recent weeks, it goes like hotcakes" he enthuses.

Mixed feelings within the authors
The title has its origins in East Tyrol. In 1953, follwing the suggestion of his father, the young Florian Pedarnig, then aged 17, composed this work to which his brother Josef would add a text. For years, the march remained undisclosed and was played only by a very small number of local bands.

One had to wait until 1985, at a time at which Josef Pedarnig had become a notorious person of the Volksmusik scene, for the title to be published. Since then, there is no more single band, no more folk group that does not have that work in its repertoire, work that can be found on many CDs.

"I am the first to be surprised by the success of my march within the youth. It makes me happy, of course-as long as it is not diverted and in some way compromised by a too nationalistic use. But what I would rather fear - and I would regret this - would be that the public would be tired from having heard it too much, said Florian Pedarnig in an interview with ORF.

Nothing can stop the successful march
Whatever its author might think, the fact is that "Land Dem Tirol die Treue" will be the first march to reach the charts. If not in its original version, at least in an "DJ-Ötzi"-style. Besides, who knows if he is not currently working on a disco version ?

Source : www.orf.at Samuel Dougoud

=> At the CISM Championships of Andermatt, excellent Swiss marches could be heard.

2005/2006

2006/2007