Bürger-Sänger-Zunft München

The Bürger-Sänger-Zunft München e.V. (BSZ) is a non-profit registered association in Munich that operates a mixed choir and an orchestra. It is one of the oldest continuously active amateur music organizations in Bavaria, tracing its origins to 1840, when the singing group of the Munich Bürgerverein of 1819 became independent. The association is run by an elected committee (Ausschuss) serving three-year terms, and it describes its mission as fostering amateur music-making within Munich's cultural life through its two ensembles — a combination it notes is rarely found. The BSZ's repertoire is deliberately broad, spanning symphonies, oratorios, opera and operetta excerpts, requiems, and both classical and modern works. Its public activities include several concerts each year, occasional concert tours, and social events such as the annual Stiftungsfest, at which new members are traditionally introduced. The association also maintains a significant historical archive and actively researches its own past. The BSZ is best known beyond Munich as the ensemble where the future Bavarian anthem, "Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern," was first sung on 15 December 1860. The text was written by BSZ member and teacher Michael Öchsner, and the melody by the BSZ conductor Konrad Max Kunz. The song became the official anthem of the Free State of Bavaria in 1964. The BSZ's archive rediscovered the oldest surviving scores of the hymn in 1995, and the large symphonic setting was performed again in 1996. Over its long history the BSZ has been closely tied to the city of Munich and its civic leadership. Its founder, Carl Stöhr, was a master shoemaker who also founded the Chamber of Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria. Munich mayors and later lord mayors have been members, and the association has counted figures such as Hans Zehetmair, Christian Ude, Hans-Jochen Vogel, and Dieter Reiter among its members. Today the BSZ remains an active volunteer ensemble, with roughly 150 association members, of whom about 60 perform in the choir and orchestra.

The Bürger-Sänger-Zunft München (BSZ) was founded in 1840, when the singing group of the Munich Bürgerverein of 1819 became an independent association. At that time Munich was not only the capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria but also an increasingly important European cultural center, and the Bürgerverein was a key vehicle of the city's social and cultural life. The founder and long-serving chairman was Carl Stöhr, a master shoemaker from the dissolved shoemakers' guild — a backbone of the earlier Munich Meistersinger guild in which the Nuremberg poet Hans Sachs had learned to sing. Reflecting broader social change, however, the new singing association was no longer limited to master craftsmen; it brought together culturally engaged citizens more generally. Members of well-known artisan and innkeeper families soon joined, including several members of the Pschorr brewing family, the Neuner wine-merchant family (which led the BSZ for nearly 100 years), the Develey spice manufacturer, and the Obpacher art printer. The most strongly represented occupational group was that of elementary school teachers, until they later founded their own teachers' singing association. By around 1860 the BSZ was widely regarded as the most important amateur association for the cultivation of singing and music — indeed of culture generally — in Munich, and it remained so for decades. Many associations grew out of it over the course of its history, such as the social association Die Turmfalken, with which close contact continues today. From the beginning the BSZ cooperated closely with the Munich city administration and its mayors (later lord mayors). Once this became legally possible, the mayors and lord mayors were always members of the BSZ. Its founder Carl Stöhr was also the founder of the Chamber of Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria and, as a magistrate, was responsible for social affairs in the city government. The BSZ repeatedly took part in Stöhr's activities, including the founding of the first political party organization in Munich, the Märzverein of 1848. It helped shape many civic celebrations and gave benefit concerts to fulfill social tasks. In 1861 the BSZ participated in the founding of the Bavarian Singers' Association (Bayerischer Sängerbund). The first musical director to shape that association, from 1862, was Konrad Max Kunz, then the musical director of the BSZ. For over 45 years the BSZ member Wilhelm Neuner served as treasurer of the Singers' Association. Significant composers and conductors have conducted the Bürger-Sänger-Zunft, including Franz Lachner, Konrad Max Kunz, Max Zenger, Joseph Rheinberger, and Richard Trunk. Poets and composers such as Felix Dahn, Martin Greif, and Richard Strauss were honorary members. Among the works created for the BSZ, the best known today is the song "Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern," first sung in the guild on 15 December 1860 and, since 1964, the Bavarian anthem, the state anthem of the Free State of Bavaria. The BSZ member and teacher Michael Öchsner wrote the text, and his friend, the BSZ conductor Konrad Max Kunz, created the melody and settings for large orchestra, for various instrumental accompaniments, and for four-part choir. The original settings were considered lost until a few years ago. In 1995 the BSZ archivist Johannes Timmermann discovered the oldest scores of the hymn in the BSZ archive. In 1996 the large symphonic setting of the hymn was performed by the BSZ choir and orchestra at the autumn concert marking the 50th anniversary of the constitution of the present Free State of Bavaria — the first time it had been heard in certainly well over a hundred years. Since then work on the Kunz settings has continued jointly in the BSZ and in the Bavarian State Association for Heritage Preservation. Many other works by Kunz have also been rediscovered, some of which have already entered the programs of the BSZ choir and orchestra. Alongside singing, poetry, and music-making, the BSZ maintains the history of the BSZ and its valuable archive. Each year the BSZ holds several public concerts. At irregular intervals it undertakes concert tours. It took part in the millennium celebration ("Fest der Bayern") in 2000 in Regensburg. In July 2001 a concert tour went to Schwandorf, the birthplace of Konrad Max Kunz. In summer 2002 the choir and orchestra, together with the theater association in Alling, performed Carl Orff's Bernauerin. In 2008 the BSZ took part in Munich's city birthday and, under the patronage of Christian Ude, revived the history of the first city founding festival of 1858 with a ceremony in the Künstlerhaus. As part of social events, for example at the association's own Waldheim Haar, members recite self-written poems or entertain with other performances. Once a year the BSZ celebrates its birthday in the style of old guild rituals, the "Stiftungsfest." On this occasion members gather with family members and friends in suitable surroundings — formerly, for example, in the Great Hall of the Munich Hofbräukeller — for a celebration at which new members ("apprentices") usually introduce themselves with a self-written poem. At the Freier Sängertag all members are free to compete for favor with specially written works.

• 2008

  The BSZ takes part in Munich's city birthday and revives the history of the 1858 city founding festival with a ceremony in the Künstlerhaus.

• 2002

  Choir and orchestra perform Carl Orff's Bernauerin with the theater association in Alling.

• 2001

  A concert tour goes to Schwandorf, birthplace of Konrad Max Kunz.

• 2000

  The BSZ participates in the millennium celebration "Fest der Bayern" in Regensburg.

• 1996

  The large symphonic setting of the anthem is performed again by the BSZ choir and orchestra at the autumn concert for the 50th anniversary of the Bavarian constitution.

• 1995

  BSZ archivist Johannes Timmermann discovers the oldest scores of the Bavarian anthem in the BSZ archive.

• 1964

  "Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern" becomes the official anthem of the Free State of Bavaria.

• 1862

  Konrad Max Kunz, musical director of the BSZ, becomes the first shaping musical director of the Bavarian Singers' Association.

• 1861

  The BSZ takes part in founding the Bavarian Singers' Association (Bayerischer Sängerbund).

• 1860

  On 15 December, the song "Gott mit dir, du Land der Bayern" is first sung in the BSZ; text by Michael Öchsner, melody by Konrad Max Kunz.

• 1848

  The BSZ participates in the founding of the Märzverein, the first political party organization in Munich.

• 1840

  The singing group of the Munich Bürgerverein of 1819 becomes independent, founding the Bürger-Sänger-Zunft under Carl Stöhr.

A traditional, civic-minded amateur music association combining choir and orchestra, rooted in Munich's cultural history and dedicated to fostering amateur music-making.

• Annual autumn concert (Herbstkonzert)

  A recurring public concert; the 2026 edition is scheduled for 21 November at Maria Heimsuchung, featuring Rossini's Stabat Mater.

• Stiftungsfest

  Annual birthday celebration held in the style of old guild rituals, where new members introduce themselves with self-written poems.

• Concert tours

  Irregular tours; past destinations include Regensburg (2000), Schwandorf (2001), and Alling (2002).

1. 1Bürger-Sänger-Zunft e. V. München – official websitebuergersaengerzunft.de
2. 2Bürgersängerzunft – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Bürger-Sänger-Zunft München – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org